A direct numerical solution to forward kinematics of general Stewart–Gough platforms

Abstract

This paper presents a simple numerical method for forward kinematics of general Stewart–Gough platforms, which can generate a unique solution directly. This method utilizes the trivial nature of the inverse kinematics of parallel manipulators, and derives a straightforward linear relationship between the small change in joint variables (leg lengths) and the resulting small motion of the platform. The solution to the forward kinematics is then achieved through a series of small changes in joint variables. Numerical examples validate and confirm the efficiency of the method.