Robotics 2

Dynamic model of robots:

Newton-Euler approach
Prof. Alessandro De Luca

Approaches to dynamic modeling

(reprise)

Newton-Euler method
(balance of forces/torques)

energy-based approach
(Euler-Lagrange)
!
!

multi-body robot seen as a whole

constraint (internal) reaction forces
between the links are automatically
eliminated: in fact, they do not
perform work

Robotics 2

inverse dynamics in real time

!

closed-form (symbolic) equations

are directly obtained
best suited for study of dynamic
properties and analysis of control
schemes

dynamic equations written

separately for each link/body

equations are evaluated in a

numeric and recursive way
best for synthesis
(=implementation) of modelbased control schemes

by elimination of reaction forces and

back-substitution of expressions, we
still get closed-form dynamic
equations (identical to those of EulerLagrange!)
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Derivative of a vector in a moving frame

from velocity to acceleration
0

( )

R i = S 0" i 0 Ri

derivative of unit vector

!i

Robotics 2

Dynamics of a rigid body

!

Newton dynamic equation

!

balance: sum of forces = variation of linear momentum

" fi =
!

d
(mv c ) = m v c
dt

Euler dynamic equation

!

balance: sum of torques = variation of angular momentum

!
d
d

=
I
#
=
I
#
+
R I R T ) # = I# + R I R T + R I R T #
" i dt ( )
(
dt
= I# + S(# )R I R T# + R I R T S T (# ) # = I# + # $ I#

principle of action and reaction

!

Robotics 2

forces/torques: applied by body i to body i+1

= - applied by body i+1 to body i
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Newton-Euler equations
link i

zi-1

FORCES
center
of mass

zi

ci

Oi-1
axis qi

fi force applied
from link (i-1) on link i

vci

fi

-1

mig

Newton equation

fi+1 force applied

from link i on link (i+1)

fi+1
Oi
axis qi+1

mig gravity force

all vectors expressed in the
same RF (better RFi)

fi " fi+1 + mi g = mi aci

linear acceleration of ci
Robotics 2

Newton-Euler equations
link i

!i

TORQUES
"i torque applied
from link (i-1) on link i
"i+1 torque applied
from link i on link (i+1)
fi x ri-1,ci torque due to fi w.r.t. ci
- fi+1 x ri,ci torque due to - fi+1 w.r.t. ci
Euler equation

-2

zi-1

"i
fi

ri-1,ci

Oi-1
axis qi

zi

ri,ci

"i+1

fi+1
Oi
axis qi+1

all vectors expressed in

the same RF (RFi !!)
E

Robotics 2

angular acceleration of bodyi

Forward recursion
Computing velocities and accelerations

moving frames algorithm (as for velocities in Lagrange)

wherever there is no leading superscript, it is the same as the subscript
for simplicity, only revolute joints
(see textbook for the more general treatment)

initializations

AR

the gravity force term can be skipped in Newton equation, if added here
Robotics 2

Backward recursion
Computing forces and torques
from Ni

to Ni-1

from Ei

to Ei-1

eliminated, if inserted
in forward recursion (i=0)

initializations

F/TR

at each step of this recursion, we have two vector equations (Ni + Ei) at the
joint providing
and
: these contain ALSO the reaction forces/torques
at the joint axis
they should be next projected along/around this axis
FP
generalized forces
(in rhs of Euler-Lagrange eqs)
Robotics 2

for prismatic joint

for revolute joint
add here dissipative terms
(here viscous friction only)

N scalar
equations
at the end

Comments on Newton-Euler method

!

the previous forward/backward recursive formulas can

be evaluated in symbolic or numeric form
!

Robotics 2

symbolic
! substituting expressions in a recursive way
! at the end, a closed-form dynamic model is obtained, which
is identical to the one obtained using Euler-Lagrange (or any
other) method
! there is no special convenience in using N-E in this way
numeric
! substituting numeric values (numbers!) at each step
! computational complexity of each step remains constant
grows in a linear fashion with the number N of joints (O(N))
! strongly recommended for real-time use, especially when the
number N of joints is large

Newton-Euler algorithm

efficient computational scheme for inverse dynamics

numeric steps
at every instant t

(at robot base)

AR

FP
F/TR
outputs

inputs

AR

FP
F/TR

Robotics 2

(force/torque exchange
environment/E-E)

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Matlab (or C) script

general routine NE"(arg1,arg2,arg3)
!

data file (of a specific robot)

!
!
!

input
!
!

number N and types ! ={0,1}N of joints (revolute/prismatic)

table of DH kinematic parameters
list of dynamic parameters of the links (and of the motors)
vector parameter " = {0g,0} (presence or absence of gravity)
three ordered vector arguments
! typically, samples of joint position, velocity, acceleration
taken from a desired trajectory

output
!
!

Robotics 2

generalized force u for the complete inverse dynamics

or single terms of the dynamic model
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Examples of output
!

complete inverse dynamics

..

. ..

u = NE0g(qd,qd,qd) = B(qd)qd+c(qd,qd)+g(qd)=ud

gravity terms

u = NE0g(q,0,0) = g(q)
!

centrifugal and Coriolis terms

.

u = NE0(q,q,0) = c(q,q)
!

i-th column of the inertia matrix

u = NE0(q,0,ei) = bi(q)

generalized momentum
.

ei = i-th column
of identity matrix

u = NE0(q,0,q) = B(q)q
Robotics 2

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Inverse dynamics of a 2R planar robot

desired (smooth) joint motion:

quintic polynomials for q1, q2 with
zero vel/acc boundary conditions
from (90,-180) to (0,90) in T=1 s
Robotics 2

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Inverse dynamics of a 2R planar robot

zero
initial torques =
free equilibrium
configuration
+
zero initial
accelerations

final torques
u1 ! 0, u2 = 0
balance
link weights
in final (0,90)
configuration

motion in vertical plane (under gravity)

both links are thin rods of uniform mass m1 = 10 kg, m2 = 5 kg
Robotics 2

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Inverse dynamics of a 2R planar robot

torque contributions at the two joints for the desired motion

= total,
= inertial
= Coriolis/centrifugal,
= gravitational
Robotics 2

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Use of NE routine for simulation

direct dynamics

numerical integration, at current state (q,q), of

..

q=
!

B-1(q)

[u (c(q,q)+g(q))]=

B-1(q)

[u n(q,q)]

Coriolis, centrifugal, and gravity terms

.

complexity

n = NE0g(q,q,0)
!

O(N)

i-th column of the inertia matrix, for i =1,..,N

bi = NE0(q,0,ei)

O(N2)

numerical inversion of inertia matrix

InvB = inv(B)

O(N3)

but with small coefficient

given u, integrate acceleration computed as

..

q = InvB * [u n]
Robotics 2

.
new state (q,q)
and repeat over time...
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