Intuitive programming of robot manipulators (INTROP)

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Dominik Henrich
• Subject Area: Automation, Mechatronics, Control Systems, Intelligent Technical Systems, Robotics
• Term: from 2014 to 2019
• Website: Homepage
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 250579273

Robot manipulators have several advantages, such as strength, speed, endurance, accuracy, and reproducibility. Up to date, these advantages could not be harnessed for a variety of potential applications. These applications are - in addition to the classical field of production - particularly in the areas of service, entertainment and household. They are characterized by relatively few repetitions of the task execution and by a changing work environment. Therefore, the robots will only be rational usable if the current effort for setting-up is significantly reduced and if the execution is supported by environment perception. The setup efforts are mainly influenced by time- and cost-consuming programming of the robot, which for many potential applications is still too expensive (even for experts). In addition, the programming required for sensor-based task executions is particularly high.The aim of the project INTROP is the investigation of new, intuitive programming concepts that enable users without prior programming knowledge to program sensor-based robot manipulators for their applications quickly and easily. The user shall give the robot intuitively "the hand" and lead him through the desired task. He may also activate the robot's tool (e.g. a gripper) or activate environmental sensors (e.g. a camera). Here not only simple tasks are regarded, consisting of a sequence of actions, but also complex tasks with situational variations and repetitions of executions. Compared to previous approaches, the focus here is on intuitively programming imperative control structures (e.g. commands, conditionals, and repetitions) and on intuitively programming declarative behaviours (such as moving, dodging, searching, and sorting). The programming requires only one task demonstration, may subsequently be corrected by the user, and does not need additional hardware (e.g. VR glasses or gloves).

• DFG Programme: Research Grants