Global kinematics for manipulator planning and control

This paper reviews one method of global kinematic analysis, based on a manifold mapping reformulation of manipulator kinematics, which is suitable for both non-redundant and redundant serial chain manipulators. Two applications of this approach are considered: the relationship between changing pose and singularities for non-redundant manipulators and the homotopy class of redundant manipulator self-motions. The first relationship has important implications for non-redundant, manipulator regrasping operations. Variations in redundant manipulator self-motion homotopy can have an important effect on motion and redundancy resolution planning, since they can lead to algorithmic singularities and unexpected loss of manipulator capabilities.