Model-based Kinematics Generation for Modular Mechatronic Toolkits

Mirko Bordignon, Ulrik Pagh Schultz, Kasper Støy

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    Abstract

    Modular robots are mechatronic devices that enable the construction of highly versatile and flexible robotic systems whose mechanical structure can be dynamically modified. The key feature that enables this dynamic modification is the capability of the individual modules to connect to each other in multiple ways and thus generate a number of different mechanical systems, in contrast with the monolithics fixed structure of conventional robots. The mechatronic flexibility, however, complicates the development of models and programming abstractions for modular robots, since manually describing and enumerating the full set of possible interconnections is tedious and error-prone for real-world robots. In order to allow for a general formulation of spatial abstractions for modular robots and to ensure correct and streamlined generation of code dependent on mechanical properties, we have developed the Modular Mechatronics Modelling Language (M3L). M3L is a domain-specific language, which can model the kinematic structure of individual robot modules and declaratively describe their possible interconnections rather than requiring the user to enumerate them in their entirety. From this description, the M3L compiler generates the code that is needed to simulate the resulting robots within Webots, widely used commercial robot simulator, and the software component needed for spatial structure computations by a virtual machine-based runtime system, which we have developed and used for programming physical modular robots
    OriginalsprogUdefineret/Ukendt
    TidsskriftA C M / S I G P L A N Notices
    Vol/bind46
    Udgave nummer2
    Sider (fra-til)157-166
    Antal sider10
    ISSN1523-2867
    DOI
    StatusUdgivet - 2011

    Emneord

    • Modular Robots
    • Mechatronic Flexibility
    • Dynamic Structural Modification
    • Kinematic Modelling
    • Domain-Specific Language

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