In recent years, parallel kinematics mechanisms have attracted a lot of attention from the
academic and industrial communities due to potential applications not only as robot ma-
nipulators but also as machine tools. Generally, the criteria used to compare the perform-
ance of traditional serial robots and parallel robots are the workspace, the ratio between the
payload and the robot mass, accuracy, and dynamic behaviour. In addition to the reduced
coupling effect between joints, parallel robots bring the benefits of much higher payload-
robot mass ratios, superior accuracy and greater stiffness; qualities which lead to better dy-
namic performance. The main drawback with parallel robots is the relatively small work-
space.
A great deal of research on parallel robots has been carried out worldwide, and a large
number of parallel mechanism systems have been built for various applications, such as re-
mote handling, machine tools, medical robots, simulators, micro-robots, and humanoid ro-
bots.
This book opens a window to exceptional research and development work on parallel
mechanisms contributed by authors from around the world. Through this window the
reader can get a good view of current parallel robot research and applications.
The book consists of 23 chapters introducing both basic research and advanced develop-
ments. Topics covered include kinematics, dynamic analysis, accuracy, optimization design,
modelling, simulation and control of parallel robots, and the development of parallel
mechanisms for special applications. The new algorithms and methods presented by the
contributors are very effective approaches to solving general problems in design and analy-
sis of parallel robots.
The goal of the book is to present good examples of parallel kinematics mechanisms and
thereby, we hope, provide useful information to readers interested in building parallel ro-
bots.
Editor
Huapeng Wu
Institute of Mechatronics and Virtual Engineering
Lappeenranta University of Technology
Finland
VII
Contents