Math Tools App

Math Tools an open source python-based app that extends the igus Robot Control with occasionally needed program functions, mainly around math and timing. The app has the following purposes:

• New functions can be quickly added on demand
• It lets us test rarely used functions before deciding to add them to the robot control software
• Very easy to extend base for program commands developed by customers

The Math Tools app is supported by iRC V14-004 and later.

Available Program Functions

Currently the following functions are provided:

• Kinematics:
  • Forward kinematics: Convert joint angles to cartesian position
  • Inverse kinematics: Convert cartesian position to joint angles
• Math:
  • Calculate cartesian (XYZ) distance between two position variables
  • Check cartesian (XYZ) distance between two position variables - to check whether a position is close to another
  • Square root
  • Exponentiation
  • Minimum
  • Maximum
  • Copy position - Copies only selected components between position variables
• Timing
  • Get time since start in seconds
  • Get time since start in minutes
  • Get time since start in hours
  • Wait by variable (give the duration via a number variable)

Download

Math Tools App: MathTools.zip

App package: GitHub Releases

Source code: GitHub

Adding Functions

Please refer to the documentation and sample code for any questions regarding the app interface.

Adding your own functions is easy: 1. Open rcapp.xml with a basic text editor and add a new function definition with a unique ID, name and the necessary parameters 2. Open MathToolsApp.py and add a new function that does whatever you need, similar to the examples 3. In function _AppFunctionHandler add a new condition that checks for the ID of your app function. Call your function. 4. Zip your code, install it to the robot control and test it.