| Entries |
| Document | Title | Date |
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| 20080201014 | Robot and method for controlling the same - A robot includes: a main body; a traveling mechanism attached to the main body to move the main body; an image pickup device which picks up an image of an object in a space including a traveling plane; an object detector which detects the object existing in the space based on an image picked up by the image pickup device; a distance calculator which calculates a distance to the object detected by the object detector; a degree of caution setting device which sets a degree of caution with respect to the object detected by the object detector based on the image picked up by the image pickup device and the distance calculated by the distance calculator; and a controller which controls the traveling mechanism based on the degree of caution set by the degree of caution setting device and the distance calculated by the distance calculator. | 08-21-2008 |
| 20080243306 | CONTROL DEVICE OF WORK POSITIONING APPARATUS - A control device of a work positioning apparatus includes an operating limit line storage unit for storing position coordinates of an operating limit line, a speed reduction zone storage unit for storing a width of a speed reduction zone ranging from a reduction start position to the operating limit line, a check point storage unit for storing position coordinates of check points set in the work, a check point updating unit for determining position coordinates of the check points moved in accordance with an operation of the work positioning apparatus by calculation, an in-speed-reduction-zone determining unit for determining whether the check points enter the speed reduction zone in accordance with the updated position coordinates of the check points, and a work positioning apparatus control unit for instructing a work positioning apparatus motor to reduce a speed if the check points are determined to enter the speed reduction zone. | 10-02-2008 |
| 20080249660 | MOBILE APPARATUS, CONTROL DEVICE AND CONTROL PROGRAM - A mobile apparatus capable of moving while avoiding contact with an object by allowing the object to recognize the behavioral change of the mobile apparatus is provided. The robot and its behavioral state and the object and its behavioral state are recognized as a first spatial element and its behavioral state and a second spatial element and its behavioral state, respectively, in an element space. Based on the recognition result, if the first spatial element may contact the second spatial element in the element space, a shift path is set which is tilted from the previous target path by an angle responsive to the distance between the first spatial element and the second spatial element. With the end point of the shift path as a start point, a path allowing the first spatial element to avoid contact with an expanded second spatial element is set as a new target path. | 10-09-2008 |
| 20090076652 | SMOOTH CLIPPING OF DATA STREAMS - A method for controlling movement of movable object having a plurality of movable subcomponents comprises receiving an instruction configured to generate a defined movement of a selected subcomponent of the movable object between a first state and a second state. The method further comprises determining whether execution of the defined movement results in the selected subcomponent leaving a motion space associated with the selected subcomponent. The motion space is defined by a motion space boundary. The method further comprises producing a modified instruction configured to generate a modified movement of the selected subcomponent between the first state and the second state. Execution of the modified movement results in the selected subcomponent remaining within the motion space. At least a portion of the modified movement deviates from the defined movement. | 03-19-2009 |
| 20090088897 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR ROBOTIC INSTRUMENT TOOL TRACKING - In one embodiment of the invention, a method for a robotic system is disclosed to track one or more robotic instruments. The method includes generating kinematics information for the robotic instrument within a field of view of a camera; capturing image information in the field of view of the camera; and adaptively fusing the kinematics information and the image information together to determine pose information of the robotic instrument. Additionally disclosed is a robotic medical system with a tool tracking sub-system. The tool tracking sub-system receives raw kinematics information and video image information of the robotic instrument to generate corrected kinematics information for the robotic instrument by adaptively fusing the raw kinematics information and the video image information together. | 04-02-2009 |
| 20090125145 | ROBOT APPARATUS - A working robot arm and an object recognizing unit used for recognizing a moving body such as a person and an animal are prepared, and while an object recognized by the object recognizing unit is blocked by a shielding operation by the use of the robot arm or a trunk portion of a robot mechanism unit, a job is carried out by the working robot arm so that it becomes possible to actively ensure a working space of the robot mechanism unit, and consequently to continue the job safely. | 05-14-2009 |
| 20090157224 | ROBOT SERVICE SYSTEM AND A METHOD FOR PROVIDING REMOTE SERVICE FOR A ROBOT - A robot service system including a robot including least one manipulator and a controller controlling the motion of the manipulator. A remote service center includes an analyzing computer, and a communication line between the robot controller and the remote service center. A monitoring component is configured to monitor the current operation of the controller and the current motions of the manipulator, and to transmit information on the current operation of the controller and the current motions of the manipulator to the remote service center. The analyzing computer is configured, upon request, to calculate new maximum permissible performance parameters for the robot based on the received information and to transmit the new maximum permissible performance parameters to the robot controller. The analyzing computer is further configured to calculate one or more monitoring parameter, and the monitoring component is further configured to supervise that the robot is not run outside allowed limits based on the monitoring parameters. | 06-18-2009 |
| 20090157225 | DETECTING APPARATUS AND METHOD OF ROBOT CLEANER - A detecting apparatus and method of a robot cleaner is disclosed. The apparatus includes a detecting unit provided with a transmitting unit for sending a signal to detect the floor and a receiving unit for receiving a signal sent from the transmitting unit to be reflected on the floors an optic angle adjusting unit disposed at least one of the transmitting unit and the receiving unit and configured to adjust optic angles of the signals, and a light shielding unit configured to partially shield a signal sent through the optic angle adjusting unit in order to reduce a deviation of each signal of the transmitting unit and the receiving unit. Accordingly, a measurement deviation with respect to color and feel of the floor can be reduced. Also, an amount of light received at the receiving unit can be obtained as much as required, which allows an accurate detection of the detecting apparatus. In addition, even if there are both drop-off and bump on the floor, the robot cleaner can smoothly operate. | 06-18-2009 |
| 20090171503 | GAIT GENERATING DEVICE OF MOBILE ROBOT - The placement of the elements (mass points or rigid bodies having inertia) of a model expressing a robot | 07-02-2009 |
| 20090198377 | WAFER POSITION TEACHING METHOD AND TEACHING TOOL - In the wafer position teaching method for a wafer carrying system, a teaching tool is mounted at a position of the container or the processing equipment where the semiconductor wafer is to be set. The teaching tool is sensed by a sensor provided at a wafer gripping portion of the robot. Prior to sensing the teaching tool by the sensor, external teaching tools mounted on a front external wall of the processing equipment are sensed by the sensor to roughly estimate the position of the teaching tool. Based on the estimated position, the sensor approaches and senses the teaching tool to obtain the position of the semiconductor wafer. Thus, the wafer position can be taught precisely and automatically without causing interference, even when the frontage of processing equipment is narrow. | 08-06-2009 |
| 20090198378 | METHOD FOR RESTARTING A ROBOT - A method for restarting a robot after a premature interruption of a processing program, which controls it, at an interruption point. The robot has an atomiser apparatus for automatic coating of workpieces, and the processing program is used to preset a nominal movement of the atomiser apparatus with respect to a workpiece, which is to be coated and can be moved by means of a feed device, and to preset the associated nominal atomiser parameters. After the interruption of the processing program, the atomiser apparatus is first of all moved to a restarting point, which is located on the nominal movement path and is located ahead of the interruption point. After this, the atomiser apparatus is then moved on the nominal movement path, corresponding to a predeterminable velocity function, to a transfer point which is located on the nominal movement path and is located behind the interruption point. The atomiser apparatus is switched on again between the restarting point and the transfer point. The nominal atomiser parameters which are provided by the processing program are matched and are applied at least once, between the restarting point and the transfer point, to the respective current velocity of the atomiser apparatus, in relation to the nominal velocity preset, and all of the nominal movement parameters and nominal atomiser parameters in the processing program are used when the transfer point is reached. | 08-06-2009 |
| 20090198379 | ROBOT SAFETY MONITOR DEVICE, AND ROBOT SAFETY MONITOR METHOD - It is determined whether the first tool identification information that is output from a robot control device, and that indicates a present tool and the second tool identification information for detecting and identifying a tool attached to the robot are unequal to each other. The position coordinates of the taught reference point in an actual space of the robot occurring at the time when the unequalness therebetween is first detected are set as reference coordinates, and a region that contains the reference coordinates is set as a predetermined region. If the position coordinates of the taught reference point have come to exist outside the predetermined region during a period during which it is determined that the foregoing two pieces of information are unequal, an emergency stop signal for causing the robot to be in a safe state is output. | 08-06-2009 |
| 20090204259 | CONTROL METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR HYDRAULIC MACHINES EMPLOYING A DYNAMIC JOINT MOTION MODEL - A control method and system for controlling a hydraulically actuated mechanical arm to perform a task, the mechanical arm optionally being a hydraulically actuated excavator arm. The method can include determining a dynamic model of the motion of the hydraulic arm for each hydraulic arm link by relating the input signal vector for each respective link to the output signal vector for the same link. Also the method can include determining an error signal for each link as the weighted sum of the differences between a measured position and a reference position and between the time derivatives of the measured position and the time derivatives of the reference position for each respective link. The weights used in the determination of the error signal can be determined from the constant coefficients of the dynamic model. The error signal can be applied in a closed negative feedback control loop to diminish or eliminate the error signal for each respective link. | 08-13-2009 |
| 20090306824 | ROBOT CONTROL APPARATUS - A robot control method controls walking of a robot. The method generates control information based on postures at a plurality of differing points. The differing points include a reference posture in which the robot is standing independently without falling over. The method controls the robot to carry out a walking operation and detect an obstacle in a place in which a robot leg lands. The method also instructs the robot to carry out rolling onto a supporting leg and returning a swing leg to a position before swinging, to invert a compliance control gain and to bend the supporting leg by an amount while extending the swing leg by the amount. | 12-10-2009 |
| 20100036526 | CONTROL SYSTEM FOR CONTROLLING AN INDUSTRIAL ROBOT - A control system for controlling an industrial robot including a manipulator. The control system includes a plurality of modules adapted to handle various functions. A first of the modules is a drive module adapted to control the motors driving the movements of the manipulator. A second of the modules is a main computer module adapted to execute a program with instructions for the movements of the manipulator and to plan the movements of the manipulator based on the executed instructions. The control system is adapted to communicate with one or more external devices via an external network. The control system includes an internal network. Each of the modules is arranged as a node in the internal network and includes communication elements for communicating with the other nodes in the internal network. The internal network includes a first part adapted for normal communication and a second part adapted for time critical communication. The main computer module is arranged as a node in both the first and second parts of the internal network and the drive unit is arranged as a node in the second part of the internal network. | 02-11-2010 |
| 20100106298 | Outdoor home cleaning robot - A method, system and apparatus comprising an autonomous all weather outdoor cleaning robots designed to identify and clean various outdoor household objects including but not limited to personal automobiles and other vehicles and outdoor objects. The robot will autonomously navigate to a designated area and scan the vehicle or object to determine the optimum cleaning routine to render. The robot can record and learn its working environment by comparing scanned vehicles and outdoor objects with its existing database for future reference. The robot can also compare its position and store navigation data which correlates to areas previously visited and items previously cleaned so as to increase efficiency for future work by reducing travel and scanning times. The present invention is focused on autonomous outdoor cleaning robots with multiple purposive functions. Specifically, the present invention utilizes micro-processors to control cleaning, navigation and perception. More specifically, the present invention uses multi-segmented arms to perform needful chores. Even more specifically, the present invention can adapt and learn from its environment performing useful tasks. | 04-29-2010 |
| 20100114371 | ROBOT ARM CONTROL DEVICE AND CONTROL METHOD, ROBOT, AND CONTROL PROGRAM - There is provided a control device for a robot arm which includes an operation procedure information acquisition means for acquiring information on the procedure of a domestic operation, a progress management means for managing information on the progress of the operation, and a control parameter setting means for setting a control parameter for the robot arm based on the operation procedure information and the progress information, whereby the control device controls an operation of the robot arm based on the control parameter from the control parameter setting means. | 05-06-2010 |
| 20100179689 | METHOD OF TEACHING ROBOTIC SYSTEM - First, an object model library and an operation module library are provided. The object model library contains at least an object model geometrically similar to a real object to be processed. The operation module library contains at least an operation module for each operation to be performed. Then, for each real object to be processed, a virtual object is defined by association with an object model in the object model library and by specification of the object model's geometric parameters. Subsequently, for each operation to be performed, the operation is defined by selecting an operation module from the operation module library and specifying its operation parameters. Optionally, for each virtual object defined, at least a two-dimensional image previously taken of the corresponding real object is associated with the virtual object. | 07-15-2010 |
| 20100191373 | Robot - Disclosed herein is a robot, which has a simple structure and makes a gesture in a curved shape. The robot includes a body part, at least one cam member symmetrically arranged at both sides of the inside of the body part, an outer cover member surrounding the at least one cam member, and a linear moving device to linearly move the at least one cam member. The shape of the outer cover member is varied, under the condition that the outer cover member is adhered closely to the at least one cam member, according to the movement of the at least one cam member. | 07-29-2010 |
| 20100198403 | Method for Editing Movements of a Robot - The invention relates to a method of editing movements of a robot ( | 08-05-2010 |
| 20100198404 | CONTROL DEVICE AND METHOD FOR A MANIPULATOR - In a method for controlling a manipulator, in particular a robot, a reference path is stored and reference increments are automatically determined while following the path the reference increments are determined based on the dynamics of the manipulator while following the path. | 08-05-2010 |
| 20100274388 | METHOD AND DEVICE TO REGULATE AN AUTOMATED MANIPULATOR - A method for regulation of a multi-axis automated manipulator, in particular of a robot, includes flexible regulation of at least one guide axis, and rigid regulation of at least one additional axis, and determining a desired value of the at least one additional axis on the basis of a real value of the guide axis. | 10-28-2010 |
| 20100280659 | TENSION DISTRIBUTION IN A TENDON-DRIVEN ROBOTIC FINGER - A method is provided for distributing tension among tendons of a tendon-driven finger in a robotic system, wherein the finger characterized by n degrees of freedom and n+1 tendons. The method includes determining a maximum functional tension and a minimum functional tension of each tendon of the finger, and then using a controller to distribute tension among the tendons, such that each tendon is assigned a tension value less than the maximum functional tension and greater than or equal to the minimum functional tension. The method satisfies the minimum functional tension while minimizing the internal tension in the robotic system, and satisfies the maximum functional tension without introducing a coupled disturbance to the joint torques. A robotic system includes a robot having at least one tendon-driven finger characterized by n degrees of freedom and n+1 tendons, and a controller having an algorithm for controlling the tendons as set forth above. | 11-04-2010 |
| 20110004341 | Panoramic Attention For Humanoid Robots - A robot using less storage and computational resources to embody panoramic attention. The robot includes a panoramic attention module with multiple levels that are hierarchically structured to process different levels of information. The top-level of the panoramic attention module receives information about entities detected from the environment of the robot and maps the entities to a panoramic map maintained by the robot. By mapping and storing high-level entity information instead of low-level sensory information in the panoramic map, the amount of storage and computation resources for panoramic attention can be reduced significantly. Further, the mapping and storing of high-level entity information in the panoramic map also facilitates consistent and logical processing of different conceptual levels of information. | 01-06-2011 |
| 20110010008 | Method And Device For Controlling A Manipulator - A method according to the invention for operating a manipulator, in particular a robot ( | 01-13-2011 |
| 20110022230 | HYBRID CONTROL DEVICE - A brain-based device (BBD) for moving in a real-world environment has sensors that provide data about the environment, actuators to move the BBD, and a hybrid controller which includes a neural controller having a simulated nervous system being a model of selected areas of the human brain and a non-neural controller based on a computational algorithmic network. The neural controller and non-neural controller interact with one another to control movement of the BBD. | 01-27-2011 |
| 20110029130 | Systems and Methods for Controlling a Legged Robot Using a Two-Phase Disturbance Response Strategy - Systems and methods are presented that enable a legged robot to maintain its balance when subjected to an unexpected force. In the reflex phase, the robot withstands the immediate effect of the force by yielding to it. In one embodiment, during the reflex phase, the control system determines an instruction that will cause the robot to perform a movement that generates a negative rate of change of the robot's angular momentum at its centroid in a magnitude large enough to compensate for the destabilizing effect of the force. In the recovery phase, the robot recovers its posture after having moved during the reflex phase. In one embodiment, the robot returns to a statically stable upright posture that maximizes the robot's potential energy. In one embodiment, during the recovery phase, the control system determines an instruction that will cause the robot to perform a movement that increases its potential energy. | 02-03-2011 |
| 20110040406 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR REMOVABLY HOLDING MEDICAL DEVICE - An apparatus for holding a medical device has an arm unit equipped with, for example, a polyarticular arm, which holds the medical device such as endoscope movably in the space. Additionally to a determination unit and a controller, the holding apparatus has an operation unit equipped with a plurality of operation members with which an operator's operation causes the arm unit to be moved spatially. The determination unit determines whether or not operator's operations at the plurality of operation members corresponds to an improper state deviating from a properly operated state in which at least two predetermined operation members have been operated within a predetermined period of time which is set to measure simultaneity for operations. If it is determined that the operation is in the improper state, the controller prohibits the arm unit from moving. As long as the operation is proper, the arm unit can be moved. | 02-17-2011 |
| 20110066283 | WHOLE-BODY HUMANOID CONTROL FROM UPPER-BODY TASK SPECIFICATIONS - A system, method, and computer program product for generating dynamically feasible whole-body motion of a humanoid robot while realizing specified upper-body task motion are described. A kinematically feasible upper-body motion is generated based on the specified upper-body motion. A series of zero-moment points (ZMP) are computed for the generated motion and used to determine whether such motion is dynamically feasible. If the motion is not dynamically feasible, then the torso acceleration is modified to make the motion dynamically feasible, and otherwise synchronized as needed. A series of modified ZMP is determined based on the modified torso acceleration and used to distribute the resultant net ground reaction force and moment to the two feet. | 03-17-2011 |
| 20110071675 | VISUAL PERCEPTION SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR A HUMANOID ROBOT - A robotic system includes a humanoid robot with robotic joints each moveable using an actuator(s), and a distributed controller for controlling the movement of each of the robotic joints. The controller includes a visual perception module (VPM) for visually identifying and tracking an object in the field of view of the robot under threshold lighting conditions. The VPM includes optical devices for collecting an image of the object, a positional extraction device, and a host machine having an algorithm for processing the image and positional information. The algorithm visually identifies and tracks the object, and automatically adapts an exposure time of the optical devices to prevent feature data loss of the image under the threshold lighting conditions. A method of identifying and tracking the object includes collecting the image, extracting positional information of the object, and automatically adapting the exposure time to thereby prevent feature data loss of the image. | 03-24-2011 |
| 20110071676 | INTERACTIVE ROBOT CONTROL SYSTEM AND METHOD OF USE - A robotic system includes a robot having joints, actuators, and sensors, and a distributed controller. The controller includes command-level controller, embedded joint-level controllers each controlling a respective joint, and a joint coordination-level controller coordinating motion of the joints. A central data library (CDL) centralizes all control and feedback data, and a user interface displays a status of each joint, actuator, and sensor using the CDL. A parameterized action sequence has a hierarchy of linked events, and allows the control data to be modified in real time. A method of controlling the robot includes transmitting control data through the various levels of the controller, routing all control and feedback data to the CDL, and displaying status and operation of the robot using the CDL. The parameterized action sequences are generated for execution by the robot, and a hierarchy of linked events is created within the sequence. | 03-24-2011 |
| 20110106308 | METHOD AND A DEVICE FOR OPTIMIZING A PROGRAMMED MOVEMENT PATH FOR AN INDUSTRIAL ROBOT - A device and method for optimizing a programmed movement path for an industrial robot holding a tool to carry out work along the path during a work cycle. The movement path includes information on positions and orientations for the tool at a plurality of target points on the movement path. The method includes for at least one of the target points: receiving a tolerance interval for the orientation of the tool in the target point, determining movements of the robot between the target point and one or more of the other target points on the path for a plurality of different tool orientations within the tolerance interval, selecting one of the different tool orientations as the tool orientation for the target point based on the determined movements of the robot and with regard to minimizing cycle time, and generating a robot program based on the selected orientation of the tool at the target point. | 05-05-2011 |
| 20110106309 | Humanoid robot and control method of controlling joints thereof - Disclosed herein are a humanoid robot and a control method thereof. The humanoid robot controls robot parts performing main motions having high relevance with respect to a commanded action to the humanoid robot such that these robot parts move along optimized motion trajectories generated through motion optimization in consideration of robot dynamics, and controls robot parts performing remaining motions having low relevance with respect to the commanded action such that these robot parts move along predetermined motion trajectories corresponding to the commanded action, thereby simplifying optimization of whole body motions of the humanoid robot while performing the commanded action maximally similarly to a real human action. | 05-05-2011 |
| 20110118875 | MANIPULATOR AUO-TEACH AND POSITION CORRECTION SYSTEM - A substrate processing system including a housing for housing at least part of a processing device, at least one target affixed to the processing device, the processing device having a first processing device reference point in a known relationship with the at least one target, at least one transmitter located within the housing and configured to transmit an identification signal identifying the at least one transmitter to the at least one target and a controller operably connected to the at least one target and the at least one transmitter, the controller being configured to receive data signals, based on the identification signal, from one of the at least one target and the at least one transmitter and control an operational characteristic of the processing device, based on the data signals. | 05-19-2011 |
| 20110137460 | TASK IMPLEMENTATION METHOD BASED ON BEHAVIOR IN ROBOT SYSTEM - The present invention relates to a task implementation method based on a behavior in a robot system. The task implementation method based on a behavior in a robot system includes: implementing one or more basic behaviors by using one or more components among a plurality of components; implementing an extensible behavior by using the one or more basic behaviors; and implementing an extended behavior by using the extensible behavior. | 06-09-2011 |
| 20110166704 | MONITORING APPARATUS FOR ROBOT - The invention is a monitoring apparatus for monitoring a condition of an end-effector of a robot having a vacuum absorption pad to hold an article. The pad is elastically supported by the end-effector. The apparatus includes a pad receiving part having a front surface and a through hole, the pad receiving part being movable in a direction perpendicular to the front surface; an elastically supporting unit for elastically supporting the pad receiving part in a direction perpendicular to the front surface; a movement detection unit for detecting a movement of the pad receiving part; a vacuum sensor connected to the through hole; and a judging unit for judging conditions of an elastic support of the pad and a vacuum absorption of the pad based on detection results of the movement detection unit and the vacuum sensor. | 07-07-2011 |
| 20110202175 | Mobile robot for cleaning - A robotic cleaner includes a cleaning assembly for cleaning a surface and a main robot body. The main robot body houses a drive system to cause movement of the robotic cleaner and a microcontroller to control the movement of the robotic cleaner. The cleaning assembly is located in front of the drive system and a width of the cleaning assembly is greater than a width of the main robot body. A robotic cleaning system includes a main robot body and a plurality of cleaning assemblies for cleaning a surface. The main robot body houses a drive system to cause movement of the robotic cleaner and a microcontroller to control the movement of the robotic cleaner. The cleaning assembly is located in front of the drive system and each of the cleaning assemblies is detachable from the main robot body and each of the cleaning assemblies has a unique cleaning function. | 08-18-2011 |
| 20110202176 | Method for Operating a Multi-Axis Robot - A method for operating a multi-axis, preferably six-axis, robot with axes that can be driven by drive means is proposed. The axes are possible to be moved separately and their movement is controlled by a control facility. Before the movement of the robot is executed, a control data record is created for controlling the movement of the robot as a function of initial and target information for the robot input by a user. The control facility performs a verification of the control data record in respect of at least one predefined basic condition relating to the operation of the robot stored in a memory. The control data record is adjusted based on the at least one basic condition whilst retaining the target information as a function of the result of the check. | 08-18-2011 |
| 20110231017 | ROBOT AND CONTROL SYSTEM - A control system or the like capable of causing a controlled object to act in an appropriate form in view of an action purpose of the controlled object to a disturbance in an arbitrary form. | 09-22-2011 |
| 20110282490 | CONTROL DEVICE AND METHOD FOR SAFETY MONITORING OF MANIPULATORS - For individual safety monitoring of a manipulator by a control device, a part of the control device is configured by the manufacturer and a part of the control device is configured by a user. The manufacturer-configured part ensures a basic safety functionality of the manipulator independent of a user configuration; and/or a safety device of a control device for individual safety monitoring of a manipulator communicates with a control device for individual safety monitoring of an additional manipulator of a manipulator arrangement for superordinate safety monitoring of the manipulator arrangement. | 11-17-2011 |
| 20110295425 | AUTOMATIC MACHINE AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING THE SAME - An automatic machine includes N output units, a storage unit and a control unit. The control unit is electrically connected to the output units and the storage unit. The storage unit stores a first reaction pattern corresponding to a first command. The first reaction pattern includes a header and N reaction modes and each of the reaction modes is corresponding to one of the output units. Each of the reaction modes includes M reaction frames. The header records a number of the reaction frames of each reaction mode. The control unit receives the first command, looks the first reaction pattern up in the storage unit according to the first command, and selectively controls at least one of the output units to perform the reaction frames correspondingly according to the header and the reaction modes. | 12-01-2011 |
| 20110307096 | BLENDING ALGORITHM FOR TRAJECTORY PLANNING - The present exemplary embodiment relates to motion control and planning algorithms to facilitate execution of a series of moves within a motion trajectory. In one example, a trajectory is specified as a sequence of one or more path segments. A velocity profile is calculated for each of the one or more path segments, wherein each velocity profile is divided into a blend-in region, a blend-out region and a remainder region. Each path segment is executed such that the blend-in region of its velocity profile overlaps only with the blend-out region of the previous profile. | 12-15-2011 |
| 20120029696 | ROBOTIC CANE DEVICES - A robotic cane may include a grip handle, a cane body extending from the grip handle at a first end, a motorized omni-directional wheel coupled to a second end of the cane body, a balance control sensor, and a controller module. The balance control sensor provides a balance signal corresponding to an orientation of the robotic cane. The controller module may receive the balance signal from the balance control sensor and calculate a balancing velocity of the motorized omni-directional wheel based at least in part on the balance signal and an inverted pendulum control algorithm. The controller module may further provide a drive signal to the motorized omni-directional wheel in accordance with the calculated balancing velocity. The calculated balancing velocity is a speed and direction of the motorized omni-directional wheel to retain the robotic cane in an substantially upright position. | 02-02-2012 |
| 20120072020 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DYNAMICALLY RECONFIGURING ROBOT COMPONENTS - An apparatus for reconfiguring robot components in an environment that includes a robot terminal apparatus, including a plurality of internal components, and external components, interacting with the internal components, includes a situation monitoring unit for checking whether there has been a change in a situation of the robot terminal apparatus. Further, the apparatus includes a component availability analysis unit for determining at least one available component that belongs to the internal components or the external components; and a component search unit for searching for at least one component based on results of the determination of the component availability analysis unit. Furthermore, the apparatus includes a component dependency analysis unit for analyzing a dependency relationship between the component found by the component search unit and the component determined to be available by the component availability analysis unit; and a component reconfiguration unit for reconfiguring a connection relationship between the components. | 03-22-2012 |
| 20120116586 | TEACHING APPARATUS OF ROBOT AND TEACHING METHOD OF ROBOT - A teaching method of a robot which supports a transported matter with a hand and transports the transported matter between two or more reception spots, includes: a jig disposing process of disposing a positioning jig at the reception spot so as to have the same center axis as the transported matter when the transported matter is placed at the reception spot; and a teaching process of moving the hand to a position at which an abutting portion of the hand abuts the positioning jig at each of the reception spots and teaching the position of the hand to a controller. | 05-10-2012 |
| 20120185088 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DIRECTING A ROBOTIC STORAGE SYSTEM - Provided is a system and method for a robotic storage system. The system includes at least a first and second portable data element and at least a first and second data read/write device, structured and arranged to read portable data storage elements. A repository is structured and arranged to store the first and second portable data storage elements. At least one robot is structured and arranged to move a selected data storage element between the repository and a selected data read/write device. The system includes a history of prior commands, each prior command executed by a prior path selected from a group of optional paths. A receiver is structured and arranged to receive a current command for the robotic storage system, and a director is structured and arranged to direct the robotic storage system based on the current command and the history. An associated method is also provided. | 07-19-2012 |
| 20120185089 | METHOD FOR ALLOWING A MANIPULATOR TO COVER A PREDETERMINED TRAJECTORY, AND CONTROL DEVICE FOR CARRYING OUT SAID METHOD - In a method for allowing an end effector of a robotic manipulator to travel along a predetermined path or trajectory, wherein the manipulator has a null space with respect to the predetermined trajectory with at least two manipulator positions associated with the same end effector position, a placement of the manipulator in null space is detected and, in a processor, a process variable of the end effector is automatically modified according to the detected placement. | 07-19-2012 |
| 20120197436 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR GENERATING CONTEXTUAL BEHAVIORS OF A MOBILE ROBOT - A system and a method for generating behaviors of a robot capable of reproducing a script, notably according to the meaning of the script and, possibly, reactions of the environment of the robot. For this, the system is provided with a library of command tags and a module for inserting said tags into the editor of the script to be reproduced by the robot or robots. The system and method enable a user who does not have particular programming knowledge to produce complex scenarios for use of his or her robot. These scenarios can also be swapped between different users. | 08-02-2012 |
| 20120209428 | MOTION PATH SEARCH DEVICE AND METHOD OF SEARCHING FOR MOTION PATH - A motion path search device which searches for a motion path of a movable part of a robot capable of being taught a motion by direct teaching in which the robot is directly moved by an operator includes: a first space identification unit which identifies a space swept through by the movable part of the robot in the direct teaching; a second space identification unit which identifies a space swept through by at least a portion of a body of the operator in the direct teaching; a space combining unit which calculates, as an accessible space, a union of the space identified by the first space identification unit and the space identified by the second space identification unit; and a path search unit which searches for a motion path of the movable part within the accessible space calculated by the space combining unit. | 08-16-2012 |
| 20120239192 | ROBOT SYSTEM - A robot system includes a robot, and a robot controller configured to control operation of the robot. The robot includes two arms including tools at their tip ends, and a body that supports the two arms and allows them to swing. The robot controller controls the robot so as to keep the tool provided at the tip end of at least one arm of the two arms at the same position in the same posture during a time period between before and after a swing. | 09-20-2012 |
| 20120239193 | MOTION PATH SEARCH DEVICE AND METHOD OF SEARCHING FOR MOTION PATH - A motion path search device includes: a motion space identification unit which identifies, as first spaces, three-dimensional spaces swept through by a movable part in direct teaching operations performed by an operator; a spatial difference calculation unit which calculates a first differential space that is a part of one of the first spaces identified as a result of one of the direct teaching operations and has no overlap with an other of the first spaces, identified as a result of an other of the direct teaching operations that precedes the one of the direct teaching operations; a feedback unit which provides the operator with information regarding the first differential space; and a path search unit which searches for a motion path of the movable part within a first accessible space resulting from combining the first spaces after the direct teaching operations. | 09-20-2012 |
| 20120253514 | REINFORCEMENT LEARNING APPARATUS, CONTROL APPARATUS, AND REINFORCEMENT LEARNING METHOD - It is possible to perform robot motor learning in a quick and stable manner using a reinforcement learning apparatus including: a first-type environment parameter obtaining unit that obtains a value of one or more first-type environment parameters; a control parameter value calculation unit that calculates a value of one or more control parameters maximizing a reward by using the value of the one or more first-type environment parameters; a control parameter value output unit that outputs the value of the one or more control parameters to the control object; a second-type environment parameter obtaining unit that obtains a value of one or more second-type environment parameters; a virtual external force calculation unit that calculates the virtual external force by using the value of the one or more second-type environment parameters; and a virtual external force output unit that outputs the virtual external force to the control object. | 10-04-2012 |
| 20120253515 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR SURGICAL PLANNING - Methods and apparatus for enhancing surgical planning provide enhanced planning of entry port placement and/or robot position for laparoscopic, robotic, and other minimally invasive surgery. Various embodiments may be used in robotic surgery systems to identify advantageous entry ports for multiple robotic surgical tools into a patient to access a surgical site. Generally, data such as imaging data is processed and used to create a model of a surgical site, which can then be used to select advantageous entry port sites for two or more surgical tools based on multiple criteria. Advantageous robot positioning may also be determined, based on the entry port locations and other factors. Validation and simulation may then be provided to ensure feasibility of the selected port placements and/or robot positions. Such methods, apparatus and systems may also be used in nonsurgical contexts, such as for robotic port placement in munitions defusion or hazardous waste handling. | 10-04-2012 |
| 20120283873 | System for auto-diagnostics of robotic manipulator - The present invention discloses a system and method for monitoring and diagnosing a robot mechanism. This requires adding intelligence to the diagnostics by parameters of physical robot arm linkages respecting component relative rotation or load transfer; storing rotation or translation relationship parameters characteristic of resonant frequencies between at least one mechanical link; receiving servo motor signals; digitizing and storing servo known normal data time histories; performing a time domain to frequency domain transformation on signal to identify components which are out-of band limit pre-sets. | 11-08-2012 |
| 20120290131 | PARALLEL KINEMATIC MACHINE TRAJECTORY PLANNING METHOD - The parallel kinematic machine (PKM) trajectory planning method is operable via a data-driven neuro-fuzzy multistage-based system. Offline planning based on robot kinematic and dynamic models, including actuators, is performed to generate a large dataset of trajectories, covering most of the robot workspace and minimizing time and energy, while avoiding singularities and limits on joint angles, rates, accelerations and torques. The method implements an augmented Lagrangian solver on a decoupled form of the PKM dynamics in order to solve the resulting non-linear constrained optimal control problem. Using outcomes of the offline-planning, the data-driven neuro-fuzzy inference system is built to learn, capture to and optimize the desired dynamic behavior of the PKM. The optimized system is used to achieve near-optimal online planning with a reasonable time complexity. The effectiveness of the method is illustrated through a set of simulation experiments proving the technique on a 2-degrees of freedom planar PKM. | 11-15-2012 |
| 20130013108 | Robotic Agile Lift System With Extremity Control - A mobile robotic lift assistance system that can accommodate and provide for operator manipulation and control of a robotic arm and associated end effector locally from and via the robotic arm itself, and within a zone of operation. The mobile robotic lift assistance system can include one or more robotic arms having an associated extremity control system operable therefrom, wherein the operator enters the zone of operation and engages a control interface device to manipulate and control the robotic arm, any end effector associated therewith, and optionally the mobile platform unit. The control interface system facilitates extremity control by the operator of the mobile robotic lift assistance system. | 01-10-2013 |
| 20130079929 | ROBOT AND CONTROL METHOD THEREOF - A robot and method of controlling the robot, the method including setting a target walking motion of the robot using an X-axis displacement, a y-axis displacement, and a z-axis rotation of a robot base, detecting and processing data of a position, a speed and a gradient of the robot base, a z-axis external force exerted on the foot, and a position, an angle, and a speed of each rotation joint using sensors, setting a support state and a coordination system of the robot, processing a state of the robot, performing an adaptive control by generating a target walking trajectory of the robot according to the target walking motion when a supporting leg of the robot is changed, setting a state machine representing a walking trajectory of the robot, and controlling a walking and a balancing of the robot by tracing the state machine that is set. | 03-28-2013 |
| 20130184866 | ROBOTS, COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCTS, AND METHODS FOR TRAJECTORY PLAN OPTIMIZATION - Robots, computer program products, and methods for trajectory plan optimization are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of controlling a robot having a first manipulator and a second manipulator includes receiving a trajectory plan including a plurality of sequential motion segments. The method further includes determining a moveable motion segment, and shifting the moveable motion segment and motion segments subsequent to the moveable motion segment backward in time to a shifted time such that one or more unshifted segments of the trajectory plan occur at a same time as one or more shifted segment segments. The method may further include controlling the robot according to the optimized trajectory plan such that one or more components of the first manipulator are moved concurrently with one or more components of the second manipulator. | 07-18-2013 |
| 20130238124 | INFORMATION PROCESSING APPARATUS AND INFORMATION PROCESSING METHOD - The positions and orientations of one or more target objects are obtained from the result of measuring a set of target objects by using a first sensor. A robot including a grip unit is controlled to grip one target object as a gripping target object among the target objects by the grip unit. Whether the grip unit has succeeded in gripping the gripping target object is determined from the result of measurement performed by a second sensor for measuring the target object gripped by the grip unit. When the grip unit has been determined to fail in gripping the gripping target object, one target object interacting with the gripping target object is selected among the target objects. The robot is controlled to grip the selected target object by the grip unit. | 09-12-2013 |
| 20130253702 | METHOD OF INFERRING INTENTIONS OF AN OPERATOR TO MOVE A ROBOTIC SYSTEM - A method of inferring intentions of an operator to move a robotic system includes monitoring the intention of the operator, with a controller. The intention of the operator is inferred to be one of a desired acceleration and a desired deceleration. The intention of the operator is also as a desired velocity. Admittance parameters are modified as a function of at least one of the inferred acceleration, deceleration, and velocity. | 09-26-2013 |
| 20130274920 | AUTONOMOUS ROBOT - A method for communication between a charging station and a robot, via a pair of power lines coupled between a power supply in the charging station and a battery in the robot. In operation, the power supply is sequentially switched between a first voltage level and a second voltage level in accordance with a predetermined signal pattern. The voltage level on the power lines in the robot is monitored and correlated with a specific command to be executed by the robot. | 10-17-2013 |
| 20130310976 | SAFETY CONTROL DEVICE AND SAFETY CONTROL METHOD - Suppression of power consumption is made possible by a microcontroller. An OS includes, in part, a partition scheduler that selects and determines a time partition to be scheduled next according to a scheduling pattern including the time partition for assigning execution time to a task. A processor periodically operates the partition scheduler by executing the OS. The partition scheduler reduces an operating frequency of a microcontroller according to a proportion occupied by the execution time required by a task for execution in the time partition. | 11-21-2013 |
| 20130317646 | ROBOT PROGRAM CHANGING DEVICE - A program changing device includes a sequence interchanging unit for interchanging plural teaching points in a teaching sequence such that total movement time of a robot becomes smaller than that when the robot is moved in line with an initial teaching sequence of the teaching points, a calculating unit for calculating difference amounts between the initial teaching points and a trajectory of the robot that is obtained by executing an after-interchanged operational program by simulation, a position adjusting unit for adjusting positions of the teaching points of the after-interchanged operational program until the difference amounts become equal to or smaller than a predetermined allowable value, and a teaching point changing unit for changing the adjusted teaching points to be the initial teaching points when cycle time of the after-interchanged operational program including the adjusted teaching points is longer than initial cycle time. | 11-28-2013 |
| 20130317647 | CONTROL APPARATUS, CONTROL METHOD, AND CONTROL PROGRAM FOR PNEUMATIC ARTIFICIAL MUSCLE DRIVE MECHANISM - There is provided a control apparatus for a drive mechanism driven by a pneumatic artificial muscle, the control apparatus including a pressure controller that controls pressure of the pneumatic artificial muscle, a desired pressure calculator that calculates, based on a pneumatic artificial muscle model, a desired pressure of the pneumatic artificial muscle in order to control motion of the drive mechanism, a pneumatic artificial muscle model error estimator that estimates aging variation in a contraction percentage error between the pneumatic artificial muscle and the pneumatic artificial muscle model, a pneumatic artificial muscle model updater that updates the pneumatic artificial muscle model so as to reflect the aging variation based on an estimation result of the pneumatic artificial muscle model error estimator, and a lifetime predictor that predicts a lifetime of the pneumatic artificial muscle based on the estimation result of the pneumatic artificial muscle model error estimator. | 11-28-2013 |
| 20130345865 | BEHAVIOR CONTROL SYSTEM - A system capable of causing an agent to continuously execute a plurality of different subtasks while securing the continuity of behavior of the agent is provided. A plurality of state variable trajectories representing the time series of a state variable of an object are generated according to a stochastic transition model in which the state variable of the object is represented as a random variable. The stochastic transition model is defined so that the transition mode of the state variable is determined according to an execution probability of each subtask in which a probability distribution is represented by a Dirichlet distribution. An operation of the agent is controlled so that the state of the object transits according to one state variable trajectory (desired state variable trajectory) maximizing or optimizing the joint probability of a whole of the stochastic transition model among the plurality of state variable trajectories. | 12-26-2013 |
| 20130345866 | CONTROL SYSTEM AND TEACHING METHOD FOR SEVEN-AXIS ARTICULATED ROBOT - A control system and teaching method for a seven-axis articulated robot are provided, which system and method are capable of easily grasping a motion trajectory of the whole robot and thereby performing proper teaching during teaching operation. The control system includes a setting device for setting a specified plane in a teaching mode for teaching a seven-axis articulated robot; a control unit for controlling the movement of the seven-axis articulated robot so as to restrict a motion trajectory of an elbow portion within the plane set by the setting device; and a computing unit for performing inverse transform operation to calculate the pivot angle of each pivot axis based on a change in a position of the hand end, setting the restriction of the movement of the elbow portion as a constraint condition, when the position for the hand end is taught. | 12-26-2013 |
| 20140005827 | APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING MOBILE ROBOT | 01-02-2014 |
| 20140067117 | ACTUATING APPARATUS - An actuating apparatus includes an actuator including flexible transmitting assemblies disposed between a plurality of joints, and a plurality of motors for actuating the joints. Each of the motors includes a variable rigidity element, the rigidity of which is variable in directions of rotation of the joints, and a controller for controlling the actuator. The controller includes a rigidity threshold value calculator for calculating rigidity threshold values of the joints, based on a required rigidity for a predetermined task position on a link and a coefficient matrix determined based on rotational angles of the motors. | 03-06-2014 |
| 20140081455 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR ASSIGNING INPUT DEVICES TO TELEOPERATED SURGICAL INSTRUMENT FUNCTIONS - A method of assigning an auxiliary input device to control a surgical instrument in a robotic surgical system can include automatically assigning an auxiliary input device to control an auxiliary function of a surgical instrument based on a position of the auxiliary input device and which of a user's hands is operating another input device operably coupled to control movement of the surgical instrument. A system for controlling a surgical instrument may include an input device of a surgical system that is operably coupled to generate and transmit an input control signal to control movement of a surgical instrument operably coupled to the surgical system. The system may further include an auxiliary input device, and a control system operably coupling the auxiliary input device to control an auxiliary function of the surgical instrument based on a position of the auxiliary input device and which of a user's hands is operating the input device. | 03-20-2014 |
| 20140114477 | TEACHING DEVICE FOR ROBOT, ROBOT APPARATUS, METHOD OF CONTROLLING TEACHING DEVICE FOR ROBOT, AND CONTROL PROGRAM OF TEACHING DEVICE FOR ROBOT - In a teaching device for robot that moves a flexible body holding unit holding a flexible body and performs teaching of a fitting task of the flexible body to a thing to generate teaching data, a reaching decision unit decides that a front end of the flexible body reaches the thing, a curvature acquiring unit acquires information of evaluation of a degree of curvature of the flexible body when the reaching decision unit decides the reaching, and a notification unit performs predetermined notification about teaching on the basis of the acquired information of evaluation. | 04-24-2014 |
| 20140163731 | Planning a Grasp Approach, Position, and Pre-Grasp Pose for a Robotic Grasper Based on Object, Grasper, and Environmental Constraint Data - A system including a memory having instructions causing a processor to perform operations, for planning a grasping-device approach to an object by a grasping device, a pre-grasp device position, and a pre-grasp device pose. The operations comprise obtaining input data including grasping-device data, object data, and environmental-constraint data, determining, based on the grasping-device data, a grasp volume model, determining a test approach vector, and determining, using the vector, the constraint data, and the model, whether approach vector modification is needed. The operations also include modifying, if modification is needed, the test approach, yielding a resulting approach vector, and determining, if modification is not needed, that the test approach is the resulting approach vector. And the operations include determining a virtual floor indicating a position below which the grasping device cannot move, and determining, based on the resulting vector, virtual floor, model, and object data, the device approach, position, and pose. | 06-12-2014 |
| 20140163732 | METHOD FOR CHECKING A TRAVELABLE AREA OF A PLANE OF TRAVEL FOR A ROBOT, ROBOT AND RECORDING MEDIUM - There is provided a method for checking a moving available area of a robot on a moving surface robot. The method for checking a moving available area of a robot on a moving surface robot according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a) generating a geometric model of the moving surface, b) generating a triangle mesh by triangulating curved surfaces of the moving surface by using the geometric model, c) calculating angles between any one triangle of a plurality of triangles positioned within the triangle mesh and triangles adjacent to the any one triangle, and d) primarily checking moving available areas of a robot by determining whether or not the angles between any one triangle and the triangles adjacent to the any one triangle are within a predetermined range. | 06-12-2014 |
| 20140188273 | CONTROL METHOD FOR MOBILE PARALLEL MANIPULATORS - In the control method for mobile parallel manipulators, kinematic singularity and redundancy are solved through joint limits avoidance and manipulability criteria. By taking the MPM self-motion into consideration due to its redundancy, the inverse kinematic is derived using a hybrid neuro-fuzzy system, such as NeFIK. The discrete augmented Lagrangian (AL) technique is used to solve the highly nonlinear constrained multi-objective optimal control problem. An adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS)-based structure (based on the result of the AL solution) is used to solve the online trajectory planning of the MPM. | 07-03-2014 |
| 20140222198 | SYSTEM, METHOD AND COMPUTER PROGRAM FOR AUTONOMOUSLY EMULATING ROBOT MANIPULATORS OF CONTINUOUSLY-VARYING CONFIGURATIONS - The invention is a modular and autonomously reconfigurable manipulator system which introduces a new dimension to the versatility of robot manipulation for diverse tasks. The hardware component is a redundant mechanism which can lock any number of its joints at any relative position to form a particular configuration with a certain number of degrees of freedom and specific values for kinematic, dynamic and control parameters, optimum for a given task to be performed. The process of identifying the optimum configuration for a given task and implementing it on the manipulator is done autonomously through the system software. Therefore, no manual interaction is required to form a new configuration most suitable for a given task. The kinematic, dynamic and control parameters of the system can vary continuously enabling the manipulator to form virtually an infinite number of configurations. | 08-07-2014 |
| 20140249675 | TIME-OPTIMAL TRAJECTORIES FOR ROBOTIC TRANSFER DEVICES - A time-optimal trajectory generation method, for a robotic manipulator having a transport path with at least one path segment, comprising generating a forward time-optimal trajectory of the manipulator along the at least one path segment from a start point of the at least one path segment towards an end point of the at least one path segment, generating a reverse time-optimal trajectory of the manipulator along the at least one path segment from the end point towards the start point of the at least one path segment, and combining the time-optimal forward and reverse trajectories to obtain a complete time-optimal trajectory, where the forward and reverse trajectories of the at least one path segment are blended together with a smoothing bridge joining the time-optimal forward and reverse trajectories in a position-velocity reference frame with substantially no discontinuity between the time-optimal forward and reverse trajectories. | 09-04-2014 |
| 20140257560 | BIO-NEURO AND ARTIFICAL INTELLIGENCE CONTROLLED ROBOTIC APPARATUS, SYSTEM AND METHOD - An apparatus, system and method for controlling a robotic limb. The apparatus, system and method may include at least one microprocessor, a computing memory associated with the microprocessor, the computing memory having resident therein computing instructions, and the computing instructions comprising at least weighting code suitable for weighting control of the robotic limb by the microprocessor versus control by a plurality of bio-neuro sensors associated with the robotic limb. The weighed control may be varied over time by the weighting code. | 09-11-2014 |
| 20140277718 | ADAPTIVE PREDICTOR APPARATUS AND METHODS - Apparatus and methods for training and operating of robotic devices. Robotic controller may comprise a predictor apparatus configured to generate motor control output. The predictor may be operable in accordance with a learning process based on a teaching signal comprising the control output. An adaptive controller block may provide control output that may be combined with the predicted control output. The predictor learning process may be configured to learn the combined control signal. Predictor training may comprise a plurality of trials. During initial trial, the control output may be capable of causing a robot to perform a task. During intermediate trials, individual contributions from the controller block and the predictor may be inadequate for the task. Upon learning, the control knowledge may be transferred to the predictor so as to enable task execution in absence of subsequent inputs from the controller. Control output and/or predictor output may comprise multi-channel signals. | 09-18-2014 |
| 20140288706 | ROBOT SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING TO-BE-PROCESSED MATERIAL - A robot system includes a robot, a control device, and a projection device. The control device is configured to receive area information on an area defining an operation of the robot. The projection device is configured to project the area onto an object adjacent to the robot based on the area information received by the control device. | 09-25-2014 |
| 20140297033 | ADAPTIVE CONTROL OF ROBOTIC LASER BRAZE/WELD OPERATION - A method for adaptive control of a robotic operation of a robot includes providing a software program to generate process signals executable during the robotic operation, including one or more execution commands. A first Signal Value channel is provided to control at least one control process parameter of the robot, where the first Signal Value channel is subject to a first time latency. The execution timing of the first Signal Value channel is synchronized with the one or more execution commands by accounting for the first time latency in relation to the one or more execution commands. The software program is run to generate the process signals and the robot is operated in response to the synchronized execution timing of the execution commands. | 10-02-2014 |
| 20140309775 | Touch Screen Testing Platform Having Components for Providing Conductivity to a Tip - A touch screen testing platform may be used to perform repeatable testing of a touch screen enabled device using a robotic device tester and a controller. The platform may use various types of conductive tips that engage the touch screen, thereby simulating human behavior. The platform may perform multi-touch operations by employing multiple tips that can engage the touch screen simultaneously. The tips activate a touch screen from at least a trace of conductive coating located on nonconductive components of the robotic device tester. | 10-16-2014 |
| 20140316566 | HUMANOID ROBOT PROVIDED WITH A MANAGER FOR THE PHYSICAL AND VIRTUAL RESOURCES THEREOF, AND METHODS FOR USE AND PROGRAMMING - A humanoid robot is provided with a manager for its physical and virtual resources, a method of use and a method for programming said manager. Said resources ( | 10-23-2014 |
| 20140330432 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR SAFE COMPLIANT INSERTION AND HYBRID FORCE/MOTION TELEMANIPULATION OF CONTINUUM ROBOTS - Methods and systems are described for controlling movement of a continuum robot that includes a plurality of independently controlled segments along the length of the continuum robot. The continuum robot is inserted into a cavity of unknown dimensions or shape. A plurality of forces acting upon the continuum robot by the surrounding cavity are estimated. A positioning command indicating a desired movement of the distal end of the continuum robot is received from a manipulator control. The desired movement is augmented based, at least in part, on the estimated plurality of forces acting on the continuum robot such that movement is restricted to within safe boundaries of the surrounding cavity. The positioning of the continuum robot is then adjusted based on the augmented desired movement. | 11-06-2014 |
| 20140379128 | ROBOT APPARATUS AND SPEED REDUCER STATE DIAGNOSING METHOD - A robot apparatus includes a multi-joint robot including, in at least one portion, a joint including a motor, a speed reducer connected to the motor, an input angle detecting unit configured to detect a rotational, angle of a rotating shaft of the motor, and an output angle detecting unit configured to detect an output rotational angle of the speed reducer, and a controller configured to diagnose a state of the speed reducer from an angle difference between the input rotational angle detected by the input angle detecting unit and the output rotational angle detected by the output angle detecting unit. | 12-25-2014 |
| 20150032258 | APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR CONTROLLING OF ROBOTIC DEVICES - A robot may be trained based on cooperation between an operator and a trainer. During training, the operator may control the robot using a plurality of control instructions. The trainer may observe movements of the robot and generate a plurality of control commands, such as gestures, sound and/or light wave modulation. Control instructions may be combined with the trainer commands via a learning process in order to develop an association between the two. During operation, the learning process may generate one or more control instructions based on one or more gesture by the trainer. One or both the trainer or the operator may comprise a human, and/or computerized entity. | 01-29-2015 |
| 20150057798 | CONTROL METHOD FOR A ROBOT - The invention relates to a control method for a robot ( | 02-26-2015 |
| 20150094852 | ROBOTIC CONTROL ARBITRATION APPARATUS AND METHODS - Apparatus and methods for arbitration of control signals for robotic devices. A robotic device may comprise an adaptive controller comprising a plurality of predictors configured to provide multiple predicted control signals based on one or more of the teaching input, sensory input, and/or performance. The predicted control signals may be configured to cause two or more actions that may be in conflict with one another and/or utilize a shared resource. An arbitrator may be employed to select one of the actions. The selection process may utilize a WTA, reinforcement, and/or supervisory mechanisms in order to inhibit one or more predicted signals. The arbitrator output may comprise target state information that may be provided to the predictor block. Prior to arbitration, the predicted control signals may be combined with inputs provided by an external control entity in order to reduce learning time. | 04-02-2015 |
| 20150094853 | APPARATUS FOR INPUTTING TEACHING DATA AND APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR GENERATING TEACHING COMMAND FOR ROBOT - An apparatus for inputting teaching data for a robot includes a first input interface configured to input teaching data of a path layer; and a second input interface configured to input teaching data of a task layer. | 04-02-2015 |
| 20150120044 | METHOD FOR GAIT GENERATION AND TRACKING CONTROL FOR A BIPEDAL WALKING ROBOT - A control method that executes a numerical non-linear optimization procedure with forward simulation of the full dynamics of the bipedal robot (including ground collisions) to compute a foothold, which produces the desired center of mass velocity during the next step of the walking cycle. The controller includes a gait generator that outputs desired joint trajectories designed to track a desired foothold provided by the foot placement algorithm. A torque calculator is included to output desired joint torques designed to track the desired joint trajectories provided by the gait generator. Additionally, the controller includes an actuator controller that produces the desired joint torques determined by the torque calculator at each joint on the physical robot, which may be a legged robot with torque-controlled joints. The foot placement algorithm may use nonlinear optimization that is solvable using a mathematical model of the dynamics of the controlled robot. | 04-30-2015 |
| 20150120045 | GLIDING ROBOTIC FISH NAVIGATION AND PROPULSION - A robotic submersible includes a housing having a body and a tail. In another aspect, a pump and a pump tank adjust the buoyancy of a submersible housing. In a further aspect, a first linear actuator controls the pump and/or a buoyancy, and/or a second linear actuator controls a position of a battery and/or adjusts a center of gravity. Another aspect includes a pump and at least one linear actuator that control gliding movements of the housing. In still a further aspect, a motor couples a tail with a body, such that the motor controls the movements of the tail to create a swimming movement. Moreover, an additional aspect provides a controller selectively operating the pump, first actuator, second actuator, and motor to control when swimming and gliding movements occur. | 04-30-2015 |
| 20150120046 | SYSTEM, METHOD AND ROBOT TERMINAL APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING ROBOT INTERACTION SERVICE UTILIZING LOCATION INFORMATION OF MOBILE COMMUNICATION TERMINAL - A system and a method for providing a robot interaction service utilizing a location-based service of a mobile communication terminal. The system for providing a robot interaction service utilizing location information of a mobile communication terminal, includes: a mobile communication terminal for performing a mobile communication service through a wireless communication network, measuring a current location thereof and transmitting the measured location information to a predetermined robot terminal through a communication network; and a robot terminal for receiving the location information from the mobile communication terminal, determining a robot behavior based on the received location information, and controlling the operation thereof according to the determination result. | 04-30-2015 |
| 20150127149 | APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR ONLINE TRAINING OF ROBOTS - Robotic devices may be trained by a user guiding the robot along a target trajectory using a correction signal. A robotic device may comprise an adaptive controller configured to generate control commands based on one or more of the trainer input, sensory input, and/or performance measure. Training may comprise a plurality of trials. During an initial portion of a trial, the trainer may observe robot's operation and refrain from providing the training input to the robot. Upon observing a discrepancy between the target behavior and the actual behavior during the initial trial portion, the trainer may provide a teaching input (e.g., a correction signal) configured to affect robot's trajectory during subsequent trials. Upon completing a sufficient number of trials, the robot may be capable of navigating the trajectory in absence of the training input. | 05-07-2015 |
| 20150127150 | APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR HAPTIC TRAINING OF ROBOTS - Robotic devices may be trained by a trainer guiding the robot along a target trajectory using physical contact with the robot. The robot may comprise an adaptive controller configured to generate control commands based on one or more of the trainer input, sensory input, and/or performance measure. The trainer may observe task execution by the robot. Responsive to observing a discrepancy between the target behavior and the actual behavior, the trainer may provide a teaching input via a haptic action. The robot may execute the action based on a combination of the internal control signal produced by a learning process of the robot and the training input. The robot may infer the teaching input based on a comparison of a predicted state and actual state of the robot. The robot's learning process may be adjusted in accordance with the teaching input so as to reduce the discrepancy during a subsequent trial. | 05-07-2015 |
| 20150127151 | Method For Programming Movement Sequences Of A Redundant Industrial Robot And Industrial Robot - A method for programming sequences of motion of a redundant industrial robot by manually guided adjustment of the pose of a manipulator arm having a plurality of successive links connected by adjustable joints actuated by at least one robot control unit and including at least one redundant joint. The method includes adjusting in a manually-guided manner the link of the manipulator arm that is associated with a tool reference point from a first position and orientation to a second position and/or second orientation, recalculating joint position values of all of the joints of the manipulator arm from the second position and orientation of the tool reference point while simultaneously resolving the redundancy by determining an optimized joint position value of at least one redundant joint, and automatically setting all of the joints on the basis of the recalculated, optimized joint position values. | 05-07-2015 |
| 20150148953 | DISCREPANCY DETECTION APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR MACHINE LEARNING - A robotic device may comprise an adaptive controller configured to learn to predict consequences of robotic device's actions. During training, the controller may receive a copy of the planned and/or executed motor command and sensory information obtained based on the robot's response to the command. The controller may predict sensory outcome based on the command and one or more prior sensory inputs. The predicted sensory outcome may be compared to the actual outcome. Based on a determination that the prediction matches the actual outcome, the training may stop. Upon detecting a discrepancy between the prediction and the actual outcome, the controller may provide a continuation signal configured to indicate that additional training may be utilized. In some classification implementations, the discrepancy signal may be used to indicate occurrence of novel (not yet learned) objects in the sensory input and/or indicate continuation of training to recognize said objects. | 05-28-2015 |
| 20150148954 | ROBOT APPARATUS - A robot apparatus includes a manipulator including a hand and an arm, a teaching apparatus that teaches operation of the manipulator, and a control apparatus that controls the manipulator that operates in a regular operation status or an erroneous manipulation avoiding status based on a control signal from the teaching apparatus. After determining whether a status of the manipulator is the regular operation status or the erroneous manipulation avoiding status, the control apparatus transmits a control signal for performing operation at a set regular speed to the manipulator in a case of the regular operation status, and the control apparatus transmits a control signal for performing operation at a speed lower than or equal to a safety speed that is set based on the regular speed to the manipulator in a case of the erroneous manipulation avoiding status. | 05-28-2015 |
| 20150290800 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DEVELOPING COGNITIVE RESPONSES IN A ROBOTIC APPARATUS - The subject matter discloses a method performed by an artificial entity that comprises a plurality of mechanical elements. The method comprises receiving activity data, said activity data defines an activity to be performed by the artificial entity; receiving restriction input for restricting performance of the artificial entity; working in a restricted mode, said restricted mode is defined by having one or more restrictions applied on the plurality of mechanical elements of the artificial entity according to the restriction input. The method also comprises adapting to the one or more restrictions applied on the plurality of mechanical elements of the artificial entity and performing the activity with the one or more restrictions applied on the plurality of mechanical elements of the artificial entity. | 10-15-2015 |
| 20150290801 | TEACHING SYSTEM, ROBOT SYSTEM, AND TEACHING METHOD - A teaching system according to an embodiment includes an image generating unit, a start point specifying unit, a via point specifying unit, and a teaching data generating unit. The image generating unit generates a virtual image including a closed processing line set on a workpiece to be processed by a robot. The start point specifying unit specifies a start point at a position outside the processing line on the virtual image. The via point specifying unit specifies a via point on the processing line. The teaching data generating unit generates teaching data relative to the robot for a path that leaves the start point to follow the processing line by way of the via point and returns to the via point. | 10-15-2015 |
| 20150306761 | TRAINABLE CONVOLUTIONAL NETWORK APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR OPERATING A ROBOTIC VEHICLE - A robotic vehicle may be operated by a learning controller comprising a trainable convolutional network configured to determine control signal based on sensory input. An input network layer may be configured to transfer sensory input into a hidden layer data using a filter convolution operation. Input layer may be configured to transfer sensory input into hidden layer data using a filter convolution. Output layer may convert hidden layer data to a predicted output using data segmentation and a fully connected array of efficacies. During training, efficacy of network connections may be adapted using a measure determined based on a target output provided by a trainer and an output predicted by the network. A combination of the predicted and the target output may be provided to the vehicle to execute a task. The network adaptation may be configured using an error back propagation method. The network may comprise an input reconstruction. | 10-29-2015 |
| 20150331416 | PROGRAM SYNTHESIS FOR ROBOTIC TASKS - Robotic task program synthesis embodiments are presented that generally synthesize a robotic task program based on received examples of repositioning tasks. In one implementation, the exemplary repositioning tasks are human demonstrations of object manipulation in an actual or displayed robot workspace. A domain specific language (DSL) designed for object repositioning tasks is employed for the robotic control program. In general, candidate robotic task programs are generated from the example tasks. Each candidate program includes instructions for causing the robot to reposition objects, and represents a different permutation of instructions consistent with the received example tasks. The candidate programs are ranked, and whenever the top ranking program accomplishes the repositioning specified in each example task, it is designated as the synthesized robotic task program. | 11-19-2015 |
| 20150367514 | REAL-TIME ROBOTIC GRASP PLANNING - A method of determining an optimal grasp pose of an object by an end-effector of a robot in the execution of a task includes receiving a set of inputs via a controller, including a descriptive parameter of the object, a task wrench having a frame of reference, and a commanded end-effector grasp force. The method includes calculating a grasp wrench in the frame of reference of the task wrench, rotating and shifting the grasp pose, and then computing a resultant new grasp wrench via the controller until the task wrench and the grasp wrench are optimally balanced. Additionally, the method includes recording the optimal grasp pose as the grasp pose at which the grasp and task wrenches are optimally balanced, and then executing a control action via the controller using the recorded optimal grasp pose. A robotic system includes the robot and a controller programmed to execute the method. | 12-24-2015 |
| 20160031081 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR THE MODULAR CONFIGURATION OF ROBOTS - The present disclosure describes embodiments related to the configuration of one or more robot computing devices. Robot computing devices are configured to have personality characteristics and to have relational characteristics with respect to other agents (humans, other computing devices, and/or other robots). A robot personality profile is generated and imprinted on the robot computing device. Robot computing devices are updated through the use of one or more biometric security keys, including an owner's visual appearance and/or voice. | 02-04-2016 |
| 20160031082 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SAVING ENERGY AND REDUCING CYCLE TIME BY OPTIMAL ORDERING OF THE INDUSTRIAL ROBOTIC PATH - Methods for saving energy and reducing cycle time by using optimal ordering of the industrial robotic path. A method includes receiving inputs including a complex operation, generating a plurality of task groups of the complex operation, calculating a group edge rating for each of a plurality of robotic movement edges between each of the plurality of task groups, calculating a candidate rating for each of a plurality of candidate paths, wherein the candidate rating comprises a summation of the group edge ratings for a candidate path, determining an optimal path comprising the candidate path with an optimal rating, wherein the optimal rating is determined by the lowest candidate rating, and returning the optimal path. | 02-04-2016 |
| 20160089782 | ROBOTIC HANDOVER SYSTEM NATURAL FOR HUMANS - The disclosure includes a system and method for determining posture data for a user based on observation of the user, generating user model data describing one or more user models, determining user preferences data describing the preferences of the user for receiving an object, generating two or more reach simulations that simulate the user reaching for different points inside a user environment to receive the object, each reach simulation resulting in a hand of the user arriving at a three-dimensional point in the user environment, analyzing the reach simulations to assign a value to each three-dimensional point in the user environment, grouping the three-dimensional points into one or more clusters of similar points to form candidate zones including one or more points inside the user environment where a robot can place the object for handover to the user, and ranking the candidate zones. | 03-31-2016 |
| 20160089784 | INDUSTRIAL-USE ROBOT AND CONTROL SYSTEM AND CONTROL METHOD FOR CONTROLLING OPERATION OF PERIPHERAL DEVICE - A total time necessary for work is shortened by reducing program correcting. A control device has a teaching program storage storing a teaching program, a command interpreter transmitting a movement-related command to a movement-related command separator, determining whether the command is a synchronous interval command or an asynchronous interval command and separating the movement-related command into command of each device according to a determination result, and executing a non-movement-related command, a movement-related command buffer selecting one of the transmission of the movement-related command to the sub-locus calculator and accumulating movement-related command therein based on a device movement state, a main locus calculator calculating movement information on the device on which synchronous control is performed from the movement-related command, a sub-locus calculator calculating movement information on the device that is not a synchronous control target based on the movement-related command, and a motor driver performing operations of the devices. | 03-31-2016 |
| 20160089788 | ROBOT, ROBOT SYSTEM, CONTROL DEVICE, AND CONTROL METHOD - A robot includes an arm and a control unit configured to control a motion of the arm using compliant motion control. The control unit changes a parameter value of the compliant motion control depending on a relative position and orientation of a first object moving along with the arm and a second object. | 03-31-2016 |
| 20160136807 | Determination of Object-Related Gripping Regions Using a Robot - The invention relates to a method and a system for determining gripping regions on an object. The object is to be gripped, based on the determined gripping regions, by means of a robot. At least one first gripping pose of the robot is taught at the object, and additional gripping poses are determined at the object. Based on these gripping poses, a first gripping region is configured. | 05-19-2016 |
| 20160144505 | Systems and Methods for Performing Occlusion Detection - The present invention provides a mobile robot configured to navigate an operating environment, that includes a machine vision system comprising a camera that captures images of the operating environment using a machine vision system; detects the presence of an occlusion obstructing a portion of the field of view of a camera based on the captured images, and generate a notification when an occlusion obstructing the portion of the field of view of the camera is detected, and maintain occlusion detection data describing occluded and unobstructed portions of images being used by the SLAM application. | 05-26-2016 |
| 20160144506 | OPERATION COMMAND GENERATION DEVICE, OPERATION COMMAND GENERATION METHOD, NON-TRANSITORY COMPUTER-READABLE STORAGE MEDIUM, AND PROCESS SYSTEM - Provided is an operation command generation device including: an execution order determination unit configured to determine, based on respective arrangement positions of a plurality of process symbols each representing a process for a process subject on a protocol chart including the plurality of process symbols, an execution order of the plurality of process symbols; and a process symbol conversion unit configured to respectively convert the plurality of process symbols into jobs for a process system including at least a robot so that processes represented by the plurality of process symbols are executed in the execution order determined by the execution order determination unit. | 05-26-2016 |
| 20160151912 | INTERFACE FOR USE WITH TRAINABLE MODULAR ROBOTIC APPARATUS | 06-02-2016 |
| 20160375579 | ROBOTIC SYSTEM FOR UPDATING DEVICES - In one embodiment the present disclosure provides a robotic updating apparatus that includes mapping circuitry to provide movement instructions, the mapping circuitry including map data; wherein the map data includes a defined area for the robotic updating apparatus; movement circuitry to receive the movement instructions and to control movement of the robotic apparatus within the defined area; wherein movement is based on, at least in part, the movement instructions; device discovery circuitry to discover at least one target device within the defined area; and update circuitry to provide update for at least one target device; wherein the device discovery circuitry also to communicate the update to the at least one target device. | 12-29-2016 |
| 20180021949 | ROBOT APPARATUS, ROBOT CONTROLLING METHOD, PROGRAM, AND RECORDING MEDIUM | 01-25-2018 |
| 20190143516 | GRIPPING SYSTEM WHICH IS MONITORED BASED ON COUNTER ELECTROMOTIVE FORCE AND A METHOD FOR CONTROLLING THE GRIPPING SYSTEM | 05-16-2019 |
| 20220134544 | System and method for continuously sharing behavioral states of a creature - The present disclosure relates to a system for continuously sharing behavioral states of a creature. The system comprises a robot configured to carry out different behaviors, at least one sensing means for automatically sensing the creature, a determining means for continuously determining the state of the creature based on information derived from the at least one sensing means and a selecting means for selecting, from the different behaviors, a behavior that is assigned to the determined state, wherein the robot is configured to carry out the selected behavior. | 05-05-2022 |
