RoboticsLesson 3 of 3 in the course Robot kinematics

Robotic Arms: Structure, Configurations, Applications, and Control

5 flashcards · 5 quiz questions · 5 match pairs · 4 fill-in sentences · English

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Summary

A robotic arm is a programmable mechanical system that can move objects or tools in ways that resemble some functions of a human arm. This lesson introduces the parts of an arm and the kinematic ideas used to describe its movement.

A robotic arm may be a complete mechanism or one part of a larger robot. Its rigid or semi-rigid sections are called links. The links connect through joints, which allow one link to move relative to another. Motors or other actuators commonly power the joints.

All flashcards

What is a robotic arm?
A usually programmable mechanical arm whose links and joints create controlled movement. It may operate alone or as part of a larger robot.
What are links and joints?
Links are the sections of an arm. Joints connect the links and allow relative movement, such as rotation or straight-line translation.
What is a kinematic chain?
The connected sequence of links and joints that describes a manipulator's structure and motion.
What does DOF mean for a robotic arm?
Degrees of freedom are the independent ways the arm can move. For many serial arms, the number of DOF equals the number of movable joints.
What is inverse kinematics?
A mathematical process that determines joint settings, such as joint angles, needed to place the end effector at a desired position and orientation.

Quiz questions

  1. What joint arrangement characterizes a Cartesian or gantry robot?Answer: Three prismatic joints aligned with Cartesian coordinate axes.
  2. What is teleoperation in robotics?Answer: A person uses a master device to control a remote follower device.
  3. What is a key benefit of edge computing for a robotic arm?Answer: Processing data near the robot can reduce decision-making delays.
  4. Why are at least six degrees of freedom generally required to reach an arbitrary pose in three-dimensional space?Answer: Three specify position and three specify orientation.
  5. How can extra degrees of freedom help a robotic arm?Answer: They can provide alternative joint configurations for the same end-effector pose.

Based on the Wikipedia article Robotic arm, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Adapted into a summary, flashcards and quizzes.

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