OBJECT HANDLING DEVICE AND CALIBRATION METHOD THEREOF

• US 20180272535A1
• Filed: 08/23/2017
• Published: 09/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: OGAWA, Akihito, SUGAHARA, Atsushi, TANAKA, Junya, KOMODA, Kazuma, ETO, Haruna
• Granted Patent: US 10,576,635 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 13/085 Force or torque sensors B25J13/082, B25J13/084 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 19/023 including video camera means
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 5/007 mounted on wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1692 Calibration of manipulator
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/39048 Closed loop kinematic self calibration, grip part of robot with hand

Abstract

According to an embodiment, an object handling device includes a base, a manipulator, a first camera, a sensor, a manipulator control unit and a calibration unit. The manipulator is arranged on the base, and includes a movable part and an effector that is arranged on the movable part and acts on an object. The first camera and the sensor are arranged on the manipulator. The manipulator control unit controls the manipulator so that the movable part is moved to a position corresponding to a directed value. The calibration processing unit acquires a first error in a first direction based on an image photographed by the first camera, acquire a second error in a second direction intersecting with the first direction based on a detection result obtained by the sensor, and acquire a directed calibration value with respect to the directed value based on the first error and the second error.

Claims

1. An object handling device comprising:

a base;

a manipulator that is arranged on the base, and includes a movable part and an effector that is arranged on the movable part and acts on an object;

a first camera arranged on the manipulator;

a sensor arranged on the manipulator;

a manipulator control unit configured to control the manipulator so that the movable part is moved to a position corresponding to a directed value; and

a calibration processing unit configured to acquire a first error in a first direction based on an image photographed by the first camera, acquire a second error in a second direction intersecting with the first direction based on a detection result obtained by the sensor, and acquire a directed calibration value with respect to the directed value based on the first error and the second error.

2. The object handling device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a second camera arranged on the base, wherein

the calibration processing unit acquires an image calibration value with respect to a position obtained from an image of the second camera based on a plurality of images of the movable part photographed by the second camera.

3. The object handling device according to claim 1, wherein the calibration processing unit acquires the first error based on an image of a predetermined position of the base photographed by the first camera.

4. The object handling device according to claim 3, further comprising:

a first mark arranged on the base, wherein

the calibration processing unit acquires a first directed calibration value based on an image of the first mark photographed by the first camera.

5. The object handling device according to claim 4, wherein the calibration processing unit acquires the second error based on a detection result obtained by the sensor in a state in which the movable part is in contact with the first mark.

6. The object handling device according to claim 5, wherein the sensor is a contact sensor or a force sensor.

7. The object handling device according to claim 4, further comprising:

a placement unit on which the object is placed, wherein

the first mark is arranged on the placement unit or arranged to be adjacent to the placement unit.

8. The object handling device according to claim 1, wherein the calibration processing unit acquires a second directed calibration value based on an image of a predetermined position outside the object handling device photographed by the first camera.

9. The object handling device according to claim 8, wherein the calibration processing unit acquires the second directed calibration value based on an image of a second mark arranged on a target object to be accessed by the effector outside the object handling device photographed by the first camera.

10. An object handling device comprising:

a base;

a manipulator that is arranged on the base and includes a movable part;

a first camera arranged on the manipulator;

a sensor arranged on the manipulator; and

a calibration processing unit configured to execute calibration processing of a position of the movable part based on a photographic result of a predetermined position of the base obtained by the first camera and a detection result obtained by the sensor.

11. A calibration method performed by an object handling device that comprises a base, a manipulator that is arranged on the base and includes a movable part, a first camera arranged on the manipulator, a sensor arranged on the manipulator and a calibration processing unit configured to execute calibration processing of a position of the movable part, the calibration method comprising:

photographing a predetermined position of the base by the first camera;

detecting a physical quantity by the sensor; and

executing calibration processing by the calibration processing unit based on the predetermined position photographed by the first camera and the physical quantity detected by the sensor.