An abstract class which implements a robot controller. More...

#include <controller.h>

Inheritance diagram for arl::robot::Controller:

Collaboration diagram for arl::robot::Controller:

Public Types
enum	Timing { FIXED, DYNAMIC }

Public Member Functions
	Controller (std::shared_ptr< Robot > r, const std::string &name, Timing timing=FIXED)
	Constructor which initializes the robot controller. More...

	~Controller ()

bool	run ()
	The main function that runs the controller. More...

bool	runRT ()
	Runs the controller with real time priority. More...

void	setExternalStop (bool arg)
	Sets an external stop to the controller. Another external thread can use this function to stop the controller. More...

std::string	getName ()
	Returns the name of the controller. More...

double	getTime () const
	Returns the current time since the start of the controller in seconds. More...

virtual void	enableLogging (const std::string &log_path="/home/user/autharl_logfiles/")
	Enables the logging by opening files for log benchmarking times and data. More...

virtual void	reference (const arma::mat &ref)

Protected Member Functions
virtual void	init ()
	Initializes the controller. More...

virtual bool	stop ()
	Implements the stopping condition of your controller. More...

virtual bool	success ()
	Implements the success condition of your controller. More...

virtual void	measure ()
	Measures the desired data. More...

virtual void	command ()
	Commands the robot. More...

virtual void	update ()=0
	Performs the necessary calculations of the controller. More...

virtual void	waitNextCycle ()
	Sets a new reference for the controller. More...

Protected Attributes
std::string	name
	The name of the controller. More...

bool	external_stop
	The external stopped setted by Controller::setExternalStop() More...

std::shared_ptr< Robot >	robot
	The pointer to the robot to be controlled. More...

double	t
	The current time t, with t = 0 when the controller is created. Alternatively the user can initialize time durint the init() function of its derived controller. More...

double	dt
	The cycle time of the control loop, obtained by the robot. More...

bool	stop_flag_

utils::Timer	timer
	Used for measuring the current time of the controller. More...

utils::Timer	benchmark_total_timer_

utils::Timer	benchmark_timer_

io::Logger	benchmark_logger_

io::Logger	logger_

Timing	timing_

Detailed Description

An abstract class which implements a robot controller.

This class defines an interface for implementing a robot controller. You can create your own robot controller by inherit this class and implement the different functionalities like:

How the controller is initializing. For example, the controller before it starts it may need to send the robot to an initial configuration
What measurements your controller needs. For example, reading the joint positions, or the joint torques of the robot.
The most important part: the calculations that your controller performs in order to produce commands from the measurements.
What commands your controller send to the robot. For example, sending calculates and sends task velocities or joint torques.
What is the stopping policy of your controller. For example, it stops when your robot stops moving or a high dangerous external force is detected.
When your controller is successful.

Member Enumeration Documentation

enum arl::robot::Controller::Timing

Enumerator
FIXED
DYNAMIC

Constructor & Destructor Documentation

arl::robot::Controller::Controller	(	std::shared_ptr< Robot >	r,
		const std::string &	name,
		Timing	timing = `FIXED`
	)

explicit

Constructor which initializes the robot controller.

Parameters

r	A pointer to the robot to be controlled.
name	The name of your controller.

arl::robot::Controller::~Controller ( )

Member Function Documentation

void arl::robot::Controller::command ( )

protectedvirtual

Commands the robot.

Implemented according to your controller needs. Basically makes calls to functions of the Robot class, like sending new desired joint torques or joint positions. These desired signals can be stored in internal variables and should have been calculated based on the measurements of the Controller::measure() and the calculations of the Controller::update()

Reimplemented in arl::viz::RosStatePublisher, arl::controller::GravityCompensation, arl::controller::JointTrajectory, arl::controller::CartesianAdmittance, arl::controller::CartesianImpedance, arl::controller::Clik, and arl::bhand::controller::JointAdmittance.

void arl::robot::Controller::enableLogging ( const std::string & log_path = "/home/user/autharl_logfiles/" )

virtual

Enables the logging by opening files for log benchmarking times and data.

Parameters

log_path The path for the files to store.

Exceptions

Exception if the files cannot be opened (the directory is not exists)

Reimplemented in arl::controller::Clik.

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std::string arl::robot::Controller::getName ( )

Returns the name of the controller.

Returns: The name of the controller

double arl::robot::Controller::getTime ( ) const

Returns the current time since the start of the controller in seconds.

Returns: The current time in seconds

void arl::robot::Controller::init ( )

protectedvirtual

Initializes the controller.

Implemented according to your controller needs. Common use cases involve sending a the robot in an initial configuration, setting the robot mode (to position or torque control) or setting the paramters and gains of your controller.

Reimplemented in arl::controller::GravityCompensation, arl::controller::JointTrajectory, arl::controller::CartesianAdmittance, arl::controller::CartesianImpedance, arl::controller::Clik, and arl::bhand::controller::JointAdmittance.

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void arl::robot::Controller::measure ( )

protectedvirtual

Measures the desired data.

Implemented according to your controller needs. Basically makes calls to functions of the Robot class and store them to internal variables, like the joint positions of the robot, the task pose of a robotic arm etc.

Reimplemented in arl::viz::RosStatePublisher, arl::controller::CartesianAdmittance, arl::controller::CartesianImpedance, arl::controller::Clik, and arl::bhand::controller::JointAdmittance.

void arl::robot::Controller::reference ( const arma::mat & ref )

virtual

bool arl::robot::Controller::run ( )

The main function that runs the controller.

This function is the main thread of the controller. What is basically do is that first initializes the controller by calling the Controller::init() and then runs the control loop which stops if the Controller::stop() returns true. In each loop the function measures by calling Controller::measure(), perform calculations by calling Controller::update(), commands the robot by calling Controller::command() and finally waits for the next cycle of the given robot by calling Robot::waitNextCycle(). After the loop ends it will return the result of the Controller::success().

Returns: True if the controller is successful. False otherwise.

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bool arl::robot::Controller::runRT ( )

Runs the controller with real time priority.

It actually runs arl::robot::Controller::run() in a seperate thread with RT priority (99).

Returns: True if the controller is successful. False otherwise.

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void arl::robot::Controller::setExternalStop ( bool arg )

Sets an external stop to the controller. Another external thread can use this function to stop the controller.

Parameters

arg	Set True to stop the controller.

bool arl::robot::Controller::stop ( )

protectedvirtual

Implements the stopping condition of your controller.

Implemented according to your controller needs. Common use cases involve stopping conditions like your robot has zero velocity, the robot hardware signals an error or dangerous movements indicates the immediate stop.

Returns: True if the controller should stop. False otherwise.

Reimplemented in arl::viz::RosStatePublisher, arl::controller::GravityCompensation, arl::controller::JointTrajectory, arl::controller::CartesianAdmittance, arl::controller::CartesianImpedance, and arl::controller::Clik.

bool arl::robot::Controller::success ( )

protectedvirtual

Implements the success condition of your controller.

Implemented according to your controller needs. Did your controller deliver the task appropriantly?

Returns: True if the controller succeded. False otherwise.

virtual void arl::robot::Controller::update ( )

protectedpure virtual

Performs the necessary calculations of the controller.

Implemented according to your controller needs. The calculations can use the measurements from the Controller::measure() which is stored in internal variables and store the results for the Controller::command() to use.

Implemented in arl::viz::RosStatePublisher, arl::controller::GravityCompensation, arl::controller::JointTrajectory, arl::controller::CartesianAdmittance, arl::controller::CartesianImpedance, arl::controller::Clik, and arl::bhand::controller::JointAdmittance.

void arl::robot::Controller::waitNextCycle ( )

protectedvirtual

Sets a new reference for the controller.

Implemented according to your controller needs. The data has the form of an armadillo matrix which can contain any reference signal.

Parameters

ref	The data reference in the form of a matrix

Reimplemented in arl::viz::RosStatePublisher.

Member Data Documentation

io::Logger arl::robot::Controller::benchmark_logger_

protected

utils::Timer arl::robot::Controller::benchmark_timer_

protected

utils::Timer arl::robot::Controller::benchmark_total_timer_

protected

double arl::robot::Controller::dt

protected

The cycle time of the control loop, obtained by the robot.

bool arl::robot::Controller::external_stop

protected

The external stopped setted by Controller::setExternalStop()

io::Logger arl::robot::Controller::logger_

protected

std::string arl::robot::Controller::name

protected

The name of the controller.

std::shared_ptr<Robot> arl::robot::Controller::robot

protected

The pointer to the robot to be controlled.

bool arl::robot::Controller::stop_flag_

protected

double arl::robot::Controller::t

protected

The current time t, with t = 0 when the controller is created. Alternatively the user can initialize time durint the init() function of its derived controller.

utils::Timer arl::robot::Controller::timer

protected

Used for measuring the current time of the controller.

Timing arl::robot::Controller::timing_

protected

Public Types

Public Member Functions

Protected Member Functions

Protected Attributes

Detailed Description

Member Enumeration Documentation

Constructor & Destructor Documentation

Member Function Documentation

Member Data Documentation