DocumentCode :
2337876
Title :
A new method for off-line robot programming: applications and limitations using a virtual environment
Author :
Boud, A.C. ; Steiner, S.J.
Author_Institution :
Birmingham Univ., UK
fYear :
1997
fDate :
2-4 Apr 1997
Firstpage :
450
Lastpage :
455
Abstract :
Virtual reality (VR) is an evolving technology being adopted by manufacturing in areas (such as operator training, and the virtual testing of new products before manufacture), where it is now becoming a widely accepted industrial tool. Of particular note are applications in off-line programming of robots. However, before this concept finds acceptance in industry, countless problems need to be resolved. Several problems are addressed within this paper, including the requirement of an acceptable interaction device, and the subject of haptic and tactile feedback. As manufacturing continually moves to become a more responsive environment, with products having shorter life cycles and batch quantities reducing in size, robot programming times become critical, and hence an area to be addressed in order to seek improved productivity. Off-line programming is one approach, where for example off-line programming within a virtual environment could reduce the required skill levels of a programmer, reduce the programming times, allow the operator a `natural´ interface with which the operator would conduct the task in the real world, and reduce the boredom factor. This paper discusses the development of a new approach or method for the off-line programming of robotic devices, indicating some of the potential applications, and highlighting some of the restricting limitations that need to be overcome. The paper also includes a review of previous published work on the off-line programming of robots using VR
Keywords :
industrial robots; VR; haptic feedback; interaction device; manufacturing; off-line robot programming; operator training; product life cycles; small batch production; tactile feedback; virtual environment; virtual reality;
fLanguage :
English
Publisher :
iet
Conference_Titel :
Factory 2000 - The Technology Exploitation Process, Fifth International Conference on (Conf. Publ. No. 435)
Conference_Location :
Cambridge
ISSN :
0537-9989
Print_ISBN :
0-85296-682-2
Type :
conf
DOI :
10.1049/cp:19970182
Filename :
608105
Link To Document :
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