Kinematic Graphs Research Articles

Algorithm for automatic generation of kinematic chains.

The computer algorithm for generating all the possible structural patterns of mechanisms with given degrees of freedom, number of general constraints and number of loops has been developed. First, basic graphs composed of links with three or more kinematic pairs, which represent shapes of loops, are determined and the kinematic graphs are obtained by allocating binary links to some edges of each basic graph. The number of cases to be considered when allocating binary links to the edges decreases by grouping the edges of basic graphs with the same characteristics and consequently, the computation time is well reduced.

Linkage Characteristic Polynomials: Definitions, Coefficients by Inspection

A linkage characteristic polynomial is defined as the characteristic polynomial of the adjacency matrix of the kinematic graph of the kinematic chain. Some terminology and definitions, needed for discussions to follow in a companion paper, are stated. A rule from which all coefficients of the characteristic polynomial of a kinematic chain can be identified by inspection, based on the interpretation of a graph determinant, is derived and presented. This inspection rule interprets the topological meanings behind each characteristic coefficient, and might have some interesting possible uses in studies of the structural analysis and synthesis of kinematic chains.

The Creation of Mechanisms According to Kinematic Structure and Function

The classification of mechanisms is reviewed and their kinematic structure and graph representation discussed. Mechanism creation based on the separation of structure from function is illustrated f...

Successive mapping of dune slack vegetation

The succession of the dune slack vegetation around an artificial lake was studied by means of successive mapping. A succession scheme was prepared on the basis of comparison of the maps made in various years. This scheme was discussed in terms of systems theory, with reference to a kinematic graph prepared on the basis of the transformations. The succession derived from the vegetation maps was compared with that derived from the permanent plots; the results of this comparison indicated that only a small proportion of the total number of succession lines could be detected with the aid of the permanent plots. In addition, the information that could be derived from the permanent plot analysis depended on the degree of change of the vegetation in the area; more information could be derived from drier areas which showed the least degree of change. The best method for the investigation of the succession proved to be a combination of a restricted number of permanent plots and successive mapping.

New class of kinematic branch points forn-line graphs

It is well known that for graphs with six external lines or more, the necessary linear dependence of any five external 4-vectors imposes certain conditions on the Mandelstam variablessij=(Pi+Pj)2. The purpose of this note is to point out that these conditions in general lead to kinematic branch points when the graph is considered as usual as an analytic function of its independent variables.