Self-calibration of single-loop, closed kinematic chains formed by dual or redundant manipulators

A novel approach to identifying the kinematic models of redundant or dual manipulators without end-point sensing is presented. Starting from the observation that such manipulators can be made to form mobile closed kinematic chains, it is shown that these closed loops can be identified by an iterative-least-squares algorithm similar to that used in calibrating open-chain manipulators. Simulations have demonstrated that this technique is viable. The issue of the identifiability of the kinematic parameters of the closed loop is addressed