Geographically Distributed “Multi-Operator” Control for Mechatronic Devices via the Internet

Abstract

A technology of creating of geographically distributed multi-operator control of mechatronic devices via the Internet is described. We propose a hierarchical structure for the management of a group of robotized systems by combining their information-measuring and control systems into a local area network with mobile nodes via the Internet. A hardware and software architecture is proposed for interaction between mechatronic devices of various models and manufacturers. This mechanism is based on the concept of "drivers". Requirements to the hardware and software platform have been developed for the combination into a group of robotized systems. Reference realizations of protocols for message exchange and drivers for x86 and Arduino platforms have been created. We have developed graphical user interfaces for all components of the system. This software enables automatic configuration of the geographically distributed network and a full-featured access via the Internet to specific robotized devices (including to individual components of a mobile robot). The hardware and software system created on the basis of the proposed technology provides real-time feedback (including visual feedback) between a control object and an operator and makes it possible to remotely monitor the program code execution on the onboard computer (including microcontrollers) and dynamically correct it without rebooting the system. We describe the technical implementation of a pilot project for the hardware and software system by the example of supervisory (via the Internet) control of AMUR (IL "Sensorika") and Robotino (Festo) educational robots with a video surveillance of command execution.