Trajectory optimization in terms of quasi-velocity vector

This paper deals with optimization of unnormalized quasi-velocities (UQV) introduced originally by Jain and Rodriguez (1995). The UQV are based on a decomposition of the manipulator mass matrix. The optimization is based on the Pontryagin maximum principle. It is shown that the optimal UQV make it possible to detect some properties of the system that are not observable if the system is described by using second-order differential equations of motion. The proposed approach was tested analytically and by simulations on a 2-d.o.f. planar mechanical system