Self-feeding apparatus with hover mode
First Claim
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1. A self feeding apparatus comprising:
- a. a robotic arm b. a set of one or more food holding vessels selected from the group consisting of plates and bowls and trays and boxes and microwave containers and refrigerator dishes and compartmented food trays and frozen dinner trays, c. a set of one or more eating utensils selected from the group consisting of forks and spoons and sporks, d. a gripper mounted on the end of said robot arm, said gripper capable of grasping any of said utensils, e. a control apparatus to operate said robot arm which can cause said utensil to move over one of said food holding vessels, use said utensil to pick up food and convey said food to the eating position, f. an operating sequence which includes a hover mode in which said utensil is steered in the horizontal plane only and in which said utensil is constrained to remain over said food vessel, whereby persons who may have severe paralysis can easily and intuitively feed themselves a wide variety of foods in a sequence of their choice using a utensil of their choice from any of a wide variety of standard food holding vessels.
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Abstract
A robotic self-feeding device uses a multiplicity of dishes, utensils and control methods to handle a wide variety of food, including sandwiches. Its operating sequence has a hover mode in which a utensil is automatically steered over a food holder and is constrained from moving away from the food holder. The user points to the desired food with the utensil and triggers pickup which is automatically accomplished. Its gripper can operate tong utensils to grasp food. It can cut food. The process of eating is thus easy and intuitive for people who may have a wide variety of severe paralysis disabilities.
54 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A self feeding apparatus comprising:
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a. a robotic arm b. a set of one or more food holding vessels selected from the group consisting of plates and bowls and trays and boxes and microwave containers and refrigerator dishes and compartmented food trays and frozen dinner trays, c. a set of one or more eating utensils selected from the group consisting of forks and spoons and sporks, d. a gripper mounted on the end of said robot arm, said gripper capable of grasping any of said utensils, e. a control apparatus to operate said robot arm which can cause said utensil to move over one of said food holding vessels, use said utensil to pick up food and convey said food to the eating position, f. an operating sequence which includes a hover mode in which said utensil is steered in the horizontal plane only and in which said utensil is constrained to remain over said food vessel, whereby persons who may have severe paralysis can easily and intuitively feed themselves a wide variety of foods in a sequence of their choice using a utensil of their choice from any of a wide variety of standard food holding vessels. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A self feeding apparatus comprising:
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a. a set of one or more food holding vessels selected from the group consisting of plates and bowls and trays and boxes and microwave containers and refrigerator dishes and frozen dinner trays, b. an eating utensil selected from the group consisting of forks and spoons, c. a means for grasping said eating utensil, d. a means for controlling the motion of said eating utensil which can cause said eating utensil to move over said food holding vessel use said utensil to pick up food and convey said food to the eating position, e. an operating sequence which includes a hover mode in which said utensil is steered in the horizontal plane only and in which said utensil is constrained to remain over said food vessel, whereby persons who may have severe paralysis can easily and intuitively feed themselves a wide variety of foods in a sequence of their choice using a utensil of their choice from any of a wide variety of standard food holding vessels. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification