Interaction Forces and Internal Loads in Parallel Manipulators with Actuation Redundancy

Abstract:This paper discusses null-space wrench components in parallel manipulators. We examine the adaptation of the two most common characterizations of these components in grasp-like systems, namely, interaction forces and internal loads, to parallel manipulators with actuation redundancy. We identify critical oversights in the existing literature on the subject, resolve ambiguities related to the definitions of interaction forces and internal loads, and provide explicit methods for synthesizing equilibrating and manipulating joint torque vectors. A case study is also provided to justify the validity of our novel methods and correct erroneous results reported in the literature.

30 pages, 15 figures. Accepted for publication in Mechanism and Machine Theory journal

Robotics (cs.RO)

arXiv:2604.27095 [cs.RO]

(or arXiv:2604.27095v2 [cs.RO] for this version)

Flight, J., Gosselin, C., Interaction forces and internal loads in parallel manipulators with actuation redundancy. Mechanism and Machine Theory 229 (2026) 106573

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mechmachtheory.2026.106573 DOI(s) linking to related resources