Robotic manipulation system utilizing patterned granular motion
First Claim
1. A system for robotic manipulation of a plurality of object, comprising:
- a container a plurality of particulates disposed in said container;
a plurality of objects to be manipulated disposed in said container, said plurality of objects being distinct from said plurality of particulates;
means for applying energy to said plurality of particulates to establish patterned granular motion thereof and thereby forming a plurality of repeated vertically directed standing waves, said standing waves of said plurality of particulates respectively imparting displacement forces to said plurality of objects; and
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signal means coupled to said energy application mean for supplying said energy with predetermined waveforms to dynamically position said standing waves at predetermined positions one with respect to another, said predetermined portions of said standing waves dynamically displacing and arranging said objects in a predetermined configuration.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system (100, 100′, 100″) and method for robotic manipulation of objects (130) is provided wherein particulates (110, 110′) are agitated by the transfer of energy thereto to establish patterned granular motion of the particulates (110, 110′). The patterned granular motion of the particulates (110, 110′) forms standing waves (112). The objects (130) align themselves with the standing waves (112) and thus are dynamically arranged in a configuration established by the location of the standing waves (112). The location of the standing waves (112) can be predetermined by controlling the waveform of the signals applied to the energy application system (140). The predetermined waveforms are supplied from the signal source (150, 154) to the energy application system (140).
23 Citations
28 Claims
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1. A system for robotic manipulation of a plurality of object, comprising:
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a container a plurality of particulates disposed in said container;
a plurality of objects to be manipulated disposed in said container, said plurality of objects being distinct from said plurality of particulates;
means for applying energy to said plurality of particulates to establish patterned granular motion thereof and thereby forming a plurality of repeated vertically directed standing waves, said standing waves of said plurality of particulates respectively imparting displacement forces to said plurality of objects; and
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signal means coupled to said energy application mean for supplying said energy with predetermined waveforms to dynamically position said standing waves at predetermined positions one with respect to another, said predetermined portions of said standing waves dynamically displacing and arranging said objects in a predetermined configuration. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A system for robotic manipulation of a plurality of objects, comprising:
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a container a plurality of ionized molecules disposed in said container;
a plurality of objects to be manipulated disposed in said container, each of said objects being distinct from said plurality of ionized molecules and less than 10 microns in size;
means for applying oscillatory electric fields to said plurality of ionized molecules to establish patterned granular motion thereof and thereby form a plurality of repeating vertically directed standing waves, said standing waves of said plurality of particulates respectively imparting displacement forces to said plurality of objects; and
,signal means coupled to said oscillatory electric fields application means for establishing said oscillatory electric fields with predetermined waveforms to dynamically position said standing waves at predetermined positions one with respect to another, said standing waves of ionized molecules respectively generating fields that dynamically displace and arrange the objects into a predetermined configuration. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A system for robotic manipulation of a plurality of objects, comprising:
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a container;
a plurality of particulates disposed in said container;
a plurality of objects to be manipulated disposed in said container and being distinct from said plurality of particulates;
means for applying energy to said plurality of particulates to establish patterned granular motion thereof and thereby forming a plurality of repeating vertically directed standing waves, said standing waves of said plurality of particulates respectively imparting displacement forces to said plurality of objects;
signal means coupled to said energy application means for supplying said energy with predetermined waveforms to dynamically position said standing waves at predetermined positions one with respect to another, said predetermined positions of said standing waves dynamically displacing and arranging the objects in a predetermined configuration; and
,means for monitoring at least one characteristic of at least one of said plurality of objects being manipulated, said monitoring means having an output coupled to said signal means for providing a feedback signal thereto for altering said predetermined waveforms and thereby adjusting said predetermined configuration. - View Dependent Claims (28)
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Specification