Geometry-aided MEMS motion state estimation for multi-body manipulators

We consider full motion state sensing of a rigid multi-body linkage assembly using rate gyros and linear accelerometers. The research is built upon micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) components for low-cost “strap-down” implementation. An open-chain geometrical assembly motion model is proposed and validated experimentally using a minimum MEMS-configuration per link. The related inclination sensing, which is robust against linear and angular motion effects, proceeds in a novel cascaded manner and is founded on the complementary and Kalman filtering principles for exclusive low delay. This is demonstrated by a suite of experiments on a robotic vertically mounted three-link planar arm rig.