Open Architecture Direct Drive Manipulator Research and Development Package

Abstract

This paper describes the Direct Drive Manipulator Research and Development Package, which includes a two link direct drive manipulator, amplifiers, a multi-processing controls workstation, a mathematical model of the manipulator system, and software environment which is used for the development and execution of real-time control algorithms. The software provides a C-language based Robot Programming Language (RPL), control algorithm development environment, and a robot simulator. The package is based on an open architecture with full user programming capability. The user can enter the control loop at any level with the ability to modify or replace any part of the RPL, servo routine, inverse kinematics, or trajectory generation modules. The package provides a convenient workstation to develop a control algorithm, simulate, implement, and fine-tune the controller. The simulation is a unique part of this package being a “semi-active” simulation which uses a mathematical model of the mechanical system while using the actual control hardware that is used for control implementation. Mechanical nonlinearities such as dynamic coupling and Coulomb friction are taken into account. Since the actual controller is used, the simulation accounts for quantization, integer overflow, and controller dynamics. This package is ideal for an advanced robotics research program or a lab oriented graduate course in robotics or controls.