Supervisory Control of Single Axis Controllers for Modular Robotic Systems Using a Serial Interface

A microprocessor-based controller for a range of pneumatically-actuated, servo-controlled, single degree of freedom, modular robotic units is now available in commercial form. This product, known as a single axis controller (SAC), is the result of SERC sponsored collaborative work by the Department of Engineering Production at Loughborough University of Technology (LUT) and Martonair UK. To co-ordinate the activities of a number of these units a supervisory controller is required. Such supervisors may communicate with SACs via either a serial or a parallel interface. This paper describes the facilities available to a supervisory controller using the serial interface and provides an example of their use.