Robotics Articles

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Bosch Rexroth adds motion control PLC to robot systems
 

Bosch Rexroth has added the new IndraMotion for Handling to its CMS Cartesian Motion System offering to make it easier than ever before to specify, install and control Cartesian robotics systems. This new combination CMS is designed to eliminate the learning curve associated with programming and commissioning most point-to-point and assembly applications. The CMS with IndraMotion uses Rexroth’s ultra-fast L-40 and L-20 PLC-based motion controller, as well as the simple VCP 08.2 HMI controller interface to provide intuitive and simple controls for Cartesian gantries with up to three linear axes (X, Y, Z) and three rotary axes (A, B, C). The system includes all necessary hardware and software, with predefined motion function blocks to run pick-and-place and loading/unloading machinery. Read more...
 
An Introduction to Programming Robots with Microsoft Robotics Studio
 Earlier this year, Microsoft released a Community Technical Preview (CTP) of its robot-programming SDK, called "Microsoft Robotics Studio," the result of work done by one of the groups emerging from Microsoft Research. Robotics Studio provides a high-level generic interface for programming a wide range of robots using a distributed model. The utility of this approach is apparent by the fact that both hobbyists controlling robotic kits or toy robots and serious roboticists controlling large and complicated robots can use the same SDK. This article presents an overview of Robotics Studio, and then shows you how to use the SDK to program the iRobot Roomba vacuum robot. Read more...
 
The Basics - Robot Software
 One of the least discussed topics in hobby level robotics is software. You can almost always find a hardware description, schematic, drawing, and tons of help on the electro-mechanical side of your project. However, the software, which admittedly is one of the hard parts, eludes many people. In this article, I would like to demonstrate how to structure your software so your robot will function properly. I would also like to point out a great technique for getting started. Many software engineers make heavy use of something called 'Pseudo Code'. This is a technique where you write your program in half programming language and half human language (English, Spanish, Driud, etc). Pseudo code is very useful for getting the layout of your program ready, to get basic algorithms worked out, and to be able to read your 'code' quickly. I will demonstrate this technique a little later. Read more...

Robot software
Robot software is the coded commands that tell a mechanical device (known as a robot) what tasks to perform and control its actions. Robot software is used to perform tasks and automate tasks to be performed. Programming robots is a non-trivial task. Many software systems and frameworks have been proposed to make programming robots easier. Some robot software aims at developing intelligent mechanical devices. Though common in science fiction stories, such programs are yet to become common-place in reality and much development is yet required in the field of artificial intelligence before they even begin to approach the science fiction possibilities. Pre-programmed hardware may include feedback loops such that it can interact with its environment, but does not display actual intelligence. Currently, malicious programming of robots is of some concern, particularly in large industrial robots. The power and size of industrial robots mean they are capable of inflicting severe injury if programmed incorrectly or used in an unsafe manner. One such incident occurred on 21 July 1984 when a man was crushed to death by an industrial robot. That incident was an accident, but shows the potential risks of working with robots. In science fiction, the Three Laws of Robotics were developed for robots to obey and avoid malicious actions. Read more...

Three Laws of Robotics
In science fiction, the Three Laws of Robotics are a set of three rules written by Isaac Asimov, which almost all positronic robots appearing in his fiction must obey. Introduced in his 1942 short story "Runaround", although foreshadowed in a few earlier stories, the Laws state the following:

• A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
• A robot must obey orders given to it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
• A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.

Later, Asimov added the Zeroth Law: "A robot may not harm humanity, or, by inaction, allow humanity to come to harm"; the rest of the laws are modified sequentially to acknowledge this. Read more...