This paper combines a new structure of artificial neural networks (ANNs) with a 3rd-order numerical algorithm and proposes an improved hybrid method for solving forward kinematics problem (FKP) of parallel manipulators. In this method, an approximate solution of the FKP is first generated by the neural network. This solution is next considered as an initial guess for the 3rd-order numerical technique which solves the nonlinear forward kinematics equations and obtains the answer with a desired level of accuracy. To speed up the method, a new structure is proposed for designing the ANN which is called Same Class One Network. In this structure, the outputs of the ANN are classified into classes of similar variables with an individual network designed for each class. The proposed method is then applied to a planar 3-RPR parallel manipulator and a spatial 3-PSP parallel robot. The results show that using this method will lead to a 55% reduction in required iterations and a 20% reduction in the FKP analysis time, while maintaining a high level of solution accuracy.

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