Generic interfaces for robotic limbs

Generic interfaces to robot hardware can improve the programming process by making it easier for developers to port applications between different robotic systems. The Player project provides abstract interfaces to aide porting, but until recently did not have any direct support for robotic limbs. This paper describes the design and implementation of three new generic interfaces for robotic limbs and grippers: a low-level interface for controlling limb joints, a high-level interface for controlling end-effector pose, and an interface for controlling grippers. The design of the interfaces allows robot applications to quickly be ported between different robotic limbs and different robots. The interfaces are implemented in the Player project, with support provided in the driver for Pioneer robots, allowing the interfaces to be used to control the Pioneer robot arm and gripper. Other drivers are expected to be developed in the future, providing support for other robotic limbs.