User interfaces for robot training

• US 8,996,167 B2
• Filed: 09/17/2012
• Issued: 03/31/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rethink Robotics
• Original Assignee: Rethink Robotics
• Inventors: Linder, Natan, Brooks, Rodney, Sussman, Michael, Blumberg, Bruce, Dye, Noelle, Caine, Michael, Chen, Elaine Y.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Dalena
• Application Number:
  US13/621,517
• Publication Number:
  US 20130345863A1
• Time in Patent Office: 925 Days
• Field of Search: 700/246, 700/245, 700/249, 700/254, 700/259, 700/248, 700/261, 318/568.2, 318/568.21, 901/1, 901/30, 901/41
• US Class Current: 700/246
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 11/0005 Manipulators having means for high-level communication with users, e.g. speech generator, face recognition means
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 13/084 Tactile sensors in general G01L5/16, G01L5/22
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/0087 Dual arms double SCARA arms B25J9/043
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/163 learning, adaptive, model based, rule based expert control
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1671 characterised by simulation, either to verify existing program or to create and verify new program, CAD/CAM oriented, graphic oriented programming systems
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1676 Avoiding collision or forbidden zones
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1682 Dual arm manipulator; Coordination of several manipulators
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1697 Vision controlled systems
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/42 Recording and playback systems, i.e. in which the programme is recorded from a cycle of operations, e.g. the cycle of operations being manually controlled, after which this record is played back on the same machine
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/423 Teaching successive positions by walk-through, i.e. the tool head or end effector being grasped and guided directly, with or without servo-assistance, to follow a path
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/39451 Augmented reality for robot programming
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/39466 Hand, gripper, end effector of manipulator
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40116 Learn by operator observation, symbiosis, show, watch
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/00 Digital computing or data processing equipment or methods, specially adapted for specific functions information retrieval, database structures or file system structures therefor G06F16/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/28 Determining representative reference patterns, e.g. by averaging or distorting; Generating dictionaries
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 20/00 Machine learning
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 5/025 Extracting rules from data
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 7/01 Probabilistic graphical models, e.g. probabilistic networks
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/235 based on user input or interaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/1914 Determining representative reference patterns, e.g. averaging or distorting patterns; Generating dictionaries, e.g. user dictionaries
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/194 : References adjustable by an adaptive method, e.g. learning
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/80 : Management or planning
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/01 : Mobile robot
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/03 : Teaching system
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/09 : Closed loop, sensor feedback controls arm movement
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/31 : Gripping jaw
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/46 : Sensing device
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/47 : Optical

Abstract

In accordance with various embodiments, a user interface embedded into a robot facilitates robot training via direct and intuitive physical interactions. In some embodiments, the user interface includes a wrist cuff that, when grasped by the user, switches the robot into zero-force gravity-compensated mode.

Claims

1. A robot comprising:

a movable robot appendage;

disposed at a distal end of the appendage, (i) a cuff surrounding a portion of the distal end and comprising a pressure-sensitive switch and (ii), disposed thereover around the cuff, a pressure-spreading layer for transferring, to the switch, pressure externally applied to the cuff; and

circuitry, responsive to pressure applied to the switch when the cuff is grasped, for causing the robot to operate in a zero-force gravity-compensated mode whereby the appendage moves substantially without resistance in response to forces applied to the cuff.

2. The robot of claim 1, wherein:

the robot is alternately operable in (a) a training mode in which the robot learns and stores parameters relating to a task or (b) an execution mode in which the robot executes a task in accordance with previously stored parameters, and

the circuitry, in response to pressure applied to the switch when the cuff is grasped, further causes the robot to operate in the training mode.

3. The robot of claim 1, wherein the cuff further comprises, on each of two opposing sides thereof, a plurality of pressable buttons.

4. The robot of claim 3, wherein the buttons are distinguishable by touch.

5. The robot of claim 4, the buttons comprise a convex button and a concave button.

6. The robot of claim 4, wherein the buttons comprise a circular button and an elongated button.

7. The robot of claim 1, wherein the pressure-sensitive switch comprises a flexible resistor.

8. The robot of claim 1, wherein the pressure-sensitive switch comprises a micro-push-button switch.

9. The robot of claim 1, wherein the pressure-spreading layer comprises or consists of flexible rubber.