Modular robotic manipulation

• US 10,226,864 B2
• Filed: 10/20/2015
• Issued: 03/12/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Humatics Corporation
• Original Assignee: Humatics Corporation
• Inventors: Bruemmer, David J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Khoi H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Robert T
• Application Number:
  US14/918,059
• Publication Number:
  US 20160039091A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,239 Days
• Field of Search: 700258, 901 10
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/08 characterised by modular constructions
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1602 characterised by the control system, structure, architecture
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/161 Hardware, e.g. neural networks, fuzzy logic, interfaces, processor
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1633 compliant, force, torque control, e.g. combined with position control
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1666 Avoiding collision or forbidden zones
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1684 Tracking a line or surface by means of sensors
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1697 Vision controlled systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/34 Route searching; Route guidance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/256 of results relating to different input data, e.g. multimodal recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/206 Drawing of charts or graphs
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/56 exterior to a vehicle by using sensors mounted on the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/22 Platooning, i.e. convoy of communicating vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/09 Closed loop, sensor feedback controls arm movement
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/10 Sensor physically contacts and follows work contour

Abstract

A system for interaction with a the environment includes an initial manipulation module operable to orient a device in a general direction of a surface of an object and a range control module operable to converge the device and the surface. Once the device and surface are in the proximity of each other a contact sensor detects when physical contact between the surface and the device occurs. Thereafter, a proprioception module measures normal force disparities between the surface and device motion actuators and finally, an exteroception module to measure translational resistance disparities between relative motion of the surface and the device. The system uses these disparity measurements and actuator positions to modify the manipulation of the device.

Claims

1. A system for controlling contact between two objects, comprising:

a plurality of sensors including a plurality of ultra-wide band (UWB) transceivers and a contact sensor wherein the plurality of UWB transceivers creates a relative coordinate for a first object and a second object and wherein the relative coordinate provides positional and translational information about the first object and the second object including error associated with the relative coordinate and wherein the contact sensor detects physical contact between the first object and a surface of the second object; and

a processor configured to execute instructions and communicatively coupled to the plurality of sensors and to a non-transitory memory storing modules of instructions, including

an initial manipulation module wherein the initial manipulation module selects a deliberative behavior to orient the first object with the second object based on the relative coordinate and the error associated with the relative coordinate awareness of the environment,

a range control module wherein the range control module modifies the deliberate behavior based on the relative coordinate and the error associated with the relative coordinate awareness and orientation of the first object with respect to the second object to initiate contact between the first object and the second object,

a proprioception module operable to measure normal force disparities using data from the sensor between the surface and device motion actuators and modify the deliberate behavior based on normal force disparities, and

an exteroception module operable to measure translational resistance disparities using data from the sensor between relative motion of the surface and the device and modify the deliberate behavior based on translational resistance disparities and wherein the proprioception module and the exteroception module control contact between the first object and the second object so as to maintain contact with a predetermined normal force and a predetermined translational resistance.

2. The system for controlling contact between two objects according to claim 1, further comprising a proprioception module operable to measure normal force disparities using data from the sensor between the surface and device motion actuators.

3. The system for controlling contact between two objects according to claim 1, wherein the proprioception module and the exteroception module contour map the surface according to a reactive impedance based behavior.

4. The system for controlling contact between two objects according to claim 1, wherein the proprioception module is configured to operate unilaterally.

5. The system for controlling contact between two objects according to claim 1, wherein the contact sensor is operable to provide visual feedback and wherein changes in optical flow determines relative range between the first object and the surface.

6. The system for controlling contact between two objects according to claim 1, wherein a perceived perpendicular distance between the first object and the surface is determined by a range sensor on the device.

7. The system for controlling contact between two objects according to claim 1, wherein the contact sensor is operable to provide visual feedback and wherein a perceived perpendicular distance between the first object and the surface is determined by a vector scan of the surface.

8. The system for controlling contact between two objects according to claim 1, wherein the exteroception module is configured to operate unilaterally.

9. The system for controlling contact between two objects according to claim 1, wherein the proprioception module and the exteroception module are configured to operate in parallel.

10. The system for controlling contact between two objects according to claim 1, wherein the proprioception module and the exteroception module are configured to operate sequentially.

11. A system for establishing contact between two objects, comprising:

a first object wherein the first object includes a first surface and one or more ultra-wide band (UWB) transceivers; and

a second object, in proximity of the first object, wherein the second object includes a second surface, a contact sensor, at least two ultra-wide band (UWB) transceivers, and a processor configured to execute a plurality of code of instructions, said code of instructions including,

code for analyzing a signal received from the one or more UWB transceivers by the at least two UWB transceivers to determine a relative position of the first object with respect to the second object and a relative position error,

code to select a deliberative behavior to orient the second surface of the second object towards the first object based on the relative position of the first object with respect to the second object and the relative position error,

code to initiate contact between the first surface of the first object and the second surface of the second object,

responsive to the contact sensor sensing contact, code to determine a normal force and a translational resistance between the first surface and the second surface and error associated with the normal force and translational resistance, and

code to select a reactive behavior to maintain contact between the first surface and the second surface based on a predetermined normal force and a predetermined translational resistance and the error associated with the normal force and translational resistance.

12. The system for establishing contact between two objects according to claim 11, further comprising code to determine normal force disparities between the first surface and the second surface.

13. The system for establishing contact between two objects according to claim 12, further comprising code to determine translational resistance disparities between the first surface and the second surface.

14. The system for establishing contact between two objects according to claim 13, wherein determination of translational resistance disparities and normal force disparities are independent.

15. The system for establishing contact between two objects according to claim 13, wherein maintaining contact between the first surface and the second surface include minimizing normal force disparities.

16. The system for establishing contact between two objects according to claim 13, wherein maintaining contact between the first surface and the second surface including minimizing translational resistance disparities.

17. The system for establishing contact between two objects according to claim 11, wherein the second object includes an optical sensor and wherein changes in optical flow between the first surface and the second surface determines relative range prior to contact.

18. The system for establishing contact between two objects according to claim 11, wherein the at least two UWB transceivers are fixed on the second object and use relative range to the one or more UWB transceivers to orient the second object with the first object.