Robot Ex Machina

摘要

Industrial robotic arms are increasingly present in digital fabrication workflows due to their robustness, degrees of freedom, and potentially large scale. However, the range of possibilities they provide is limited by their typical software control paradigms, specifically offline programming. This model requires all the robotic instructions to be pre-defined before execution, a possibility only affordable in highly predictable environments. But in the context of architecture, design and art, it can hardly accommodate more complex forms of control, such as responding to material feedback, adapting to changing conditions on a construction site, or on-the-fly decision-making. We present Robot Ex Machina, an open-source computational framework of software tools for real-time robot programming and control. The contribution of this framework is a paradigm shift in robot programming models, systematically providing a platform to enable real-time interaction and control of mechanical actuators. Furthermore, it fosters programming styles that are reactive to, rather than prescriptive about, the state of the robot. We argue that this model is, compared to traditional offline programming, beneficial for creative individuals, as its concurrent nature and immediate feedback provide a deeper and richer set of possibilities, facilitates experimentation, flow of thought, and creative inquiry. In this paper, we introduce the framework, and discuss the unifying model around which all its tools are designed. Three case studies are presented, showcasing how the framework provides richer interaction models and novel outcomes in digital making. We conclude by discussing current limitations of the model and future work.