Dual Arm Robots

Definitional Boundaries & Taxonomy

Dual-arm robots represent a paradigm shift from traditional single-arm manipulators by introducing a multi-kinematic chain system capable of bimanual coordination. In defining these systems, we classify them strictly through the lens of cooperative manipulation and kinematic topology. A dual-arm robot is not merely two robotic arms placed in proximity; it is a unified, highly synchronized mechatronic entity where the workspace, control loops, and dynamic models are deeply integrated into a singular centralized computational core. The taxonomy of dual-arm systems is divided into two primary categories: symmetric and asymmetric. Symmetric systems possess identical kinematic structures for both arms (e.g., two 7-DOF arms), closely mimicking the human upper body to maximize anthropomorphic dexterity and workspace overlap. Asymmetric systems, often found in specialized industrial cells, feature arms with different payload capacities, kinematics, or degrees of freedom (e.g., a heavy-duty 6-DOF arm for holding a massive workpiece, paired with a lighter, faster 7-DOF arm for precision assembly). From a control perspective, these systems are defined by their unique ability to form a "closed kinematic chain" when manipulating a single object, requiring sophisticated redundancy resolution to manage the combined 14+ degrees of freedom (DOF) without violating internal stress constraints on the grasped object or tearing it apart.