I can see that an industrial robot that would run the program based on a gesture for a start command could be safer, and possibly even better. BUT as an engineer responsible for safe operations I would NEVER consider leaving out the big red EMERGENCY STOP button. Adding a gesture input in addition would be OK, but to put something as important as an emergency stop function on the wrong end of a lot of software would be very irresponsible. JUst remember those cars with thatbSTUPID start/Stop button that does not work in an emergency situation. There is a very valid reason that E-Stop is not done in software.
OK, mrdon. Some MCU manufacturers offer wizards to help programmers configure the bits and bytes through a graphical interface. The Texas Instruments "GRACE" software, for example, provides this capability for some of the MSP430 processors. A programmer selects the necessary peripheral devices and then selects the desired settings. GRACE creates C-language source code to do the job.
Hi, mrdon. I bet bit-bashing code in assembly language provides only a small time advantage over code written in C and compiled. Current compilers provide optimizations and can get very "close" to an MCU's hardware for control. I would much rather read control code in C than try to figure out bit configurations and settings in another programmer's assembly-language code. (Been there, done that!)
Hi, William. People would train robots to respond only to specific gestures. Thus, someone couldn't use an industrial robot to follow his or her every move and start tearing apart an assembly line. Gesture control would require security to prevent unauthorized use or "training."
Hi, Naperlou, et al. LabVIEW creates compiled code. It does not create some sort of intermediate code that requires an interpreter. Instead, you get native code that runs on your target processor. And as far as I know, you can mix in C-language code, too, if you need to do something at that level. Also, LabVIEW will compile and run applications in FPGAs.
Nancy Golden, Using assembly language with gesture controls may improve response time because of the software being one level above machine code. Therefore, bit processing is closer to the target microcontroller than a high level language like "C" code. Just thinking out loud folks!
William K, I think gesture controls could be used in industrial applications by providing a simple movement/motion protocol. The protocol could have a similar format like sign language but less complicated in physical movement. For example, to stop an industrial process one would gesture a hand pressing an e-Stop (emergency) pushbutton. Also, for critical industrial processes, redundant switches/sensors can be packaged on the machine as well.
Gesture controls for video games and entertainment systems are fine; if a gesture is incorrectly there is nothing worse happens than needing to do a reset. Gesture controls on something as fast and powerful as an industrial robot could easily knock ones"block" off, quite literally. Equipment and machines that are capable of being unsafe are probably not a good choice for control inputs that are subject to interpretation. That is something that needs to be kept in mind when choosing an input system, but may not have come to mind when considering a departure from the more standard methods.
For 3D printing to make the jump from rapid prototyping to manufacturing, engineers will need to find easier ways to move products from their CAD screens to their printers.
Gigabit and PoE are two networking technologies moving ahead in tandem as industrial users power remote Ethernet devices such as IP security cameras at 1,000 Mbps over existing CAT5 cable.
New versions of BASF's Ecovio line are both compostable and designed for either injection molding or thermoforming. These combinations are becoming more common for the single-use bioplastics used in food service and food packaging applications, but are still not widely available.
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For industrial control applications, or even a simple assembly line, that machine can go almost 24/7 without a break. But what happens when the task is a little more complex? That’s where the “smart” machine would come in. The smart machine is one that has some simple (or complex in some cases) processing capability to be able to adapt to changing conditions. Such machines are suited for a host of applications, including automotive, aerospace, defense, medical, computers and electronics, telecommunications, consumer goods, and so on. This radio show will show what’s possible with smart machines, and what tradeoffs need to be made to implement such a solution.
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