textBecause of its increased range of resources, a redundant/reconfigurable
robot has the potential to be deployed for a variety of applications saving time and
money. This work provides decision tools which increase the utility of deployed
manipulators by operating them intuitively and economically in terms of a
broader set of tasks while maximizing performance. System utility is expanded
by developing a general decision making strategy that decreases the burden on
operators who have little or no robotics expertise yet must operate the system.
This utility function is a Redundancy Resolution Strategy. (RRS)
The RRS uses a generalized, parametric system manipulator model and a
large set of criteria to compare the capabilities of the infinite number of joint
configurations available. The RRS then selects and prioritizes a subset of criteria
that are appropriate in a given situation by evaluating critical boundaries
associated with manipulator constraints and/or task description. The RRS is
paired with a Redundancy Resolution Technique (RRT) which determines, in real-
vii
time, the best configuration in terms of the selected criteria. Together, the criteria
and these components are the Decision Making System (DMS).
Most DMS components have received attention at the University of Texas
and elsewhere, but the RRS and component integration has been largely dismissed
as implementation detail. This ‘detail’ is largely responsible for the lack of
success in deploying redundant/reconfigurable systems. If the advantages of
these systems are to be realized, we must apply physically meaningful criteria to
determine the best allocation of redundant resources by creating a procedure to
select a subset of appropriate criteria. The selected criteria must improve
performance so that a larger number of tasks are possible. The burden on the
operator, task completion time, and time required to prepare for a new task all
must be reduced. The life of the manipulator is also increased by using resources
efficiently. By managing resource allocation correctly, the RRS can also remove
the need for intervention by an expensive ‘robotics expert.’ The selected RRT,
reviewed performance criteria, and proposed RRS are implemented using existing
operational software and used to complete several complex simulated tasks.Mechanical Engineerin
