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  4. Robot Raconteur: an Interoperable Middleware for Robotics

Robot Raconteur: an Interoperable Middleware for Robotics

Funding Organization: 

ARM Institute

Principal Investigator: 

John T. Wen

Dates: 
July 1, 2019 to November 30, 2020
Amount: 
$583,911.
Grant Status: 
Completed
Abstract: 

This project bridges a major gap in the current state of industrial robots: easy, rapid, and secure integration of robots, sensors, peripherals, and simulation software from multiple vendors and platforms. The project consists of five tasks: 1. Collect user requirements. 2. Expand RR drivers. 3. Develop RR service definition standards. 4. Demonstration. 5. Training. All five tasks have been successfully completed. RR has been elevated to TRL 5 with the release of version 0.14.2 which contains major improvement of the RR core libraries, expansion to 15 industrial drivers, consolidation of service definitions by 75%, and a security review. The plug-and-play and rapid integration features of RR is highlighted in the final project demonstration which includes three different types of industrial robots, machine vision, industrial grippers, simulation, and real-time motion planning integrated in a consistent architecture while executing complex vision-guided tasks. This project involves collaboration between Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and Wason Technologies, and the involvement of RTRC (CT) and SwRI (TX).