Progress towards a new generation of robot control technique and systems

The increasing demands of automatization of experiment-execution in orbital laboratories with high autonomy and flexibility leads to desired application of robots for multi-rack dedicated transport- and handling tasks as well as rack-internal automation. This paper deals with an advanced overall system-oriented modular robot control system, for space and industrial applications, which is currently under development at the Institute for Production Systems and Design Technology (IPK). This general purpose control system attempts to provide a basic hard- and software frame for the integration of a variety of advanced control techniques and concepts. Its architecture is based on standards developed by NASA and NBS. Different levels of this framework incorporate the theoretical and practical experiences gained at the IPK during years of development of industrial control systems and other investigations related to advanced control in the fields of: Off-line programming, trajectory planning, sensor guided process control, cooperating robots, control of redundant robotic systems and hybride force/position control.