Methods and systems to provide feedback based on a motion per path metric indicative of an effect of motion associated with components of a robotic device

• US 9,375,853 B1
• Filed: 12/03/2014
• Issued: 06/28/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Edsinger, Aaron
• Primary Examiner(s): Sample, Jonathan L
• Application Number:
  US14/559,134
• Time in Patent Office: 573 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 13/08 by means of sensing devices, e.g. viewing or touching devices
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 19/06 Safety devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/02 Arm motion controller

Abstract

Examples are provided that describe a motion based light display for a robotic arm. In one example, a robotic device comprising one or more components configured to be actuated for movement. The robotic device also includes one or more processors are configured to determine a motion per path metric of the one or more components based on a motion plan associated with the robotic device. The one or more processors are configured to determine one or more feedback characteristics based on the motion per path metric. The one or more feedback characteristics include information indicative of an effect of motion associated with the one or more components. The robotic device also includes an indicator coupled to the one or more components and configured to provide feedback about the one or more components based on the feedback characteristics indicative of the effect of motion.

Claims

1. A robotic device comprising:

one or more components configured to be actuated for movement;

one or more processors configured to determine a motion per path metric of the one or more components based on a motion plan associated with the robotic device and to determine a force associated with the motion per path metric at one or more steps of the motion plan, and the one or more processors configured to determine one or more feedback characteristics based on the motion per path metric, wherein the one or more feedback characteristics include information indicative of an effect of motion associated with the one or more components; and

an indicator coupled to the one or more components and configured to provide feedback about the one or more components based on the feedback characteristics indicative of the effect of motion, wherein based on the force being greater than a threshold at the one or more steps of the motion plan the indicator provides information informing of possible dangerous motion by the robotic device within an area around the robotic device needed for operation of the robotic device along the motion plan, and wherein based on the force being less than the threshold at the one or more steps of the motion plan the indicator provides information informing of safe motion by the robotic device within the area around the robotic device needed for operation of the robotic device along the motion plan.

2. The robotic device of claim 1, wherein the indicator comprises a circular multi-color light emitting diode (LED) array.

3. The robotic device of claim 2, wherein the circular multi-color light emitting diode (LED) array is configured to provide feedback by varying one or more of color and luminous intensity according to the one or more feedback characteristics.

4. The robotic device of claim 1, wherein the information indicative of the effect of motion comprises an image associated with the motion per path metric, wherein the image is determined according to the motion per path metric being greater than a threshold.

5. The robotic device of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are configured to determine a pressure applied by a given component of the one or more components based on the motion per path metric, and to update the one or more feedback characteristics based on the pressure.

6. A robotic device comprising:

one or more actuators coupled through one or more joints to form one or more components;

one or more processors configured to determine a motion per path metric of the one or more components based on an operation of the robotic device, to determine a force associated with the motion per path metric at one or more steps of operation of the robotic device, and to determine one or more feedback characteristics based on the motion per path metric, wherein the one or more feedback characteristics include information indicative of an effect of motion associated with the one or more components;

an indicator coupled to the one or more components to provide feedback about the one or more components; and

a controller programmable to control the indicator coupled to the one more components to provide feedback indicative of the effect of motion according to the one or more feedback characteristics, wherein based on the force being greater than a threshold at the one or more steps of operation of the robotic device the controller controlling the indicator to provide information informing of possible dangerous motion by the robotic device within an area around the robotic device needed for operation of the robotic device, and wherein based on the force being less than the threshold at the one or more steps of operation of the robotic device the controller controlling the indicator to provide information informing of safe motion by the robotic device within the area around the robotic device needed for operation of the robotic device.

7. The robotic device of claim 6, wherein the indicator comprises a visual indicator.

8. The robotic device of claim 6, wherein the indicator is located on an exterior surface proximal to an end effector of the robotic device.

9. The robotic device of claim 6, further comprising:

a plurality of visual indicators coupled to the one or more components to provide feedback about the one or more components.

10. The robotic device of claim 6, wherein the controller is configured to adjust the feedback associated with the indicator based on a given one or more feedback characteristics associated with an upcoming operation of the robotic device.

11. The robotic device of claim 6, wherein the motion per path metric is determined according to a motion plan associated with the robotic device.

12. A method comprising:

receiving an input indicative of operational information associated with a robotic device;

determining a motion per path metric at one or more positions of the robotic device according to the operational information;

determining a force associated with the motion per path metric at the one or more positions;

based on the motion per path metric and the force, determining, by one or more processors, one or more feedback characteristics, wherein the one or more feedback characteristics vary according to an effect of motion at the one or more positions; and

providing, to an indicator coupled to the robotic device, information indicative of the one or more feedback characteristics, wherein based on the force being greater than a threshold at the one or more positions, providing to the indicator information informing of possible dangerous motion by the robotic device within an area around the robotic device needed for operation of the robotic device, and based on the force being less than the threshold at the one or more positions, providing to the indicator information informing of safe motion by the robotic device within the area around the robotic device needed for operation of the robotic device.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the operational information comprises one or more of power requirements associated with the robotic device, geometric information associated with one or more components of the robotic device, and a motion plan associated with the robotic device.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the indicator comprises a visual indicator.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

determining a time period prior to a start of a given operation of the robotic device;

based on the time period, adjusting the visual indicator to display a given color, wherein the given color is associated with an upcoming operation of the robotic device.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

mapping the force within a given range of one or more ranges, wherein the one or more ranges are associated with a visual characteristic;

adjusting the indicator according to the visual characteristic associated with the given range.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

providing, to a second visual indicator located remotely from the robotic device, information indicative of the one or more feedback characteristics.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the one or more feedback characteristics correspond to information indicative of one or more of a visual signal, an aural signal, and a haptic signal.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the information indicative of the one or more feedback characteristics further comprises one or more visual characteristics, wherein the one or more visual characteristics are indicative of a proximity perimeter area related to a distance around the robotic device needed for operation of the robotic device.