WAVE A model based language for manipulator control

This paper describes a symbolic manipulator control language, WAVE. WAVE resembles a computer machine language and has been used for performing such tasks as a the assembly of a “Model T” water pump, the block manipulation needed to solve the “Instant Insanity” puzzle, bruch caligraphy, crank turning, the two handed mounting of a door hinge, and the assembly of a pencil sharpener. The language specifies motions, provides force and touch control and is capable of interacting with external vision systems. A model of the manipulator is maintained to translate positions in rectangular co‐ordinates into joint angles and to predict joint inertias and gravity loads. Programming is interpretative and uses a PDP‐10 computer running under time‐sharing. The planning programm calculates manipulator trajectories and dynamic constants and writes an executable program on a disk.