In this paper, a novel interactive simulation and design tool based on a MATLAB graphical user interface (GUI) is developed for the performance analysis of planar parallel manipulators (PPMs), which are a special group among the other parallel robot manipulators. The novel simulation and design tool (SIDEP) for the performance analysis of PPMs provides a suite of analysis tools allowing forward and inverse kinematics, Jacobian matrices, workspaces and singularities to be analyzed in a straightforward manner. As a simulation and design tool, SIDEP allows researchers to change the parameters such as base and end-effector coordinates the side length of the equilateral triangle moving platform and link lengths in order to interactively design their manipulators. The three-degree-of-freedom RRR and RPR PPMs are given as examples to illustrate the simulation and design principles of SIDEP.
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