Developing a platform for the KUKA iDo social robot

Mol, G. (2023)

The goal of this bachelor’s thesis was to explore practical applications of the KUKA iDo service robots by improving their accessibility in human-robot interaction research. The study focussed on the redesign of the robot’s control hardware. This included implementing a PID controller, creating a control network involving the robot, a radio controller, and a central computer. The control software used was ROS2 and Arduino. A basic control system was developed using ROS2, communicating with the Arduino motor controller via serial links. Documentation was maintained through a public GitHub wiki, which was evaluated by students with varying programming skills. Results showed a marginal reduction in setup time, indicating a probable lower learning curve for future research with the KUKA platform.
Mol_BA_EEMCS.pdf