Yaskawa GP8 Robot Controller

A Python-based interface for controlling the Yaskawa GP8 robot arm through both forward and inverse kinematics. This application provides a modern GUI for robot manipulation and connects to CoppeliaSim for simulation.

Project Overview

This application allows users to control a Yaskawa GP8 robot arm with 6 degrees of freedom. It provides:

• Real-time control through an intuitive graphical interface
• Forward kinematics (FWK) control for direct joint manipulation
• Inverse kinematics (IK) control for end-effector positioning
• Connection to CoppeliaSim simulation environment
• Gripper control functionality
• Pose saving and loading capabilities

Module Descriptions

The project consists of several core modules:

• GUI_Controller.py: The main graphical user interface built with CustomTkinter for robot control
• ik_solver.py: Implementation of inverse kinematics algorithms using numerical optimization
• fwk_solver.py: Forward kinematics solver using Denavit-Hartenberg parameters
• coppeliasim_interface.py: Interface layer for communication with CoppeliaSim robot simulation environment

Installation

1. Clone this repository:

   git clone https://github.com/yourusername/YaskawaGP8_Controller.git
   cd YaskawaGP8_Controller
   

2. Install required packages:

   pip install customtkinter numpy scipy sympy opencv-python
   

3. Install CoppeliaSim from coppeliarobotics.com

4. Install the CoppeliaSim Remote API:

   pip install coppeliasim-zmqremoteapi-client
   

Usage

1. Launch CoppeliaSim and load the Yaskawa GP8 scene
2. Run the GUI Controller:

   python GUI_Controller.py
   

3. Click "Connect" to establish a connection with CoppeliaSim
4. Use either the Forward Kinematics sliders or Inverse Kinematics controls to manipulate the robot

Demo Video

Here's a short demonstration of the controller in action:

Mathematical Background

The controller uses:

• DH parameters for kinematic model representation
• Numerical optimization for solving the inverse kinematics problem
• Euler angle conversions for end-effector orientation control