The 3-RRS wrist: a new very simple and not overconstrained spherical parallel manipulator

Orientating a rigid body without changing its position is required in many technical applications. This manipulation task is accomplished by manipulators (spherical manipulators) that are just able to make the end effector move according to controlled spherical motions. Spherical manipulators can be either serial or parallel. Parallel architectures are usually more stiff and precise than the serial ones, whereas their structures are more complex than the serial ones. This paper presents a new three-equal-legged spherical parallel manipulator, named 3-RRS wrist. The 3-RRS wrist is not overconstrained and exhibits a very simple architecture employing just three passive revolute pairs, three passive spherical pairs and three actuated revolute pairs adjacent to the frame. The kinematic analysis of the 3-RRS wrist is addressed and fully solved. Finally, its singularity conditions are written in explicit form and discussed. The results of this analysis lead to the conclusion that the new man...