This book is aimed to provide comprehensive and systematic knowledge of kinematic synthesis as developed up to date. Modern mechanical systems require advance kinematics knowledge to support mechanism design with sound theories and methods. The book includes not only the classical foundations of kinematic synthesis, but also the latest advances developed by the authors. Moreover, many examples are included to illustrate both methods and their supporting theory.

The focus is on systems of rigid bodies forming closed loops. The four-bar linkage, representing the foundations of mechanical systems, is given due attention, in its three domains: planar, spherical, and spatial. The book contains six chapters, the first two covering fundamentals for kinematic synthesis, including qualitative synthesis. Chapters 3–5 describe, in full detail, the function, motion, and path syntheses of single-dof linkages. In the last chapter, the synthesis of single-dof complex linkages, including six-bar and ten-bar linkages, is introduced.

The book is suitable for graduate students of mechanical engineering, researchers of mechanism and robot design, and machine design engineers.