Path: utzoo!utgpu!watserv1!watmath!att!pacbell!pacbell.com!ames!uakari.primate.wisc.edu!uflorida!ufqtp!sutherla From: sutherla@qtp.ufl.edu (Scott Sutherland) Newsgroups: comp.graphics Subject: Re: Simulating Robots Message-ID: <1025@orange9.qtp.ufl.edu> Date: 3 Jun 90 21:49:55 GMT References: <136366@sun.Eng.Sun.COM> Reply-To: sutherla@orange9 (Scott Sutherland) Distribution: na Organization: University of Florida Quantum Theory Project Lines: 35 In article <136366@sun.Eng.Sun.COM> cmcmanis@stpeter.Eng.Sun.COM (Chuck McManis) writes: >In article (Steve Giovannetti) writes: >> Has anyone had any experiences in simulating robot like systems in a 3-d >>graphics environment? I am interested in the technical details of how people >>have modeled arms, legs, etc. I am also interested in what people think of >>using these types of models to develop control algorithms considering the >>assumptions that these types of models make (ie no joint slippage etc). > >I haven't modelled them in a 3D environment (although that's mostly >because until I got my Amiga the hardware couldn't hack it) I have >done some limited work in the 2D environment. I discovered it was >-- >--Chuck McManis Sun Microsystems >uucp: {anywhere}!sun!cmcmanis BIX: Internet: cmcmanis@Eng.Sun.COM >These opinions are my own and no one elses, but you knew that didn't you. >"I tell you this parrot is bleeding deceased!" I also have an Amiga and I HAVE a program that is PD which simulates a Robot Arm and its movements. I cannot recall the name of the program, but it starts out in wire frame and the arm is similar in construction to a human arm in that there is an upper arm (actually looks like a lower arm since it is attached to a base on the ground), a forearm, wrist and 2 "fingered" hand. You can control the rotation in x, y, and z of each part. The movement is heirarchical (sp? Is this a word?) in that, if you move the forearm, the wrist and hand move with it. The program also has a solid fill routine with hidden line and face removal. It is NOT interactive in the sense that you can use a joystick to move the arm in real time. I do NOT remember if the source code is available on the disk (I do NOT think so), but, if it is, it could probably be altered to allow joystick control (or interactive keyboard control (e.g. pseudo real time)). If you want to know more about this program, I can find out the name of it and get whatever information is in the README file associated with it. Scott Sutherland sutherla@qtp.ufl.edu