Polyarm

Polyarm is a term used in robotics and engineering to describe a multi-armed, modular robotic system designed for automated manipulation. The concept envisions several articulated arms attached to a common base, enabling coordinated tasks that may require simultaneous grasping, assembly, or object handling. Polyarms emphasize modularity: arms, joints, and end-effectors can be interchanged or added to match a task’s payload, reach, and dexterity. Variants include planar polyarms, where all arms operate in a single plane, and spatial polyarms, which extend into three dimensions. Control architectures range from centralized planners that optimize all arm motions to distributed controllers where each arm computes local trajectories while maintaining coordination with others.

Mechanical design often uses serial or hybrid configurations, with joints such as revolute, prismatic, or spherical actuators. End-effectors include grippers, suction cups, or specialized tools. Kinematic modeling supports motion planning and reachability analysis; algorithms include task-space control, inverse kinematics, and real-time collision avoidance. Polyarms are studied for their potential to increase throughput, enable redundant handling in uncertain environments, and provide fault tolerance; if one arm is blocked or fails, others can compensate.

Challenges include control complexity, synchronization, calibration across multiple joints, payload distribution, power management, and safety. In research and industry, polyarms are explored for automation in warehouses, laboratories, and manufacturing settings where a single-arm robot may struggle with parallel manipulation or heavy payloads. See also robotics arms, parallel robots, modular robotics.