Elasto-Kinematic Calibration of the Lunar Rover Mini 6 DOF Robotic Arm

Kurzfassung

Inaccuracies in robotic arms can significantly hinder their performance in tasks where precision is critical. This paper focuses on the kinematic calibration and elasticity compensation of the six degrees of freedom robotic arm integrated into the Lunar Rover Mini, developed in collaboration with the Robotics and Mechatronics Institute of the German Aerospace Center (DLR), Wessling. The arm, constructed using 3D-printed components and driven by affordable RC servo motors, experiences notable inaccuracies in end-effector positioning due to joint flexibility and structural deformation, especially under load. A model-based calibration technique is proposed to compensate for elastic deformations and geometric misalignments, addressing the absence of feedback sensors. This cost-effective approach, which requires only 3D measurements of the end-effectors position, has resulted in an approximately 80% reduction in the robotic arms average position error.