SPHERINATOR SOFTWARE INSTRUCTIONS
Download and unzip "spherinator.zip" to a folder of your choice.

Open Matlab(TM) 6.5 or higher (7.0 Recommended)

Set the "Current Directory" to the newly unzipped Spherinator folder

Run SPHERINATOR.M in the Matlab(TM) software environment by typing "spherinator" in the command line and pressing enter.

Turn your attention to the sliders on the left side of the figure.
Input the initial and final orientations of the device using the sliders beneath the blue "Orientation" headings.
(Sample Orientations: [30 30 30], [0 0 0])

While you input the orientation angles relative to the FIXED FRAME, the GUI will update to show your changes.
When satisfied with your choices for initial and final orientations, move on to choosing pivot locations.
Use the sliders beneath the red and green headings to input this information.
(Sample Pivot Locations:  [30 0 -160], [-30 0 140])

Once again, as you input the angles defining the pivot locations in the FIXED FRAME, the GUI will update to show your changes.
You can choose the longitudes of the moving pivots, but their latitudes are determined by the kinematics of the device.

Finally, choose the location of the coupler attatchment point in the FIXED FRAME.
This is where the prismatic actuator will be attatched to the coupler in order to make a CDs4R.

Use the U-D-L-R buttons to view the mechanism from an angle of your choosing.
(Sample:  Use the "R" button on the right of the display to see the mechanism more clearly.)
Once you have chosen an acceptable mechanism, click either the forward or reverse buttons to drive the mechanism.

IMPORTANT!
While the mechanism is moving through its range of motion, refrain from pressing any buttons other than the U-D-L-R buttons.
DO NOT CLOSE THE WINDOW DURING THE ANIMATION SEQUENCE.
Depending on your processor speed and mechanism choice, this may take a while.  Please be patient.

If a viable mechanism is selected, the mechanism will drive from the first position to the second position.
Choosing Forward or Reverse simply specifies whether the green link will be driven clockwise or counterclockwise.
If a mechanism is chosen with a circuit defect, the user will be notified and the mechanism will not animate.

After the mechanism animates, a figure window will open and begin to shade red in certain areas.
The red space represents the places on the sphere where a prismatic actuator is NOT viable for the chosen coupler point.
When it is done building the red NO-ZONE space, choose a point in the remaining white space if possible.  Click once.
A second window will open, showing the distance from the chosen point to the coupler point over the range of motion of the mechanism.
If a good point is chosen, the graph will show the distance monotonically increasing or decreasing.
If a bad point is chosen, the graph will show local extrema.

Once the plot is completed, please CLOSE BOTH FIGURE WINDOWS.
After this is completed, you may continue to work with the spherinator program.

Please report any errors to Eric Grimm at grimmerm@notes.udayton.edu
Thank you and enjoy.