Classification of manipulators of the same origin by virtue of compactness and complexity

This work deals with a classification method that employs concepts such as complexity and compactness. The idea is to classify manipulators, or any other mechanism for that matter, of the same origin, based on the geometry of the joints, the tasks performed by the joints, the efficiency and the manufacturing cost to generate the specified efficiency. It is known that successive units on a single branch create individual uncertainties that affect the eventual quality of the performed operation [1]. An entropic expression quantifies this uncertainty in terms of the number of links and the unit effectiveness. The concepts of compactness and complexity have been formulated, and these concepts are explained through serial and parallel manipulators with varying parameters. Eventually, a cost function is created which is a function of complexity, uncertainty and the manufacturing cost. A worked example on M = 6 Stewart–Gough platform is given how this cost function could be taken advantage of when deciding an initial manipulator. A genetic algorithm is used for the optimization of the cost function, where the results are tabulated.