ABSTRACT
The most common method of setting up industrial robots is leadthrough programming using a teach pendant (Cousins, 1988). It is convenient and easy to learn, but may take considerable time if the task performed by the End of Arm Tooling (EOAT) is complex. Teach pendants are hand-held devices, connected to the robot by a cable, and can incorporate up to 50 controls, often including a dead-person switch for safety purposes. As robots and their tasks become more complex, the number of controls increases, leading to larger and heavier teach pendants. The point is being reached where the ability of an operator to hand-hold a teach pendant for the duration of a complex programming task is in doubt.
