Programming devices

All kinds of devices that can be controlled with the Robotics API are based on the interface Device. Such devices may be robots of different types, tools like e.g. grippers, different kinds of sensors or, in general, all devices that are connected to the Robotics API and the RCC by appropriate drivers. For each device, a configuration entry in the Robotics API configuration file has to be defined. In most cases, the application is preconfigured in the right way, thus the configuration file has to be extended only if further devices should be connected.

This chapter explains means for accessing and controlling devices in a Robotics API program. It is structured as follows:

• The first section explains Accessing devices in programs.
• Using DeviceInterfaces to get access to the operations supported by a device is presented in the second section.
• Creating RtActivities with the help of DeviceInterfaces is explained afterwards.
• Special rules apply for Executing RtActivities to operate devices, which this section details on.
• Parameterizing RtActivities is a way to influence operation execution and is presented subsequently.