KINEMATIC ANALYSIS OF A TRANSLATIONAL 3-DOF TENSEGRITY MECHANISM

This paper presents a novel three-degree-of-freedom mechanism based on a known tensegrity architecture. The mechanism is cable driven and shown to exhibit three-dimensional translational motion. Analytical solutions to the direct and inverse kinematic problems are produced based on the geometry and statics of the mechanism. The boundaries of the reachable Cartesian workspace are developed based on maintaining valid tensegrity configurations and requiring the actuated cables to be in tension. The low inertia, relatively large workspace volume and the movement produced by the mechanism make it promising for high speed applications such as pick and place operations.