Vertical integration for robot assembly cells

Vertical integration of transformation of abstract assembly task descriptions into task execution commands is needed to overcome the fundamental factors which limit the widespread application of current robotic systems. These factors are the requirements for precise control of the robot task environment, custom-designed fixtures and end-effectors, and on-site robot control programming. These requirements arise because current robotic systems do not have an understanding of the robot cell environment. Further, these systems are not able to react rationally to non-deterministic events which occur during task execution. A research plan which is aimed at the systematic incorporation of limited amounts of machine intelligence into robot task planning and execution is outlined.