Real time path programming with joystick signals and kinematics selection and development of Matlab graphical user interface

The mining industry in the future will increasingly adopt machine automation and robotics to ameliorate energy and cost efficiency of materials handling operations. Control architecture has been developed for application in the construction and mining industries to a variety of hydraulic equipment. Control kinematics is implemented for the control of machines with a forward-facing bucket configuration (e.g. mining frontshovels) as well as with a rear-facing bucket configuration (e.g. construction excavators). Cartesian kinematics transformation (as an example of a possible choice) is used, under which horizontal movement of the bucket pin is controlled with one joystick, and vertical movement of the bucket pin is controlled with another joystick with the bucket edge stabilized at desired angle. This coordinated motion makes control of the machine more intuitive and makes many tasks much easier to execute. Specifically, the Cartesian kinematics makes the task of level bottom trenching easier. A Matlab Graphical user interface (GUI) is developed to download data in real time and making the program user friendly by providing it with a consistent appearance.