Introducing Franka MATLAB Toolbox: Empowering Robotics Research

Franka Robotics Unveils Franka MATLAB Toolbox to Bridge Theory and Application in Robotics Research 

Munich, 13 March 2024 - Franka Robotics, a pioneer in robotics with a human sense of touch, announces the release of the Franka MATLAB Toolbox, an interface designed to seamlessly integrate theory and application in robotics research. This innovative toolbox provides researchers with all necessary control options and signals from the Franka Research 3 robot, enabling a swift, intuitive, and robust evaluation of algorithms. 

The Franka MATLAB Toolbox offers a comprehensive set of features, including MATLAB^® scripts, Simulink^® blocks, and advanced demos, empowering researchers with a wide array of possibilities for controlling Franka robots. With its quick and intuitive interface, the toolbox facilitates rapid algorithm evaluation, allowing researchers to focus on pushing the boundaries of robotics research. 

Quick and Easy Integration 

Researchers can leverage the straightforward integration provided by the Franka MATLAB Toolbox to effortlessly connect Franka robots to MATLAB and Simulink, the programming suite and graphical block-diagram environment for Model-Based Design by MathWorks. This seamless integration streamlines the development process, enabling researchers to bring their ideas to life with ease.

 
Direct Connection to the Robot 

By establishing a direct connection to the robot and closing the real-time loop at 1 kHz via Franka Control Interface (FCI), researchers can develop control algorithms across various modalities, visualize data, and streamline the debugging and prototyping process. This real-time connectivity enhances the efficiency and effectiveness of robotics research, empowering researchers to progress at a faster pace. 

Real-time Data Visualization 

The Franka MATLAB Toolbox facilitates real-time data visualization, allowing researchers to easily display, acquire, and record data such as force, position, or angles. Utilizing MATLAB plotting functions and other Simulink features, researchers can gain valuable insights into the performance of their algorithms in real-time. 

A Wealth of Examples 

Researchers are encouraged to leverage the wealth of examples provided by the Franka MATLAB Toolbox to accelerate development and focus on their specific applications. By providing access to a familiar software environment, the toolbox opens access and empowers researchers to explore new frontiers in robotics research. 

 

“Combining AI, perception, control, and simulation for robotics applications through the integration of MATLAB, Simulink, and Franka’s leading robot hardware will deliver significant value to robotics engineers and researchers,” said YJ Lim, MathWorks Product Marketing Manager for Robotics and Autonomous Systems.  “As a company that strives to accelerate the pace of robotics engineering, we were happy to collaborate with Franka Robotics.” 

"At Franka Robotics, our mission is to develop technology that empowers big-thinkers and disruptors to deliver on the promise of robotics and AI to build a better future. This is why we aim to provide researchers with the best robotics platform. In this, Franka MATLAB Toolbox represents the integration of cutting-edge robotic hardware with the power and versatility of MATLAB and Simulink" - Sven Parusel, SVP Academia & Research, Franka Robotics. 

 

About Franka Robotics 

Founded in 2016, Franka is a robotics platform company based in Munich with manufacturing facilities in Bavaria. The Franka robot platform is extensively used in research and beyond, due to its unique control interface, human-like sense of touch technology, and large community of robotics and AI researchers and disruptors.  

 

About MathWorks 

MathWorks is the leading developer of mathematical computing software. MATLAB, the language of engineers and scientists, is a programming environment for algorithm development, data analysis, visualization, and numeric computation. Simulink is a block diagram environment for simulation and Model-Based Design of multidomain and embedded engineering systems. Engineers and scientists worldwide rely on these products to accelerate the pace of discovery, innovation, and development in automotive, aerospace, communications, electronics, industrial automation, and other industries. MATLAB and Simulink are also fundamental teaching and research tools in the world’s universities and learning institutions. Founded in 1984, MathWorks employs more than 6,000 people in 34 countries, with headquarters in Natick, Massachusetts, USA. For additional information, visit mathworks.com.  

Find out more about Franka MATLAB Toolbox: Franka MATLAB Toolbox