This book is an introduction to the mathematical theory of design for articulated mechanical systems known as linkages. The author is one of the leading researchers in this heavily mathematical area. Its special features include chapter summaries, detailed illustrations, exercises at the end of each chapter, and design software for planar and spherical linkage design. The book will be useful to mathematics, engineering and computer science departments where courses on mathematical modelling of robotics and other articulated mechanical systems are given.

Inhalt

Analysis of Planar Linkages.- Graphical Synthesis in the Plane.- Planar Kinematics.- Algebraic Synthesis of Planar Chains.- Analysis of Spherical Linkages.- Spherical Kinematics.- Algebraic Synthesis of Spherical Chains.- Analysis of Spatial Chains.- Spatial Kinematics.- Algebraic Synthesis of Spatial Chains.- Platform Manipulators.