[Visualpython-users] Stefs question about arms.

[Martin M. <pro...@gm...>]

As I understand your question you are trying to position manipulators on the
end of multijoint arms..
I have written quite a bit of code to control 5 and 6 axis robotics
manipulators in Vpython. If you know the angles and lengths of your joints
and want to determine the position in 3space of your manipulator, this is
called Forward Kinematics. If you want pick a particular spot in space and
place a manipulator there by calculating the appropriate joint angles, this
is called Inverse kinematics.  With greater then 2axis, the problem can be
overdetermined and you typically apply iterative techinques or so called
Lyapunov methods.  Anyway a quick intro to forward kinematics with all the
examples generated in Vpython is on my website. http://profmason.com/?p=569
I have all the code written for the inverse kinematics, but I haven't
written anything up yet.
Failing that you can look at Introduction to Robotics Mechanics and Control
by JJ Craig.

have fun!
mmason

----------------------
Martin S. Mason
Professor of Physics and Engineering
Mt. San Antonio College
Walnut, CA 91789