Abstract: The concept of reconfiguration manipulability and reconfiguration manipulability ellipsoid inspired from manipulability and manipulability ellipsoid is presented. The manipulability represents the velocity ability of each link of redundant manipulator when its shape is given. The reconfiguration manipulability represents a shape-changeability of each intermediate link when a prior end-effector task is given. The end-effector is used to execute the given task such as trajectory tracking, so it has no reconfiguration manipulability. Then, manipulability ellipsoid and reconfiguration manipulability ellipsoid are compared and analysed. By the analysis of trajectory tracking and obstacle avoidance of 7-link manipulator in 2D space, and by comparing and analysing the change of reconfiguration manipulability ellipsoids of 7-link manipulator in 3D space when its shape is changed. The proposed theory of reconfiguration manipulability ellipsoid has important and practical meanings for evaluating and designing the redundant manipulator’s structures and configuration.

Key words: Reconfiguration manipulability, Reconfiguration manipulability ellipsoid, Redundant manipulator