Virtual laboratory for online learning of UR5 robotic arm inverse kinematic and joint motion control

Nowadays, remote work is becoming common in schools and universities, distance online laboratories can apply technologies such as virtual reality machines that facilitate the teaching and learning of engineering topics such as robotics and mechatronics. Virtual robots and their control systems can be implemented in open-source software and low-cost hardware platforms. This article presents the methodology for the development of an UR articulated virtual robot, designed as a tool for the students to carry out remote online practices oriented to program and test control algorithms. The 3D modeling and animation of the virtual robot is done in blender in such a way that the robot needs to interact with an external controller in a hardware in the loop simulation scheme. The external controller can be programed in Codesys and uses Modbus TCP as a communication protocol. Control algorithms using a finite states machine methods for the joints positioning, combined with a speed control based on a proportional integral derivative control, were used to validate the jog manual operation of the robot. The kinematic equations were also programed in Codesys to implement the inverse kinematic control of the virtual robot. The virtual robot is found to be suitable for practical learning of control methods of the UR5 robotic manipulator.