RoKiSim 1.0 :: Robot Kinematics Simulator RoKiSim 1.0 :: Robot Kinematics Simulator
RoKiSim is an educational software tool for 3D simulation of six-axis PUMA-type serial robots developed at the Control and Robotics Lab of the ÉTS. The user can jog the virtual robot in either its joint space or the Cartesian space (with respect to the tool frame, the base frame, or the world frame), show the various reference frames (according to both the Denavit-Hartenberg and the Modified Denavit-Hartenberg conventions), and visualize all possible robot configurations (solutions of the inverse kinematics) for a given pose of the end-effector. Orientations can be represented in any of several common Euler angle conventions (such as those used by Fanuc Robotics, KUKA Robotics, Stäubli, and Adept Technology), as well as in unit quaternions (used by ABB Robotics).
The RoKiSim package comes with eight popular industrial robot models (ABB IRB 120, ABB IRB 140, ABB IRB 1600/1.45, CRC A465, Fanuc LR Mate 200iC, KUKA KR 5 sixx R650, KUKA KR 1000 TITAN and Motoman UP50N) as well as with six end-effector tools. It is relatively easy to add new robot models, and quite trivial to add new end-effector tools (in ASCII STL format). The package also comes with simulations of the three types of robot singularities (wrist, elbow and shoulder) for some of the robot models. A simulation consists of an ASCII file with a *.sim extension, containing a sequence of numerical values for the six articular variables, and another ASCI file with an *rks extension, specifying the robot and its tool.
The robot simulation software also comes with the ability to import object geometries and place them in the robot environment. An object must be defined in an ASCII STL file or an SLP file (same as STL format but allows a different color for each facet). A set consisting of a robot, an end-effector tool, objects and their poses with respect to the robot's base frame, a simulation file, as well as the choice of language and Euler angle convention can be saved as a station. An example of such a station is provided with the package.
The RoKiSim menu can be displayed in four different languages (English, French, Spanish and Catalan).
The software package also comes with the possibility to jog the robot in Cartesian mode using a Wii Motion Plus controller.
Download RoKiSim 1.0 for Windows*
* While RoKiSim is, and will remain, freeware, it should not be distributed. We will appreciate greatly your comments. Please send them to ilian.bonev@etsmtl.ca.
Once you have selected your preferred robot model, Euler angle convention, menu language, and, optionally, an end-effector, objects and a simulation, you can save them as default by selecting the option "Save as default station" in the File menu.
To load a simulation, press Ctrl+D. Then, use the simulation panel at the bottom of the RoKiSim window (the visibility of this panel can be toggled by pressing F4) or the following shotcuts:
RoKiSim does not provide a tool for taking a screen capture. You can, however, maximize your RoKiSim window, remove the unnecessary panels (F2 for the Robot control panel, F3 for the Objects panel, and F4 for the Simulation panel) and press Alt+PrtScn. Then you can paste the image in your favourite graphics program (e.g., GIMP) or directly into your word processing program (e.g., Microsoft Word or PowerPoint). In Windows 7, you may also use the Snipping Tool application to take a screenshots of a window, a rectangular area, or a free-form area.
RoKiSim does not provide a tool for taking a screencast. You need to use a screencasting software. We use the products of TechSmith. Here is, for example, the result of a screencast using the popular freeware Jing: RoKiSim_Screencast.swf (you need Adobe Flash Player). We also use the free edition of Active Presenter, which can export your video in various formats. Here is, for example, a video that we were able to create five minutes after installing Active Presenter for the first time: http://youtu.be/VnFIpp1W0Vk.
To add one of the additional end-effector tools, robot models, or objects, install RoKiSim, download the zip file, unzip it, and place it in the corresponding RoKiSim folder (CAD_Tools, CAD_Robots or CAD_Objects).
