A Relaxation Method for Simulating the Kinematics of Compound Nonlinear Mechanisms

This paper describes a relaxation-based method for simulating 2D and 3D compound kinematic mechanisms. The relaxational process iteratively propagates node motions and degrees of freedom throughout a given kinematic mechanism. While relaxation methods were classically used to solve static problems, we show that the propagation of displacements during the calculation process itself reveals the kinematics of the structure. The method is slower than approaches based on solving simultaneous differential equations of motion, but provides several advantages: It achieves a higher level of accuracy, is more robust in handling transient singularities and degeneracies of the mechanism, and can handle more complex compound mechanisms with many links in multiple entangled kinematic chains. It also allows straightforward introduction of linkages with nonlinear behaviors such as wrapping strings, hydraulics, actuators, contacts, and other arbitrary responses. The basic simulation algorithm is presented, and a number of applications are provided including robotics, design, and biomechanics.