🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <1990Nov16.065014.20325@maverick.ksu.ksu.edu> voneltz@matt.ksu.ksu.edu (Bob Eltze) writes:
}I am writing a paper and would like to know what you use to control your
}robots...

I'm running an industrial application.  I hope that's useful to you.

}is it a purchased computer? what type? Do you build your own
}microprocessor controled systems?

This is a little complex.  The robots I use (CRS Plus M1A's) come with
their own controllers -- a very sophisticated (for its price and use) 8086
based box.  These tell the robots what to do and how to do it.  They're
connected, via RS-232 interface, to a proprietary Unix box (MC68030 based)
we designed and assemble ourselves.  The program on the Unix box tells the
controller what and when I want the robot to do.

The controllers are programmed in their own language, RAPL-II.  The
programs on the Unix box are written in C.

}In addition, why did you choose this method?  What benefits does it have
}over other systems you have seen?

The decisions were hardware/application driven.  The robot has to interact
with other software running on the Unix box in real time.  It has to
perform half a dozen different tasks in pseudo-random order (from its
point of view).  The Unix side of the robot control system monitors what
the other applications are doing and sends instructions to the robot
controller as required.

-- 
The Polymath (aka: Jerry Hollombe, M.A., CDP, aka: hollombe@ttidca.tti.com)
Head Robot Wrangler at Citicorp(+)TTI             Illegitimis non
3100 Ocean Park Blvd.   (213) 450-9111, x2483       Carborundum
Santa Monica, CA  90405 {csun | philabs | psivax}!ttidca!hollombe