A Real-Time Server for Experiments in Nonlinear Control

The Boston University Robotics Laboratory is currently developing a Transputer-based Real-Time Server with workstation interface to act as host for experiments in robotics and the control of mechanical systems. Some of the hardware is based on designs which originated in the Yale Robotics Laboratory. A lab rack populated with XP/DCS boards has been interfaced to a Silicon Graphics IRIS 4D/120 GTX workstation. As far as we know, this is the first time in which an IRIS has been connected to a Transputer network for realtime control applications. The details of the installation are described below together with three working experiments in the control of mechanical systems.