Teleoperated robotic sorting system

Abstract

A method and apparatus are disclosed for classifying materials utilizing a computerized touch sensitive screen or other computerized pointing device for operator identification and electronic marking of spatial coordinates of materials to be extracted. An operator positioned at a computerized touch sensitive screen views electronic images of the mixture of materials to be sorted as they are conveyed past a sensor array which transmits sequences of images of the mixture either directly or through a computer to the touch sensitive display screen. The operator manually “touches” objects displayed on the screen to be extracted from the mixture thereby registering the spatial coordinates of the objects within the computer. The computer then tracks the registered objects as they are conveyed and directs automated devices including mechanical means such as air jets, robotic arms, or other mechanical diverters to extract the registered objects.

Description

[0001]This application is a 371 a PCT / US97 / 19680, filed Nov. 3, 1997 which is a continuation of provisional application 60 / 030,183 filed Nov. 4, 1996.[0002]The present invention relates generally to a robotic sorting system, and, more particularly to a robotic sorting system suitable for separating recyclable or waste material. This invention was made with Government support under Contract No. DE-FG02-95ER82037, having an effective date of Sep. 1, 1995, a ward ed by the United States Department Of Energy. The Government has certain rights in the invention.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]In the recycling of waste secondary materials it is very useful to be able to separate mixtures of materials into usable fractions. Such separations are sometimes performed by fully automated systems which use automated sensors for materials identification with subsequent automated extraction of selected materials from mixtures such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,260,576 and 5,555,984. In many ins...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0007]One of the objectives of the present invention is to alleviate one or more of the problems identified above. Another objective of the present invention is to provide a sorting technology which incorporates the sensing flexibility and sensing speed of a human being combined with high speed high capacity mechanical material extraction systems to provide a highly flexible capacity sorting system. A second objective is to provide a sorting technology which incorporates the sensing flexibility and sensing speed of a human being while insulating the human being from contact with the material stream. A third objective is to provide a sorting technology which can be operated by the physically handicapped. A fourth objective is to provide an automated sorting technology capable of being trained by a human operator in order to become fully automated.

[0009]Therefore, the herein disclosed invention overcomes the limitations discussed above in automated sorting systems, manual handsorting, and in robotic sorting systems by providing for rapid human identification and selection of objects to be sorted with subsequent rapid extraction of selected objects by fully computerized mechanical means. The invention further provides for use of the human capability for rapid and efficient identification and selection of materials to be sorted without subjecting the human operator to direct contact with the material stream and without requiring that the operator be present on the sorting floor. The invention further provides for human training of the sorting system so that the sorting system retains the flexibility of the human for identifying selected materials for sorting while being fully automated.

[0010]The disclosed invention classifies materials by utilizing a computerized touch screen or other computerized pointing device for operator identification and electronic marking of spatial coordinates of materials to be extracted from a mixture of materials with subsequent computerized position tracking and extraction of the marked materials by computer controlled mechanical means. More specifically, an operator positioned at a computerized touch screen views electronic images of the mixture of materials to be sorted as they are conveyed past a sensor array which transmits a sequence of images of the mixture to a touch screen either directly or through a computer. The operator views the touch screen images and manually “touches” objects displayed on the screen to be extracted from the mixture thereby registering the spatial coordinates of the objects within the computer. The computer then tracks the registered objects as they are further conveyed and directs mechanical means such as air jets, robotic arms, or other mechanical diverters to extract the registered objects from the mixture at an appropriate position downstream from the camera position. High speed communications between the touch screen, computer, and mechanical sorting equipment allows that the touch screen monitor can be located remote from the sorting environment such as in an air conditioned office or even at a remote location such as across town or in another locally altogether. Therefore there is no requirement that the operator be in contact with or even near the material stream.

Problems solved by technology

Advantages to these systems are often high speed and the lack of need for manual labor.

A disadvantage to these systems is that automated sensors are generally limited in their ability to identify a wide range of materials and therefore have limited applicability to only selected sorting tasks.

However, also in manual handsorting, human hands are used to make the sorting extractions from the waste stream with disadvantages of relatively low capacity compared to the speed of identifications that a human can perform, and secondly, handsorting requires that humans come into contact with a waste stream which in general is unsanitary and often contains hazardous objects such as broken glass and other objects which can easily puncture or cut.

Therefore this type of work has generally not been available to the physically handicapped since the physical demands of the work would be beyond their capabilities or would place them in a dangerous environment because of their physical condition.

This situation has lessened job opportunities for the physically handicapped.

However, the requirement for physical attachment of a signal generating tag to the items to be sorted limits the usefulness of the process and would require a massive change in practices by the packaging industry to provide such signal markers on packaging materials typically found in the waste stream.

The use of such a system for recyclables sorting would be awkward and slow since the human operator would need to provide continual guidance to the robotic arm throughout the whole sorting process.

However, nowhere in the prior art have the inventors found descriptions of robotic systems for sorting materials where the identification of selected materials to be extracted from a waste stream or other conveyed stream of materials is provided by a human operator utilizing a computerized pointing device such as a touch screen for electronically registering the spatial coordinates of the selected materials with subsequent fully computerized control of a mechanical or other robotic system to acquire and extract the selected materials from the conveyed stream.

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