NASA- Robonaut 2

Robonaut 2 (R2) is a state-of-the-art, highly dexterous anthropomorphic robot. The robot is designed to work with humans and has the ability to use the same workspace and tools.

The robot joints incorporate dual encoders for position and torque feedback while performing in a dynamic application, vibration, shocks, and wide temperature range.

SSI Hardware

SSI hardware is fairly simple. Just use any RS-422 transceiver to generate the differential signals from/to the microcontroller port pins. Keep reading to learn about the different implementations of SSI hardware.

Accuracy, Resolution and Repeatability

There are several key terms that are critical to specifying the optimal position sensor for a given application. This application note defines these key terms and how they relate to the sensor’s role in the overall system performance. It is important to consider that precision is very much a system issue and can be dominated by mechanical errors such as eccentricity. This paper discusses the most significant mechanical error for rotary applications (eccentricity) and presents eccentricity tolerant position sensor solutions.

Chips, Chips & Chips

What semiconductors, snacking and gambling all have in common: Encoders!

There has been a lot of talk lately around the global ‘chip’ shortage. Even social media last month was filled with cartoons of engineers asking Santa for semiconductors for Christmas. Rotary encoders such as the DS-130 by Netzer Precision are an important part of this ‘chip’ production. Accuracies exceeding 0.004 degrees, 21 bit resolution and a 90mm ID ensure that component placement can be done accurately and consistently.