Developing a platform for the KUKA iDo social robot

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.