Rapid advances of intelligent machines for amsrt manufacturing equipment,driverless vehicles,robotics,and medical industries continue to motivate new designs and app;ocations of multi-degree-of-freedom(DOF) actuators capable of complex motion and precise force/torque manipulations to complete tasks that have never been automated before.Extensive efforts to develop novel actuators with compact designs and designs and dexterous manipulations can be found in both academic research and indusrial development.Unlike multi-DOF systems with designs based on bulky serial/parallel combinations cf single-axis spin motors and transmission mechanisms,spherical motors/actuators are direct-drive and can achieve multi-DOF rotational motions in a single ball joint,because of these attractive features,along with the structural simplicity and the capability to achieve quick singularity-free motion,spherical motors are expected to play a significant role in the developmet of intelligent machines.
In this book,we procide fundamentals for practical designs of spherical motors with the intent to push forward the development of high-performance spherical motos.This book is orgajized into three parts: The first part begins with the methods for modeling the three-dimensonal(3D)electromagnetic fields involved in a spherical motor,and the multi-dimensional foces and torques generated electromechanically between its rotor and stator.The second part presents the sensing techniques for measuring the multi-DOF joint motion in real time.The third part offers methods for controlling the coupled rotational motions of spherical motots.While this book is primmarily intended for students,researchers,and endineers studying/developing spherical motors,those who work in the area of electric machines should find teh modeling.sensing and control methods presented here relevant to the development of various electromagntic motion systems.
This book is an outcome of the research work accomplished by the authors on spherical motors over the years in Georgia Institute of Technology (USA) and Huazhong University of Science and Technology (China). The authors sincerely appreciate the institutional support received from the two organizations. Part of the work on DMP model and orientation sensing has also built on research works by many former students,particularly Dr.Hungsun son and Dr.Shaohui Foong,durng their studies at Georgia Institute of Technology.