Tip-Over Stability Estimation of a Mobile Manipulator using the Mean Normal Ground Reaction criterion

The loss of tip-over stability is an effect that mobile manipulators can present due to the presence of certain factors, such as the conditions of the robot's work area, the workload to be supported or a combination of both, which can result in material losses and in certain cases, human losses. Various authors have developed different algorithms that allow to quantify this phenomenon and have generated validations of its response to such effects. In order to provide a way of approaching within this field, this work presents the study of a prototype mobile manipulator made up of an instrumented base and a 3 DoF serial arm that was subjected to various tests using a virtual instrument that quantifies the stability measurement using an algorithm based on the average normal reactions. Case studies are presented in which the robot is subjected to different loads applied to its end effector, as well as variations to the position of the serial arm and inclination of the manipulator's contact surface. The results obtained allow us to identify under what conditions the robot may tip over, so it is possible to generate a validation of the displayed criteria.