Remote Monitoring and Control of Industrial Robot based on Android Device and Wi-Fi Communication Robot control systems are usually complex systems whose users must be well trained to use them。 Also, control process is mainly carried out near the robot or by using wired connections。 There is a need for a solution that can provide convenient and intuitive robot control with user’s location independence, easy adjustment and simultaneously monitoring of robot motion tasks。 Android devices are powerful mobile devices with open architecture and permanently Internet connection that can be applied to resolving those issues。 This paper presents a system for remote monitoring and control of industrial robots based on Android device and Wi-Fi communication which provides intuitive robot control at a great distance with simultaneously monitoring of robot motions by observing its 3D model movement or trajectory path。 Simple definition of new motion tasks and their redefinition is provided through the so called “speed dial” mode and manual robot guiding is provided through the manual control mode。 Proposed solution simplifies an interaction between the human and the industrial robot in the case of robot motion control and tracking at remote location。84216

Key words: Android, remote monitoring, robot control, Wi-Fi

1 INTRODUCTION

The level of mobile device use is growing due to portability and efficiency in their use, and possibility to be used anywhere and anytime。 There are predictions that their use will continue to rise in the next three years to a point at which mobile application development projects targeting Smart phones and tablets will outnumber native PC projects by a ratio of 4-to-1 [1]。

In the last few years mobile devices based on Android operating system found their application in many fields, primarily due to low production price and possibility of continuous adaptation。 They are used in television, Internet applications, media players and even automotive industry。 The Android OS is open source operating system based on Linux kernel and developed by Google [2,3]。 The Android mobile phones and tablets provide usage of a number of useful services and applications, such as GPS navigation, tools for processing a wide range of text documents (PDF, Word), Web based applications (e-mail, Facebook), or phone calls via the Internet (Viber), in a very easy and intuitive manner。

The use of Android technology in robotics and systems for industrial robots control can give more intuitive and efficient solution in control and monitoring of robot’s work, even on a distant location。 Compared to the other mobile platforms, such as the iOS, in which case it is necessary to have an Apple device and pay the annual membership fee for access to official documents, Google provides free support and documentation access。 Applications development can be performed independently of the operating system which is used for developing and the development environment and support utilities are free [4]。

This paper presents the system for remote control and monitoring of industrial robots using Android device and Wi-Fi communication。 The system consists of a device with the Android operating system and the real-time control system。 The communication between the system for real-time control of robots and the Android device is being performed wireless, which provides user’s location independence。 The real-time control system is based on realtime Linux platform and OROCOS libraries [5], and it is connected with the robot using MOTENC board。 MOTENC board is designed for PC based real-time systems controlling machines that require precision motion control。 The board has all the necessary components to implement a precision digital feedback control system。 The developed system can operate in two working modes: the control mode and the monitoring mode。 In the control mode, the system enables remote control of industrial robot motion through the graphical user interface of the Android mobile phone。 The remote control is performed by clicking the desired motion task command within the touch screen and simultaneous monitoring of robot’s work using 3D robot model or following trajectory of the robot’s end effector。 The new motion tasks can be defined or redefined within the Android GUI (Graphical User Interface) and they can be assigned to the desired command button to provide “speed dial” of those motion tasks。 In that way proposed solution significantly simplifies interaction between the human and the robot。 The manual motion control with simultaneously motion tracking on the Android device is also enabled。 The monitoring mode enables remote monitoring of the robot’s motion in real time, using 3D industrial robot model or based on robot‘s end effector trajectory in 3D space, also on Android device。