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This paper presents a six-degree-of-freedom parallel robot which has been recently designed. The design is based on a three-degree-of-freedom parallel robot called DELTA which was designed in Switzerland by EPFL. First, we give equations corresponding to different models of the DELTA robot: forward and inverse kinematics as well as inverse dynamics. An important feature of our method in deriving these models is to use a “good” set of parameters in order to simplify the equations. Then, in an attempt to extend the principle of the DELTA robot mechanical structure to a six-degree-offreedom parallel robot, we propose a new design called HEXA. Equations for kinematics and dynamics of the HEXA robot are presented and show that it has the same dynamic capabilities as the DELTA robot because, like the DELTA robot, it can be built with light-weight materials and easily modeled. Finally, we discuss optimization of the HEXA robot mechanical structure.

The main goal of the Union Esprit Basic Research Action is to develop methods for increasing the autonomy and intelligence of Underwater Remotely Operated Vehicles (Rov). The project focuses mainly on the development of coordinated control and sensing strategies for combined manipulator and vehicle systems. Both fundamental theories and methods for the design of these heterogeneous systems are investigated and concern: dynamic modeling and control for arm/base stabilization, use of sensory information (camera, sonars, lasers..) for pipeline inspection, navigation, programming, etc. Experimental and simulated results validated the theoretical developments. A complex canonical mission in the eld of o shore Inspection Maintenance and Repair tasks was chosen to illustrate the integration of all the results. The Union project brings together seven European research groups working on underwater vehicles, robotics and intelligent sensing systems: (1)Ifremer, Subsea Robotics Laboratory (FR), (2) Inria, SophiaAntipolis, Icare Team (FR), (3) Lirmm-Cnrs, Robotics Laboratory (FR), (4) Upc, Polytechnical University Barcelona (S), (5)Lbm, Technical University Muenchen (D), (6)Hwu, Heriot Watt University (UK), (7) Oxford University (UK).

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