A new distributed real-time controller for robotics applications

A description is given of a dual-board real-time distributed control module based on the INMOS T414/T800 transputers. The CPU board provides fast external memory, support for the four 10-MHz serial transputer links including two fiber-optic links, and an I/O expansion connector. The board\u27s backplane connector is pin-compatible with the INMOS ITEM development system. The plug-in I/O board provides a bidirectional latched 32-bit I/O bus with full handshaking support. Half of this board is allotted to a wire-wrap prototyping area allowing for customization to specific I/O needs. It is asserted that an easily configurable network built from this low-cost modular design should be able to tackle the most demanding real-time control applications, with respect to computation as well as I/O requirements. A description is given of two particular applications presently underway in the Yale Robotics Laboratory

CoopDynSim : a 3D robotics simulator

This paper presents CoopDynSim, a multi-robot 3D simulator. The main motivations for the development of a new simulation software lie in the need to emulate specific, custom made sensors, combined with the desire to smoothly transfer controller code from simulation to real implementation. The latter is achieved through the use of the same middleware layer already implemented in the real platforms. The high modularity of the solution allows the user to easily add new components or design new platforms. By having independent simulation threads for each robot, distributed control algorithms can easily be tested, abetted by a socket based connection, granting the possibility for an asynchronous, over the network, controller architecture. The ability to run simulations in real or simulated time, as well as a play back option, represent valuable features of the software. The simulator has been used in several projects, with different platforms and distinct control applications, proving it as a heterogeneous and flexible solution. Furthermore, its usage as a teaching tool in a robotics’ summer school as well as in an introductory robotics class in our university, upholds its simplicity and user-friendliness.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) - ref. SFRH/BD/38885/200

Computer hardware and software for robotic control

The KSC has implemented an integrated system that coordinates state-of-the-art robotic subsystems. It is a sensor based real-time robotic control system performing operations beyond the capability of an off-the-shelf robot. The integrated system provides real-time closed loop adaptive path control of position and orientation of all six axes of a large robot; enables the implementation of a highly configurable, expandable testbed for sensor system development; and makes several smart distributed control subsystems (robot arm controller, process controller, graphics display, and vision tracking) appear as intelligent peripherals to a supervisory computer coordinating the overall systems