Kinova Gen3: Getting Started Guide

The Kinova Gen 3 arm can be operated in three different ways: via gamepad, through a virtual joystick, and using admittance control. In addition, the robot can be programmed using the KORTEX API. Each one of these alternatives is described below.

There are 3 control modes in the Xbox Controller (by default, the robot starts in Twist Linear Control mode).

1. Twist Linear Control: In this mode, the end effector position is controlled in Cartesian coordinates and its orientation remains fixed. The origin of the Cartesian coordinate system is located at the base of the robot (see image below). X-translation buttons will move the end effector forward/backward and y-translation buttons will move it sideways. Forward motion corresponds to the positive x-direction according to the Cartesian coordinate system shown below. Likewise, moving the end effector to the left corresponds to the positive y-direction and moving it up corresponds to the positive z-direction.  

2. Twist Angular Control: In this mode, the end effector orientation can be modified while its position remains fixed. The orientation of the end effector is based on the end effector's frame of reference (see image below). X-rotation corresponds to pitch, y-rotation to yaw, and z-rotation to roll as shown in the image below. 

3. Joint Control: In this mode, each joint can be controlled individually. Joints are selected with the previous/next joint buttons and the position of the selected joint is controlled by the join-speeds buttons.

The following image shows the location and orientation of each joint/actuator.

The virtual joysticks, available on the KORTEX Web app, provide users with the same functionality of the physical gamepad.

Select "Pose" to access the "Twist Linear Control" and "Twist Angular Control" screen.

Select "Angular" to access the Joint Control screen. 

In this mode, the robot can be moved by hand. Typically, this is used to program motion routines by physically moving the robot through a sequence of positions. There are 3 modes of admittance control:

1. Cartesian Admittance mode: 
   • In this mode, the end effector's position can be modified by applying force to it. The end effector's orientation will remain fixed.
2. Joint Admittance mode:
   • In this mode, each one of the robot's joints can be rotated manually.
3. Null Space Admittance mode:
   • In this mode, the end effector's position and orientation will remain fixed but the arm's pose can be modified (it will only move within the null space).

Physical buttons for admittance control are located on either side of the vision module as shown in the image below:

  

The Cartesian admittance mode button sticks out from the surface in the center , the joint admittance mode button is slightly indented in the center and ring-shaped, .

To switch between admittance modes:

The KORTEX API is a software framework created by Kinova. It allows the user to control and configure the Kinova Gen 3 arm through different services that communicate with the robot's components (base controller, actuators, interaface module, and vision module). The API is provided in the following languages:

1. MATLAB
2. C++
3. Python
4. ROS