IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - June 2022 - 50

dynamics (within the relevant bandwidth) so that the
respective ML researcher can freely choose the approach
to be followed. This makes it possible to set up ML-based
applications with minimal configuration effort and
tedious trial-and-error preparation. Note that despite it
being regularly used in ML applications, we did not
include the PR2 [26] in Figure 2 as it is no longer commercially
available.
Concerning the APIs and interfaces that these robots
offer for researchers, some of them stick to their industrial
counterparts, while others offer explicit interfaces
for research: for example, the KUKA iiwa provides a
low-level, fast research interface. In contrast, the Franka
Emika robot offers three strongly supported interfaces
targeting three different levels of abstraction. It
also allows for an easy interplay across interfaces, making
multidisciplinary approaches and collaborations
more accessible.
Programming With the Franka Emika Robot
The Franka Emika robot is an AI-ready tactile and affordable
robot platform. The currently available Franka Emika robot
is its 3-kg payload version. As depicted in Figure 3, it consists
of the arm, a seven degree-of-freedom manipulator equipped
with joint-side torque sensors in every joint, hand, two-finger
gripper, and control, the processing unit that controls the
robot. The arm is also equipped with the grip, which enables
the guiding mode for kinesthetic teaching, and the pilot, a set
of buttons that provides inputs to easily program the robot
during teaching.
The Franka Emika robot provides researchers with the following
three different programming interfaces depending on
their research focus and the technical task requirements
(see Figure 4):
1) Desk is a high-level programming interface for every
layperson. It targets ease of use, intuitiveness, and programming
speed. The Prototyping App Package
includes several low-level apps such as compliance,
force, or move to contact, which enable researchers to
easily prototype and program standalone solutions.
Pilot
Grip
Hand
Arm
Control
Figure 3. The components of the Franka Emika robot.
50 * IEEE ROBOTICS & AUTOMATION MAGAZINE * JUNE 2022
Detsk
RIDE
+ Research Apps
Custom Desk Apps
External Services
Sensors/Algorithms
Desk (Browser)
1-kHz Control
Task Execution
1-kHz Control
Task Execution
RT Patch
FCI
1-kHz Control
Task Execution
For
Exemplary
Application
Domains
Simple Solutions and Rapid Prototyping
Integrated Custom Solutions
Cognitive and Behavioral Sciences
Human-Robot Interaction
Perception-Based Manipulation
Task Planning
Human Neuroscience
Motion Planning
Figure 4. An overview of the three programming interfaces of the system, their hardware configurations, and target applications.
Signal Processing
Custom Real-Time Control Solutions
Dynamic Planning
Control Theory

IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - June 2022

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