Effects of Gravitation on Time-Optimal Control of Two-Link Manipulators

An investigation of the effects of the plane of motion in the gravitational field of a two-link manipulator on the time and the control pattern of optimal maneuvers is presented. Time-optimal maneuvers are determined by directly solving the two-point boundary value problem derived from Pontriagin's minimum principle. It is shown that gravity always increases the duration of time-optimal rest-to-rest maneuvers independently of whether the movement of the links is against or with the force of gravity. (AIAA)