Coordinated robotic control

• US 9,566,711 B2
• Filed: 03/04/2014
• Issued: 02/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SARCOS LC (Sarcos Technology & Robotics Corp.)
• Original Assignee: SARCOS LC (Sarcos Technology & Robotics Corp.)
• Inventors: Smith, Fraser M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Figueroa, Jaime
• Application Number:
  US14/196,951
• Publication Number:
  US 20150251316A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,078 Days
• Field of Search: 700/245, 700/246, 700/247, 700/248, 700/249, 700/250, 700/253, 700/257, 700/258, 700/264, 318/568.11, 318/568.12, 318/568.14, 318/568.16, 318/568.2
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1625 Truss-manipulator for snake-like motion
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1682 Dual arm manipulator; Coordination of several manipulators
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1689 Teleoperation
• 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: G05B 19/41815 characterised by the cooperation between machine tools, manipulators and conveyor or other workpiece supply system, workcell
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/35444 Gesture interface, controlled machine observes operator, executes commands
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/39001 Robot, manipulator control
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/39146 Swarm, multiagent, distributed multitask fusion, cooperation multi robots
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40134 Force sensation of slave converted to vibration for operator
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40136 Stereo audio and vision
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40176 Encode operator actions into symbolic commands for transmission to remote
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40234 Snake arm, flexi-digit robotic manipulator, a hand at each end
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40413 Robot has multisensors surrounding operator, to understand intention of operator
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40414 Man robot interface, exchange of information between operator and robot
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/27 Arm part
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/28 Joint
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/46 Sensing device

Abstract

Device coordinated robotic control technology is described. A network of robotic devices is established. An anthropomorphic motion is sensed from an operator. One or more signals are generated that are representative of at least a portion of the anthropomorphic motion. The one or more signals are converted into a collective set of commands to actuate the network of robotic devices. The collective set of commands is functionally equivalent to the anthropomorphic motion.

Claims

1. A coordinated robotic control method comprising:

under the control of one or more computer systems configured with executable instructions;

establishing a network of individual autonomous robotic devices;

sensing an anthropomorphic motion from an operator;

generating one or more signals representative of at least a portion of the anthropomorphic motion; and

converting the one or more signals into a collective set of commands to actuate a plurality of robotic devices within the network of robotic devices, wherein the collective set of commands is functionally equivalent to the anthropomorphic motion.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising communicating the collective set of commands to the network of robotic devices.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein communicating the collective set of commands comprises communicating to each robotic device in the network of robotic devices a respective subset of commands from the collective set of commands.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the network of robotic devices comprises a master robotic device and one or more slave robotic devices, and wherein the master robotic device receives the collective set of commands and distributes the collective set of commands to the network of robotic devices.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sensing feedback from the network of robotic devices; and

presenting sensed feedback to an operator.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein presenting sensed feedback to the operator includes at least one of actuating an operator device, generating audio, or engaging vibratory pads.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein presenting sensed feedback to the operator includes visually displaying sensed feedback.

8. The method of claim 1 embodied on a non-transitory computer-readable medium.

9. A coordinated robotic system comprising:

a plurality of control sensors to sense an anthropomorphic motion;

a plurality of robotic devices to receive a command and actuate a motion based on the command; and

a coordinated robotic control device, communicatively connected to the plurality of control sensors and the plurality of individual autonomous robotic devices, to convert the anthropomorphic motion, sensed by the plurality of control sensors, into a collective set of commands to actuate the plurality of robotic devices, wherein the collective set of commands is functionally equivalent to the anthropomorphic motion.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the plurality of control sensors attach to an operator.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the plurality of robotic devices includes a serpentine robotic crawler.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the coordinated robotic control device converts the anthropomorphic motion to the collective set of commands with one or more computer systems configured with executable instructions.

13. A coordinated robotic control device comprising:

a processor;

a memory device including instructions to be executed by the processor to perform a set of actions;

a plurality of control sensors configured to sense anthropomorphic motion;

a feedback device configured to receive robotic feedback;

a kinematic convertor configured to convert an anthropomorphic motion, sensed by the plurality of control sensors, into a collective set of commands to actuate degrees of motion by a plurality of individual autonomous robotic devices within a network of robotic devices, wherein the collective set of commands is functionally equivalent to the anthropomorphic motion; and

a communication interface configured to communicate with the network of robotic devices.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the feedback device comprises at least one of a video display, an audio speaker, or a tactile feedback device.

15. The device of claim 13, wherein feedback received from the feedback device is presented to an operator through a device integrated with at least one of the plurality of control sensors.

16. The device of claim 13, wherein the plurality of control sensors sense three-dimensional motion.

17. The device of claim 13, wherein an environment is programmatically defined for the kinematic convertor which limits functional equivalency.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein the environment is programmatically defined with an extensible markup language (XML) document.