Design of an interactive manipulator programming environment

The programming of robot manipulators to perform assembly is a highly interactive task. The manipulator arm is often used to define objects and their locations in the workspace. For all but the simplest operations, it is necessary to use the manipulator to debug and tune the operation so that it works reliably. As the development of working manipulator programs can be a very difficult and time-consuming activity it is important to provide tools to aid in this task. This dissertation examines both the problems unique to manipulator programming that arise from including the physical world as a part of the programming environment and also the consequent problems of programming in this environment. Some specific issues discussed include object definition, motion control, use of force and compliance, error recovery, and parallelism. Requirements for a successful manipulator programming environment are formulated in light of these and other problems. Based on these requirements, a highly interactive manipulator programming system, designed and implemented to facilitate the development of manipulator programs written in the AL language, is described. Major modules include: an interpreter with source-level debugging features, a syntax-directed display editor knowledgeable about AL, and a force graphics subsystem. Each module is described, and examples are given showing the system in operation. Using the interactive AL system, manipulator programs can be written, modified, debugged, and run in a single environment, providing an efficient and flexible man-machine interface between the programmer and the manipulation.