Modeling closed chain motion of two manipulators holding a rigid object

Abstract A dynamical model is developed for the closed chain motion of two N-joint manipulators holding a rigid object in a three-dimensional workspace. Holonomic constraints are developed and combined with the equations of motion of the manipulators and of the object to obtain the dynamical model of the entire system. The behavior of the generalized contact forces and their impact on the coupling among the individual components of the system in the model is investigated. The problem of solving the model for the forward and inverse dynamics is discussed.