Feature
Software-defined Augmented Robot Joint (SARJ)
Smart manufacturing has become an important trend in the global industrial supply chain, and AI robots are an indispensable technology for its development. To increase application diversity, ITRI’s patented Software-defined Augmented Robot Joint (SARJ) presents a modern and unique stacking design that features integrated high-power-density electric drive modules.
SARJ has the highest torque-to-volume ratio (22%) in the industry, with 40% less body weight in comparison to robots of the same grade. Its plug-and-play design also allows users to quickly build customized and flexible multi-joint modular robots, while the motor, drive controller, and HD harmonic deceleration electric module have better system rigidity and longer commissioning periods than robots of the same grade due to smart tuning and control technology. Traditional code development is also replaced by graphical guidance, significantly reducing the required programming time. Furthermore, the built-in software calculation technology is able to detect the robot’s force, removing the need for installing any force sensing technology.
ITRI’s Software-defined Augmented Robot Joint allows for modular designs, and has the highest torque-to-volume ratio in the industry.
According to Dr. Wen-Yang Peng, Deputy General Director at ITRI’s Mechanical and Mechatronics Systems Research Laboratories, the greatest value of SARJ is its software-defined hardware modules. “SARJ is not just a robot joint module or arm subsystem, it is also a system solution that can serve the user through software integration, and allows people to easily develop their own robot arm without needing a background in mechanics,” he said.
SARJ was recognized as a winning innovation at the 2021 R&D 100 Awards.
This technology has already been transferred to major high-tech factories and the precision machinery industry for use in their production lines. It is hoped that the customization and modularity of SARJ will open up new applications in human-robot collaboration, and that the potential of this design will be realized in business, home appliance and medical fields in the future.
Video of ITRI’s Software-defined Augmented Robot Joint (SARJ).