MobileRobots Pioneer Arm, Manual

Installation & Operation 
 

Forward and inverse kinematics 

libraries now come with the 

Pioneer Arm, as licensed from 

Fachhochschule Trier University of 
Applied Sciences.  

ArmServer. 

exe

 is a Windows-only application 

that lets you integrate the AKIN 

arm-kinematics software with your 

own, arm-specific applications. 

ArmApplet.jar

 is a demonstra-

tion GUI for 

ArmServer.exe

. 

Figure 6.  Connect ArmApplet.jar GUI to ArmServer to steer 

the arm with AKIN-based kinematics. 

Like 

P2ArmDemo

, 

ArmServer.exe

makes a serial connection with 

your robot controller, which in turn 

makes a connection with the 

Pioneer Arm.  If you connect a PC 

with the robot controller through 

COM1, simply double-click 

ArmServer.exe

  to  launch  it.  

Otherwise, use a command window and append the ‘

-rp <serial port>

’ startup argument to the 

command line, where <serial port> is the alternative communication port; 

COM3

, for example. 

Now start 

ArmApplet.jar

, either on the same or on a PC elsewhere on the network.  Enter the 

network address of 

ArmServer

’s Host: PC and click 

establish SocketConnection

.

 6

Operate the arm by angles or by explicit x,y,z coordinates from the respective sliders.  The arm 
animation in the center of 

ArmApplet.jar

 reflects the motions.  Click and hold the mouse for a few 

seconds on any of the 

Park

, 

Null

, or 

Position 1

 through 

4

 buttons to capture the current arm 

coordinates or angles.  Click the button again later to have the arm achieve that configured position. 

Safety Watchdogs 

It is important to well manage the Pioneer Arm to minimize its power consumption and to protect it 

and its surroundings from inadvertent damage.  The robot controller’s Arm servers support important 

features that monitor Arm activity and automatically, if enabled, act to protect your Pioneer Arm.  

These watchdogs include a client connection-related automatic shutdown server, a release timer for 

the Arm gripper, and a warm-reset server. 

Power and Connection-Related Automatic Shutdown 

Because it is attached to your Pioneer robot’s microcontroller, your client software may command and 

control the Pioneer Arm only while it has an established client-server connection.  Moreover, you must 
explicitly software-command the Arm to power its servos:  Its default state is in the 

HOME

 position with 

servo power OFF. 

With servo power ON and in a position other than 

HOME

, the Pioneer Arm automatically returns to its 

HOME

  position  when  your  client  software  tells  the arm servers to remove power from the servos.

7

Otherwise, the arm might flop into an awkward and potentially damaging position when you remove 

power to its positioning servos. 

Similarly, the Arm servers automatically send the Pioneer Arm to its 

HOME

 position and remove power 

from its servos immediately following severance of a client-server connection.   See the 

CLOSE

 server 

descriptions in your 

Operations Manual 

for more details about client-server connections. 

The automated shutdown service may be disabled with a special client command and FLASH 

parameter setting.   See following chapters for details

.

6

 The default localhost name typically works when running ArmServer and armApplet.jar on the same PC.  Otherwise, enter 

another hostname or IP address for ArmServer’s Host: PC on the nework. 

8 

7

 You may override some ARCOS/AROS/P2OS Arm servers with direct, generic Arm commands.