Parameter identification of the KUKA LBR iiwa robot including constraints on physical feasibility

Abstract

The newly released KUKA LBR iiwa R820 robot stands for intelligent industrial work assistant (iiwa) and is, like its predecessor LBR IV, equipped with torque sensors in each joint, and can be controlled through a real-time interface. Although the dynamic model of the robot is not published by the manufacturer, its knowledge is indispensible for simulation and control based on the system model. This paper presents the identification of the minimal set of base parameters, as well as a consistent set of physical parameters, which are required for stable dynamic simulations, are identified by solving a nonlinear optimization problem, where constraints are included to ensure physical feasibility. A validation and cross-validation in simulation and experiments show a very accurate representation of the robot's dynamics by the resulting models. As a result, both sets of identified parameters are given.