Modular robot manipulator is a robotic system a51sembled f r o m discrete joints and links into one oj' m a n y possible manipulator configurations. This paper describes a task based design method of modular robot manipulators. A locking mechanism which provides quick coupling and decoupling is developed and a parallel connection method is devised reducing the number o,f com.ponents o n each module.To automatically determine the optimal link lengths of modular manipulator f o r a given task, the algorithm is two step: determine the necessary configuration of robot using kinematic equations and then determzne the optimal link length using the proposed efficient genetic algorithm. S o m e of design examples are shown.

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In this paper, the mathematical model of a Bernoulli-Euler cantilever beam fixed on a moving cart and carrying an intermediate lumped mass is derived. The equations of motion of the beam-mass-cart system is analyzed utilizing unconstrained modal analysis, and a unified frequency equation which can be generally applied to this kind of system is obtained. The change of natural frequencies and mode shapes with respect to the change of the mass ratios of the beam, the lumped mass and the cart and to the position of the lumped mass is investigated. The open-loop responses of the system by arbitrary forcing function are also obtained through numerical simulations.