Robotic transport system and method therefor

Abstract

To provide a robotic transport system including a drive section connected to a frame.SOLUTION: A robotic transport system includes: an articulated arm coupled to a drive section, the drive section providing the arm with arm motion in a collaborative space, corresponding to a frame, from a first location, in which the arm has a first shape, to another different location of the arm in the collaborative space in which the arm has another different shape; an electromagnetic affection envelope borne by the arm so that the electromagnetic affection envelope is defined by the arm and is close coupled and substantially conformal to at least part of a dynamic contour of each different arm shape of the arm; and a controller connected communicatively to the drive section and configured so that in response to detection of entry of a collaborative object into the electromagnetic affection envelope, the controller commands a change in at least one predetermined characteristic of the arm motion.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6A

Description

Technical Field

[0001] [Cross - Reference to Related Applications] This application is a non - provisional application of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 907,297, filed on September 27, 2019, claims the benefit thereof, and the entire disclosure thereof is incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] [Technical Field] The present disclosure generally relates to life science equipment, and more specifically to automated handling and processing of life science processing equipment.

Background Art

[0003] In one example, conventional operation of automated equipment used in a collaborative environment involves the use of physical and / or electronic barriers placed around the automated equipment to prevent interference with other automated equipment or human operations within the collaborative environment. Physical barriers may include enclosures, handrails, or other blockages that can restrict human access to the operation zone or area of the automated equipment. These physical barriers may be connected to the automated equipment and include switches or sensors that shut down the automated equipment upon breach of the physical barrier. In other aspects, an electronic barrier including a light curtain that can be connected to the automated equipment to shut down the automated equipment upon breach of the light curtain may be utilized.

[0004] These physical and / or electronic barriers are typically installed around at least a portion of the automated equipment and take a significant amount of time to set up, calibrate, and authenticate the physical and / or electronic barriers for use prior to operation of the automated equipment. Each time the automated equipment is moved to another location, the physical and / or electronic barriers are removed and reinstalled at the other location. Further, since the physical and / or electronic barriers are fixed at a predetermined position around at least a portion of the automated equipment, there may be ways to defeat the effectiveness of the barriers (e.g., climbing over fences or rails, passing through areas where there may be insufficient light curtain coverage).

[0005] In another example, a conventional collaborative laboratory space depends on an array of distance detection systems that are either fixed or replaceable (such as those present on an automated guided vehicle or robotic arm) and utilize wide-area lighting such as infrared lighting. In the case of infrared lighting, whether a fixed array or a replaceable array, all sensors (emitters) are either "lit" or otherwise activated to irradiate the entire coverage area of the array and detect all objects within the coverage area. Here, all objects within the coverage area are detected as to whether the object presents a possible or potential engagement object during the movement of the vehicle / robotic arm or a non-possible potential engagement object from the perspective of the movement of the vehicle or robotic arm.

[0006] "Verification of a collaborative workspace in a fixed verification area or the like" as described above (whether it is fixed in the sense of a physical / electronic barrier or a sensing array that detects / perceives the presence of any object within the verification area) is insufficient with respect to the available movements of the vehicle / robotic arm in that the collaboration between humans and the vehicle / robotic arm is disabled by the perception of any object. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007] The foregoing aspects and other features of the present disclosure are described in the following description obtained in connection with the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008]

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Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0009] Figures 1A - 1C illustrate an exemplary collaborative operating environment or space SPC according to an aspect of the present disclosure. Although aspects of the present disclosure are described with reference to the drawings, it should be understood that they can be embodied in many forms. Further, elements or materials of any suitable size, shape, or type can be used.

[0010] Aspects of the present disclosure provide a collaborative robot protection system that utilizes a radar sensor mounted on a collaborative robot for detecting obstacles and humans, for example, within a collaborative operating space SPC (a collaborative operating environment SPC that forms at least a part of a workspace environment WE). For example, the collaborative robot may include an articulated arm (such as one or more of the articulated arms 120, 172, 422, 510A, 510A' described herein) to which the radar sensor is attached. The articulated arm, in some aspects, is attached to and mounted on a relocatable cart, such as those described herein, to form an interchangeable station with a "plug and play" interface at different selectable workstations, and in other aspects, the articulated arm may form part of a variably configurable system with a selectably variable emergency station as described herein. The articulated arm is closely (i.e., dynamically with respect to the movement and shape of the robotic arm) coupled to the arm such that the scan of each radar sensor can be repeated alone based on the operating characteristics of the arm to enable a fast environmental scan or an environmental scan adapted to the operating characteristics of the articulated arm (whether a continuous wave scan or a repetitive pulse scan). Thus, in one aspect, each movable part of the articulated arm may carry a number of radar sensors for generating respective electromagnetic affection envelopes.

[0011] The detection information from each radar sensor can be used individually, in groups, or as a whole as input to any suitable control device of the articulated arm to determine whether the articulated arm can move from its current position to the target position. The control device can be configured to use the detection information from the radar sensor, for example, to determine a change in the trajectory of a given articulated arm due to an obstacle or a person within the path of the given articulated arm's trajectory.

[0012] In one aspect, the radar sensor can be a millimeter wave (mmWave) radar sensor, but in other aspects, any suitable sensor may be utilized. As described herein, the control device uses the input from the millimeter wave radar sensor and, based on the input from the millimeter wave radar, can result in obstacle avoidance and trajectory planning of the articulated arm, adjustment of the trajectory of the articulated arm during a process, and / or prediction of the movement of a collaborative occupant (e.g., a person or other automation) and detection of the collaborative occupant.

[0013] According to an aspect of the present disclosure, a fast / adjusted scan of the electromagnetic action envelope provides a selective positioning of an articulated arm (which can be placed on a movable cart, e.g., mounted on the cart) to an existing station or an emergency station within a collaborative space having different and variable topological characteristics (e.g., aspects of the present disclosure enable changes regarding the addition / removal of workstations and / or the addition / removal / replacement of carts equipped with the articulated arm).

[0014] Referring to FIGS. 1A and 1B, in one aspect, a collaborative operating space SPC is provided for the robotic processing system 100. One or more mobile carts 110A - 110F of the robotic processing system 100 are disposed within the collaborative operating space SPC. The robotic processing system 100 may also include an automation system 170 disposed within the collaborative operating space SPC to which one or more mobile carts 110A - 110F are operably interfaced. Each of the mobile carts 110A - 110F may include a robotic transfer arm 120, 422, one or more workpiece holding stations 140A, 140B, an operator interface 150, and one or more other suitable instrumentation, processing, and / or storage devices suitable for interfacing with the (one or more) workpieces handled by the robotic processing system 100. As can be understood, a user or operator can directly access one or more regions of the collaborative operating space SPC (e.g., interface 150, one or more holding stations 140A, 140B, or other locations on mobile cart 110), and such access can sometimes occur simultaneously with or coexist with the operation of the robotic transfer arms 120, 172, 422 within the collaborative operating space SPC (see also FIG. 1C below). For example, the operator may place or remove a workpiece on or from the holding stations 140A, 140B in anticipation of the robotic removal of that workpiece as a mode of collaborative operation with the robotic transfer arms 120, 422, 172. Thus, in some aspects, the robotic transfer arms 120, 422, 172 and the operator collaborate within the collaborative operating space SPC. In one aspect, each of the mobile carts 110A - 110F includes one or more datum surfaces or features DF that are in a known spatial relationship with sensors (or other detectable features) of the respective mobile carts 110A - 110F.In one aspect, the feature portions (such as the robotic transfer arm 120, the workpiece holding stations 140A, 140B, and any other instrumentation / equipment) of each of the mobile carts 110A - 110F are in a known relationship with one or more datum surfaces or features DF, where the robotic processing system 100 includes, for example, an apparatus or tool for transmitting a signal indicating the position of the feature portions of the mobile carts to an automation system as described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2011 / 0270445, published on November 3, 2011, entitled "Instrument Turntable and Method for Use", the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. In one aspect, the one or more datum surfaces or features DF are detected by a collaborative robot protection system 1550 (FIG. 5) for automated calibration / setting of system components with respect to the operation with the robotic transfer system 1500 (either the robotic arm / conveyor described in FIG. 5 or any of the robotic arms / conveyors described herein, one or more of which include a collaborative robot protection system such as those described herein with respect to at least FIG. 5).

[0015] In one aspect, the automation system 170 includes any suitable robotic transfer arm 172 for accessing one or more features of one or more mobile carts 110A - 110F. In one aspect, the robotic transfer arm can be a horizontal articulated robotic arm (scalar arm), or any other articulated arm suitable for transporting workpieces within the collaborative space SPC. For example, the robotic transfer arm 172 can be configured to access workpiece holding stations 140A, 140B, interface with robotic transfer arms 120, 422, or interface with / access any other suitable instrumentation / processing equipment of one or more mobile carts 110A - 110F, as described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2011 / 0270445, published on November 3, 2011, titled "Instrument Turntable and Method for Use", the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. In one aspect, the automation system 170 is configured as a cluster tool and has a hexagonal configuration in which six mobile carts are operably interfaced with six facets of the automation system 170. In other aspects, the automation system 170 can have any number of facets (e.g., pentagonal, octagonal, rectangular, etc.) such that any suitable number of mobile carts 110A - 110F can be operably interfaced with the automation system 170. In other aspects, two or more robotic processing systems can be operably coupled to each other in any suitable manner as described in U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 689,986, filed on August 29, 2017 (and published on March 1, 2018 as U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2018 / 0056528), U.S. Patent No. 7,560,071, U.S. Patent No. 8,734,720, and U.S. Patent No. 8,795,593, the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0016] Referring to FIG. 1C, another collaborative operation space SPC is illustrated in an experimental facility 100A that may include at least one auto-navigating robotic processing vehicle 500, 600 and at least one processing station 11110, 11120. In one aspect, the experimental facility 100A may be substantially similar to that described in U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 265,258, filed on February 1, 2019, entitled "Auto-navigating Robotic Processing Vehicle", the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. The at least one processing station 11110, 11120 may be a human-operated processing station and / or an automated processing station. As described herein, the auto-navigating robotic processing vehicles 500, 600 include a processing section 510 having a number of different processing modules 510A-510G. Each of the different processing modules 510A-510G has a different predetermined laboratory processing function with different predetermined functional characteristics corresponding to the processing modules 510A-510G. The different processing modules 510A-510G and their respective functions can be automatically selected to provide pre-processing or pre-processing conditions for laboratory samples and / or sample holders for processing at the at least one processing station 11110, 11120, either independently of the movement of the vehicle or in combination with the movement of the vehicle. For example, pre-processing conditions that may be performed by the at least one auto-navigating robotic processing vehicle 500, 600 include, but are not limited to, storage of sample trays, sample tray lids, conveyance and direct or indirect handover of laboratory equipment (e.g., vacuum heads, brushes, Bunsen burners, microscopes, brooms, processing tools and / or supplies, sample trays, etc.) to a human 199 and / or automated processing equipment at the processing stations 11110, 11120, and cleaning of animal cages, laboratory benches, etc.Examples of processes that can be performed by at least one automatically-navigated robotic processing vehicle 500, 600 include, but are not limited to, removal of a sealing film from a sample and / or sample tray, reading of identification information such as a sample and / or sample tray, liquid pipetting, tube capping and decapping.

[0017] In one aspect, at least one automatically-navigated robotic processing vehicle 500, 600 provides service to individual processing stations 11110, 11120, and the processing stations 11110, 11120 have manual processes that are input / output of automatic items (e.g., tools, samples, trays, etc.) or are performed / enabled / monitored / and or controlled by a human 199 (e.g., via a user interface). In one aspect, at least one automatically-navigated robotic processing vehicle 500, 600 is configured to provide, on the automatically-navigated robotic processing vehicle 500, 600, all compatible (e.g., appropriate) equipment (e.g., a "processing payload" that may include process modules, peripherals, and / or consumables for a station attendant, or a "workpiece payload" that may include samples and sample trays for a station attendant) for performing tasks at a given processing station 11110, 11120. As an example, the automatically-navigated robotic processing vehicle 500, 600 can be configured and loaded for individual tasks such that all compatible equipment is carried by a single automatically-navigated robotic processing vehicle 500, 600 and individual tasks (e.g., that can be station functions) are fully completed with the single automatically-navigated robotic processing vehicle 500, 600 and the items carried thereon.

[0018] At least one automatically navigating robotic processing vehicle 500, 600 can also provide or otherwise generate repeatable or "substantially identical" processing steps at each different, human-influenced processing station 11110, 11120 (having a general type of station processing function including one or more manual steps, such as processing subject to human influence including sterilization, accurate timing control, climate control, temperature control, unmanned use, remote control or monitoring). For example, the processing steps are performed by an automated machine iteration controlled by a programmable controller 590 of at least one automatically navigating robotic processing vehicle 500, 600 (see FIG. 2).

[0019] Still referring to FIG. 1C, the processing stations 11110, 11120 can be linearly arranged with one or more process tools 11150-11155, including but not limited to electronic pipettes, microplate dispensers, media preparation modules (e.g., sterilization and dispensing of sample media), environmental control modules (e.g., refrigeration, freezer, incubator, clean environment, hood, etc.), storage modules, and centrifuges. FIG. 1C illustrates human processing stations 11110, 11120 that may or may not include automated processing, but it should be noted that aspects of the present disclosure are not limited to human processing stations 11110, 11120. For example, at least one automatically navigating robotic processing vehicle 500, 600 can also be configured to enable one or more predetermined laboratory processing functions at a processing station of an automated configurable processing tool, such as those described above with respect to FIGS. 1A and 1B in a manner somewhat similar to that described in U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 265,258, filed Feb. 1, 2019, entitled "Auto-navigating Robotic Processing Vehicle," which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

[0020] Referring to FIG. 2, an automatically navigated robotic processing vehicle 500 is illustrated in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. The automatically navigated robotic processing vehicle 500 includes a carriage 501 having a frame 501F, an autonomous drive section 550, a processing section 510, and a control device 590.

[0021] The autonomous drive section 550 is connected to the frame 501F and is configured to traverse (e.g., move) the carriage 501 that effects movement of the vehicle on and across a facility floor 180 (e.g., see FIGS. 1A and 1C), where at least one processing station 11110, 11120 (FIG. 1C) and / or one or more automation systems 170 (FIGS. 1A and 1B) are arranged to process laboratory samples and / or sample holders. An autonomous navigation section 551 of the automatically navigated robotic processing vehicle 500 is communicatively connected to the autonomous drive section 550 so as to effect movement of the autonomous navigation vehicle by the autonomous drive section 550 on the facility floor 180. The autonomous navigation section 551 may include any suitable sensors (e.g., line tracking, inertial navigation, GPS, stereo sensors, etc.), and / or programming such that the automatically navigated robotic processing vehicle 500 moves along the facility floor 180 and interfaces with tools formed by a human 199 (FIG. 1C) and / or processing modules 11151-11155 (FIG. 1C) of the processing stations 11110, 11120, or the automation system 170 (FIGS. 1A and 1B).

[0022] In one aspect, the autonomous navigation section 551 is configured such that the robot handling vehicle 500 for automatic navigation moves through the human access zone 175 (FIG. 1C) where the human 199 exists on the facility floor 180 to at least one of the processing stations 11110, 11120 (FIG. 1C) and / or the automation system 170 (FIGS. 1A and 1B). As an example, the robot handling vehicle 500 for automatic navigation is a collaborative vehicle such that at least a part of the autonomous navigation section 551 and the processing section 510 includes any suitable sensors for detecting the torque / force applied by a suitable speed control unit and the automation of the robot handling vehicle 500 for automatic navigation (e.g., the processing section 510 and / or the autonomous drive section 550), and for sensing obstacles in the path of the robot handling vehicle 500 for automatic navigation. In one or more aspects, the obstacle detection system of the robot handling vehicle for automatic navigation may be substantially similar to the collaborative robot protection system 1550 (FIG. 5) described herein, where the millimeter wave radar sensor maps the collaborative space SPC and increases / decreases the detection range in response to the presence of an object in the collaborative space SPC. In other aspects, the collaborative robot protection system 1550 may form part of the obstacle detection system of the robot handling vehicle 500 for automatic navigation and at least partially provide navigation of the robot handling vehicle 500 for automatic navigation through the collaborative space SPC.

[0023] An example of collaboration between an automatically navigated robotic handling vehicle 500 and a human 199 is when the automatically navigated robotic handling vehicle 500 is configured to move within a processing zone 176 on a facility floor 180 where at least one processing station 11110, 11120 is disposed in the processing zone 176, and a human access zone 175 is disposed in at least a portion of the processing zone 176 to provide human access to a common portion 11110C of at least one processing station 11110, 11120 engaged by a robotic arm 510A of the automatically navigated robotic handling vehicle 500. In one aspect, the automatically navigated robotic handling vehicle 500 via the robotic arm function, and the human 199 provide a collaborative function for a common portion 11110C of at least one processing station 11110, 11120, where the human 199 and the automatically navigated robotic handling vehicle 500 work together to complete tasks such as, for example, changing a pipetting head at the common portion 11110C of at least one processing station 11110, 11120 where the robotic arm 510A delivers the pipetting head to the human 199. In another aspect, the automatically navigated robotic handling vehicle 500 via the robotic arm function, and the human 199 provide a common function for a common portion 11110C of at least one processing station 11110, 11120, such as, for example, the robotic arm function automatically changes the pipetting head at the common portion 11110C of at least one processing station 11110, 11120, while the human 199 operates a pipetting tool to transfer a sample, for example, to / from a sample tray (using the pipetting head installed by the automatically navigated robotic handling vehicle 500).

[0024] In another aspect, the autonomous navigation section 551 is configured such that the robot processing vehicle 500 that automatically navigates moves through the human access zone 175 on the facility floor 180 to at least one processing station 11110, 11120 (FIG. 1C) and / or the (one or more) automation systems 170 (FIGS. 1A and 1B), where the human access zone 175 is secured to block human access to the human access zone 175. In this aspect, the robot processing vehicle 500 that automatically navigates may or may not include collaborative automation such as that described herein. The human access zone 175 may be secured to block human access in any suitable manner, such as by a physical barrier, a light curtain (e.g., that shuts down at least one robot processing vehicle that automatically navigates within the human access zone when broken), and may include any suitable interlock that can shut down at least one robot processing vehicle that automatically navigates within the human access zone when the interlock is not engaged.

[0025] The processing section 510 is connected to the carriage frame 501F and carried thereby, and includes a number of different processing modules 510A - 510G. Each of the different processing modules 510A - 510G has a different predetermined laboratory processing function with different predetermined functional characteristics corresponding to the processing modules 510A - 510G. For example, the processing modules 510A - 510G may include one or more robotic arms 510A, a sample tray lid remover 510B, a pipetting head module 510C (a suitable example of a pipetting head can be found in U.S. Patent No. 9,623,405 issued on April 18, 2017, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference), an end effector processing module 510D, a sample tray carousel 510E, a barcode scanner 510F (FIG. 3A), a sample plate orientation module 510G (FIG. 3A), and / or other suitable sample processing equipment and / or tools. The sample tray carousel 510E may be substantially similar to that described in U.S. Patent Application No. 62 / 625,809 filed on February 2, 2018, entitled "Robotic Processing System", and U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 265,273 filed on February 1, 2019, entitled "Robotic Processing System", the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. Each of the different processing modules 510A - 510G and their corresponding predetermined functions can be automatically selected (such as by a method substantially similar to that described in U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 265,258 filed on February 1, 2019, entitled "Auto-navigating Robotic Processing Vehicle", the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference) to automatically provide one or more (such as those described above) pre-treatments or pre-treatment conditions for laboratory samples and sample holders for processing at at least one of the processing stations 11110, 11120 and / or the processing stations of the automation system 170, using the corresponding predetermined functions, independently of or in combination with the movement of the vehicle.

[0026] Referring to FIGS. 1C and 2, the control device 590 is communicatively connected to each of the different processing modules 510A - 510G so as to automatically select at least one of the different processing modules 510A - 510G, and the corresponding predetermined functions of the selected at least one processing module automatically bring about pre - processing or pre - processing conditions and the processing of at least one of the processing stations 11110, 11120 based on the identification of the moving position of the autonomous navigation robot processing vehicle 500 (such as the position of the processing station on the facility floor 180). In one aspect, the control device 590 is configured to cause the autonomous navigation vehicle to move from an initial position (such as a charging position or any other suitable position) on a facility floor 180 different from the identified position to the identified moving position (such as the positions of the processing stations 11110, 11120 on the facility floor 180). The control device 590 may also be engaged with and enabled for an operation that defines pre - processing or pre - processing conditions using a predetermined processing function of a first robotic arm, and configured to bring about the operation of a processing station related to the pre - processing or pre - processing conditions using a predetermined processing function of a second robotic arm. For example, the control device 590 enables picking up a manual tool such as ultraviolet light from an initial position or other suitable position, and may send the ultraviolet light to the processing stations 11110, 11120, where the control device uses the ultraviolet light held by the robotic arm 510A to effect disinfection of the processing stations 11110, 11120. The control device may also be communicatively connected to a radar sensor mounted on the robotic arm 510A so as to at least partially form a collaborative robot protection system, as described in more detail herein.

[0027] In one aspect, the control device 590 is configured (e.g., with any suitable non-transitory computer program code) to receive a command that identifies the moving position of the automatically navigating robotic processing vehicle 500 from any suitable laboratory control device (e.g., a personal computer, mobile device, and / or tablet computer, etc., collectively referred to as the remote device 668; see FIG. 3A), where, as described above, the moving position corresponds to at least one of the processing stations 11110, 11120 and / or the automation system 170. The control device 590 may also be configured to effect an automatic change in a predetermined processing function of the robotic arm. For example, the control device 590 may cause the anthropomorphic end effector 515C to be selected at the robotic arm end 515 such that the robotic arm 510A can open the door at the processing stations 11110, 11120, and then cause the tube gripping end effector 515A to be selected to transfer the sample tube through the opened door at the processing stations 11110, 11120.

[0028] In one aspect, at least one of the processing stations 11110, 11120 and / or the automation system 170 can have various applications such as, but not limited to, assay development, laboratory services, animal cage washing, mouse colony management, etc., for general laboratory operator / technician applications (e.g., that can correspond to pre-processing and / or pre-processing conditions). In other aspects, the various applications can also include sample replication, sample acquisition, DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) extraction and sequencing, cell culture operator, operator for work in BSL (Biosafety Level) 3 and 4 laboratories, clinical laboratory operator (e.g., sample collection and / or chemical synthesis operator), and / or any other suitable laboratory applications. Separate automatically-navigated robotic processing vehicles 500 may be provided for each of these various applications, where each of the automatically-navigated robotic processing vehicles 500 may have a robotic arm, end effector, shelf configuration, environmental housing, etc., different from other automatically-navigated robotic processing vehicles 500. For example, an automatically-navigated robotic processing vehicle 500 may be configured to perform laboratory services and, as described above, be equipped with pipetting heads 517A - 517C, end effectors 515A - 515C, sample tray carousel 510E, and sample tray lid remover 510B, and perform pre-processing (e.g., removal of the sealing film from the tray / sample, reading of tray / sample identification, etc.) and / or pre-processing conditions (e.g., removal and storage of the tray lid, disinfection, etc.) at at least one of the processing stations 11110, 11120.

[0029] Referring now to FIGS. 3A - 3C, an automatically-navigated robotic handling vehicle 600 is illustrated. The automatically-navigated robotic handling vehicle 600 may be substantially similar to the above-described automatically-navigated robotic handling vehicle 500, but may be configured for different processing and / or application of pre-processing conditions than the automatically-navigated robotic handling vehicle 500. In this aspect, the automatically-navigated robotic handling vehicle 600 includes a carriage 501' and an autonomous drive section 550' separable from the carriage 501. In this aspect, the carriage 501 may be a collaborative carriage that can be moved across at least a portion of a facility floor 180 (FIGS. 1A and 1C) by a human 199 (FIG. 1C) using any suitable handle 610 coupled to a carriage frame 501F', and / or by the autonomous drive section 550'. In this aspect, the robotic arm 510A' may be a different type of arm than the robotic arm 510A of the automatically-navigated robotic handling vehicle 500 to provide movement of a different number of degrees of freedom and / or a different type of articulated arm to effect processing or pre-processing conditions at at least one of the processing stations 11110, 11120. In other aspects, the robotic arm of the automatically-navigated robotic handling vehicle 600 may be the same arm as the arm 510A.

[0030] As optimally illustrated in FIG. 3C, the self-driving section includes one or more carriage engagement features 621-626 configured to couple with corresponding engagement features 627 on the underside of the carriage frame 501F'. The one or more carriage engagement features 621-626 may include any other suitable connection that, when kinematically connected, electrically connected, fluidly connected, and / or connected, results in one or more of the movement of the self-driving section 550' and the carriage 501' as a unit, power supply to one or more of the processing modules 510A-510G, provision of communication between the control device 590 and one or more of the processing modules 510A-510G, and otherwise, one or more of the preprocessing or preprocessing conditions performed by one or more of the processing modules 510A-510G. In one aspect, power, a fluid flow source, and control commands may be provided to the carriage 501' by the self-driving section 550'. In another aspect, the carriage 501' may include one or more of a power source and a fluid flow source. In one aspect, each of the carriage 501' and the self-driving section 550' may include control devices 590A, 590B that may communicate with each other or operate independently of each other to traverse the carriage 501' along the facility floor 180 and operate one or more of the processing modules 510A-510G.

[0031] The self - driving section 550’ includes any combination of at least one pair of drive wheels 650B and any suitable number of caster wheels 650A. The carriage 501’ includes a pair of fixed (e.g., non - pivotable about a vertical axis) wheels 660B and a pair of caster (e.g., pivotable about a vertical axis) wheels 660A (or any suitable combination of fixed and caster wheels, or all caster wheels, or all fixed wheels). The self - driving section 550’ can be configured, by a coupling engagement between the self - driving section 550’ and the carriage 501’, not to lift the wheels 660A, 660B of the carriage 501’ from the facility floor 180. Here, the weight of the carriage 501’ can be at least partially supported by the wheels 660A, 660B of the carriage 501’ when the self - driving section 550’ is coupled to the carriage 501’. The wheels 660A, 660B of the carriage 501’ and the wheels 650A, 650B of the self - driving section 550’ can be configured such that the self - driving section 550’ can traverse the carriage 501’ along the facility floor 180 in a straight - line movement around a corner or along any other suitable movement path. In one aspect, the wheels can be configured such that the self - driving section can pivot the carriage 501’ without substantially traversing it in a straight line.

[0032] In one aspect, the autonomous drive section 550' may include a coupling feature drive 670 that moves the carriage engagement features 621-626 in a direction 671 toward and away from the carriage 501' for coupling and decoupling with a corresponding coupling feature 627 of the carriage 501'. In other aspects, the coupling between the carriage engagement features 621-626 and the corresponding coupling feature 627 may be implemented in any suitable manner (e.g., using an actuating clamp, a pin, etc.). In one aspect, the autonomous drive section 550' may include any suitable sensors 628A, 628B for detecting any suitable feature of the carriage 501' to align the carriage engagement features 621-626 and the corresponding coupling feature 627 (e.g., via the movement of the autonomous drive section 550').

[0033] Referring to FIG. 4A, in one aspect, the robotic processing systems 100, 100A may be disposed in any suitable collaborative operating space SPC. In one aspect, the collaborative operating space SPC is a space in which at least a portion of the robotic processing system 100A collaborates with a human operator 199 (see FIG. 1C) to perform tests and experiments. In other aspects, the space in which the robotic processing system 100 operates may be substantially free of human operators (see FIGS. 1A and 1B). When the operating space SPC is collaborative, a human operator can directly access one or more regions of the collaborative operating space SPC (e.g., a position on a moving cart, any suitable workpiece holding position, etc.), and sometimes such access can be performed simultaneously with or coexist with the operation of the robotic transport arm 120 (also referred to herein as a robot or robotic arm) within the collaborative operating space SPC. For example, an operator may place a workpiece on a workpiece holding station or remove a workpiece from a workpiece holding station in anticipation of a robotic pick-up of the workpiece as a mode of collaborative operation with the robotic transport arm 120. Thus, the robotic transport arm 120 and the operator collaborate within the collaborative operating space SPC in several aspects.

[0034] In one aspect, robotic processing systems 100, 100A include a dock frame 499 and at least one dock frame module 4150. The dock frame 499 includes at least one docking interface 499A, and the at least one docking interface 499A is configured to connect and interface their laboratory instruments and storage cabinets (e.g., mobile carts 110A - 110F, automated, at least partially, robotic processing vehicles 500, 600, or any other suitable replaceable carts, tables, racks, and instrumentation provided thereto, such as those described in U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 265,273, filed on February 1, 2019, titled "Robotic Processing System", the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference) to the dock frame 499 via the docking interface 499A so as to operably couple at least one of them to the dock frame 499.

[0035] Referring to FIGS. 4A and 4B, each of at least one dock frame module 4150 is interchangeable with at least another dock frame module 4150 and has a control feature 499CONT (FIG. 4A) having a predetermined relationship between a reference datum 4150D of the dock frame module 4150 and a reference datum 499D of the dock frame 499. In one aspect, the reference datum 499D of the dock frame 499 can be a position established by a seating surface 499S of the dock frame 499 (wherein, for example, a docking interface seats) and control features 499CONT (such as, for example, as pins or openings 499C and / or surfaces 499DS) of the docking interface 499S. The reference datum 4150D of the dock frame module 4150 can be disposed at any suitable position on the dock frame module 4150 with reference to which the operation of the dock frame module 4150 is referenced. For example, the reference datum 4150D of the dock frame module 4150 can be an attachment position of the robot 120, an attachment position of the nest 900 (for holding, for example, a sample or other labware), or another position on the dock frame module 4150 at which the position of the robot 120 and / or the nest 900 is determined (wherein, for example, the robot 120 and / or the nest 900 has a known spatial relationship with the reference datum 4150D).

[0036] A connection unit 450 (FIG. 4B) may be provided to connect one dock frame module 4150 to another dock frame module 4150 to form or otherwise define a spine structure 410 having a variably elongated configuration. The connection unit 450 includes a first end 450E1 and a second end 450E2, each of which forms a docking interface 499B that mates with a docking interface 499A. For example, the docking interface 499B on each end 450E1, 450E2 has a control feature 499B that forms a reference datum of the connection unit 450. The control feature aligns the first dock frame module 4150 with the docking interface 499A on the first end 450E1 of the connection unit 450 and the second dock frame module 4150 with the docking interface 499A on the second end 450E2 of the connection unit 450. By mating the docking interface 499B on the first end 450E1 of the connection unit 450 with the docking interface 499A of the first dock frame module 4150 and the docking interface 499B on the second end 450E2 of the connection unit 450 with the docking interface 499A of the second dock frame module 4150, the overall disclosure is hereby incorporated by reference into this specification. As described in, for example, U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 265,273, filed on February 1, 2019, and entitled "Robotic Processing System," the longitudinal length L of the spine structure 410 formed by the variably elongated configuration and the (one or more) dock frames 499 is selected by aligning the first and second dock frame modules 4150 with each other.

[0037] The coupling unit 450 may also have a predetermined distance between the seating surfaces 450S1, 450S2 of the docking interfaces 499B on the first and second ends 450E1, 450E2 such that the reference datums 450D of the first and second dock frame modules 4150 are in a predetermined known spatial relationship to each other. In other aspects, the docking interface 499A of the dock frame module 4150 may be configured to provide a substantially direct connection between the dock frame modules 4150 in any suitable manner that provides a predetermined known spatial relationship between the reference datums 450D of the first and second dock frame modules 4150. The known spatial relationship between different dock frame modules 4150 results in, for example, a controlled placement of robot slides (e.g., along which the robot 120 may traverse) or other processing equipment on different dock frame modules 4150, such that the robot slides or other processing equipment span two or more different dock frame modules 4150 in a predetermined known relationship to the reference datums 450D of the different dock frame modules 4150.

[0038] As described herein, the spine structure 410 formed by the (one or more) dock frames 499 has a selectably variable longitudinal length L. The selectably variable length L is selected by adding a dock frame module 4150 to another dock frame module 4150 or removing it from another dock frame module 4150. Here, the dock frames 499 of each dock frame module 4150, and the (one or more) docking interfaces 499A included therewith, are arranged to provide true compatibility between the dock frame modules 4150. For example, the dock frame 499 may be provided with position and tilt control surfaces and features FL1, FL2, FT1, FT2 (represented in FIG. 4A). In one aspect, the position and tilt control surfaces and features FL1, FL2, FT1, FT2 may be disposed on the docking interface 499A or formed by the docking interface 499A, but in other aspects, the position and tilt control surfaces and features FL1, FL2, FT1, FT2 may be formed by any suitable portion of the dock frame 499. The position and tilt control surfaces and features FL1, FL2, FT1, FT2 can be of any suitable type, such as kinematic coupling features (e.g., control features 499CONT in the form of pins or apertures 499C and / or surfaces 499DS) or any other suitable relaxed coupling features that affect the alignment between two components.

[0039] The position and tilt control surfaces and features FL1, FL2, FT1, and FT2 are configured to repeatedly position one dock frame 499 (and corresponding dock frame module 4150) relative to another dock frame 499 (and corresponding dock frame module 4150). The position and tilt control surfaces and features FL1, FL2, FT1, and FT2 are also configured to repeatedly place the mobile carts 110A - 110F, the automatically-navigated robotic handling vehicles 500, 600, or any other suitable (mobile, stationary, or fixed) replaceable cart, table, and / or rack onto the dock frame 499 (and corresponding dock frame module 4150). As described above, the coupling unit 450 (FIG. 4B) can be utilized to connect two dock frames 499 together and includes a docking interface 499B that mates with the docking interface 499A of the dock frame 499. The mobile carts 110A - 110F, the automatically-navigated robotic handling vehicles 500, 600, or any other suitable (mobile, stationary, or fixed) replaceable cart, table, and / or rack can also include a docking interface 499B (see, e.g., FIGS. 1, 2, 3A). The docking interfaces 499B of the mobile carts 110A - 110F, the automatically-navigated robotic handling vehicles 500, 600, or any other suitable (mobile, stationary, or fixed) replaceable cart, table, and rack each include position and tilt control surfaces and features similar to those described above. The docking interface 499B of the coupling unit 450 can also include position and tilt control surfaces and features FT1, FT2 that are substantially similar to those described above.

[0040] As an example, the position and tilt control surfaces and features 499CONT of the docking interface 499A on the dock frame 499 define the positioning reference base / datum 499D of the dock frame 499, and the mating interface 499B with the docking interface 499A of the connection unit 450, or the moving carts 110A-110F, the automatically navigated robotic handling vehicles 500, 600, or any other suitable (moving, stationary or fixed) replaceable carts, tables, and racks, in order to position the connection unit 450, or the moving carts 110A-110F, the automatically navigated robotic handling vehicles 500, 600, or any other suitable (moving, stationary or fixed) replaceable carts, tables, racks relative to the dock frame 499 by placing the connection unit 450, or the moving carts 110A-110F, the automatically navigated robotic handling vehicles 500, 600, or any other suitable (moving, stationary or fixed) replaceable carts, tables, and racks and providing a kinematic (or relaxed) pose to the connection unit 450, or the moving carts 110A-110F, the automatically navigated robotic handling vehicles 500, 600, or any other suitable (moving, stationary or fixed) replaceable carts, tables, racks for repeatedly positioning the connection unit 450, or the moving carts 110A-110F, the automatically navigated robotic handling vehicles 500, 600, or any other suitable (moving, stationary or fixed) replaceable carts, tables, racks relative to the dock frame 499.

[0041] In one aspect, each of the mobile carts 110A - 110F, each of the automated-navigating robotic handling vehicles 500, 600, and / or any other suitable (mobile, stationary, or fixed) exchangeable carts, tables, and racks includes one or more datum surfaces or features (such as those similar to those of the docking interface 499B above) in a known spatial relationship to the sensors (or other detectable features) of the respective mobile carts 110A - 110F. In one aspect, the features of each mobile cart 110A - 110F (such as robotic transfer arms, workpiece holding stations, and any other instrumentation / equipment) are in a known relationship to one or more datum surfaces or features, where the robotic handling systems 100, 100A include, for example, an apparatus or tool for transmitting a signal indicating the position of the features of the mobile cart to the dock frame module 4150, as described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2011 / 0270445, published Nov. 3, 2011, entitled "Instrument Turntable and Method for Use", the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein. Here, the docking interface 499B of the mobile carts 110A - 110F, the automated-navigating robotic handling vehicles 500, 600, and / or any other suitable (mobile, stationary, or fixed) exchangeable carts, tables, and racks substantially automatically sets the position of the mobile carts 110A - 110F relative to the apparatus or tool (such as the dock frame 499 and the corresponding dock frame module 4150).Automated navigation robotic handling vehicles 500, 600, and / or any other suitable (mobile, stationary or fixed) replaceable carts, tables, and / or racks may be similarly configured, where the docking interface 499B of the automated navigation robotic handling vehicles 500, 600, and / or any other suitable (mobile, stationary or fixed) replaceable carts, tables, and / or racks sets the position of the automated navigation robotic handling vehicles 500, 600, and / or any other suitable (mobile, stationary or fixed) replaceable carts, tables, and / or racks relative to the device or tool (such as the dock frame 499 and the corresponding dock frame module 4150) substantially automatically, and the table support surface or the support of the rack has a predetermined known spatial relationship with the docking interface 499B.

[0042] The predetermined known spatial relationships between the processing components disposed on their respective docking interfaces 499A, 499B of the dock frame module 4150, the connection unit 450, the mobile carts 110A - 110F, the automatically navigated robotic processing vehicles 500, 600, or any other suitable (mobile, stationary or fixed) replaceable cart, table, and / or rack result in true compatibility between these components, and upon connection of the docking interfaces 499A, 499B, the position of one component relative to another is set substantially automatically. In one aspect, the docking interfaces 499A, 499B include provisions for substantially automatically connecting air, gas, communication, and power between the dock frame 499 and other dock frames 499, the connection unit 450, the mobile carts 110A - 110F, the automatically navigated robotic processing vehicles 500, 600, or any other suitable (mobile, stationary or fixed) replaceable cart, table, and / or rack. In one aspect, signals indicating the positions of the features of the above-mentioned mobile carts 110A - 110F, the automatically navigated robotic processing vehicles 500, 600, or any other suitable (mobile, stationary or fixed) replaceable cart, table, and / or rack, or the connection unit 450 can be communicated to the dock frame 499 via the connection of the docking interfaces 499A, 499B such that the presence of each component (and any processing equipment thereon) is communicated to the processing equipment of the dock frame module 4150 (e.g., automatic registration of carts, etc., and processing equipment thereon by the dock frame module and processing components disposed thereon).

[0043] In one aspect, referring to FIG. 4A, the robotic processing systems 100, 100A include any suitable control system 457 for operating the processing equipment within the robotic processing systems 100, 100A. In one aspect, the control system 457 is formed by one or more of a dock frame controller 457D, a robot controller 457R, a storage carousel controller 457S, a cart controller 457C, and any other suitable controller for any suitable processing equipment forming part of the robotic processing systems 100, 100A. The different controllers of the control system 457 may be suitable for both the hard and soft real-time computing requirements in automation equipment, and the connections between the controllers (at least regarding different dock frame modules 4150, mobile carts 110A-110F, automated-navigate robotic processing vehicles 500, 600, or any other suitable (mobile, stationary or fixed) replaceable cart, table, and / or rack, and connection unit 450) are communicatively coupled to each other via a controller area network (CAN) bus architecture provided by the connection of the docking interfaces 499A, 499B of the respective components, and may be an interlocking control device having control modules. In one aspect, the connection unit 450 may be a pass-through module without a controller through which air, gas, communication, and power can pass through the connection unit 450 without being affected by the connection unit 450.

[0044] The robotic processing system 100 may also be provided with a common power supply 458, a common air supply unit 456, and / or a common gas supply unit 459. For example, one or more of the common power supply 458, the common air supply unit 456, and the common gas supply unit 459 may be connected to the docking frame module 4150 of the robotic processing systems 100, 100A via a docking interface 499A or other suitable connection. Power, air, and / or gas may be supplied throughout the spine structure 410 formed by the dock frame 499 via the connection formed by the docking interface 499A (e.g., from the docking module 4150 to the docking module 4150). Power, air, and / or gas may also be supplied to the mobile carts 110A - 110F, the robotically processed vehicles 500, 600 with autonomous navigation, or any other suitable (mobile, stationary, or fixed) replaceable cart, table, and / or rack that is connected to the spine structure 410 via the connection formed between the docking interface 499A of the docking frame module 4150 and the respective docking interfaces 499B of the mobile carts 110A - 110F, the robotically processed vehicles 500, 600 with autonomous navigation, or any other suitable (mobile, stationary, or fixed) replaceable cart, table, and / or rack.

[0045] Referring to FIGS. 4A and 4B, docking interfaces 499A, 499B provide zero footprint docking (e.g., when docked, one component can be substantially directly abutted against another component). In other aspects, docking interface 199A' may be substantially similar to that described in U.S. Patent No. 8,734,720, entitled "AUTOMATED TESTING SYSTEM ARRANGEMENTS USING DOCKING STATION," issued on May 27, 2014, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. In one aspect, one or more of docking interfaces 499A, 499B may be extendable (docking interface 499A is shown as extendable in FIG. 4B for illustrative purposes). For example, docking interface 499A may include a seating surface interface member 499A1 and a component interface member 499A2, which are movable relative to each other in direction 177 so as to move towards and away from each other (see FIG. 4B). Any suitable guide member 499G may be provided such that the movement between seating surface interface member 499A1 and component interface member 499A2 is a controlled guided movement so as to maintain a known predetermined spatial relationship between control feature 499CONT disposed on component interface member 499A2 and datum surface 499S of dock frame 499 (and the datum thereby established), and as a result, repeatable positioning of components of robot processing systems 100, 100A is maintained in the manner described above. In one aspect, guide member 499G may be a tweezer type guide member (see FIG. 4B), a linear slide, a piston, etc. In one aspect, the relative movement between seating surface interface member 499A1 and component interface member 499A2 may be biased such that seating surface interface member 499A1 and component interface member 499A2 are biased together or biased apart.In other aspects, the relative movement between the seating surface interface member 499A1 and the component interface member 499A2 can be manually performed so as to manually adjust the distance between the seating surface interface member 499A1 and the component interface member 499A2. By providing the extendable docking interfaces 499A, 499B, an optimal distance suitable for a given laboratory process is provided between one or more of the mobile carts 110A-110F, the automatically-navigated robotic handling vehicles 500, 600, or any other suitable (mobile, stationary, or fixed) replaceable cart, table, and / or rack (e.g., for illustrative purposes only, mobile cart 110D is configured as a storage cart having a holder for laboratory equipment and a robot extending therefrom, and the positions of the holder for laboratory equipment and the robot are set using the extendable docking interface 499A, see FIG. 1A).

[0046] Referring now to FIG. 5, the transfer arms 120, 172, 422, 510A, 510A' described herein are generally represented by the robotic transfer system 1500. As described herein, the robotic transfer system 1500 can be disposed on a stationary (e.g., non-mobile) platform (e.g., automation system 170, etc.) and / or a mobile cart (including automated / electric carts such as the automated-navigating robotic handling vehicles 500, 600 (FIGS. 2 and 3) and the non-electric mobile cart 110 (FIGS. 3A-3C) pushed by a human or other automation). Here, the robotic transfer system 1500 can have any suitable robotic arm 1532 including, but not limited to, a horizontal articulated robotic arm 1510 (a scalar arm, an example of which is illustrated in FIGS. 6A and 6B, having at least a rotational arm movement and a linear arm movement about the shoulder axis SX) and an articulated arm 1520 (an example of which is illustrated in FIGS. 7A-7D, each arm link 710-712 having at least three degrees of freedom as indicated by the arrows illustrated in FIG. 7A). Various types of robotic arms are collectively illustrated in FIG. 5 as the robotic arm 1532. Generally, the robotic transfer system 1500 includes a frame 1530 (which can be a mobile cart frame, an automation system frame, or any other suitable frame such as those described above), a drive section 1531, and the robotic arm 1532. The drive section 1531 is connected to the frame 1530.

[0047] The robot arm 1532 is operably coupled to a drive section 1531 so that the drive section 1531 drives the movement of the robot arm 1532 to provide arm movement of the robot arm 1532 in at least one axis of motion (e.g., a linear axis (or multiple linear axes) of motion and / or a rotational axis (or multiple rotational axes) of motion) for moving at least a portion of the robot arm 1532 within a collaborative space SPC corresponding to the frame 1530. For example, the robot arm 1532 includes an articulated arm portion 1504 (e.g., arm links, and an end effector, etc.) operably coupled to a drive section that provides the above-described arm movement to the articulated arm. In one aspect, such as when the articulated arm 1532 is mounted on a cart, the at least one axis of motion moves at least a portion of the articulated arm portion within the collaborative space (e.g., corresponding to a selectably variable cart position of the cart-mounted articulated arm). In an aspect of the present disclosure, the movement of the robot arm 1532 is from a first position where the robot arm has a first shape (see, e.g., different shapes 1690, 1695, 790, 795, 796 of the robot arm in FIGS. 6A-7D) to another different position of at least a portion of the robot arm 1532 within the collaborative space SPC where the robot arm has another different shape (again, see, e.g., different shapes 1690, 1695, 790, 795, 796 of the robot arm in FIGS. 6A-7D). The shape of at least a portion of the robot arm 1532 at the first position is different from the different shape of the robot arm 1532 at another different position.

[0048] As described above, for example, a collaborative robot protection system 1550 is provided for detecting obstacles and humans within a collaborative operation space SPC. In one aspect, a cart to which a robot arm 1532 is attached defines a plurality of selectable and adaptable sensing zones, namely, an electromagnetic sounding zone 1601 and an electromagnetic affection envelope / zone 1600, by means of an integrated electromagnetic sensor system (e.g., the collaborative protection system 1550). In this way, the collaborative robot protection system 1550 provides both a “wide” electromagnetic “sounding” zone / volume (also referred to as an area) 1601 and a bot arm “affection” envelope 1600 that is closely coupled to the contour of the robot arm 1532 moving from one different position to another. The electromagnetic sounding zone / volume 1601, unlike the electromagnetic affection envelope 1600, covers substantially the entire collaborative space SPC. The electromagnetic sounding zone / volume 1601, unlike the electromagnetic affection envelope 1600, is separate and encompasses substantially the entire electromagnetic affection envelope 1600 for each different shape of the robot arm 1532 (whether the robot arm is mounted on a cart or is at a fixed station) and for each position of the robot arm 1532 within the collaborative space SPC. The electromagnetic sounding zone / volume 1601 comprehensively includes at least a part of, and in some aspects, all of, the collaborative space SPC so as to cover the maximum range of movement of the available robot arm 1532 (where the movement of the robot arm can be according to the number of degrees of freedom of the robot arm and / or the configuration of the station to which the robot arm is interfaced). In one aspect, the electromagnetic sounding zone / volume 1601 is dynamically positioned (e.g., moves with the cart) and initialized from a selectable and variable cart (such as the cart described herein to which the robot arm 1532 is attached). As described herein, the electromagnetic sounding zone / volume 1601 is mapped to the topology of the collaborative space SPC associated with the position of the robot arm 1532 and / or the available movement of the robot arm 1532.Mapping of the topology of the collaborative space (e.g., position of devices / objects, type of devices, features / surfaces of devices / objects, etc.) can be performed by the cart on which the robotic arm 1532 is mounted moving (either automatically or manually) through the collaborative space SPC.

[0049] In one aspect, the electromagnetic exploration zone / volume 1601 is defined by at least one of the electromagnetic emitters 1501 carried by the cart-mounted robotic arm 1532. In one aspect, the electromagnetic exploration zone / volume 1601 is defined by at least one other electromagnetic emitter 1501A different from the electromagnetic emitter 1501 carried by the cart-mounted robotic arm 1532. In one aspect, the different electromagnetic emitter 1501A is attached to the cart 110 (also refer to FIGS. 3B, 3C, vehicles 500, 600) carrying the cart-mounted robotic arm 1532. As can be understood, the different electromagnetic emitter 1501A can be attached to a fixed station (refer to the automatic station 170) carrying the robotic arm 1532. Also as can be understood, the receiver 1502A can be disposed on the cart carrying the robotic arm, the fixed station, or any other suitable position in the collaborative space SPC for receiving the reflected radiation from the emitter.

[0050] Electromagnetic exploration results in a mapping of the topology of a variably configurable collaborative space SPC that is dynamically based on the position of a cart that is at least partially variably selectable. The electromagnetic exploration explores with electromagnetic waves reflected from objects (humans, experimental equipment, carts, etc.) within the collaborative space SPC so as to detect the topology / surface of the objects within the electromagnetic exploration zone / volume 1601 (see, e.g., FIGS. 1A, 1C, and 6B), thereby forming a zone / volume (e.g., the electromagnetic exploration zone / volume 1601). The electromagnetic exploration zone / volume 1601 is generated by an electromagnetic emitter 1501 (or the emitter of the emitter / receiver 1503) mounted on the cart-mounted robotic arm 1532, and is configured to cover a predetermined volume of the collaborative space SPC such that collaborative objects within the predetermined volume cooperate with the electromagnetic emitter 1501 (or the emitter within the emitter / receiver 1503) and are detected by an electromagnetic sensor (e.g., receiver 1502, 1502A or the receiver within the emitter / receiver 1503). For example, the electromagnetic emitter 1501 is distributed at least in part on the robotic arm 1532 (e.g., attached to the joint portion of the robotic arm), and is oriented to radar sound the space SPC in each direction away from the robotic arm 1532, substantially aligned with each directional component of the movement of at least that part of the robotic arm 1532 that moves from a first position to another different position, by a number of millimeter-wave radar sensors / emitters 1501M.

[0051] The robot arm working envelope results in the arm movement characteristics of the cart-mounted robot arm 1532 (as described herein) for interaction with objects within the working envelope 1600. The electromagnetic working envelope 1600 is defined by the robot arm 1532 in one or more states in which at least a portion of the robot arm 1532 moves from a first position to a different position and the robot arm 1532 changes shape from a first shape to a different shape, and is closely coupled to and substantially conforms to at least the dynamic contour portions of each different arm shape of the robot arm 1532 and is generated by the electromagnetic emitter 1501 (or the emitter of the emitter / receiver 1503). In one or more aspects, the electromagnetic working envelope 1600 is such that the contour of the electromagnetic working envelope 1600 set to a predetermined range limit from the robot arm 1532 is dynamically defined by the robot arm 1532 in one or more states in which at least a portion of the robot arm 1532 moves from a first position to a different position and the robot arm 1532 changes shape from a first shape to a different shape, and substantially corresponds to each different arm shape of the robot arm 1532 and is generated by a network of electromagnetic exploration waves from the electromagnetic emitter 1501 (or the emitter of the emitter / receiver 1503) (see, for example, FIGS. 6A-7D).

[0052] In another aspect, such as when the robotic arm 1532 is attached to a fixed station (such as FIGS. 1A and 1B), the fixed station provides both a "wide" electromagnetic "exploration" and a bot-arm "action" envelope closely coupled to the profile of the robotic arm 1532 during movement from a first position to another different position in a manner similar to the above, defining an integrated electromagnetic sensor system (e.g., a collaborative protection system 1550), where the electromagnetic exploration results in a mapping of the topology of a variably configurable collaborative space that is dynamically based on a variably selectable number of carts that can be coupled to the fixed station. Here, the cart and / or the fixed station define an integrated electromagnetic sensor system via the robotic arm 1532, which is interchangeably selected for connection to the cart so as to configure the cart with different degrees of freedom for the movement, trajectory, and / or function of different robotic arms.

[0053] As described above, the collaborative protection system 1550 includes at least an electromagnetic emitter 1501 configured to generate at least an electromagnetic action envelope 1600, receivers 1502, 1502A, and / or an integrated sensor 1503 (e.g., having both emitter / receiver) (Figs. 6A-6C and Figs. 7A-7D), where the electromagnetic action envelope 1600 can be a subset of the workspace environment WE in which the robotic arm 1532 operates. In one aspect, at least the electromagnetic emitter 1501 is carried by the robotic arm 1532 (e.g., attached to and carried by the robotic arm 1532). In one aspect, the receiver 1502A is located at a predetermined off-board position of the robotic arm 1532 within the collaborative space SPC (e.g., but not limited to, on a collaborative object including a human, another robotic arm, a cart, etc. that receives radiation from the electromagnetic emitter and results in the detection of the collaborative object, or at a fixed position such as a wall or cabinet of the collaborative space where the intervention of the collaborative object between the electromagnetic emitter and the receiver also results in the detection of the collaborative object), while in other aspects, both the electromagnetic emitter 1501 and the receiver 1502 (and / or the integrated sensor 1503) are carried by the robotic arm 1532. The electromagnetic emitter 1501 carried by at least the robotic arm 1532 provides the electromagnetic action envelope 1600, and the electromagnetic action envelope 1600 is defined by the robotic arm 1532 in one or more states where at least a portion of the robotic arm 1532 (or the articulated arm portion 1504 of the robotic arm 1532) moves from a first position to another different position and the articulated arm changes its shape from a first shape to another different shape, and is closely coupled to (e.g., moves and changes shape with the robotic arm 1532) and substantially conforms to at least a part of the dynamic contour of each different arm shape of the robotic arm 1532. In one or more aspects, the receivers 1502, 1502A are disposed within the collaborative space to receive the reflected radiation and sense the collaborative object within the electromagnetic action envelope therefrom.

[0054] Referring to FIG. 5 and briefly to FIGS. 6A-6C and 7A-7D, the electromagnetic emitter 1501, receivers 1502, 1502A, and / or integrated sensor 1503 can be configured as millimeter wave radar components (e.g., emitter, receiver, and / or sensor) attached to the articulation portions of the robotic arm 1532. The electromagnetic actuation envelope 1600 is defined by a network of millimeter wave radar beams (represented by the field of view FOV shown in FIGS. 6A-6C and 7A-7D) generated by electromagnetic emitters 1501 (and / or emitter / receiver 1503 and emitter 1501A and receiver 1502A) disposed at a plurality of articulation portions 1610-1612 (FIG. 6A), 710-712 (FIG. 7A) of the robotic arm 1532 (note that the emitter 1501, sensor 1503, etc. are generally shown as sensor 1500S in FIGS. 6A-7D for illustrative purposes). In one aspect, each of the articulation portions 1610-1612, 710-712 of the robotic arm 1532 having different kinematic motions has a plurality of millimeter wave radar emitters / sensors forming at least a portion of a number of sensors that form a network of millimeter wave radar beams.

[0055] At least two adjacent electromagnetic emitters 1501 (and in some embodiments, receivers 1502, and in other embodiments, integrated sensors 1503) have overlapping emitter / receiver / sensor fields of view FOV, while in other embodiments, each field of view FOV of each emitter / receiver / sensor overlaps with the field of view FOV of an adjacent emitter / receiver / sensor. The overlapping fields of view FOV provide substantially complete sensor coverage of the workspace environment WE (FIGS. 1A and 1C) of substantially the entire collaborative space SPC, although in some embodiments, there may be regions of the workspace environment WE that do not need to be monitored by the collaborative robot protection system 1550 (e.g., adjacent to a wall, adjacent to a zone where human access is restricted, or adjacent to a portion of the workspace environment 1532 that has a fixed configuration without the presence of humans where the robot arm 1532 operates), whereby the emitter / receiver / sensor may not be provided on a particular portion of the robot arm 1532. A number of (i.e., regularly spaced, grouped or arranged) emitters / receivers / sensors may be disposed on the robot arm 1532 with overlapping field of view FOV coverage to obtain the desired sensor coverage while omitting coverage of undesirable regions of the workspace environment 1532.

[0056] Referring again to FIG. 5, the collaborative protection system 1550 also includes any suitable communication system 1508 that couples the electromagnetic emitter 1501, receivers 1502, 1502A, and / or integrated sensor 1503 to, for example, the controller 1533 of the robot transport system 1500, or any other suitable controller that communicates with the controller 1533. The communication system 1508 can be a controller area network 1508A, an EtherCAT® network, or any other suitable communication network for transmitting data between the electromagnetic emitter 1501, receivers 1502, 1502A, and / or integrated sensor 1503 and the controller 1533. Note that the requirements for an EtherCAT® network are standardized in the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) standards 61158 and 61784, as well as the Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International (SEMI®) standard E54.20, and can be suitable for both the hard and soft real-time computing requirements in automation equipment. The communication system 1508 can also include any suitable number of neural networks 1509 coupled to the electromagnetic emitter 1501, receivers 1502, 1502A, and / or integrated sensor 1503. The (one or more) neural networks 1509 are illustrated and described as part of the communication system 1508, but in other embodiments, the (one or more) neural networks 1509 can be present within the controller 1533 such that data output from the electromagnetic emitter 1501, receivers 1502, 1502A, and / or integrated sensor 1503 is processed by a controller implementing the neural network 1509 (wherein the reference herein to the controller 1533 refers to any suitable (one or more) processors and memories for processing and storing any suitable data generated by the electromagnetic emitter 1501, receivers 1502, 1502A, and / or integrated sensor 1503 and for operating the robot arm 1532).

[0057] In one aspect, each of the electromagnetic emitter 1501, receivers 1502, 1502A, and / or the integrated sensor 1503 has its own neural network. Each neural network is trained in any suitable way to detect various types of obstacles (such as humans, mobile cart 110, autonomous navigation robotic handling vehicles 500, 600, other robotic arms, etc.) that may be encountered within the workspace environment WE and the collaborative operation space SPC that forms at least a part of the workspace environment WE. The data received by the control device 1533 from the electromagnetic emitter 1501, receivers 1502, 1502A, and / or the integrated sensor 1503 (processed by each respective neural network in one aspect) can be utilized by the control device 1533 for the operation of the robotic arm 1532. In one aspect, the data output from the receivers 1502, 1502A is processed by the control device 1533 that implements a suitable neural network 1509A (see FIG. 5) that can be used in combination with or instead of the neural network 1509.

[0058] The control device 1533 operably selects the electromagnetic emitter 1501, the receivers 1502, 1502A, and / or the integrated sensor 1503, and is communicatively connected to the electromagnetic emitter 1501, the receivers 1502, 1502A, and / or the integrated sensor 1503 (for example, each one of them may be called a millimeter wave radar sensor) so as to select a radar emission direction from a number of independently selectable radar emission directions defined (via positions / places on the robotic arm 1532) by the electromagnetic emitter 1501, the receivers 1502, 1502A, and / or the integrated sensor 1503 based on at least one directional component of the movement of at least the part of the robotic arm 1532 that moves (for example, one or more directions corresponding to left, right, up, and / or down of the links of the robotic arm 1532). The control device 1533 commands the drive section 1531 in response to detection of the approach of an object in the cooperation space to at least the part of the robotic arm 1532 that moves from the radar emission by the selected one of the electromagnetic emitter 1501, the receivers 1502, 1502A, and / or the integrated sensor 1503, and is configured to affect a predetermined kinematic or dynamic characteristic of the movement of at least the part of the robotic arm 1532 that moves. In one aspect, the selected radar emission direction is limited to dynamically selected limited regions of the cooperation space (see the various fields of view FOV and the electromagnetic action envelope 1600 in FIGS. 6A-7D) such that it is defined by a direction substantially aligned with each of at least one directional component of the movement of the robotic arm 1532 or a part thereof (such as an arm link or an end effector). The selected limited regions of the cooperation space SPC (defined by one or more fields of view of the selected sensor) each substantially correspond to each of at least one directional component of the movement, whereby each of the parts of the robotic arm 1532 that move from a first position to a different position through each arm position (see FIGS. 6A-7D) traverses substantially the whole of the selected limited regions of the cooperation space SPC.

[0059] Referring to FIGS. 5, 1A, 1C, 6A and 6B, in one aspect, the control device 1533 is communicatively connected to the receivers 1502, 1502A and / or the emitter / receiver 1503 (e.g., sensors) to detect the presence of a cooperating object (e.g., a human 199, a vehicle 500, etc. (see FIG. 1C)) in a predetermined volume defined as 1601V (i.e., of the electromagnetic exploration zone / volume 1601). The control device 1533 is communicatively connected to the electromagnetic emitter 1501 and / or the emitter / receiver 1503 and is configured to dynamically form an electromagnetic action envelope 1600 based on the detection of the presence of a cooperating object within the predetermined volume 1601V. The control device 1533 is configured to dynamically form the boundary of the electromagnetic action envelope 1600 (e.g., see boundary 1600BD in FIG. 6B) based on the detection of the presence of a cooperating object within the predetermined volume 1601V. In one aspect, the control device 1533 is configured to dynamically change the form (e.g., shape, size, etc.) of the boundary 1600BD of the electromagnetic action envelope 1600 based on the detection of the presence of a cooperating object. As an example, the depth DP of the electromagnetic action envelope 1600 can be increased when an object is detected (either by detection within the electromagnetic action envelope 1600 or by detection within the electromagnetic exploration zone / volume 1601) so as to provide a properly sized object detection zone for predicting and tracking the movement of the object. Additionally, referring to FIG. 6C as an example, the robotic arm 1532 can rotate in the direction 1699, where the millimeter wave radar sensor disposed on the side surface 1532S1 of the robotic arm 1532 is activated to detect an object within the movement direction 1699 (e.g., the millimeter wave radar sensor disposed on the side surface 1532S2 of the robotic arm 1532 may be deactivated and the electromagnetic action envelope 1600 extends only from the side surface 1532S1).The control device 1533 can determine that an object has entered the electromagnetic detection zone / volume 1601 behind the robotic arm (e.g., with respect to the moving direction 1699), and activate the millimeter-wave radar sensor arranged on the side surface 1532S2 to track the movement of the object with respect to the robotic arm 1532 such that the electromagnetic action envelope 1600 extends from both side surfaces 1532S1, 1532S2 of the robotic arm 1532.

[0060] In one aspect, the control device 1533 is communicatively connected to one or more sensors (e.g., emitters and / or receivers) that are operable with the electromagnetic detection zone 1601, and the control device 1533 is configured to register changes in the presence of cooperating objects within a predetermined volume 1601V of the electromagnetic detection zone / volume 1601 and dynamically change the shape of the electromagnetic action envelope 1600 in response to the registered changes. For example, registered changes in the presence of cooperating objects within the electromagnetic detection zone, such as when a new cooperating object is detected or when a cooperating object moves closer to the robotic arm 1532, can result in an increase in the size of the electromagnetic action envelope 1600, while the electromagnetic action envelope 1600 can decrease in size when a cooperating object is registered as moving away from the robotic arm 1532 or out of the electromagnetic detection zone / volume 1601. In other aspects, the shape of the electromagnetic action envelope can change in any suitable manner when the control device 1533 records changes in the presence of cooperating objects. For example, the direction in which the electromagnetic action envelope 1600 extends can change in a manner similar to the above in response to the detection of an object within the electromagnetic detection zone / volume 1601 (e.g., with respect to the upper, lower, and side surfaces of the arm links and end effector).

[0061] In one aspect, the control device 1533 is configured to change the form of the electromagnetic action envelope 1600 based on a direction defined by a registered change in the presence of a collaborative object within a predetermined volume 1601V that is related to the direction of movement of at least a part of the moving multi-joint arm portion or the direction of the planned movement. For example, when the movable part of the robot arm 1532 is moving towards a collaborative object (when the presence of the collaborative object within the predetermined volume 1601V changes), the electromagnetic action envelope 1600 increases in size / depth in the direction of the arm movement towards the collaborative object, such that, for example, the control device 1533 can detect an intrusion of the collaborative object within the electromagnetic action envelope 1600 in time sufficient to change the arm movement characteristics in response to the detection. As another example, when the collaborative object is registered to move from the front of the robot arm 1532 to the back of the robot arm 1532, the electromagnetic action envelope at the back of the robot arm 1532 can be increased in size to detect the collaborative object in order to enable the trajectory planning of the robot arm 1532, taking into account the registered change in the presence of the collaborative object. In other aspects, the control device can increase the number of times of switching between the monitoring 1580 of the workspace environment and the monitoring 1581 of the electromagnetic action envelope so as to track a change in the movement of the collaborative object based on a registered change in the presence of the collaborative object and adjust the form of the electromagnetic action envelope 1600 accordingly (i.e., the frequency of switching increases).

[0062] In one aspect, emitters 1501, 1501A and receivers 1502, 1502A (and / or emitter / receiver 1503) are common to and operable with both the electromagnetic exploration zone / volume 1601 and the electromagnetic interaction envelope 1600, and the control device 1533 is configured to selectively switch between the generation of the electromagnetic exploration zone / volume 1601 and the generation of the electromagnetic interaction envelope 1600 so as to effect a change in the form of the electromagnetic interaction envelope 1600. In other aspects, the sensors associated with the electromagnetic exploration zone / volume 1601 may be different from the sensors associated with the electromagnetic interaction envelope 1600. For example, the sensors associated with the electromagnetic exploration zone / volume 1601 may be infrared sensors, optical sensors, or other suitable sensors different from the radar sensors of the electromagnetic interaction envelope 1600, where the sensors of the electromagnetic exploration zone / volume 1601 may be disposed on the robotic arm 1532 or on the cart / station to which the robotic arm 1532 is attached.

[0063] As an example of changing the form of the electromagnetic action envelope 1600 and switching between the electromagnetic action envelope 1600 and the electromagnetic exploration zone / volume 1601, the control device 1533 is configured to control the output intensity of the radar beam of the electromagnetic emitter 1501 and / or the integrated sensor 1503 in order to expand and / or contract one or more fields of view FOV of the electromagnetic emitter 1501 and / or the integrated sensor 1503. For example, the electromagnetic emitter 1501 and / or the integrated sensor 1503 may include any suitable component (such as a gain amplifier, etc.) that can be adjusted to expand or contract the field of view FOV of the respective electromagnetic emitter 1501 and / or the integrated sensor 1503. By expanding or contracting the field of view FOV, one or more of both the monitoring 1580 of the workspace environment and the monitoring 1581 of the electromagnetic action envelope are provided. The monitoring 1580 of the workspace environment can provide an overall calibration of the workspace environment to the control device 1533, while the monitoring 1581 of the electromagnetic action envelope can provide an adjustment of one or more predetermined characteristics of at least a part of the robotic arm 1532 as described herein.

[0064] For example, the control device 1533 can expand the output intensity of the radar beam so as to expand one or more fields of view of the electromagnetic emitter 1501 and / or the integrated sensor 1503 from a local field of view FOV (FIG. 6A) that provides monitoring 1581 of the electromagnetic action envelope to the boundary of the workspace environment (such as to include processing equipment within the workspace environment WE that the robotic arm 1532 may encounter) and to a workspace field of view WFOV (FIG. 6B) that provides monitoring 1580 of the workspace environment (such as via the electromagnetic “exploration” zone / volume 1601). In an aspect of the present disclosure where the robotic arm 1532 is attached to a mobile cart (driven by automation such as the automated robotic handling vehicles 500, 600 for autonomous navigation or pushed by a human), the mobile cart can be moved around the workspace environment WE such that the workspace field of view WFOV moves through substantially the entire (or any desired portion) of the workspace environment WE (such as where the field of view of the workspace changes dynamically).

[0065] In one aspect, referring also to FIG. 6B, the control device 1533 is programmed such that the depth DP of the electromagnetic action envelope 1600 between the set outermost detection boundary 1600BD of the electromagnetic action envelope 1600 and the robot arm 1532 is selectively variable according to a predetermined characteristic of at least a portion of the robot arm 1532 (e.g., link, end effector, etc.) during movement. In another aspect, the control device 1533 is programmed such that the depth DP of the electromagnetic action envelope 1600 between the set outermost detection boundary 1600BD of the electromagnetic action envelope 1600 and the robot arm 1532 is dynamically variable according to a predetermined characteristic of at least a portion of the robot arm 1532 during movement. At least one predetermined characteristic of the arm movement is, in one aspect, at least one of the curve 1590 of the path, the shape 1592 of the trajectory, the kinematic parameters 1593, and the dynamic parameters 1594 of at least a portion of the multi-joint arm during movement from a first position to another different position (see FIG. 5). As a non-limiting example, the depth DP of the electromagnetic action envelope 1600 can be increased as the movement speed of the arm increases and decreased as the movement speed of the arm decreases (or vice versa). As another non-limiting example, the depth DP of the electromagnetic action envelope 1600 can be increased as the curve of the path increases in radius and decreased as the curve of the path decreases (or vice versa).

[0066] The control device 1533 is communicably connected to the drive section 1531 and is configured to command at least one change in a predetermined characteristic of the arm movement in response to the detection of the intrusion of the cooperative object. The detection of the intrusion of the cooperative object is at least partially due to the movement of at least a portion of the robot arm 1532, where such movement causes the cooperative object to enter the electromagnetic action envelope 1600, and the contour of the electromagnetic action envelope 1600 depends on the movement of the robot arm 1532. In one aspect, the change in at least one predetermined characteristic of the arm movement is selected to avoid or prevent contact between the multi-joint arm and the cooperative object. For example, the control device 1533 may slow down or stop the movement of the robot arm 1532 in response to the detection of the cooperative object. The control device 1533 may change the trajectory of the robot arm 1532 in a direction away from the detected cooperative object in response to the detection of the cooperative object. The control device 1533 may change the torque of the drive section 1531 in response to the detection of the cooperative object. In other aspects, any suitable characteristic of the arm movement may be changed by the control device 1533 in response to the detection of the cooperative object.

[0067] A control device 1533 that utilizes the monitoring 1580 of a workspace environment via an electromagnetic exploration zone / volume 1601 is configured to map / calibrate the workspace environment WE and comprehensively calibrate a robotic arm 1532 based on, for example, workspace environment data acquired by an electromagnetic emitter 1501 and / or an integrated sensor 1503 operating in a workspace field of view WFOV. For example, the comprehensive calibration is such that when the robotic arm 1532 is moved from one position within the workspace environment WE (e.g., referring to position A in FIG. 1C) to another different position within the workspace environment WE (e.g., referring to position B in FIG. 1C), the control device 1533 can automatically re-calibrate the robotic arm 1532 for different positions within the workspace environment WE and can extend beyond the boundaries of the electromagnetic action envelope 1600. By the automatic re-calibration of the robotic arm 1532 based on the comprehensive calibration of the workspace environment WE, the control device 1533 automatically changes the way the robotic arm operates to interface with different cooperating devices and can automatically change the operating range such that the robotic arm 1532 moves, for example, to integrate into any desired position within the workspace environment WE without further teaching / setup of the robotic arm 1532 (e.g., when the comprehensive calibration of the workspace environment is performed). As an example, the control device 1533 is configured to map the workspace environment and generate a three-dimensional workspace model (FIG. 9, block 900). In one aspect, the control device 1533 maps the workspace environment WE via the electromagnetic exploration zone / volume 1601 when vehicles 500, 600 move through the workspace environment WE (such as when the robotic arm 1532 is mounted on a cart). In other aspects, the control device maps the workspace environment WE via the electromagnetic exploration zone / volume 1601 when carts 110A - 110F are connected to an automation system 170 (such as when the robotic arm 1532 is fixed and not mounted on a cart).The mapping of the workspace environment WE provides an identification of each part of the laboratory equipment and the holding positions of samples / laboratory wares (or any other suitable pick-up / placement positions and the items placed therein). In one aspect, the control device 1533 is configured to generate a three-dimensional workspace environment model 1582 (Figure 9, block 910) using data obtained from the mapping of the workspace environment WE. The three-dimensional workspace environment model 1582 can identify the datum reference positions of the laboratory equipment (such as datum DF, etc.) by comparing each part of the equipment within the three-dimensional workspace environment model 1582 with, for example, the predetermined computer-aided design (CAD) models of the respective equipment, so that the control device can determine the positions of each part of the laboratory equipment and the holding positions of samples / laboratory wares (or any other suitable pick-up / placement positions and the items placed therein) based on the datum reference positions and the predetermined dimensions of the laboratory equipment provided by the CAD models (Figure 9, block 920), and can be analyzed by the control device 1533. The control device 1533 is configured to automatically teach the robot arm 1532 the location of the holding positions of samples / laboratory wares by using the positions of the laboratory equipment, etc. in combination with the predetermined kinematic / dimensional characteristics of the robot arm 1532 (Figure 9, block 930). The pick-up / placement positions of samples / laboratory wares at the holding positions can be finely adjusted (e.g., adjusted) based on the monitoring 1581 of the electromagnetic action envelope (Figure 9, block 940).

[0068] Monitoring 1580 of the workspace environment via the electromagnetic exploration zone / volume 1601 by the control device 1533 also provides for automatic recalibration / teaching of the robotic arm 1532 (FIG. 9, block 950), such as when the robotic arm is attached to an automation system 170 (FIG. 1A) (e.g., stationary) and different carts are attached to the automation system 170. In one aspect, monitoring 1581 of the workspace environment results in the creation of a three-dimensional (3D) workspace environment model 1582 and / or a three-dimensional electromagnetic action envelope model 1583 by the control device 1533. The workspace environment model 1582 and / or the electromagnetic action envelope model 1583, along with known characteristics of the laboratory environment (e.g., known positional relationships between items / devices on the cart 110, known spatial relationships between different docked carts or laboratory stations, etc.), can be utilized by the control device 1533 to provide the above-described automatic calibration / teaching to one or more of the cart-mounted robotic arm and the fixed-station-mounted robotic arm.

[0069] In one aspect, the control device 1533 is configured to selectively generate the electromagnetic exploration zone 1601 so as to map the topological characteristics of a predetermined volume 1601V (as described herein) associated with a plan for moving the robot arm 1532 that moves at least a part of the articulated arm portion to and / or from at least one of a first position and another different position (see, for example, the sequence of arm movements illustrated in FIGS. 6A - 6C, the sequence of arm movements illustrated in FIGS. 7A and 7B, and the sequence of arm movements illustrated in FIGS. 7C and 7D) (FIG. 10, block 1000). Based on the mapped topological characteristics of the predetermined volume 1601V, the control device 1533 generates a trajectory of the robot arm 1532 within the predetermined volume 1601V from the first position and another different position (FIG. 10, block 1010). The mapping data of the topological characteristics of the predetermined volume 1601V obtained by the control device defines the basis for the trajectory planning of at least a part of the moving robot arm portion (for example, links, end effectors, etc.). As can be understood, the workspace environment model 1582 and / or the electromagnetic action envelope model 1583 can be used in any suitable manner to reflect / embodiment the topological characteristics of the predetermined volume 1601V and to result in a trajectory plan for at least a part of the robot arm portion moving within the collaborative workspace SPC by the control device 1533. For example, the movement of the robot arm 1532 can be calibrated to the electromagnetic exploration zone / volume 1601 and the mapped topology of the electromagnetic exploration zone / volume 1601 (for example, the characteristic parts of the working environment are taught to the robot arm 1532 as described herein). The control device 1533 is configured to plan the trajectory of the robot arm 1532 (FIG. 10, block 1010) and to plan a change in the form of the electromagnetic action envelope 1600 (as described herein) (for example, action envelope planning) (FIG. 10, block 1020) based on the movement constraints and object positions (for example, collaborative objects in the working environment, labware, etc.) determined from the mapped topology data.Examples of trajectory plans caused by the entry of an object / collaborative object into the electromagnetic exploration zone / volume 1601 and / or the electromagnetic action envelope 1600 include, but are not limited to, changes in the motion characteristics of the robotic arm 1532 (e.g., deceleration / stopping and / or acceleration of the arm speed, movement of the arm in an alternative trajectory away from the detected object, change / reduction of the motor torque, etc.).

[0070] As described herein, the electromagnetic action envelope 1600 is closely coupled to the robotic arm 1532 and adapts to the movement of the robotic arm 1532. The electromagnetic action envelope 1600 also interacts with the electromagnetic exploration zone / volume 1601 such that it is dynamic with respect to changes in the pose of the collaborative object registered by the electromagnetic exploration zone / volume 1601. Also as described herein, the control device 1533 is configured to selectively switch from the electromagnetic exploration zone / volume 1601 to the electromagnetic action envelope 1600 and change the characteristics of the electromagnetic action envelope 1600 based on the data obtained from the electromagnetic exploration zone / volume 1601.

[0071] Referring to FIGS. 5-8, an exemplary method for a robotic transport system is described in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. The robotic arm 1532 is provided to (FIG. 7, block 800) and operably coupled to a drive section 1531 to provide arm movement in at least one axis of motion that moves at least a portion of the robotic arm 1532 (e.g., the (one or more) articulated arm portions 1504) within the collaborative space SPC from a first position where the robotic arm 1532 has a first shape to another different position within the collaborative space SPC where the robotic arm 1532 has a different shape. The electromagnetic action envelope 1600 is defined by the robotic arm 1532 and closely coupled to and substantially conforms to at least a portion of the dynamic profile of each different arm shape of the articulated arm in one or more states of at least the portion of the robotic arm 1532 moving from a first position to another different position and the robotic arm 1532 changing shape from a first shape to a different shape, and is generated by an electromagnetic emitter 1501 mounted on the robotic arm 1532 (FIG. 8, block 810). In response to detecting an intrusion of a collaborative object into the electromagnetic action envelope 1600, at least partially due to the movement of at least the portion 1504 of the robotic arm 1532, a controller 1533 coupled to the drive section 1531 is used to command a change in at least one predetermined characteristic of the arm movement (FIG. 8, block 820). In one aspect, the reflected radiation is received by receivers 1501, 1502A (or the receiver 1503 of the emitter receiver) disposed within the collaborative space SPC (FIG. 8, block 830), from which a collaborative object within the electromagnetic action envelope is sensed. The controller 1533 selects a change in at least one predetermined characteristic of the arm movement to avoid or prevent contact between the robotic arm and the collaborative object (FIG. 8, block 840).

[0072] According to one or more aspects of the present disclosure, a robotic transport system includes a frame, a drive section connected to the frame, A multi-joint arm operably connected to a drive section, wherein the drive section moves at least a portion of the multi-joint arm within a cooperation space corresponding to a frame from a first position where the multi-joint arm has a first shape to another different position where the multi-joint arm has another different shape in at least one axis of arm movement, providing arm movement to the multi-joint arm, the multi-joint arm; An electromagnetic action envelope, wherein the electromagnetic action envelope is defined by the multi-joint arm in one or more states of at least the movement of a portion of the multi-joint arm from a first position to another different position and the change of the shape of the multi-joint arm from a first shape to another different shape, and is closely coupled to and substantially conforms to at least a part of the dynamic contour of each different arm shape of the multi-joint arm, an electromagnetic action envelope generated by an electromagnetic emitter mounted on the multi-joint arm; A control device, wherein the control device is communicably connected to the drive section and is configured to command a change in at least one predetermined characteristic of the arm movement in response to detection of an intrusion of a cooperation object into the electromagnetic action envelope caused at least in part by the movement of at least a portion of the multi-joint arm, the control device; Comprising.

[0073] According to one or more aspects of the present disclosure, at least one predetermined characteristic of the arm movement is at least one of a curve of a path of at least a portion of the multi-joint arm during movement from a first position to another different position, a shape of an orbit, a kinematic parameter, and a dynamic parameter.

[0074] According to one or more aspects of the present disclosure, the change in at least one predetermined characteristic of the arm movement is selected to avoid or prevent contact between the multi-joint arm and the cooperation object.

[0075] According to one or more aspects of the present disclosure, the electromagnetic emitter is a millimeter-wave radar emitter attached to a joint portion of the multi-joint arm.

[0076] According to one or more aspects of the present disclosure, the electromagnetic action envelope is defined by a network of millimeter-wave radar beams generated by electromagnetic emitters disposed at a plurality of joint portions of a multi-joint arm.

[0077] According to one or more aspects of the present disclosure, each joint portion of a multi-joint arm having different kinematic motions has a plurality of millimeter-wave radar sensors that form at least a part of a plurality of sensors forming a network of millimeter-wave radar beams.

[0078] According to one or more aspects of the present disclosure, the control device is programmed such that the depth of the electromagnetic action envelope between the set outermost detection boundary of the electromagnetic action envelope and the multi-joint arm is selectively variable according to a predetermined characteristic of at least a part of the multi-joint arm during movement.

[0079] According to one or more aspects of the present disclosure, the control device is programmed such that the depth of the electromagnetic action envelope between the set outermost detection boundary of the electromagnetic action envelope and the multi-joint arm is dynamically variable according to a predetermined characteristic of at least a part of the multi-joint arm during movement.

[0080] According to one or more aspects of the present disclosure, the robot transport system further includes a receiver disposed in the cooperation space to receive the reflected radiation and sense a cooperating object within the electromagnetic action envelope therefrom.

[0081] According to one or more aspects of the present disclosure, the output data from the receiver is processed by a control device implementing a neural network.

[0082] According to one or more aspects of the present disclosure, the robot transport system a frame, a drive section connected to the frame, A multi-joint arm operably connected to a drive section, the drive section corresponding to a frame, moving at least a portion of the multi-joint arm within a cooperation space from a first position where the multi-joint arm has a first shape to another different position of at least the portion of the multi-joint arm within the cooperation space where the multi-joint arm has another different shape, the multi-joint arm being provided with arm movement in at least one axis of movement, and the multi-joint arm, An electromagnetic action envelope, the electromagnetic action envelope being such that, in one or more states of at least a portion of the multi-joint arm moving from a first position to another different position and the multi-joint arm changing shape from a first shape to another different shape, a contour of the electromagnetic action envelope set to a predetermined range limit from the multi-joint arm is dynamically defined by the multi-joint arm and is generated by a network of electromagnetic exploration waves from electromagnetic emitters on the multi-joint arm so as to substantially correspond to each different arm shape of the multi-joint arm, and the electromagnetic action envelope, A control device, the control device being communicably connected to the drive section and configured to command a change in at least one predetermined characteristic of the arm movement in response to detection of an intrusion of a cooperation object into the electromagnetic action envelope passing through the contour, at least partially due to the movement of at least a portion of the multi-joint arm, and the control device, Comprising.

[0083] According to one or more aspects of the present disclosure, at least one predetermined characteristic of the arm movement is at least one of a curve of a path of at least a portion of the multi-joint arm during movement from a first position to another different position, a shape of an orbit, kinematic parameters, and dynamic parameters.

[0084] According to one or more aspects of the present disclosure, the change in at least one predetermined characteristic of the arm movement is selected to avoid or prevent contact between the multi-joint arm and the cooperation object.

[0085] According to one or more aspects of the present disclosure, the electromagnetic emitter is a millimeter-wave radar emitter attached to a joint portion of a multi-joint arm.

[0086] According to one or more aspects of the present disclosure, the electromagnetic action envelope is defined by a network of millimeter-wave radar beams generated by electromagnetic emitters arranged at a plurality of joint portions of a multi-joint arm.

[0087] According to one or more aspects of the present disclosure, each joint portion of a multi-joint arm having different kinematic motions has a plurality of millimeter-wave radar sensors forming at least a part of a plurality of sensors forming a network of millimeter-wave radar beams.

[0088] According to one or more aspects of the present disclosure, the control device is programmed such that the depth of the electromagnetic action envelope between the set outermost detection boundary of the electromagnetic action envelope and the multi-joint arm is selectively variable according to a predetermined characteristic of at least a part of the multi-joint arm during movement.

[0089] According to one or more aspects of the present disclosure, the control device is programmed such that the depth of the electromagnetic action envelope between the set outermost detection boundary of the electromagnetic action envelope and the multi-joint arm is dynamically variable according to a predetermined characteristic of at least a part of the multi-joint arm during movement.

[0090] According to one or more aspects of the present disclosure, the robotic transport system further includes a receiver arranged in the cooperation space to receive the reflected radiation and sense a cooperating object within the electromagnetic action envelope therefrom.

[0091] According to one or more aspects of the present disclosure, the output data from the receiver is processed by a control device implementing a neural network.

[0092] According to one or more aspects of the present disclosure, the robotic transport system a frame, A drive section connected to the frame, A multi-joint arm operably coupled to the drive section, wherein the drive section provides arm movement to the multi-joint arm in at least one axis of movement that moves at least a portion of the multi-joint arm within the cooperation space corresponding to the frame from a first position to another different position within the cooperation space. A multi-joint arm, A plurality of millimeter-wave radar sensors, wherein the plurality of millimeter-wave radar sensors are distributed at least over a portion of the multi-joint arm and are oriented to radar scan the cooperation space in each direction away from the multi-joint arm, substantially aligned with each directional component of the movement of at least the portion of the multi-joint arm moving from a first position to another different position. A plurality of millimeter-wave radar sensors, A control device, the control device being communicatively connected to the millimeter-wave radar sensors so as to selectively activate the millimeter-wave radar sensors and select a radar emission direction from a plurality of independently selectable radar emission directions defined by the millimeter-wave radar sensors based on at least one directional component of the movement of at least the portion of the multi-joint arm moving. The control device is configured to command the drive section so as to affect a predetermined kinematic or dynamic characteristic of the movement of at least the portion of the multi-joint arm moving in response to detection of an approach of an object in the cooperation space to at least the portion of the multi-joint arm moving from the radar emission by the selected millimeter-wave radar emission. A control device, Comprising.

[0093] According to one or more aspects of the present disclosure, the selected radar emission direction explores a dynamically selected limited region of the cooperation space that is limited to be defined by a direction substantially aligned with each of at least one directional component of the movement.

[0094] According to one or more aspects of the present disclosure, for a selected limited region of the cooperation space, each of the portions of the at least articulated arm that move from a first position to another different position through each arm position corresponds substantially entirely to each of at least one directional component of the movement such that each of the portions of the at least articulated arm traverses substantially the entire selected limited region of the cooperation space.

[0095] According to one or more aspects of the present disclosure, the millimeter-wave radar sensor is linked to the control device via a controller area network or an EtherCAT® network.

[0096] According to one or more aspects of the present disclosure, the articulated arm has a first shape with at least a portion of the articulated arm in a first position.

[0097] According to one or more aspects of the present disclosure, with at least a portion of the articulated arm in another different position, the articulated arm has another different shape that is different from the first shape.

[0098] According to one or more aspects of the present disclosure, a plurality of millimeter-wave radar sensors depend on at least a portion of the articulated arm.

[0099] According to one or more aspects of the present disclosure, a method for a robotic transport system is providing an articulated arm, the articulated arm being operably coupled to a drive section to provide the articulated arm with arm movement in at least one axis of movement that moves at least a portion of the articulated arm within the cooperation space from a first position where the articulated arm has a first shape to another different position of at least a portion of the articulated arm within the cooperation space where the articulated arm has another different shape, A process of generating an electromagnetic action envelope using an electromagnetic emitter mounted on a multi-joint arm, wherein the electromagnetic action envelope is defined by the multi-joint arm in one or more states including at least one of the following: at least a part of the multi-joint arm moves from a first position to another different position, and the multi-joint arm changes its shape from a first shape to another different shape, and is closely coupled to and substantially conforms to at least a part of the dynamic contour of each different arm shape of the multi-joint arm. A process of commanding a change in at least one predetermined characteristic of the arm movement using a control device coupled to a drive section in response to detecting an intrusion of a cooperating object into the electromagnetic action envelope, at least partially due to the movement of at least a part of the multi-joint arm. Including.

[0100] According to one or more aspects of the present disclosure, at least one predetermined characteristic of the arm movement is at least one of a curve of the path of at least a part of the multi-joint arm during movement from a first position to another different position, the shape of the trajectory, kinematic parameters, and dynamic parameters.

[0101] According to one or more aspects of the present disclosure, the method further includes a process of selecting a change in at least one predetermined characteristic of the arm movement using a control device so as to avoid or prevent contact between the multi-joint arm and the cooperating object.

[0102] The method according to claim 28, wherein the electromagnetic emitter is a millimeter-wave radar emitter attached to a joint portion of the multi-joint arm.

[0103] According to one or more aspects of the present disclosure, the electromagnetic action envelope is defined by a network of millimeter-wave radar beams generated by electromagnetic emitters arranged at a plurality of joint portions of the multi-joint arm.

[0104] According to one or more aspects of the present disclosure, each joint portion of a multi-joint arm having different kinematic motions has a plurality of millimeter-wave radar sensors forming at least a part of a plurality of sensors that form a net of millimeter-wave radar beams.

[0105] According to one or more aspects of the present disclosure, the control device is programmed such that the depth of the electromagnetic action envelope between the set outermost detection boundary of the electromagnetic action envelope and the multi-joint arm is selectively variable according to a predetermined characteristic of at least a part of the multi-joint arm during movement.

[0106] According to one or more aspects of the present disclosure, the control device is programmed such that the depth of the electromagnetic action envelope between the set outermost detection boundary of the electromagnetic action envelope and the multi-joint arm is dynamically variable according to a predetermined characteristic of at least a part of the multi-joint arm during movement.

[0107] According to one or more aspects of the present disclosure, the method further includes a step of receiving the reflected radiation using a receiver arranged in the cooperation space and sensing a cooperation object within the electromagnetic action envelope therefrom.

[0108] According to one or more aspects of the present disclosure, the receiver is connected to the control device by a neural network.

[0109] According to one or more aspects of the present disclosure, the robot transport system includes a cart-mounted multi-joint arm, and the cart-mounted multi-joint arm has a frame, a drive section connected to the frame, A multi-joint arm portion operably connected to a drive section, the drive section corresponding to a selectably variable cart position of a cart-mounted multi-joint arm, and moving at least a part of the multi-joint arm portion within a cooperation space corresponding to the cart-mounted multi-joint arm from a first position where the cart-mounted multi-joint arm has a first shape to another different position of at least a part of the multi-joint arm portion within the cooperation space where the cart-mounted multi-joint arm has another different shape, the multi-joint arm portion providing arm movement in at least one axis of motion to the cart-mounted multi-joint arm. An electromagnetic action envelope, the electromagnetic action envelope being defined by the cart-mounted multi-joint arm in one or more states of at least one of the movement of at least a part of the multi-joint arm portion from a first position to another different position and the change of the shape of the cart-mounted multi-joint arm from a first shape to another different shape, and being closely coupled to and substantially conforming to at least the dynamic contour portion of each different arm shape of the cart-mounted multi-joint arm, the electromagnetic action envelope being generated by an electromagnetic emitter mounted on the cart-mounted multi-joint arm. A control device, the control device being communicably connected to an electromagnetic sensor that operates with the electromagnetic action envelope to detect the intrusion of a cooperation object into the electromagnetic action envelope, and being communicably connected to a sensor that operates with an electromagnetic exploration region that covers substantially the entire cooperation space, different from the electromagnetic action envelope. It has.

[0110] According to one or more aspects of the present disclosure, the electromagnetic exploration region is separate from and different from the electromagnetic action envelope, and encompasses substantially the entire electromagnetic action envelope for each different shape of the cart-mounted multi-joint arm and each position of the cart-mounted multi-joint arm within the cooperation space.

[0111] According to one or more aspects of the present disclosure, the electromagnetic exploration region is defined by at least one of the electromagnetic emitters mounted on the cart-mounted multi-joint arm.

[0112] According to one or more aspects of the present disclosure, the electromagnetic exploration region is defined by at least one other electromagnetic emitter different from the electromagnetic emitter mounted on the cart-mounted articulated arm.

[0113] According to one or more aspects of the present disclosure, the different electromagnetic emitters are attached to a cart that mounts a cart-mounted articulated arm.

[0114] According to one or more aspects of the present disclosure, the control device is communicably connected to the drive section and is configured to command a change in at least one predetermined characteristic of the arm movement in response to detecting an intrusion of a cooperating object into the electromagnetic action envelope that is at least partially due to the movement of at least a part of the articulated arm portion.

[0115] According to one or more aspects of the present disclosure, the robot transport system includes a cart-mounted articulated arm, wherein the cart-mounted articulated arm has a frame, a drive section connected to the frame, and a multi-articulated arm portion operably coupled to the drive section, wherein the drive section provides the cart-mounted articulated arm with arm movement in at least one axis of movement that moves at least a part of the multi-articulated arm portion in the cooperation space corresponding to a selectably variable cart position of the cart-mounted articulated arm from a first position where the cart-mounted articulated arm has a first shape to another different position of at least a part of the multi-articulated arm portion in the cooperation space where the cart-mounted articulated arm has another different shape. An electromagnetic exploration zone, generated by an electromagnetic emitter mounted on a cart-mounted articulated arm configured to cover a predetermined volume of a cooperation space such that cooperating objects within the predetermined volume are detected by a sensor that cooperates with the electromagnetic emitter, and an electromagnetic action envelope, wherein the electromagnetic action envelope is defined by the cart-mounted articulated arm in one or more states of at least the movement of at least a portion of the cart-mounted articulated arm from a first position to another different position and the change of the shape of the cart-mounted articulated arm from a first shape to another different shape, and is closely coupled to and substantially conforms to at least the dynamic contour portion of each different arm shape of the cart-mounted articulated arm, and is generated by the electromagnetic emitter. A control device communicably connected to a sensor for detecting the presence of a cooperating object within a predetermined volume, communicably connected to the electromagnetic emitter, and configured to dynamically form an electromagnetic action envelope based on the detection of the presence of the cooperating object. It has.

[0116] According to one or more aspects of the present disclosure, the control device is communicably connected to a sensor that operates with the electromagnetic action envelope to detect the intrusion of a cooperating object into the electromagnetic action envelope, and the control device is communicably connected to a drive section and is configured to command a change in at least one predetermined characteristic of the arm movement in response to the detection of the intrusion of the cooperating object into the electromagnetic action envelope.

[0117] According to one or more aspects of the present disclosure, the control device dynamically forms the boundary of the electromagnetic action envelope based on the detection of the presence of the cooperating object.

[0118] According to one or more aspects of the present disclosure, the control device dynamically changes the form of the boundary of the electromagnetic action envelope based on the detection of the presence of the cooperating object.

[0119] According to one or more aspects of the present disclosure, a control device is communicatively connected to a sensor operating in an electromagnetic exploration zone, and the control device is configured to register a change in the presence of a cooperating object within the electromagnetic exploration zone and, in response to the registered change, dynamically change the form of an electromagnetic action envelope.

[0120] According to one or more aspects of the present disclosure, the control device changes the form of the electromagnetic action envelope based on a direction defined by a registered change in presence in relation to the direction of movement of at least a part of a moving multi-joint arm portion or the direction of a planned movement.

[0121] According to one or more aspects of the present disclosure, an electromagnetic emitter and a sensor are common to both the electromagnetic exploration zone and the electromagnetic action envelope, are operable with both the electromagnetic exploration zone and the electromagnetic action envelope, and the control device is configured to selectively switch between generating the electromagnetic exploration zone and generating the electromagnetic action envelope.

[0122] According to one or more aspects of the present disclosure, the control device is configured to selectively generate an electromagnetic exploration zone so as to map topological characteristics of a predetermined volume associated with a planned movement of a cart-mounted multi-joint arm that moves at least a part of the multi-joint arm portion to or from at least one of a first position and another different position.

[0123] According to one or more aspects of the present disclosure, mapping data defines a basis for a trajectory plan of at least a part of a moving multi-joint arm portion.

[0124] It should be understood that the foregoing description is merely illustrative of examples of aspects of the present disclosure. Various alternatives and modifications can be contemplated by those skilled in the art without departing from the aspects of the present disclosure. Accordingly, aspects of the present disclosure are intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications, and variations that fall within the scope of any of the appended claims herein. Further, the mere fact that different features are recited in mutually different dependent or independent claims does not indicate that a combination of these features cannot be advantageously used, nor does it indicate that such a combination remains within the scope of aspects of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. 1. A robotic transport system configured to transport an object in a collaborative workspace environment, comprising: A frame, a drive section connected to the frame; an articulated arm operably connected to the drive section, the drive section providing arm motion in at least one axis of motion to the articulated arm that moves at least a portion of the articulated arm within a collaboration space corresponding to the frame from a first position where the articulated arm has a first shape to another, different position of at least the portion of the articulated arm within the collaboration space where the articulated arm has another, different shape; An electromagnetic action envelope, the electromagnetic action envelope comprising: moving at least a portion of the articulated arm through the cooperating space from the first position to the other, different position; and said articulated arm moving through said cooperating space to change shape from said first shape to said second, different shape; an electromagnetic action envelope generated by a network of electromagnetic search waves from a millimeter wave radar sensor array on the articulated arms such that the contour of the electromagnetic action envelope set at predetermined range limits from the articulated arms is dynamically defined by the articulated arms and substantially corresponds to the different arm geometries of each of the articulated arms in one or more of the following states: a controller, communicatively connected to the drive section, configured to map the collaborative workspace environment and calibrate the articulated arm for operation in the collaborative workspace based on workspace environment data obtained by the millimeter wave radar sensor array, the calibration being a global workspace calibration extending beyond the electromagnetic envelope of action, the controller configured to command a change in at least one predetermined characteristic of the arm motion in response to detection of an intrusion of a cooperating object into the electromagnetic envelope of action through the contour, the intrusion at least in part being due to movement of at least a portion of the articulated arm; A robot transport system comprising:

2. 2. The robot transport system of claim 1, wherein the at least one predetermined characteristic of the arm motion is at least one of a curve of a path, a shape of a trajectory, a kinematic parameter, and a dynamic parameter of at least a portion of the articulated arm during movement from the first position to the other, different position.

3. The robotic transport system of claim 1 , wherein the alteration of the at least one predetermined characteristic of the arm motion is selected to avoid or prevent contact between the articulated arm and the cooperating object.

4. The robotic transport system of claim 1 , wherein the millimeter wave radar sensor array comprises a millimeter wave radar emitter mounted at a joint portion of the articulated arm.

5. The robot transport system of claim 1 , wherein the electromagnetic action envelope is defined by a network of millimeter wave radar beams generated by the millimeter wave radar sensor array disposed at multiple joints of the articulated arm.

6. The robot transport system of claim 5 , wherein each joint portion of the articulated arm having a different kinematic movement has a plurality of millimeter wave radar sensors forming at least a portion of a plurality of sensors forming the network of the millimeter wave radar beam.

7. 2. The robot transport system of claim 1, wherein the controller is programmed such that a depth of the electromagnetic action envelope between a set outermost detection boundary of the electromagnetic action envelope and the articulated arm is selectably variable depending on a predetermined characteristic of at least a portion of the articulated arm during motion.

8. 2. The robot transport system of claim 1, wherein the control device is programmed such that a depth of the electromagnetic action envelope between a set outermost detection boundary of the electromagnetic action envelope and the articulated arm is dynamically variable depending on a predetermined characteristic of at least a portion of the articulated arm during movement.

9. The robotic transport system of claim 1 , further comprising a receiver disposed in the collaborative space to receive reflected radiation and sense therefrom the collaborative object within the electromagnetic interaction envelope.

10. The robotic transport system of claim 9 , wherein output data from the receiver is processed by the controller implementing a neural network.

11. A robot transport system, comprising: A frame, a drive section connected to the frame; an articulated arm operably connected to the drive section, the drive section providing the articulated arm with arm motion in at least one axis of motion that moves at least a portion of the articulated arm in a collaboration space corresponding to the frame from a first position to another different position of at least the portion of the articulated arm in the collaboration space; a plurality of millimeter wave radar sensors distributed among at least a portion of the articulated arm and oriented to radar probe the collaborative space in respective directions away from the articulated arm that are substantially aligned with respective directional components of motion of at least a portion of the articulated arm moving from the first position to the other different position; a control device communicatively connected to the millimeter wave radar sensor to selectively activate the millimeter wave radar sensor and select a radar emission direction from a plurality of independently selectable radar emission directions defined by the millimeter wave radar sensor based on at least one directional component of a motion of at least the moving portion of the articulated arm, the control device being configured to command the drive section to affect a predetermined kinematic or dynamic characteristic of a motion of at least the moving portion of the articulated arm in response to a detection of a proximity of an object in the collaboration space to the moving at least the portion of the articulated arm from a radar emission by a selected one of the millimeter wave radar sensors; A robot transport system comprising:

12. The robot transport system of claim 11 , wherein selected radar emission directions explore a dynamically selected limited region of the collaboration space constrained to be defined by directions substantially aligned with each of at least one directional component of the motion.

13. 13. The robot transport system of claim 12, wherein the selected confined area of ​​the collaboration space corresponds substantially entirely to each of at least one directional component of the motion such that through each arm position, each portion of at least the articulated arm moving from the first position to the other different position traverses substantially the entirety of the selected confined area of ​​the collaboration space.

14. The robotic transport system of claim 11 , wherein the millimeter wave radar sensor is linked to the controller via a controller area network or an EtherCAT network.

15. The robotic transport system of claim 11 , wherein the articulated arm has a first configuration with at least a portion of the articulated arm in the first position.

16. The robot transport system of claim 15 , wherein with at least a portion of the articulated arm in the other different position, the articulated arm has another different shape that is different from the first shape.

17. The robot transport system of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of millimeter wave radar sensors are dependent on at least a portion of the articulated arm.

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