Real-time 3D visualization in an open architecture of a robotic application in the biomechanics

Abstract

This paper describes the development of a real-time 3D visualization in an open source programming tool and an open architecture for an industrial serial robot and its advantages in biomechanical applications. A system to test biological specimens in 6 degrees of freedom (DoF) is here presented which provides a solid foundation to perform complex, robust and scalable biomechanical experiments. The interaction and planing process with a 3D visualization provides a friendly, intuitive and easy way to use the applications. In the virtual reality tool the robot and the specimen can be seen, providing a visibility of the test from a close perspective and different angles of the robot and specimen. Appropriate robot motions can be planed in a simulation environment in order to easily understand the procedure and develop in advance specific protocols. Direct force control strategy was developed inside the open architecture. This control has the advantage that it does not constrain the specimen motion in any plane and therefore it is free to move in the space (6 DoF). The high control frequency of 0.5 up to 1 kHz provided a robust approach to ensure stability when testing biological materials avoiding the vibration of the robot in contact with stiff materials and unknown properties of the biological specimens. The contribution of this work is a proposal of a real-time 3D visualization and an open architecture of a serial robot which made possible to accomplish high complex tests in biological specimens using direct force control.