EoM for rigid body, wrench and twist help

In summary, the conversation discusses the process of forming equations of motion for a robotic manipulation problem. The position and orientation of the object are represented by a matrix and the twist of the object is defined by another matrix. The problem arises when forming the equations of motion because the object twist is expressed in the spatial frame, so the wrench must also be specified in the spatial frame. However, this can be confusing and it may be easier to leave the point of application as is and just rotate the force and moment vectors into the inertial frame. The conversation then addresses the correct way to implement an external wrench to the object, with the conclusion being that it must be transformed into the spatial frame.
  • #1
Liferider
43
0
I am currently working on a robotic manipulation problem and need to form a model for how an object responds. I start by writing up the equations of motion for the body, the motion is then constrained by an additional constraint equation. However, I am new to the notions of twists and wrenches and are afraid to make mistakes.

The position and orientation of the object are represented by
\begin{align*}
u =
\begin{bmatrix}
p \\
\epsilon
\end{bmatrix}
\end{align*}
and/or
\begin{equation*}
T^0_b =
\begin{bmatrix}
R^0_b & p \\
0 & 1
\end{bmatrix}
\end{equation*}
so 'p' is expressed in the inertial frame of reference.

The twist of the object are defined to be
\begin{equation*}
\nu =
\begin{bmatrix}
v \\
\omega
\end{bmatrix}
\end{equation*}
where the elements satisfy
\begin{align*}
v &= \dot{p} - \omega \times p \\
[\omega] &= \dot{R}^0_b (R^0_b)^T
\end{align*}
Therefore, the twist is expressed in the spatial (inertial) frame.

My problem arises when I form the equations of motion. Since I have expressed the object twist in the spatial frame, do I also have to specify the object wrench in the spatial frame?

I did that and found that due to the definition of wrenches, specifying the wrench applied at the point 'p' in the spatial frame requires a special transformation where an additional torque is applied in the spatial frame (due to moving the point of application). I find this a bit frustrating because it becomes harder to interpret the simulation data. Could I just leave the point of application as 'p' and just rotate the force and moment vectors into the inertial frame instead?

Several authors of books and articles gives the EoM in the body frame and not in the spatial frame, is there a reason for this? I mean, don't you almost always want to express the position and orientation relative to an inertial frame?
 
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  • #2
Ok, I see now that it is a somewhat stupid problem statement, of course one has to develop the EoM for spatial wrench. One can easily be confused when one reads:

Let f ∈ R3 be the force applied to the object at the
point p and let m ∈ R3 be the applied moment. These are
combined into the object load, or wrench, vector denoted
by g = [f, m] ∈ Rnν , where f and m are expressed
in {N}. Like twists, wrenches can be referred to any
convenient frame fixed to the body. One can think of this
as translating the line of application of the force until it
contains the origin of the new frame, then adjusting the
moment component of the wrench to offset the moment
induced by moving the line of the force.


A wrench is a only a wrench if it is expressed in a frame where the point of application is the origin, it is a bit confusing when he writes "f and m are expressed in {N}", where {N} is the inertial frame.

Anyways, in the EoM I must include the applied external wrench to the object (other than contact wrenches) where I will assume that the force of gravity is the only one, what is the correct way of implementing that? I mean, the point of application is the point 'p', so if I make up a body frame that is world aligned but displaced by 'p', I can transform this gravity wrench from the world aligned body frame to the spatial frame. So,
\begin{align*}
T^0_{b'} =
\begin{bmatrix}
I & p \\
0 & 1
\end{bmatrix} \ g_{app}^{b'} &=
\begin{bmatrix}
f^{b'} \\
\tau^{b'}
\end{bmatrix} =
\begin{bmatrix}
0 \\
0 \\
-mg \\
\mathbf{0}
\end{bmatrix} \\
g_{app} &= Ad^T g_{app}^{b'} =
\begin{bmatrix}
(R^{b'}_0)^T & 0 \\
-(R^{b'}_0)^T [p] & (R^{b'}_0)^T
\end{bmatrix}g_{app}^{b'} =
\begin{bmatrix}
I & 0 \\
-[p] & I
\end{bmatrix}g_{app}^{b'} \\
&\Downarrow \\
g_{app} &=
\begin{bmatrix}
f^{b'} \\
-[p]f^{b'}
\end{bmatrix}
\end{align*}
However, this body, world aligned frame that I just created, is not the same as the general body frame that also has some orientation, so will this spatial applied wrench g_{app} be correct?
 

1. What is the Equation of Motion (EoM) for a rigid body?

The EoM for a rigid body is a mathematical representation of the forces and torques acting on the body, and how they affect its motion. It is derived from Newton's laws of motion and is used to solve problems related to the motion of rigid bodies.

2. How do you calculate the wrench of a rigid body?

The wrench of a rigid body is a vector quantity that represents the combined effect of all the forces and torques acting on the body. It can be calculated by taking the sum of all the forces and torques acting on the body and expressing them in terms of a 6-dimensional vector.

3. What is the difference between a wrench and a twist?

A wrench and a twist are both vector quantities used to describe the motion of a rigid body. However, a wrench represents the external forces and torques acting on the body, while a twist represents the internal motion of the body. In other words, the wrench describes how the body is being pushed and pulled by external forces, while the twist describes how the body is rotating and translating internally.

4. How are the EoM, wrench, and twist related?

The EoM, wrench, and twist are all related through the principle of duality in mechanics. This principle states that for every force, there is an equal and opposite force, and for every torque, there is an equal and opposite torque. Therefore, the EoM describes the relationship between the external forces and torques (wrench) and the internal motion (twist) of a rigid body.

5. How are the EoM, wrench, and twist used in real-world applications?

The EoM, wrench, and twist are fundamental concepts in mechanics and are used in a variety of real-world applications. They are used in robotics, vehicle dynamics, and biomechanics, to name a few. They are also used in the design and analysis of mechanical systems to ensure their stability and functionality.

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