Objective
The project objectives aims to radically innovate industrial robots in different application contexts. The design objectives will be demonstrated in real operating conditions. Increase in flexibility and adaptability, cost reduction and increase of the field of applications in the job floor, will be obtained by developing the needed know how and experimental evidence for new generations of high performing embedded control systems. This will require to integrate - in dedicated hardware and software subsystems and components - the most advanced base technologies and a new class of control techniques. Lower cost will be assured by choosing a soft/hard flexible standard architecture with optimal compromise between standard components and interfaces, and the use of deeply integrated components. The control system will differ from existing solutions (top-down open-control of the arms joints) for the type of control technology used and the level of component integration. A higher level of control will be added to close the control chains, feeding back information from added environmental sensory devices. Disparate technologies will be investigated and integrated in end-user industrial scenarios: topics include control theory, video sensors, integrated circuits, visual processing algorithms, sensors fusion, communication networks, middleware software packages, real time operating systems, and robot design. The project will therefore also represent a challenge to the present knowledge in all those disciplines, feeding back important information for their advancement. The project approach, leveraging on existing research and standardization efforts and on results already in place in the robotic industry, will guarantee enough flexibility for exploitation and adoption in the larger market of industrial automation. The partners well represent the various interests and stakeholders, from end products manufacturers, to subsystems and components suppliers, to RandD institutions.
Fields of science
- natural sciencescomputer and information sciencessoftwaresoftware applicationssystem softwareoperating systems
- engineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringelectronic engineeringcontrol systems
- social sciencessociologyindustrial relationsautomation
- engineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringelectronic engineeringsensors
Topic(s)
Call for proposal
FP6-2004-IST-NMP-2
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