Re: Project consortium decisions

Herman Bruyninckx wrote:

> On Mon, 8 Jan 2001, Basilio Bona wrote:
>
> [...]
> > have acquired a COMAU Smart S2 Robot with an "open" C3G control.
> Great! How do you evaluate the openness of this approach? (Other
> manufacturers, such as ABB and KUKA also offer `open' controllers, but
> these are limited to sample frequencies of about 80Hz, and with dead
> times of several tens of milliseconds... I've heard that the Comau
> thing is better; is this correct?

We have started working on this robot only in November 2000, using the
"closed" industrial mode, so we have a very limited practical knowledge
of the "open" functionalities. As soon as we acquire some experience
we will be happy to share them with the Orocos mailing list :-)

> > We had some experience with real time control, having collaborated
> > in developing a home-made Hw/Sw architecture called OpenDSP, that
> > presently has completely replaced the original Hw/Sw architecture
> > for the IMI arm.
> I'm very interested in getting more information about this! I also
> think you should post this to the orocos mailing list, because this
> kind of information exchange is exactly what I would like to start on
> OROCOS right away :-)

At present OpenDSP has been licensed to a spin off company
that is using it in industrial applications (mainly CNC machines
or test rigs) where the transition from the prototyping phase
to the industrialised application should be kept as short and
less expensive as possible.

The starting idea was to produce a DSP architecture open with respect
to Matlab, with the possibility to use real time and DSP/PLD boards in
the same Matlab prototyping environment. Indeed this was
accomplished and now we have an architecture similiar to that of dSpace,
but at a significantly lower cost, and faster than Matlab RealTime Toolbox.
Unfortunately the server where the relevant information is kept, is now offline.
I will communicate to the list the site coordinates when available.

>
> > So, in conclusions, I would be very interested in participating as
> > 'Contributor' to your proposed project, following your last message:
> Great! There is still a chance to be `Member', in the sense that
> Members will be able to receive travel money (_if_ that part of the
> proposal is approved...)
> If you decide to be Member (which I would suggest), please let me know
> what data I have to fill in on the orocos web page for your group.

OK, I agree to be a member if possible and suitable.
You can add this data:
Politecnico di Torino (Italy), DAUIN (Department of Automation and Computer
Science),
Representative: Basilio Bona
(http://ladiserver1.polito.it/robotica/Curriculum/bben.htm)

>
> Please, also post this email to the orocos mailing list, such that
> others get to know you too! As a principle, I only include candidate
> Members that have announced their interest publicly (in order to avoid
> possible critics of being partial to such and such groups...).
>

OK, I have done it

>
> > I do not send this message to the complete Orocos mailing list, just to avoid
> > saturation.
> The mailing list is _far_ from saturated! I hope to reach a traffic of
> several mails per day, takling about technical and design matters for
> robot software.
>
> Best regards,
>
> Herman
>
> --
> [email protected]
> We hire Linux programmer: <http://www.mech.kuleuven.ac.be/~bruyninc/jobs>

--
Basilio Bona
Professor of Industrial Robotics
DAUIN - Politecnico di Torino
Corso Duca degli Abruzzi, 24
10129 Torino, Italy

tel +39 011-564.7023
fax +39 011-564.7099
http://ladiserver1.polito.it/robotica/Curriculum/bben.htm