This monograph represents the second book of the series entitled: "SCI ENTIFIC FUNDAl-1ENTALS OF ROBOTICS." While the first volume provides a study of the dynamics of spatial mechanisms and its application to the design of these mechanisms, the present one focuses on the synthesis -of control based n the knowledge of dynamic models (presented in de tail in the first_ volume). In this way a logical continuity is formed in which one may easily recognize a "dynamic" approach to the design of manipulation r-obots and the synthesis of control algorithms based on exact mathematical models of dynamics of open spatial mechanisms. When writing the monograph, the authors had the following objective: to prove that a study of dynamic properties of manipulation mechanisms is justifiable, to use the dynamic properties in the synthesis of con trol algorithms, and to determine, from one case to another, a proper measure of dynamics depending on the type of manipulation task, the "v$ locity at which "it is carried out, and on the type of the manipu- tion mechanisms itself. The authors believe they have thus made the study of dynamics, ' aimed at synthesizing algorithms for dynamic con trol, free from unnecessary academicism and allowed the readers to apply all the results presented here to practical purposes of manipu lator design in thfil broader sense of the word. At this point, the au thors would like to present some concepts which were their guidelines in preparing this text."

The material presented in this monograph is a logical continuation of research results achieved in the control of manipulation robots. This is in a way, a synthesis of many-year research efforts of the associates of Robotics Department, Mihailo Pupin Institute, in the field of dynamic control.of robotic systems. As in Vol. 2 of this Series, all results rely on the mathematical models of dynamics of active spatial mechanisms which offer the possibility for adequate dynamic control of manipula tion robots. Compared with Vol. 2, this monograph has three essential new character istics, and a variety of new tasks arising in the control of robots which have been formulated and solved for the first time. One of these novelties is nonadaptive control synthesized for the case of large variations in payload parameters, under the condition that the practical stability of the overall system is satisfied. Such a case of control synthesis meets the actual today's needs in industrial robot applications. The second characteristic of the monograph is the efficient adaptive control algorithm based on decentralized control structure intended for tasks in which parameter variations cannot be specified in advance. To be objective, this is not the case in industrial robotics today. Thus, nonadaptive control with and without a particular parameter variation is supplemented by adaptive dynamic control algorithms which will cer tainly be applicable in the future industrial practice when parametric identification of workpieces will be required."