Experiments Using a Sensor Network Based Workcell for Industrial Robots

Abstract-- As manipulators ~ robot arms are woefully un-derutilized in modern industrial workcells. The norm in-volves little or no sensing ~ the grasp of a single known ob-ject ~ and the execution of a single geometric motion. In contrast ~ the popular ideal of a visually guided arm (as for a human) should be able to track and grab relatively arbitrary objects ~ under relatively arbitrary motions ~ across a com-fortable range of velocities. Our ongoing research aims at extending these capabilities in a modern industrial workcell. In this paper ~ we outline a framework in which these capa-bilities might be measured ~ and demonstrate experimentally the capabilities of our current prototype. Keywords--sensor network ~ workcell I