Geometric design of hexapod with integrated limb mechanism of leg and arm

This paper introduces a new concept for the integration of locomotion and manipulation. `The Integrated Limb Mechanism' covers the technical fields of both the control integration and the mechanism integration necessary for the practical working robot. Here, a six-bar linkage mechanism with four degrees-of-freedom is introduced as an example of integrated limb mechanism. Kinematic analysis for the geometric and mechanical design suggests that the mechanism satisfies a contradictory conditions, not only for leg with slow heavy motion in downward posture, but also for arm with fast light motion in upward posture. The work space that two or three arms can reach is analyzed and evaluated by volume numerically for dual arm work and triple arm work. According to these analysis, a prototype hexapod with integrated limb mechanism, `MELMANTIS,' was made.