This book is a logical continuation of Volume 1 of the series entitled
"Scientific Fundamentals of Robotics" which presents all of the basic
methods for computerized construction of dynamics of manipulation ro-
bots as well as the essential concepts of computer-aided design of their
mechanics. Vol. 1 of the Series also contains the main practical re-
sults from the elastodynamics of manipulation robots, having in mind a
need for forming a computer procedure which allows efficient checks of
elastic deformations of a manipulator tip or some other of its charac-
teristic points. Wishing to add a highly applications-oriented dimension
to the dynamic aspect of studies of manipulation robots, the authors
have made a kind of a topic-based selection by leaving unconsidered some
aspects of studies of robots, such as elasticity, and discussing others,
more im- portant in their opinion, to such an extent as suffices to make
them practically applicable. The authors have decided not to treat in
detail the problem of flexible manipulation robots for two reasons. The
first results from the atti- tude that the permissible (desired) robot
elasticity may, satisfacto- rily well, be tested using the method
described in Vol. 1 of the Series.