Currently most motion platforms for flight simulators are built upon a parallel actuation structure known as Stewart's Platform which is proven to reproduce realistic motion cues. The envelope of reproducible static accelerations and continuous rotational motions is small because of the limited working space of the platform. An alternative to parallel actuation is serial actuation; industrial robots are typical serial actuations systems and are capable of moving large loads with high acceleration and velocities. Although industrial robots suffer less structure stiffness, less load capability and less bandwidth than parallel actuation systems, the large dexterity envelope of the robot motions allows to move the cabin along complex coordinated trajectories, and reach any attitude allowing for reproduction of a wider envelope of accelerations and angular velocities. This paper will show the results of a preliminary study on robot kinematics, the selection of the home position which maximizes the capability to generate velocities and angular rates for the cabin, the design of the wash-out filters and finally some experimental results using an industrial robot, a real-time aircraft simulator with Synthetic Environment, and an inertial unit which is used to measure actual angular rates and accelerations of the cabin in order to assess the motion platform performance.
Study of a Novel Motion Platform for Flight Simulators using an Anthropomorphic Robot
POLLINI, LORENZO;INNOCENTI, MARIO
2006-01-01
Abstract
Currently most motion platforms for flight simulators are built upon a parallel actuation structure known as Stewart's Platform which is proven to reproduce realistic motion cues. The envelope of reproducible static accelerations and continuous rotational motions is small because of the limited working space of the platform. An alternative to parallel actuation is serial actuation; industrial robots are typical serial actuations systems and are capable of moving large loads with high acceleration and velocities. Although industrial robots suffer less structure stiffness, less load capability and less bandwidth than parallel actuation systems, the large dexterity envelope of the robot motions allows to move the cabin along complex coordinated trajectories, and reach any attitude allowing for reproduction of a wider envelope of accelerations and angular velocities. This paper will show the results of a preliminary study on robot kinematics, the selection of the home position which maximizes the capability to generate velocities and angular rates for the cabin, the design of the wash-out filters and finally some experimental results using an industrial robot, a real-time aircraft simulator with Synthetic Environment, and an inertial unit which is used to measure actual angular rates and accelerations of the cabin in order to assess the motion platform performance.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
