A modular approach for controlling mobile robots

Abstract

A variety of different robots was built at our institute. As these robots differ as well in size, shape and in actuation principle it would be very time consuming and inefficient to tailor a computer and hardware architecture especially to the specific robot. In this paper it will be described how common aspects in robot control can be identified and how modular hardware components can be derived from a modular software framework and a respective computer architecture. A decentralized computer architecture based on embedded PC systems connected to local controller modules via CAN Bus was developed. The requirements and restrictions that led to the development of these controller modules and their associated power amplifier boards will be described