The Little Robot System

Abstract

The Little Robot System provides for the I.T.S. user a medium size four degree of freedom six axis robot which is controlled by the PDP-6 computer through the programming language Lisp. The robot includes eight force feedback channels which when interpreted by the PDP-6 are read by Lisp as the signed force applied to the end of the fingers. The first six forces are the X,Y, and Z forces and the torques around X, Y, and Z. the other two forces are the grippers and the vice grippers. The three X, Y, and Z forces and three torques are computed from six numbers read in from six L.V.D.Ts (Linear Variable Differential Transformers) arranged three in the vertical and three in the horizontal plane within a stress strain spring loaded wrist. The grip is read in from a strain gauge mounted on the stationary reference finger. The relative position between the motor shaft and the vice shaft is determined through means of two potentiometers to measure the vice force. The two shafts are coupled by a spring.