A Topological Kinematic Workspace Analysis of the Canfield Joint
This work addresses a domain-specific problem in robotics or mechanical engineering, focusing on the analysis and control of a particular joint, and appears incremental as it builds on existing kinematic methods.
The paper tackles the workspace analysis of the Canfield Joint, a mechanical linkage, using topological techniques, and develops a new control method combining forward and inverse kinematics to analyze workspace changes under a failure mode where one degree of freedom is lost.
We use topological techniques to do a workspace analysis of the Canfield Joint, a mechanical linkage constructed with two plates connected by three legs. The Canfield Joint has three degrees of freedom and can be controlled using three actuators attached to the base in strategic positions. In the process of performing the workspace analysis, we describe a new method of controlling the Joint which includes elements of both forward and inverse kinematics. This control process is then used to answer the question of how the workspace of the joint changes in the possibility of a failure mode where one degree of freedom is lost.