A container positioning and dispensing system for use with a mobile robot

Abstract

The application discloses a container positioning and liquid dispensing system used in cooperation with a mobile robot, which comprises a positioning system and a liquid dispensing system. The positioning system comprises a pressure sensor array, a signal acquisition module and a computer module. The computer module is loaded with a three-dimensional container library and is in communication connection with the mobile robot. The pressure sensor array comprises a plurality of pressure sensors. When a container is placed on the pressure sensor array, the pressure sensor under the container is pressed, and the pressure data forms a pressure information matrix. The signal acquisition module is in communication connection with the pressure sensor array, is used for receiving the pressure information matrix and sending the data to the computer module, and the computer module is used for receiving the pressure information matrix, transforming and analyzing the pressure information matrix, judging whether the container exists on the pressure sensor array or not, and further analyzing each data of the container if the container exists. The liquid dispensing system comprises a liquid dispensing mechanical arm module and a liquid storage module.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a positioning and dispensing system, specifically a container positioning and dispensing system for use with a mobile robot. Background Technology

[0002] Mobile robots typically consist of AGVs (Automated Guided Vehicles) and robotic arms. They are widely used in automated laboratory operations such as sample transfer. However, when a mobile robot moves, its positioning is based on technologies such as SLAM, which usually results in positioning errors at the centimeter level or higher. Therefore, when manipulating / transferring samples, mobile robots need to perform object position detection to correct positioning errors and enable them to accurately manipulate samples.

[0003] Conventional object detection techniques are based on computer vision, such as 2D vision detection techniques and 3D vision detection techniques.

[0004] 2D vision, based on conventional cameras such as CCD cameras, can locate the planar information of an object but cannot obtain its depth information. Therefore, it cannot assist mobile robots in locating the 3D grasping pose of containers. 3D vision, based on depth cameras, typically uses principles such as infrared, structured light, and time-of-flight to detect and reconstruct 3D objects. It can obtain 3D information for opaque and textured objects. However, because light can directly pass through glass, transparent and textureless glass containers are difficult to image on image sensors. Even if an image is formed, multiple reflections can lead to imaging errors. In other words, 3D vision inspection technology has difficulty detecting transparent and textureless glass containers. Therefore, neither 2D nor 3D vision inspection systems are well-suited for locating glass containers.

[0005] In addition, for the accurate weighing and preparation of liquids in chemical reactions, laboratories commonly use balances (especially for the accurate weighing of viscous liquids) and dispensing devices (such as pipettes, syringe pumps, and peristaltic pumps). However, a balance can only weigh one sample at a time. For the weighing and preparation of multiple liquid samples, if a single balance is used, the mobile robot needs to frequently move between different objects; if multiple balances are used to weigh multiple samples, the mobile robot needs to move between the balances, which is inefficient and not suitable for automation scenarios.

[0006] Existing technologies include automated liquid preparation equipment, such as liquid workstations. However, liquid workstations are typically manually operated and have a semi-enclosed (when the instrument is idle) or enclosed (when the instrument is running) structure. Mobile robotic arms cannot easily reach into the liquid workstation for placement / grabbing operations. In other words, automated liquid preparation equipment cannot work in conjunction with mobile robots. Furthermore, liquid workstations have significant limitations on the placement of consumables and containers; they do not support arbitrary chemical glassware, and the positioning accuracy of mobile robots is limited. The inability of liquid workstations to communicate with mobile robots further complicates their coordination. Summary of the Invention

[0007] To address the problems existing in the prior art, this invention discloses a container positioning and liquid dispensing system for use in conjunction with a mobile robot.

[0008] A container positioning and dispensing system for use with a mobile robot, comprising a positioning system and a dispensing system.

[0009] The positioning system includes a pressure sensor array, a signal acquisition module, and a computer module. The computer module is equipped with a container 3D library and is communicatively connected to the mobile robot.

[0010] The pressure sensor array includes several pressure sensors arranged with fixed row and column spacing. When a container is placed on the pressure sensor array, the pressure sensors pressed by the container are subjected to pressure, and the pressure data forms a pressure information matrix.

[0011] The signal acquisition module is communicatively connected to the pressure sensor array and is used to receive the pressure information matrix and send the data to the computer module.

[0012] The computer module is used to receive the pressure information matrix, and after converting and analyzing the pressure information matrix, determine whether there is a container on the pressure sensor array. If there is a container, further analysis is performed on the various data of the container on the pressure sensor array.

[0013] The solution preparation system includes a solution preparation robotic arm module and a solution storage module. The solution preparation robotic arm module is used to transfer reagents from the solution storage module to a container located on a pressure sensor array.

[0014] Specifically, this positioning system locates the container by checking whether each pressure sensor receives pressure. Simultaneously, a computer module analyzes the pressure information matrix and combines it with a 3D container library within the computer module to accurately determine the precise pose of the mobile robot when grasping the container. This method can be used for positioning regardless of whether the container is transparent or opaque, or made of glass or non-glass materials. Furthermore, since the pressure sensors can display the applied pressure in real time, the amount of reagent can be calculated by observing changes in pressure during liquid handling using the dispensing system, eliminating the need for a balance and weighing containers.

[0015] Preferably, the data of the containers present on the pressure sensor array include: the number of containers, the location of the containers on the pressure sensor array, the weight of the containers, and the shape of the containers.

[0016] Preferably, the process by which the computer module transforms and analyzes the pressure information matrix includes:

[0017] The pressure information matrix is ​​binarized to obtain binarized image data. After performing connected component analysis on the binarized image data, the presence or absence of containers, the location of containers in the pressure sensor array, the number of containers, and the shape of containers are analyzed.

[0018] The pressure information matrix is ​​analyzed to determine the pressure sensor coverage area of ​​the container on the pressure sensor array, and the pressure data within the coverage area is accumulated to analyze the weight of the container.

[0019] Preferably, when determining the position of the container on the pressure sensor array, a two-dimensional coordinate system is first established on the pressure sensor array, and the coordinates of the center point of the pressure information matrix are used as the coordinates of the container to obtain the position of the container on the pressure sensor array, with the distance between the center points of adjacent pressure sensors as the unit value. The position data of the container is matched with the container three-dimensional template library to obtain the three-dimensional grasping point pose information of the container, and the three-dimensional grasping point pose information is sent to the mobile robot.

[0020] Specifically, when establishing a two-dimensional coordinate system, the origin can be the center point of the pressure sensor array or the center of any one of the four corner pressure sensors in the array. At the same time, since the mobile robot is not usually located at the origin, the position of the mobile robot's coordinates relative to the origin should also be recorded to facilitate the movement of the mobile robot.

[0021] Preferably, the three-dimensional grasping point pose information includes the container's coordinates on the pressure sensor array, grasping height, and grasping posture, wherein the grasping height and grasping posture information are information from a container three-dimensional library.

[0022] Preferably, the liquid dispensing robotic arm module includes a liquid dispensing robotic arm and a liquid control module fixed to the end of the liquid dispensing robotic arm and detachably connected to the suction head;

[0023] The liquid storage module includes a liquid storage station, a pipette tip placement area for placing new pipette tips, and a pipette tip disposal area for collecting used pipette tips.

[0024] Specifically, after taking a new pipette tip from the tip placement area and installing it on the liquid control module, the liquid dispensing robotic arm moves to first collect liquid from the storage station, then transfer the liquid to a container located on the pressure sensor array. After determining that the added reagent has reached the specified amount based on the change in the pressure information matrix, the pipette tip is discarded into the tip discarding area.

[0025] Preferably, the pressure sensor array is divided into several regions, each region being used to place a container of the same shape.

[0026] Specifically, even if the weight and base area of ​​containers are the same, the posture of the mobile robot when grasping the containers will be different when the containers are different in shape. Therefore, dividing the pressure sensor array into several areas and placing containers of the same shape in each area can improve the accuracy of the mobile robot in grasping the containers.

[0027] Compared with the prior art, the advantages of the present invention are:

[0028] The structure employs a pressure sensor array for container positioning. By utilizing the container's own gravity for positioning, it overcomes the limitations of existing 2D and 3D vision positioning methods, which cannot locate transparent glass containers. Furthermore, the pressure sensors on the array can display the pressure applied in real time. Combined with a liquid dispensing system, this allows for the complete weighing of reagents without the need for balances or weighing instruments, significantly improving the efficiency of automated production. Moreover, by integrating container positioning and reagent weighing into a single system, the entire system becomes more practical. Attached Figure Description

[0029] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a container positioning and liquid dispensing system for use with a mobile robot, provided by the present invention.

[0030] Figure 2 This refers to the pressure information matrix of the pressure sensors on the pressure sensor array after being compressed, and the binarized image data after binarizing the pressure information matrix.

[0031] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram showing how the pressure sensor array is divided into several regions. Detailed Implementation

[0032] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0033] like Figure 1 As shown, a container positioning and dispensing system used in conjunction with a mobile robot includes a positioning system and a dispensing system.

[0034] The positioning system includes a pressure sensor array 10, a signal acquisition module 20, and a computer module 30. The computer module 30 is equipped with a container 3D library and is connected to the mobile robot 40.

[0035] The pressure sensor array 10 includes a number of pressure sensors 11 arranged with fixed row spacing and column spacing. When the container 70 is placed on the pressure sensor array 10, the pressure sensors 11 pressed by the container 70 are subjected to pressure, and the pressure data forms a pressure information matrix.

[0036] The signal acquisition module 20 is communicatively connected to the pressure sensor array 10 and is used to receive the pressure information matrix and send the data to the computer module 30.

[0037] The computer module 30 is used to receive the pressure information matrix, and after converting and analyzing the pressure information matrix, determine whether there is a container 70 on the pressure sensor array 10. If there is a container 70, further analysis is performed on the various data of the container 70 on the pressure sensor array 10.

[0038] The liquid preparation system includes a liquid preparation robotic arm module and a liquid storage module. The liquid preparation robotic arm module is used to transfer the reagents in the liquid storage module to the container 70 located on the pressure sensor array 10.

[0039] This positioning system locates the container 70 by checking whether each pressure sensor 11 receives pressure. Simultaneously, the computer module 30 analyzes the pressure information matrix and combines it with the container 3D library within the computer module 30 to accurately determine the precise pose of the mobile robot 40 when grasping the container 70. This method can be used for positioning regardless of whether the container 70 is transparent or opaque, or whether it is made of glass or non-glass materials. Furthermore, since the pressure sensors 11 can display the magnitude of the applied pressure in real time, the amount of reagent can be calculated by observing the changes in pressure at the pressure sensors 11 during liquid transfer using the dispensing system, eliminating the need to weigh the reagent using a balance and weighing container.

[0040] The data of the containers 70 present on the pressure sensor array 10 include: the number of containers 70, the location of the containers 70 in the pressure sensor array 10, the weight of the containers 70, and the shape of the containers 70.

[0041] The process by which computer module 30 transforms and analyzes the pressure information matrix includes:

[0042] like Figure 2 As shown, the pressure information matrix is ​​binarized to obtain binarized image data. After performing connected component analysis on the binarized image data, the existence of container 70, the location of container 70 in the pressure sensor array 10, the number of containers 70, and the shape of container 70 are analyzed.

[0043] By analyzing the pressure information matrix, the coverage area of ​​the pressure sensor 11 corresponding to the pressure sensor array 10 of the container 70 is obtained, and the pressure data within the coverage area is accumulated to analyze the weight of the container 70.

[0044] When determining the position of container 70 on pressure sensor array 10, a two-dimensional coordinate system is first established on pressure sensor array 10, and the distance between the center points of adjacent pressure sensors 11 is used as the unit value. The coordinates of the center point of the pressure information matrix are used as the coordinates of container 70 to obtain the position of container 70 on pressure sensor array 10. The position data of container 70 is matched with the container three-dimensional template library to obtain the three-dimensional grasping point pose information of container 70, and the three-dimensional grasping point pose information is sent to mobile robot 40.

[0045] When establishing a two-dimensional coordinate system, the origin can be the center point of the pressure sensor array 10 or the center of any one of the pressure sensors 11 located at the four corners of the pressure sensor array 10. At the same time, since the mobile robot 40 is not usually located at the origin, the coordinates of the mobile robot 40 relative to the origin should also be recorded to facilitate the movement of the mobile robot 40.

[0046] The 3D gripping point pose information includes the coordinates of the container 70 on the pressure sensor array 10, the gripping height, and the gripping posture. The gripping height and gripping posture information are from the container 3D library.

[0047] The liquid dispensing robotic arm module includes a liquid dispensing robotic arm 51 and a liquid control module 52 fixed to the end of the liquid dispensing robotic arm 51 and detachably connected to the suction head 53.

[0048] The liquid storage module includes a liquid storage station 63, a pipette tip placement area 61 for placing new pipette tips 53, and a pipette tip disposal area 62 for collecting used pipette tips 53.

[0049] After taking a new pipette tip 53 from the tip placement area 61 and installing it on the liquid control module 52, the liquid dispensing robot arm 51 moves to first collect liquid from the storage station 63, and then transfer the liquid to the container 70 located on the pressure sensor array 10. After determining that the added reagent has reached the specified amount based on the change in the pressure information matrix, the pipette tip 53 is discarded into the tip discard area 62.

[0050] like Figure 3 As shown, the pressure sensor array 10 is divided into several regions, each region being used to place a container 70 of the same shape.

[0051] Even if the weight and bottom area of ​​the containers 70 are the same, the posture of the mobile robot 40 when grasping the containers 70 will be different when the containers 70 have different shapes. Therefore, by dividing the pressure sensor array 10 into several regions and placing the same shape of container 70 in each region, the accuracy of the mobile robot 40 in grasping the containers 70 can be improved.

[0052] In practical use, the container 70 is placed in a designated area on the pressure sensor array 10 according to its shape. The pressure data displayed by each pressure sensor 11 on the pressure sensor array 10 forms a pressure information matrix. The signal acquisition module 20 collects the data of the pressure information matrix and sends it to the computer module 30. The computer module 30 analyzes the pressure information matrix and converts it into binary image data. Then, it combines the information in the container's 3D library to determine the accurate grasping pose and sends the grasping pose data to the mobile robot 40. Subsequently, the liquid preparation system adds reagent to the container 70. When the reagent reaches the specified amount, the liquid preparation system stops adding liquid, the mobile robot 40 starts, moves to the designated position, and grasps the container 70 with an accurate grasping pose.

Claims

1. A container positioning and liquid dispensing system for use with a mobile robot, characterized in that, Including positioning system and liquid preparation system, The positioning system includes a pressure sensor array, a signal acquisition module, and a computer module. The computer module is equipped with a container 3D library and is communicatively connected to the mobile robot. The pressure sensor array includes several pressure sensors arranged with fixed row and column spacing. When a container is placed on the pressure sensor array, the pressure sensors pressed by the container are subjected to pressure, and the pressure data forms a pressure information matrix. The signal acquisition module is communicatively connected to the pressure sensor array and is used to receive the pressure information matrix and send the data to the computer module. The computer module is used to receive the pressure information matrix, and after converting and analyzing the pressure information matrix, determine whether there is a container on the pressure sensor array. If there is a container, further analysis is performed on the various data of the container on the pressure sensor array. The solution preparation system includes a solution preparation robotic arm module and a solution storage module. The solution preparation robotic arm module is used to transfer the reagents in the solution storage module to a container located on a pressure sensor array. The data of the containers present on the pressure sensor array include: the number of containers, the location of the containers in the pressure sensor array, the weight of the containers, and the shape of the containers; The process by which the computer module transforms and analyzes the pressure information matrix includes: The pressure information matrix is ​​binarized to obtain binarized image data. After performing connected component analysis on the binarized image data, the presence or absence of containers, the location of containers in the pressure sensor array, the number of containers, and the shape of containers are analyzed. The pressure information matrix is ​​analyzed to determine the pressure sensor coverage area of ​​the container on the pressure sensor array, and the pressure data within the coverage area is accumulated to analyze the weight of the container. When determining the position of a container on a pressure sensor array, a two-dimensional coordinate system is first established on the pressure sensor array, with the distance between the center points of adjacent pressure sensors as the unit value. The coordinates of the center point of the pressure information matrix are used as the coordinates of the container to obtain the position of the container on the pressure sensor array. The position data of the container is matched with the container's three-dimensional template library to obtain the three-dimensional grasping point pose information of the container, and the three-dimensional grasping point pose information is sent to the mobile robot. The three-dimensional grasping point pose information includes the container's coordinates on the pressure sensor array, grasping height, and grasping posture. The grasping height and grasping posture information are from a container 3D library.

2. The container positioning and liquid dispensing system for use with a mobile robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The liquid dispensing robotic arm module includes a liquid dispensing robotic arm and a liquid control module fixed to the end of the liquid dispensing robotic arm and detachably connected to the suction head.

3. The container positioning and liquid dispensing system for use with a mobile robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The liquid storage module includes a liquid storage station, a pipette tip placement area for placing new pipette tips, and a pipette tip disposal area for collecting used pipette tips.

4. The container positioning and liquid dispensing system for use with a mobile robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The pressure sensor array is divided into several regions, each region being used to place a container of the same shape.

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