Abstract: A parallel manipulator is a better solution to be used as the contracture sensitive element for a six-dimensional acceleration sensor, and its isotropy directly affects the measuring accuracy and control performance. A traditional Gough-Stewart parallel manipulator is impossible to achieve complete isotropy because the payload is restricted rigorously and does not exist in physics. Therefore, it is proposed to solve this problem by using a generalized Gough-Stewart parallel manipulator(GGSPM). The concept and description of a pair of circular hyperboloids are introduced to define and generate a generalized Gough-Stewart parallel manipulator with the minimal and independent parameters, and the close-formed and analytical formulations of acceleration isotropy are derived. The results prove that the acceleration isotropy for a GGSPM can be achieved and mechanically feasible. The proposed routine has geometric meaning and can be used to generate and classify generalized Gough-Stewart parallel manipulators, which is a novel method to design the configuration of a parallel manipulator based six-dimensional acceleration sensor.

Key words: isotropy;generalized Gough-Stewart parallel manipulators;a pair of circular hyperboloids;acceleration sensor;optimal design