Method and device for manipulating an object
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for grasping an object with a remote vehicle having a camera and a manipulator attached to a manipulator arm, the method comprising:
- locating the object and the manipulator within the field of view of the camera;
pressing the manipulator housing to the object;
activating a granular jamming phase change material in a housing of the manipulator to switch form a liquid behavior to solid behavior to cause the manipulator to grasp the object by evacuating air from the manipulator housing to change a fluid volume in the manipulator housing, wherein, prior to activating the jamming material, an interior of the housing is at atmospheric pressure and the manipulator is pliable; and
moving one or more of the manipulator arm and the remote vehicle to manipulate the object.
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Abstract
A method for manipulating an object with a remote vehicle having a manipulator attached to a manipulator arm. The manipulator comprises a jamming or other phase change material in a housing. The method comprises pressing the manipulator housing to the object, activating the jamming or other phase change material to cause the manipulator to grasp the object, and moving one or more of the manipulator arm and the remote vehicle to manipulate the object.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method for grasping an object with a remote vehicle having a camera and a manipulator attached to a manipulator arm, the method comprising:
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locating the object and the manipulator within the field of view of the camera; pressing the manipulator housing to the object; activating a granular jamming phase change material in a housing of the manipulator to switch form a liquid behavior to solid behavior to cause the manipulator to grasp the object by evacuating air from the manipulator housing to change a fluid volume in the manipulator housing, wherein, prior to activating the jamming material, an interior of the housing is at atmospheric pressure and the manipulator is pliable; and moving one or more of the manipulator arm and the remote vehicle to manipulate the object. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A system for use with a remote vehicle and allowing the remote vehicle to manipulate an object, the system comprising:
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a manipulator arm having a proximal end and a distal end, and being attached to the remote vehicle at the proximal end; a manipulator located at the distal end of the manipulator arm and comprising a housing and a granular jamming phase change material within the housing, wherein, prior to activating the jamming material, an interior of the housing is at atmospheric pressure and the manipulator is pliable; a camera mounted on the remote vehicle at a known position with respect to the manipulator arm; and a vacuum in fluid communication with the interior of the housing, the vacuum changing a vacuum level in the housing for activating the jamming material; wherein, to manipulate the object, the object and the manipulator are located within the field of view of the camera and the object is manipulated by moving the manipulator arm to press the manipulator housing to the object, activating the jamming material to switch form a liquid behavior to solid behavior to cause the manipulator to grasp the object, by evacuating air from the manipulator housing to change a fluid volume in the manipulator housing, and moving one or more of the manipulator arm and the remote vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for using a remote vehicle having a camera attached to a manipulator arm and a manipulator attached to the manipulator arm to open a door having a knob, the method comprising:
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locating the object and the manipulator within the field of view of the camera; actuating the manipulator arm to press the manipulator to the knob; activating a granular jamming phase change material in a housing of the manipulator to switch form a liquid behavior to solid behavior to cause the manipulator to grasp the knob by evacuating air from the manipulator housing to change a fluid volume in the manipulator housing, wherein, prior to activating the jamming material, an interior of the housing is at atmospheric pressure and the manipulator is pliable; rotating the manipulator arm and thus the knob to unlatch the door; and moving one or more of the manipulator arm and the remote vehicle to pull or push the door. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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17. A manipulator and a camera to be used on a manipulator arm of a remote vehicle, the manipulator comprising a housing filled with a granular jamming phase change material,
wherein the camera and the manipulator have a known spatial relation to each other, wherein, to grasp an object with the manipulator, the object and the manipulator are located within a field of view of the camera, and wherein the manipulator is pressed to the object to be manipulated and grasps the object when a rigidity of the manipulator is increased to effect a change in a state of the jamming phase change material form a liquid behavior to solid behavior, by evacuating air from a housing of the manipulator holding the jamming phase change material to change a fluid volume in the manipulator housing, wherein, prior to activating the jamming material, an interior of the housing is at atmospheric pressure and the manipulator is pliable.
Specification