LEE825C - RFT for the supply of a Collaborative Industrial Robot Arm For The University of Limerick

Tender description

The Centre for Robotics & Intelligent Systems (www.CRIS.ul.ie) is focused on the application and development of practical and industrially relevant technologies in challenging environments such as marine, aerial and clinical. The centre is actively involved in a range of nationally funded, European funded and industry collaborative projects. The centre is focused on research and development of remotely operated and autonomous vehicles, and robotic systems used in medical and industrial applications. The system will be used within CRIS as part of an industrial partnership project, the focus of which is to develop a prototype robotic system capable of assisting in the performance of clinical colonoscopy and oesophago-gastro-duodenoscopy (OGD). The collaborative robot arm will hold an end-effector, for which the industrial partner holds a patent, that will manipulate the controls of the endoscope as well as the endoscope itself. The arm will be capable of being controlled by the endoscopist, assisted by clinical staff, all working within the workspace of the arm. In addition, the system will be used for educational purposes within the department. The system will be an example of the latest generation in industrial robotics and will allow students and research staff to become familiar with this technology. This tender is for the acquisition of a collaborative industrial robot arm. This system will incorporate force and torque sensing at joints to provide an increased level of environmental awareness. The sensory data will be used to allow the system to enter a compliant mode in the event of unplanned interaction with a human or the environment or on being physically manipulated by a user. This level of control should happen on the system control unit by default and must be capable of interfacing with external systems for transmission of sensor data and receipt of commands. This should be possible using common, modern programming languages and protocols.