First the kinematic principle of singularity is proved, that is theintersecting point of three normal planes of three velocities at three non-collinear points in arigid body lying in the plane determined by the three corresponding points. It is a sufficient andnecessary condition that the velocities of three non-collinear points in a rigid body can determinea screw motion of the body. Based on this principle, a simple and direct new method to distinguishthe singularity of the parallel manipulator is derived. With this new kinematic method, the 3-RPSparallel manipulator is studied. Its singularity loci are obtained for some orientations for thefirst time and verified with Grassmann line geometry and screw theory and the force Jacobian matrix.
