TechBlog

ADVANCED Motion Controls announces development efforts with Robosoft, located in Bidart, France, to produce a new standard in service robots. To date, Robosoft has uniquely created a multi-use hardware platform for remote service mobile robotic needs. The robuLAB series for example can be used for indoor security, medical assistance, assisted living or any other service need.

The hardware incorporates ADVANCED Motion Controls servo drives at the heart of the motion control. Robosoft’s robuBOX is a flexible software platform that is operationally ready to take on many tasks and can be quickly and safely tailored to fit the customer’s exact needs. With the combination of the Robosoft’s hardware and software, including ADVANCED Motion Controls DigiFlex Performance high power density servo drives, OEM’s and users can develop new robotic applications much faster than attempting full scale development.

“Motor-drives are the key components in service robotics, this is the gateway between hardware and software,” says Vincent Dupourqué, CEO of ROBOSOFT. “The ADVANCED Motion Controls drives perfectly fit our control software needs, allowing implementation of advanced algorithms for mobile robots and manipulators.”

Additionally, for those customers looking to develop their own control algorithms within Microsoft’s Robotics Development Studio, drivers for ADVANCED Motion Controls’ DigiFlex Performance servo drives, and additional software features, are being developed by Robosoft in the robuBOX and will be available to developers before the end of 2008.

“Flexible mobile robotic platforms with available standards have now come of age. Robosoft’s robuters and robuBOX hardware and software products are proving to be excellent building blocks for companies looking to create their own specific robot designs” says Karl Meier, Marketing Manager of ADVANCED Motion Controls.

About robuBOX
RobuBOX launch took place in mid-2006. Several robots embedding the robuBOX have been deployed since: Estele, the remote tele-echography system already in operation in 4 French Hospitals, robuCAB an automatic vehicle guided by GPS, a mobile robot for construction sites carrying pallets of materials, as well as the off-the-shelf ROBOSOFT robuLAB and robuROC mobile platforms for miscellaneous indoor and outdoor applications.

robuBOX is now available and allows robotics integrators and mass market manufacturers to seamlessly build a variety of advanced robotics solutions using the Microsoft Robotics Studio environment.

About DigiFlex Performanceservo drives
DigiFlex Performance servo drive series, originally launched in early 2007, provides complete OEM flexibility by allowing use of any controller, any motor with any feedback. The product platform continues to set new motion control standards and provides excellent power density for applications requiring compact enclosure. Including both panel and PCB mount versions, many industries are now using these servos: military, homeland security, robotics, semiconductors, machine tool, medical, lab automation, etc.

About ROBOSOFT
ROBOSOFT is the European leader in service robotics. With more than 20 years of recognized scientific and industrial expertise in this field, ROBOSOFT provides advanced robotics solutions for transport, cleaning, surveillance, healthcare and research markets since 1985.

Beyond professional applications, the era of personal robotics is now starting. ROBOSOFT thinks that its service robots called “robuters” will be part of everyday life within 5 years. According to forecasts of Japan Robotics Association: in 2010 worldwide personal and service robotics market will reach 17 billion dollars. Robuters will make easier everybody’s life in activities such as entertainment, education, culture, healthcare, assistance to elderly and handicapped people etc… In order to bring these applications to life, ROBOSOFT already integrates 80% of software complexity in its robuBOX, a software module based on Microsoft Robotics Studio, which is already incorporated in ROBOSOFT’s robots, but can also be licensed to integrators and robots manufacturers for mass production.

About ADVANCED Motion Controls
ADVANCED Motion Controls designs, manufactures and supplies the highest performance servo drives and servo amplifiers available since 1988. From complete PWM servo control to custom servo solutions, ADVANCED Motion Controls provides brushed and brushless motor drives with the latest in digital servo technology. AC servo and DC servo motor controllers are available for general servo automation or specific robotic control. Complete servo motor drive controls are available for: AC and DC brushless servo motors, DC brush type servo motor, linear and rotary servo motors, closed loop vector motors, voice coils, inductive loads and actuators for precise motion systems. Servo drives with networking capabilities for either centralized or distributed motion control servo systems are readily available.

The all new MEMS G50Z High Performance Single Axis Gyro is a MEMS Rate Sensor with both excellent bias over temperature and low noise. Designed for commercial stabilization and aircraft applications, the unit utilizes standard +5V DC power and has a voltage output. The -200 model features a +/- VSG compatible signal.

Continue reading ‘G50Z High Performance MEMS Gyro’ »

The all new A30 MEMS High Performance Single Axis Accelerometer offers excellent bias with a small light weight form factor and low power. Designed for commercial stabilization and aircraft applications, the unit utilizes standard +5V DC power and has a voltage output.

• Low Cost & High Performance MEMS Single Axis Accelerometer
• Excellent Bias ? 1mg
• Bias Repeatability ? 2.5mg
• Axis Alignment <15mrad
• Low Power < 5 mA Typical
• Light Weight < 10 grams
• Low Voltage +5V (single sided power)
• Bandwidth 40Hz / 100Hz
• Voltage Output
• Reference Voltage
• Internal Temperature Sensor
• Self Test
• Shock Resistant 500g
• Long Life

Continue reading ‘A30 High Performance MEMS Accelerometer’ »

The all new LandMark20 MEMS GPS/AHRS is an ultra low power combined digital Attitude and Heading Reference System (AHRS) that provides internally temperature compensated RS485 output of delta velocity, delta theta, heading, pitch and roll angle and altitude information and a 16 channel C/A code GPS receiver with 10Hz position update rate.

A complete turnkey software development kit with advanced features including direct PC interface, data recording, bandwidth and output rate selection is also available.A complete turnkey software development kit with advanced features including direct PC interface, data recording, bandwidth, output rate selection and GPS is also available.

Continue reading ‘MEMS LandMark20 GPS/AHRS - Low Noise AHRS with GPS’ »

Fly-by-Wireless

Every ounce of weight brought to the lunar surface costs 40 to 60 times that in fuel needed at liftoff from the Earth. Part of that weight penalty is due to wires, but the cost of wires is much more than weight. Wired connectivity drives up the price of design from the beginning: it drives the cost of the many systems and structures; it drives inspection, troubleshooting, maintenance, and upgrade costs; as well as the cost of making system changes. Future vehicles that can reduce the effects and limitations of wires will not be without risk or a lot of work, but the effort has begun.

Continue reading ‘Fly-by-Wireless: A Less-Wire and Wireless Revolution for Aerospace Vehicle Architectures’ »

Antennas serve as transducers between electromagnetic waves traveling in free space and guided electromagnetic signals in circuits. As such, they play a critical role in the performance of wireless communication systems. With the proliferation of mobile wireless services that deliver voice and/or data in smaller and smaller devices, the task to design an antenna for a portable unit that meets not only operational requirements but also aesthetic and packaging restrictions is becoming more and more challenging. As result, engineers rely on a combination of theory, simulation, and experimental investigation to arrive at a design that meets all the demands of a particular application.

Basic Antenna Parameters

The basic parameters of antenna are impedence, mismatch and ohmic efficiency, radiation pattern and polarization, directivity, gain and equivalent isotropically radiated power, and effective height and aperture. In addition, celebrated Friis equation is and equations for the signal to noise ratio (SNR) of an antenna and source-field relationships are also important.For a more detailed treatment of the material pointed out here, the reader is referred to “A HANDBOOK OF ANTENNA IN WIRELESS COMMUNICATION” OF CRC Press by Lal Chand Godara.

Continue reading ‘Future Antennas Will be Flat’ »

The U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory has authorized Raytheon Company to demonstrate target recognition technology designed to increase protection for ground forces without compounding risk to an aircraft stalking enemies who threaten those forces.

First in a laboratory and then aloft, the company expects to show how its Air-to-Ground Radar Imaging II program would permit aircraft at a safe distance to detect, track and target hostile forces in motion on the ground.

The laboratory demonstration is expected in autumn 2008, followed by a flight next spring aboard a Raytheon test aircraft.

Continue reading ‘Raytheon Develops Technology To Help Aircraft Protect Ground Forces’ »

Corning Glass

Corning is a world leader in delivering advanced optical solutions for a wide variety of markets. For over 150 years, Corning has solved complex material and process challenges across multiple, diverse industries. By calling upon its unmatched heritage in innovation and its unrivaled understanding of glass science, Corning enables applications for a broad array of commercial and industrial markets and sets the bar for state-of-the-art product design, superior manufacturing processes and techniques and above all, performance excellence.

Vertically Integrated Manufacturing

Corning is one of very few manufacturers with deep capabilities in materials science, optical design, shaping, coating, finishing and assembly. For customers this means reduced complexity, shortened manufacturing cycles and ultimately increased value. Corning delivers what its customers need - complete, end-to-end advanced solutions - efficiently, predictably and consistently. Continue reading ‘Corning’s Specialty Materials’ »

Founded in 1948, Andrews Glass Company has been a leader in custom glass fabrication for over fifty years. Andrews Glass Company slowly grew as its reputation for high quality standards and specialty glassware spread. Over the years, Andrews Glass has expanded its capabilities in specialty and precision glass fabrication for industrial and scientific applications and its Lab-Crest product line is highly respected for quality and precision. Andrews Glass Company has retained its unique mix of scientific and precision glassmaking capabilities, and is today counted among the USA’s top ten manufacturers in the field.

The heart of Andrews’ value to its customers lies in the skill and dedication of its employees. The average length of service is over ten years, with the average length of glassworking experience well over 15 years.

Continue reading ‘Specialty, Precision, and Electro-Optic Glass Products’ »

Nanomotion introduces the new EDGE motor, one of the smallest ceramic servo motors
in the industrial market. The EGDE motor provides 30 grams of thrust with a maximum
operating velocity of 150mm/sec. Capable of driving linear or rotary motion, the EDGE
is well suited for applications in Aerospace & Military, Medical Devices, and Industrial
Automation.

The Edge motor weighs .6 grams and operates at 8 Vrms. It is supported by
Nanomotion’s dual axis ASIC which can function as a drive and control. The Edge
motor is ideal for shutter/aperture control, small medical pumps, grippers, and other
devices.