Robotic device, method for controlling robotic device, and computer program

• US 9,014,849 B2
• Filed: 08/04/2011
• Issued: 04/21/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Motoyoshi, Masaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Amin, Bhavesh V
• Application Number:
  US13/198,066
• Publication Number:
  US 20120035763A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,356 Days
• Field of Search: 700245-264
• US Class Current: 700/245
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1694 characterised by use of sensors other than normal servo-feedback from position, speed or acceleration sensors, perception control, multi-sensor controlled systems, sensor fusion

Abstract

A robotic device includes a first calculation section adapted to calculate a first angular velocity of a first arm operating due to a first actuator provided with a first angle sensor based on rotational angle detection data of the first angle sensor of the fist actuator, a second calculation section adapted to calculate a second angular velocity of the first arm taking an arm linkage device as an axis based on angular velocity detection data of an inertial sensor provided to the first arm linked via the arm linkage device including the first actuator, which is a calculation object of the first calculation section, and a third calculation section adapted to calculate a torsional angular velocity between the first actuator and the first arm with a low-frequency component eliminated.

Claims

1. A robotic device comprising:

an arm that is rotationally connected to an actuator;

an angle sensor that detects a rotational angle of the actuator;

an inertial sensor that is provided at the arm and that detects a sensed angular velocity of the arm;

a first calculation section that calculates a first calculated angular velocity based on the rotational angle detected by the angle sensor;

a second calculation section that calculates a second calculated angular velocity based on the sensed angular velocity detected by the inertial sensor;

a third calculation section that calculates a difference between the first calculated angular velocity and the second calculated angular velocity and that calculates a torsional angular velocity by eliminating a low-frequency component from the difference; and

a controller that controls the arm based on the torsional angular velocity.

2. The robotic device according to claim 1, wherein

the low-frequency component corresponds to a range lower than a lowest frequency of an antiresonant frequency and a resonant frequency of mechanical natural frequencies of the robotic device.

3. The robotic device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a fourth calculation section that calculates a control value by adding the torsional angular velocity and the first calculated angular velocity, wherein

the controller controls the arm based on the control value.

4. A method for controlling a robotic device comprising:

the robotic device includes;

an arm that is rotationally connected to an actuator;

an angle sensor that detects a rotational angle of the actuator;

an inertial sensor that that is provided at the arm and that detects a sensed angular velocity of the arm; and

a controller that controls the arm, and

the method comprising;

calculating a first calculated angular velocity of the arm based on the rotational angle detected by the angle sensor;

calculating a second calculated angular velocity of the arm based on the sensed angular velocity detected by the inertial sensor;

calculating a difference between the first calculated angular velocity and the second calculated angular velocity so as to obtain a torsional angular velocity by eliminating a low-frequency component from the difference;

sending information of the torsional angular velocity to the controller; and

controlling the arm based on the information of the torsional angular velocity received by the controller.

5. The method for controlling a robotic device according to claim 4, wherein

the low-frequency component corresponds to a range lower than a lowest frequency of an antiresonant frequency and a resonant frequency of mechanical natural frequencies of the robotic device.

6. The method for controlling a robotic device according to claim 4, further comprising:

calculating a control value by adding the torsional angular velocity and the first calculated angular velocity, wherein

the controller controls the arm based on the control value.

7. A computer program product embodying computer readable instructions stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium for controlling a robotic device, comprising:

the robotic device includes;

an arm that is rotationally connected to an actuator;

an angle sensor that detects a rotational angle of the actuator;

an inertial sensor that that is provided at the arm and that detects a sensed angular velocity of the arm; and

a controller that controls the arm, and

the computer program comprising;

instructions for calculating a first calculated angular velocity of the arm based on the rotational angle detected by the angle sensor;

instruction for calculating a second calculated angular velocity of the arm based on the sensed angular velocity detected by the inertial sensor;

instructions for calculating a difference between the first calculated angular velocity and the second calculated angular velocity so as to obtain a torsional angular velocity by elimination a low-frequency component from the difference;

instructions for sending information of the torsional angular velocity to the controller; and

instructions for controlling the arm based on the information of the torsional angular velocity received by the controller.

8. A computer program product embodying computer readable instructions stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium for controlling a robotic device, according to claim 7, wherein

the low-frequency component corresponds to a range lower than a lowest frequency of an antiresonant frequency and a resonant frequency of mechanical natural frequencies of the robotic device.

9. A computer program product embodying computer readable instructions stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium for controlling a robotic device, according to claim 7, further comprising:

instruction for calculating a control value by adding the torsional angular velocity and the first calculated angular velocity, wherein

the controller controls the arm based on the control value.