A multi-processor robot control system for RCCL under iRMX

RCCL, Robot Control C Library, is a modular, extensible, and portable robot programming and control environment. This paper describes the design extensions to RCCL and its underlying Real Time Control system, RTC. from a VAX/Unix environment to an Intel multi-processor system running iRMX, and extending it to another robot, the Microbo Ecureuil. The task included: designing and implementing an interface between the Microbo´s joint controllers and a Multibus system; solving the robot´s forward and inverse kinematics: designing a multi-microprocessor architecture which has the processing capability to support RCCL´s computational load: redesigning the RTC layer so that it runs under Intel´s iRMX-86 real-time multi-tasking operating system on the multi-processor system; and creating a program development environment for RCCL users. It is shown that this system is flexible and expandable, and opens the way to the implementation of a multi-robot programming and control environment for the McGill Computer Vision and Robotics Laboratory.