Modular robotics design: System integration of a robot for disabled people

Abstract

A modular and reconfigurable robot which is possible to mount on a nobile base has been designed and constructed and is now in the systems in tegration validation phase of the physical robot. During this work, simulations using IGRIP and other related analysis software tools have been important during the development work to analyze and evaluate the design including kinematics, dynamics, controller evaluation of conceptual design solutions and virtual scenarios.

The concurrent development of the mechanics and the controller is facilitated through a robotic simulator that speed up the project work and reduces the technical risk of failure. This is an important factor in complex projects with time constraints where a failure in any part of the project may affect the whole project. In this case, testing and validation can be done on almost every detail in the project. Furthermore, even if a failure occur in the controller which can not be resolved during the lifetime of the project the robot arm can be driven using the simulator with some degradation in real time performance only. Furthermore, virtual scenarios are modeled and simulated that will provide the project team and intended users with a realistic tool to discuss user requirements and user interfaces with the intended users before the robot exist.