Implementation of EtherCAT Master Middleware Component for Distributed Robot Control Architecture

This paper describes a middleware for robot applications. The middleware is developed as a library based on the protocol EtherCAT. It's module communicates with robot hardware element. It can be used for distributed control of a robot or multiple robot system. The middleware component is used with RTM which is developed at AIST Japan. Also, the component can be incorporated with MSRDS(Microsoft Robotic Development Studio). The use of middleware component enhances compatibility, coherency and reusability of robotic component and modules. Moreover, It is crucial to use the component for development of a robotic system which tends to be more and more complicated recently and for the future.