A Generic Sensor Interface in Robot Simulation and Control PER CEDERBERG MAGNUS OLSSON

Focusing on creating a module which will cooperate with Computer Aided Robotics (CAR) applications used both off-line and on-line, this paper outlines a generic interface, i.e. an architecture that can handle virtual as well as physical sensors in a transparent way to the user. The design which allows autonomous behavior at sensor level, is exemplified with an implementation for arc welding using a seam tracking device and a control unit connected to a CAR application. In this context, a virtual sensor is a software model of a physical sensor with similar characteristics, using geometrical and/or process specific data from a computerized model of a real work cell. Generic refers to the ability of the interface to be able to handle different sensors, where each physical sensor may be exchanged to a virtual. Key-words: robotics, sensors, simulation, CAR, autonomous, arc welding