Natural motion: Efficient path tracking with robotic limbs

We aim at experimental verification of the efficiency of natural-motion path tracking (i.e. tracking speed in proportion to the determinant of the Jacobian) in comparison to constant-speed path tracking. This is done first via simulations, with a simple planar manipulator and then with a six-DOF manipulator. From the results it becomes apparent that natural-motion path tracking outperforms constant-speed path tracking in terms of peak joint speed, peak joint torque and total mechanical power, ensuring thereby a higher average tracking speed. The results are also confirmed via experiments with a real six-DOF robotic limb.