WAM Arm – User’s Manual
www.barrett.com
© 2008 Barrett Technology®, Inc.
Document: D1001, Version: AH.00
6 of 80
1 System
Description
1.1 Standard
WAM
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System Components
1.1.1 System
Features
Thank you for choosing the Whole Arm Manipulator (WAM). The WAM is designed to overcome
the lack of backdrivability in conventional robotic arms while maintaining durability, low power
usage, light moving weight, and ease of use. The standard WAM is a four degree-of-freedom (4-
DOF) arm. The optional WAM Wrist adds three more degrees of freedom – see Section 1.2.1. The
WAM has the dexterity and slenderness to easily navigate around obstacles placed in its path and
is endowed with smooth and precise joint motion, contributing to the WAM’s popularity in
robotics control research and emerging applications.
The compactness, low system weight, and extraordinarily low power consumption make the
WAM arm uniquely portable and so an ideal choice for use with mobile platforms. Its low mass
and the absence of a controller cabinet ensure that it is significantly easier to mount than robotic
arms of the same size. The WAM can also be powered directly from small batteries on a mobile
platform without power conditioning, accepting a wide range of voltages from batteries.
While no robotic arm should be considered “safe” and all precautions should be taken as each
application demands, the backdrivability and the multiple-layer safety system of the WAM make it
one of the safest robotic arms available. Because of its 95% backdrivable cable drives (in contrast
to poorly-backdrivable gear and harmonic-based drives), the WAM can react naturally and lightly
as it contacts walls and people. These attributes have contributed to the WAM’s success as one of
the first robotic arms in surgery and rehabilitation.
We hope that you enjoy the versatility and functionality of the WAM. Please never hesitate to give
feedback and to ask for advice as needed. US+617-252-9000,
, or
http://www.barrett.com/.
1.1.2 Documentation
The WAM comes with six separate pieces of documentation:
1.
User’s Manual (this manual)
2.
Quick Start Guide
3.
WAM Cable Maintenance Guide
4.
Wrist Cable Maintenance Guide
5.
Inertial Specifications Manual
6.
Support Reference Sheet
1.
The User’s Manual (this manual) covers:
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System components and options
•
Safety instructions
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System setup and operation
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Troubleshooting
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Technical specifications
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Frequently asked questions
2.
The Quick Start Guide is a single page guide that covers the essentials of operating the WAM
and some basic demonstrations for the WAM. This includes turning on and initializing the
WAM, home position, fault recovery, and the gravity compensation and teach-and-play
demos.
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“Whole Arm Manipulator” and “WAM” are trademarks of Barrett Technology® Inc.
