INCIDENTAL ROBOT-HUMAN CONTACT DETECTION

• US 20170043483A1
• Filed: 08/11/2015
• Published: 02/16/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Empire Technology Development LLC (Allied Inventors Management, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Empire Technology Development LLC (Allied Inventors Management, LLC)
• Inventors: Fine, Kevin S., Kruglick, Ezekiel
• Granted Patent: US 9,868,213 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1676 Avoiding collision or forbidden zones
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40201 Detect contact, collision with human
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/09 Closed loop, sensor feedback controls arm movement
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/15 Jointed arm
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/46 Sensing device

Abstract

Technologies are generally described for detection of incidental robot-human contact. In some examples, a robotic actuator movement may generate a feedback signal, such as a haptic signal, a proprioreceptive signal, an optical signal, and/or an infrared signal. A tremor detector may determine whether the feedback signal contains a tremor signal characteristic of a human, for example by determining whether frequency components in the feedback signal fall within particular frequency ranges. Upon determining that the feedback signal does contain a tremor signal characteristic of a human, the tremor detector may conclude that the robotic actuator has come into contact with a human, and may cause the actuator to halt its movement.

Claims

1. A method to guide actuator movement, the method comprising:

determining a feedback signal associated with a movement of an actuator;

determining whether the feedback signal includes a tremor signal characteristic of at least one of a human and an animal; and

in response to determination that the feedback signal includes the tremor signal, halting the movement of the actuator.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the feedback signal includes a tremor signal characteristic of at least one of a human and an animal comprises determining whether the feedback signal includes a frequency component having a first frequency that is at least 7 Hz and at most 12 Hz.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein determining whether the feedback signal includes a tremor signal comprises detecting a disproportionate increase in an amplitude of the frequency component with respect to at least one other frequency component of the feedback signal, the at least one other frequency component having a second frequency less than 7 Hz or greater than 12 Hz.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the feedback signal includes determining a haptic signal associated with a pressure detected on the actuator.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the feedback signal includes determining a proprioreceptive signal associated with at least one of a force and a torque applied at a joint of the actuator.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein determining the proprioreceptive signal comprises determining the proprioreceptive signal from at least one of a motor driver current and a stress signal.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the feedback signal comprises receiving a remote signal from a remote sensor.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the remote signal includes at least one of optical image data and infrared data.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the feedback signal includes a tremor signal comprises initially evaluating the feedback signal with a fast change point detector and subsequently evaluating the feedback signal with a slow change point detector.

10. A tremor detection system comprising:

a sensor signal processor configured to receive a feedback signal associated with a movement of a robotic actuator; and

a processor block configured to;

determine that the feedback signal includes a frequency component having a first frequency that is at least 7 Hz and at most 12 Hz and is characteristic of at least one of a human and an animal; and

in response to determination that the feedback signal includes the frequency component, transmit a control signal causing the robotic actuator to halt the movement.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the processor block is further configured to:

detect a disproportionate increase in an amplitude of the frequency component with respect to at least one other frequency component of the feedback signal, the at least one other frequency component having a second frequency less than 7 Hz or greater than 12 Hz; and

determine that the frequency component is characteristic of at least one of a human and an animal based on the detection.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the feedback signal includes a haptic signal associated with a pressure detected on the robotic actuator.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the feedback signal includes a proprioreceptive signal associated with at least one of a force and a torque applied at a joint of the actuator.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the proprioreceptive signal is based on at least one of a motor driver current and a stress signal.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the feedback signal includes a remote signal from a remote sensor.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the remote signal includes at least one of optical image data and infrared data.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the processor block is further configured to:

initially evaluate the frequency component with a fast change point detector;

subsequently evaluate the frequency component with a slow change point detector; and

determine that the frequency component is characteristic of at least one of a human and an animal based on the evaluations.

22. The system of claim 17, wherein the feedback signal includes a remote signal from a remote sensor.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the remote signal includes at least one of optical image data and infrared data.

24. The system of claim 17, wherein the tremor detector is further configured to:

initially evaluate the feedback signal with a fast change point detector;

subsequently evaluate the feedback signal with a slow change point detector; and

determine that the feedback signal includes the tremor signal based on the evaluations.

18. A robotic actuator system comprising:

an actuator configured to;

perform a physical action in response to a control signal; and

stop the physical action in response to a stop signal;

a controller configured to transmit the control signal and the stop signal to the actuator; and

a tremor detector configured to;

receive a feedback signal associated with the physical action from at least one of the actuator and the controller;

determine that the feedback signal includes a tremor signal falling between 7 Hz and 12 Hz, the tremor signal characteristic of at least one of a human and an animal; and

in response to determination that the feedback signal includes the tremor signal, cause the controller to transmit the stop signal to the actuator.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the tremor detector is further configured to determine that the tremor signal is characteristic of at least one of a human and an animal upon detection of a disproportionate increase in an amplitude of the tremor signal with respect to at least one other tremor signal in the feedback signal, the at least one other tremor signal having a frequency less than 7 Hz or greater than 12 Hz.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the feedback signal includes at least one of:

a haptic signal associated with a pressure detected on the robotic actuator during performance of the physical action; and

a proprioreceptive signal associated with at least one of a force and a torque applied at a joint of the actuator during performance of the physical action.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the proprioreceptive signal is based on at least one of a motor driver current and a stress signal.