Plenary Lecture

Workspace Evaluation for Analysis and Synthesis of Manipulator

Professor Marco Ceccarelli
LARM: Laboratory of Robotics and Mechatronics
DiMSAT - University of Cassino
Via Di Biasio 43, 03043 Cassino (Fr), Italy
Email: ceccarelli@unicas.it
 

Abstract: Manipulator workspace is illustrated by discussing its basic characteristics as fundamental for design and operation of mechanical systems in manipulation applications. Algorithms are explained for numerical evaluation of the workspace of serial and parallel manipulators. Formulations are discussed also for design purposes. Design problem for manipulators is formulated by using workspace characteristics. Experimental procedures for workspace determination are outlined both for model validations and performance evaluation.

Brief Biography of the Speaker:
Marco Ceccarelli was born in Rome in 1958. He received the mechanical engineer degree cum laude in 1982 at the University “La Sapienza” of Rome. At the same University he received a Ph.D. degree in Applied Mechanics in 1988. In 1987 he was visiting scholar at Stanford University, U.S.A., and in 1990 he received a CNR-NATO annual grant as visiting professor at the Technical University of Valencia, Spain. Since 1990 he teaches courses on Mechanics of Machinery and Mechanisms, and Mechanics of Robots at the School of Engineering at the University of Cassino. Since 1996 he is Director of LARM, the Laboratory of Robotics and Mechatronics of DiMSAT, the Department of Mechanics, Structures, Environment and Territory at the University of Cassino. Since 2001 he has been appointed Full Professor of Mechanics of Machinery and Mechanisms at the University of Cassino. From 2003 to 2005 he has been Vice Director of DiMSAT.
He is member of ASME (The American Society of Mechanical Engineers), AEIM (Spanish Society of Mechanical Engineers), SIRI (Italian Association of Robotics and Automation), IEEE (the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers), FeIbIM (Iberoamerican Federation for Mechanical Engineering), AISI (Italian Society for the History of Engineering), GMA (Italian Group for Mechanics of Machinery).
From 1998 to 2004 he has been Chairman of the Permanent Commission for History of Machine and Mechanism Science of IFToMM, the International Federation for the Promotion of Machine and Mechanism Science, and currently he is still a member. He is also member of the IFToMM Technical Committee for Robotics. He has been member of IFToMM TC for Computational Kinematics. He is Chairman of the Commission for Mechatronics of FeIbIM, Federacion Iberoamericana de Ingenieria Mecanica. He is Coordinator of the Scientific Committee for RAAD, International Workshops on Robotics in Alpe-Adria-Danube Region. He is Chairman of the Scientific Committee of MUSME, IFToMM-FeIbIM International Conference on Mechatronics and Multibody Systems. He is member of scientific Committees for several conferences, like RAAD, Romansy, CK, and many others; he is associate editor for the journal Transactions of CSME (the Canadian Society of Mechanical Engineers), Journal Mechanics Based Design of Structures and Machines, International Journal of Mechanics and Control, Chinese Journal of Mechanical Design, and Journal Advanced Robotic Systems; he has served as associated editor for Mechanism and Machine Theory; he has served as reviewer for several international conferences and journals; he has served as reviewer for national and international projects for Italian and foreign agencies. He has given invited lectures and short courses in many countries at conference events, celebration events, or within regular courses. He has carried out consulting activity for companies and in industrial plants on problems regarding with Automation and Robotics. He has been Scientific Editor for the Proceedings of HMM 2000, HMM 2004 and HMM2008, International Symposium on History of Machines and Mechanisms. He has been Chairman for HMM 2000 and 2004 that have been held in Cassino; he has been Co-Chairman for MUSME in 2002 in Mexico City, in 2005 in Uberlandia, Brazil and in 2008 in San Juan, Argentina. He has been Chairman for RAAD Workshops held in Cassino in 1997 and 2003. He has been Chairman for CK2005, IFToMM International Workshop on Computational Kinematics that has been held in Cassino in 2005. He is Scientific Editor of a Book Series on History of Mechanism and Machine Science published by Springer. He has edited ‘Distinguished Figures in MMS – Part 1’ published by Springer in the above-mentioned book series. He has coauthored the book ‘A short Illustrated History of Machines’ published at Technical University in Madrid in 2008. He has written the book ‘Fundamentals of Mechanics of Robotic Manipulation’ published by Kluwer/Springer in 2004.
In November 2003 he has received the Degree of Doctor Honoris Causa from UNI, National University of Lima, Peru, as recognizing his academic and scientific career, and his support to the activity of UNI in Mechatronic Engineering. He has been indicated as Coordinator of the Commission for Research of GMA, Italian National Group for Mechanics of Machinery for the period 2002-2006. He has been elected Secretary-General of IFToMM for the term 2004-2007. He has been elected President of IFToMM for the term 2008-2011.
His research interests cover aspects of Theory of Machines and Mechanisms (TMM) and Mechanics of Robots. Specific subjects of his interest are Analysis and Design of Workspace and Manipulation; Mechanical Design of Manipulators, Legged Robots, and Grippers; Mechanics of Grasp; History of TMM; and Mechanism Design. He is author or co-author of more than four hundreds papers, which have been presented at Conferences or published in national and international journals.