Features

• Kinematic graph-based modeling
• Unified handling of 2D and 3D linkages with serial chain, tree, and graph structures
• Support for parametrized linkage definitions
• Handling of open-chain and graph-structured mechanisms
  In the first case, the mechanism is modeled with transformation between the consecutive links. In the second case, only the minimum number of constraint equations are generated (the non-redundant equations) that are needed to model the mechanism (equivalent to calculating the position and orientation of every link). Graph based mechanisms are started as open-chain mechanisms, and they become graph based as soon as one loop closing kinematic pair is defined. At that moment constraint equations are generated and stored in the LinkageData object of the mechanisms.
• The length of the $DrivingVariables record equals the mobility of the mechanism
  During the mechanism definition phase the mobility of the actual mechanism is always correct. For instance, in four-bar mechanisms the mobility increases from 1 to 3 until the first three rotational joints are defined. After the fourth (this is a loop-closing kinematic pair) rotational joint is defined, the mobility of the mechanism is dropped to 1, and two constraint equations are automatically generated.
• Inverse kinematic problem formulation
  The inverse kinematic problem is formulated as follows: given the desired position and orientation of a tool relative to the reference coordinate frame, how do we compute the set of joint values of the mechanism to position the tool in this posture? The template equation-based solution technique was originated by Pieper and Paul, who found that the solution of the inverse kinematic equation of typical industrial robots leads to the solution of trigonometric polynomials conforming to some simple pattern. The solution of these simple template equations (sometimes called prototype equations) is known; therefore, if one can identify an equation matching the template, only the parameters need to be extracted, and the solution can be generated symbolically. The template equations can be considered as knowledge representation, which speeds up solution of the inverse kinematic problem in case of certain special linkages.
• Calculation of translational velocity, angular velocity, and higher-order derivatives of any links in a closed-form linkage
• Visualization and animation of linkages in Mathematica notebooks
• Export to Dynamic Visualizer, LiveGraphics3D, or VRML97