On the Applicability of Wireless Technologies for Industrial Robotic Control Systems: A Case Study

In the realm of Industrial Robotic Control Systems, the integration of wireless technologies offers a transformative potential, promising enhanced flexibility, mobility, and adaptability in various operational environments. The liberation from cumbersome cables can streamline system deployment, reduce maintenance complexity, and facilitate dynamic reconfigurations in industrial settings. However, this shift towards wireless communications introduces a host of challenges, chief among them being the demand for stringent latency and reliability constraints when considering the transmission of the low-level information that is crucial for the precise control of the robots. This paper investigates several solutions intended to answer this challenge. Three testbeds have been implemented and evaluated in the context of wireless teleoperation: Ultra Wide Band (UWB), WiFi6E, and a tailored solution based on Software-Defined Radio (SDR). The experimentation results show that both UWB and WiFi6E present latency issues, whereas the SDR solution exhibits promising results, surpassing UWB and WiFi6E.