Newsgroups: comp.robotics
Path: brunix!sgiblab!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!uwm.edu!cs.utexas.edu!asuvax!ncar!mimbres.cs.unm.edu!intvax!loucks
From: loucks@isrc.sandia.gov (Cliff Loucks)
Subject: Re: 3-D Xwindows robotics program
Message-ID: <1993Feb9.235826.14910@isrc.sandia.gov>
Organization: Sandia National Labs, Org. 1600, Albq., NM
References: <1993Feb8.160957.1@cajun>
Date: Tue, 9 Feb 1993 23:58:26 GMT
Lines: 29

From article <1993Feb8.160957.1@cajun>, by daship@cajun:
> I'm thinking about writing a program that emulates robots of different
> configurations, and their mechanics.  You would be able to enter the
> number of joints, what type of joint each is, the length of connecting
> arms between joints, the initial angle of joints, etc.
[]
> Anyway, after entering this
> information, you could specify desired final angles and the program would
> show the movement of the robot in three dimensional graphics (hopefully in
> real-time wireframe).

There are at least three commercial products that do what you're
suggesting.  They are Silma Inc.'s CimStation, Deneb's IGRIP, and
another called Robline from (I think) Cimetrix.  These are simulation
systems which show very nice 3D renditions and do things like whole-arm
collision detection.  They incorporate the mechanism's inverse
kinematics so you can program the motions in world or tool coordinates
and not have to bother with joint angles (unless you need to).

These are very nice, and expensive, packages.  We use them for
interactive teleoperator control as well as to provide a graphical
programming environment for robot applications.

Cliff

-- 

Cliff Loucks  <=>  loucks@isrc.sandia.gov
Sandia National Labs, Albuquerque, New Mexico
