Control system, robot, control method, and recording medium

Abstract

This control system comprises: an acquisition means for acquiring information pertaining to a physical quantity that, when performing at least an operation of moving an object toward a target existing at a movement destination of the object, affects the operation of moving the object; a determination means for determining a setting content regarding a resistance force of a damper mechanism provided to a robot arm for holding and moving the object, on the basis of the information acquired by the acquisition means; and a control means for controlling the resistance force of the damper mechanism on the basis of the setting content determined by the determination means.

Description

Control system, robot, control method, and recording medium

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a control system, a robot, a control method, and a recording medium.

[0002] Robots are used in fields such as logistics. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a robot control device that has elastic support means for elastically supporting a robot hand and drives an actuator based on the amount of displacement of the elastic support means.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 6-226671

[0004] Meanwhile, in the technology of moving objects using a robot, it is expected that the robot will be able to move more appropriately.

[0005] One of the objectives of each aspect of the present disclosure is to provide a control system, a robot, a control method, and a recording medium that can solve the above-mentioned problems.

[0006] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a control system includes an acquisition means for acquiring information about physical quantities that affect the movement of an object when the movement is performed in the direction of an object located at the destination of the object; a determination means for determining, based on the information acquired by the acquisition means, the setting content of the resistance force of a damper mechanism provided on a robot arm that holds and moves the object; and a control means for controlling the resistance force of the damper mechanism based on the setting content determined by the determination means.

[0007] To achieve the above object, according to another aspect of the present disclosure, a robot includes the control system and the robot arm having the damper mechanism.

[0008] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a control method includes one or more computers acquiring information regarding physical quantities that affect an operation of moving an object in at least the direction of a target object present at the destination of the object, determining, based on the information regarding the physical quantities, settings for a resistance force of a damper mechanism provided on a robot arm that holds and moves the object, and controlling the resistance force of the damper mechanism based on the settings.

[0009] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a recording medium stores a program for causing one or more computers to acquire information regarding physical quantities that affect an operation of moving an object in the direction of a target object that exists at the destination of the object, at least when the operation is performed; determine, based on the information regarding the physical quantities, settings for a resistance force of a damper mechanism provided on a robot arm that holds and moves the object; and control the resistance force of the damper mechanism based on the settings.

[0010] According to each aspect of the present disclosure, more appropriate robot movements can be achieved.

[0011] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a processing system according to the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a task performed by a robot according to the present disclosure. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a task performed by a robot according to the present disclosure. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a task performed by a robot according to the present disclosure. FIG. 5 is a front view showing a portion of a robot according to the present disclosure. FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a damper mechanism according to the present disclosure. FIG. 7 is another perspective view showing a damper mechanism according to the present disclosure. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a damper mechanism according to the present disclosure. FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view showing another example of a damper mechanism according to the present disclosure. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing another example of a damper mechanism according to the present disclosure. FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing another example of a damper mechanism according to the present disclosure. FIG. 12 is a block diagram showing a system configuration of a processing system according to the present disclosure. FIG. 13 is a diagram for explaining a management system according to the present disclosure. FIG. 14 is a perspective view showing a pressing operation by a robot according to the present disclosure. FIG. 15 is a flowchart showing an example of a control flow of a robot according to the present disclosure. FIG. 16 is a flowchart showing an example of a processing flow of a control system according to the present disclosure. FIG. 17 is a schematic block diagram showing a configuration of a computer according to at least one embodiment.

[0012] Each embodiment will be described below using the drawings. The same or corresponding components in all drawings are denoted by the same reference numerals, and common explanations will be omitted. In this disclosure, "based on XX" means "based on at least XX," and may include cases where it is based on another element in addition to XX. Furthermore, "based on XX" is not limited to cases where it is based directly on XX, but may also include cases where XX has been subjected to calculation or processing. In this application, "XX or YY" is not limited to cases where it is either XX or YY, but may include cases where it is both XX and YY. This also applies when there are three or more optional elements. XX and YY are arbitrary elements (e.g., arbitrary information).

[0013] In this disclosure, "acquire" is not limited to actively acquiring by sending a transmission request, but may also include passively receiving information transmitted from another device. Furthermore, "acquire" is not limited to directly acquiring target information (information to be acquired) from the outside, but may also include performing calculations or processing on at least one of information acquired from the outside and information stored internally to generate and acquire target information.

[0014] In the present disclosure, the X direction, Y direction, and Z direction are defined as follows: The Z direction is, for example, the direction from the holder 40 toward the damper mechanism 60 (see FIG. 3). The X direction and Y direction are directions along a plane that intersects (for example, is perpendicular to) the Z direction (see FIG. 5). The Y direction is a direction that intersects (for example, is perpendicular to) the X direction (see FIG. 5).

[0015] First Embodiment Hereinafter, an embodiment according to the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0016] <1. Overall Configuration of Processing System> First, the overall configuration of the processing system 1 will be described. Fig. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the processing system 1. The processing system 1 is a system for moving an object M. The processing system 1 includes, for example, a source A1, a destination A2, a robot 100, and a management system 200.

[0017] The source A1 is a location where the object M is placed before being moved by the robot 100. In the example shown in Fig. 1 , the source A1 has one or more containers C that store the object M. However, instead of or in addition to the containers C, the source A1 may have a platform on which the object M is placed, a conveyor that transports the object M, or the like.

[0018] The destination A2 is a location where the object M will be placed after being moved by the robot 100. In the example shown in Fig. 1, the destination A2 has one or more containers C that store the object M. However, the destination A2 may have a platform on which the object M is placed, or a conveyor that transports the object M, instead of or in addition to the containers C. The situations of the source A1 and the destination A2 are photographed by a photographing device such as a camera 203, for example.

[0019] The robot 100 is a device that holds an object M and moves it from a source A1 to a destination A2. For example, the robot 100 performs a task of moving the object M, which is stored in two containers C at the source A1, into a single container C at the destination A2 in order to increase the capacity efficiency of the containers C. However, the task performed by the robot 100 is not limited to the above example, and may be a task of moving the object M on a conveyor at the source A1 into the container C at the destination A2, or another task.

[0020] The management system 200 is a system that manages the work of the robot 100. The management system 200 is operated, for example, by an operator who manages the work of the robot 100. However, the management system 200 may also be a system that manages automatic control of the robot 100 without human intervention.

[0021] 2. Configuration of Robot Next, a description will be given of the configuration of the robot 100. As shown in Fig. 1 , the robot 100 includes, for example, a base 10, a robot arm 20, a torque sensor 30 (see Fig. 3 ), a holder 40, and a control device 90.

[0022] The base 10 is installed and fixed on a mounting surface and supports the robot arm 20.

[0023] The robot arm 20 is a mechanism for moving the holding unit 40 to a desired position. The robot arm 20 includes, for example, a plurality of arm members 21, a plurality of rotating units 22 that rotatably connect the plurality of arm members 21, and an arm driving device 23 (see FIG. 12 ) that drives the rotating units 22. The arm driving device 23 is, for example, a motor or a pneumatic cylinder, but may also be another actuator. Furthermore, the robot arm 20 is not limited to the above example, and may be realized in various forms, such as a three-axis Cartesian robot arm.

[0024] The robot arm 20 has an arm member 21S located at the tip of the robot arm 20 as one of the arm members 21. In this embodiment, the arm member 21S has a damper mechanism 60. The damper mechanism 60 will be described later.

[0025] The torque sensor 30 (see FIG. 3 ) is attached to the robot arm 20. For example, the torque sensor 30 is attached to the tip of the arm member 21S via a damper mechanism 60 (described later). The torque sensor 30 detects a force acting on the object M (held object MH) held by the holder 40. For example, the torque sensor 30 detects the weight of the held object MH. The torque sensor 30 is an example of a "detection means" capable of detecting the weight of the held object MH. Furthermore, when the held object MH held by the holder 40 comes into contact with another object (for example, the inner surface of the destination container C or an object M previously placed in the container C), the torque sensor 30 detects that the held object MH has come into contact with the other object. The detection result of the torque sensor 30 is output to the control device 90.

[0026] The holding unit 40 is a holding device that holds the object M. The holding unit 40 is supported by the robot arm 20. The holding unit 40 is attached to the tip of the arm member 21S, for example, via a torque sensor 30 and a damper mechanism 60. For example, the holding unit 40 has a suction device such as a vacuum pump and an adsorption unit (e.g., a suction pad) that is connected to the suction device, and holds the object M by adsorption. However, the holding unit 40 is not limited to the above example, and may be a holding unit that holds the object M by clamping the object M with multiple clamping members, or a holding unit that holds the object M by other mechanisms.

[0027] The control device 90 is a device that controls the operation of the robot 100. The control device 90 controls the operation of the robot 100 based on a control command from the management system 200, for example.

[0028] 3. Robot Task of Arranging Objects Densely Next, the task of arranging objects M densely will be described. FIGS. 2A, 2B, and 2C are diagrams showing an example of a task performed by the robot 100. Note that the robot 100 does not need to be a robot capable of performing all of the tasks shown in FIGS. 2A, 2B, and 2C. For example, the robot 100 may be a robot capable of performing only one of the tasks shown in FIGS. 2A, 2B, and 2C, or may be a robot capable of performing another task (adjacent placement in only one direction) instead of the task shown in FIGS. 2A, 2B, and 2C. For convenience of explanation, the object M previously placed inside the container C will be referred to as the "preceding object MT," and the object M being held by the robot 100 and moving will be referred to as the "held object MH."

[0029] FIG. 2A illustrates an example in which a holding object MH is disposed adjacent to the inner surface of a container C present at destination A2. In the example illustrated in FIG. 2A, the container C corresponds to an example of an "object T present at the object's destination." In the example illustrated in FIG. 2A, the container C is rectangular. The container C has one corner Cc, a first wall Ca extending in one direction from the corner Cc, and a second wall Cb extending from the corner Cc in a direction different from the first wall Ca. The holding object MH is disposed adjacent to the inner surface of the first wall Ca in a first direction D1 and adjacent to the inner surface of the second wall Cb in a second direction D2 different from the first direction D1. However, instead of or in addition to being disposed adjacent to both the first wall Ca and the second wall Cb, the holding object MH may be disposed adjacent to only one of the first wall Ca and the second wall Cb.

[0030] 2B shows an example in which a preceding object MT is placed inside a container C present at destination A2, and a held object MH is placed adjacent to the preceding object MT. In the example shown in FIG. 2B, the container C and the preceding object MT together correspond to an example of an "object T present at the destination of the object." In the example shown in FIG. 2B, the held object MH is placed adjacent to one preceding object MT placed inside the container C in a first direction D1, and adjacent to another preceding object MT placed inside the container C in a second direction D2 different from the first direction D1.

[0031] 2C shows an example in which a preceding object MT is placed inside a container C present at destination A2, and the holding object MH is rotated to be placed adjacent to the preceding object MT. In the example shown in FIG. 2C, the container C and the preceding object MT together correspond to an example of an "object T present at the object's destination." In the example shown in FIG. 2C, the holding object MH is pressed against a corner or side of one preceding object MT (preceding object MTA), and the holding object MH is rotated to fit along one side of the preceding object MTA, so that the holding object MH is placed adjacent to the preceding object MTA.

[0032] <4. Damper Mechanism> <4.1 Example of Basic Configuration of Damper Mechanism> Next, an example of the basic configuration of the damper mechanism 60 will be described. FIG. 3 is a front view showing a portion of the robot 100. The damper mechanism 60 is provided between the arm member 21S and the torque sensor 30. The damper mechanism 60 has, for example, a first member 61, a second member 62, and an elastic connecting portion 63. The first member 61 is, for example, a plate member extending along the X and Y directions. The first member 61 is fixed to the tip of the arm member 21S. The second member 62 is, for example, a plate member extending along the X and Y directions. The torque sensor 30 is fixed to the second member 62. The second member 62 supports the holder 40 via the torque sensor 30. The elastic connecting portion 63 is provided between the first member 61 and the second member 62 and connects the first member 61 and the second member 62. The elastic connecting portion 63 is elastically deformable to allow misalignment of the second member 62 relative to the first member 61 .

[0033] 4 is a perspective view showing the damper mechanism 60. The elastic connection portion 63 of the damper mechanism 60 is elastically deformable, for example, in at least one of the X direction and the Y direction. For example, when an external force acts on the held object MH, the second member 62 of the damper mechanism 60 is displaceable in at least one of the X direction and the Y direction relative to the first member 61 (see (b) in FIG. 4). Furthermore, when the external force is released, the second member 62 of the damper mechanism 60 returns to its original position relative to the first member 61 due to the elastic force of the elastic connection portion 63 (see (c) in FIG. 4).

[0034] 5 is another perspective view showing the damper mechanism 60. The elastic connection portion 63 of the damper mechanism 60 may be elastically deformable in a rotational direction Dθ about the Z direction, instead of or in addition to being elastically deformable in at least one of the X direction and the Y direction. In this case, the second member 62 of the damper mechanism 60 is rotatable in the rotational direction Dθ about the Z direction relative to the first member 61.

[0035] The basic configuration of one example of the damper mechanism 60 has been described above. The damper mechanism 60 only needs to be deformable in one of three axial directions (X direction, Y direction, and rotational direction Dθ) that is required for the application. The elastic connection part 63 only needs to be capable of changing the resistance force (e.g., spring constant) externally, for example. The elastic connection part 63 is realized by, for example, a mechanism using air pressure or a mechanism using electromagnetic force, but may also be realized by another configuration.

[0036] 4.2 Specific Configuration Examples of Damper Mechanism Next, specific configuration examples of the damper mechanism 60 will be described.

[0037] 4.2.1 Damper Mechanism Elastically Deformable in One Axial Direction FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing a damper mechanism 60A, which is an example of the damper mechanism 60. The damper mechanism 60A is elastically deformable in one direction (e.g., the X direction). The first member 61 of the damper mechanism 60A has one or more accommodating portions 71 extending in the Y direction. The accommodating portions 71 are recesses recessed in the surface of the first member 61 in the Z direction, or openings penetrating the first member 61 in the Z direction. A connecting portion 72 of the second member 62 is inserted into the accommodating portion 71 of the first member 61 from the Z direction. The connecting portion 72 is, for example, a protrusion protruding in the Z direction from the surface of the second member 62 toward the first member 61. The connecting portion 72 is displaceable in the Y direction within the accommodating portion 71 of the first member 61.

[0038] The elastic connection portion 63 includes one or more damper devices 73 and a resistance force adjustment device 74. The damper devices 73 are disposed between the inner surface of the accommodation portion 71 of the first member 61 and the connecting portion 72 of the second member 62. The damper devices 73 are, for example, pneumatic dampers and include a cylinder 73a, a piston 73b movable in the Y direction inside the cylinder 73a, and a rod 73c connected to the piston 73b. The cylinder 73a of the damper device 73 is fixed to one of the inner surface of the accommodation portion 71 of the first member 61 and the connecting portion 72 of the second member 62. The rod 73c of the damper device 73 is fixed to the other of the inner surface of the accommodation portion 71 of the first member 61 and the connecting portion 72 of the second member 62. The damper devices 73 are provided, for example, on both sides of the connecting portion 72 in the Y direction. The resistance force (for example, spring constant) of the damper device 73 can be changed by the air pressure supplied to the inside of the cylinder 73a.

[0039] The resistance force adjustment device 74 is a device that can change the resistance force (e.g., spring constant) of the damper device 73. In the example shown in FIG. 6 , the resistance force adjustment device 74 includes multiple air pressure adjustment devices 75A and 75B, each of which can change the air pressure inside the cylinder 73a. The air pressure adjustment devices 75A and 75B include, for example, an intake pump 76 that increases the air inside the cylinder 73a via a flow path h provided in the first member 61, and an open valve 77 that decreases the air inside the cylinder 73a via the flow path h provided in the first member 61. The resistance force adjustment device 74 controls the intake pump 76 or the open valve 77 to increase or decrease the air pressure inside the cylinder 73a and adjust the resistance force (e.g., spring constant) of the damper device 73. For example, increasing the air pressure inside the cylinder 73a increases the resistance force of the damper mechanism 60. On the other hand, decreasing the air pressure inside the cylinder 73a decreases the resistance force of the damper mechanism 60.

[0040] 4.2.2 Damper Mechanism Elastically Deformable in Two Axial Directions FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing a damper mechanism 60B, which is another example of the damper mechanism 60. The damper mechanism 60B is elastically deformable in two directions (e.g., the X direction and the Y direction). The first member 61 of the damper mechanism 60 has a housing portion 71 that extends in the X direction and the Y direction. The housing portion 71 is a recess recessed in the surface of the first member 61 in the Z direction, or an opening that penetrates the first member 61 in the Z direction. The connecting portion 72 of the second member 62 is inserted into the housing portion 71 of the first member 61 from the Z direction. The connecting portion 72 is displaceable in the X direction and the Y direction within the housing portion 71 of the first member 61.

[0041] The elastic connecting portion 63 has a plurality of partitions 78 and a resistance force adjusting device 74. The partitions 78 are formed of an elastically deformable material. One end of each partition 78 is connected to the inner surface of the accommodation portion 71 of the first member 61. The other end of each partition 78 is connected to the connecting portion 72 of the second member 62. The plurality of partitions 78 divide and seal the space between the inner surface of the accommodation portion 71 of the first member 61 and the connecting portion 72 of the second member 62 into a plurality of spaces S. The resistance force (e.g., spring constant) of the elastic connecting portion 63 can be changed, for example, by supplying air pressure to the interior of each space S divided by the partitions 78.

[0042] The resistance force adjustment device 74 is a device that can change the resistance force (e.g., spring constant) of the damper mechanism 60. In the example shown in FIG. 7 , the resistance force adjustment device 74 includes multiple air pressure adjustment devices 75A, 75B, 75C, and 75D that can each change the air pressure inside the space S. Each of the air pressure adjustment devices 75A, 75B, 75C, and 75D includes, for example, an intake pump 76 that increases the air inside the space S through a flow path h provided in the first member 61, and an open valve 77 that decreases the air inside the space S through the flow path h provided in the first member 61. The resistance force adjustment device 74 controls the intake pump 76 or the open valve 77 to change the air pressure inside each space S and adjust the resistance force (e.g., spring constant) of the damper mechanism 60 to a set value. For example, increasing the air pressure inside the space S increases the resistance force of the damper mechanism 60. On the other hand, decreasing the air pressure inside the space S decreases the resistance force of the damper device 73.

[0043] 8 is a cross-sectional view showing a damper mechanism 60C, which is another example of the damper mechanism 60. The damper mechanism 60C is a damper mechanism that is elastically deformable in two directions (e.g., the X direction and the Y direction). The first member 61 of the damper mechanism 60 has a housing portion 71 that extends in the X direction and the Y direction. A connecting portion 72 of a second member 62 is inserted into the housing portion 71 of the first member 61 from the Z direction. A magnet 81 (e.g., a permanent magnet) is provided in the connecting portion 72.

[0044] The elastic connection portion 63 has a plurality of electromagnets 82 and a resistance force adjustment device 83. The plurality of electromagnets 82 include, for example, a first electromagnet 82A and a second electromagnet 82B. The first electromagnet 82A is disposed at one end of the accommodation portion 71 in the X direction. The first electromagnet 82A extends in the Y direction. The second electromagnet 82B is disposed at one end of the accommodation portion 71 in the Y direction. The second electromagnet 82B extends in the X direction. Each electromagnet 82 includes an iron core 84 and a coil 85 wound around the iron core 84. The resistance force (e.g., spring constant) of the damper mechanism 60 can be changed, for example, by the strength of the magnetic field formed by each electromagnet 82.

[0045] The resistance force adjusting device 83 is a device that can change the resistance force (e.g., spring constant) of the damper mechanism 60. In the example shown in FIG. 8 , the resistance force adjusting device 83 includes multiple voltage adjusting devices 86A and 86B that can change the voltage applied to the coils 85 of the electromagnets 82. The voltage adjusting devices 86A and 86B change the voltage applied to the coils 85 of the electromagnets 82 to change the strength of the magnetic field formed by each electromagnet 82 and adjust the resistance force (e.g., spring constant) of the damper mechanism 60. For example, increasing the electromagnetic force of the electromagnets 82 increases the resistance force of the damper mechanism 60. On the other hand, decreasing the electromagnetic force of the electromagnets 82 decreases the resistance force of the damper device 60. The damper mechanism 60C is used, for example, when the displacement direction in each of the X and Y directions is unidirectional.

[0046] Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view showing a damper mechanism 60D, which is another example of the damper mechanism 60. Similar to the example shown in Figure 8, the damper mechanism 60D is a damper mechanism that is elastically deformable in two directions (e.g., the X direction and the Y direction). The first member 61 of the damper mechanism 60 has a housing portion 71 that extends in the X direction and the Y direction. A connecting portion 72 of the second member 62 is inserted into the housing portion 71 of the first member 61 from the Z direction.

[0047] 9 , the multiple electromagnets 82 include a first electromagnet 82A, a second electromagnet 82B, a third electromagnet 82C, and a fourth electromagnet 82D. The first electromagnet 82A is disposed at one end of the storage portion 71 in the X direction. The first electromagnet 82A extends in the Y direction. The second electromagnet 82B is disposed at one end of the storage portion 71 in the Y direction. The second electromagnet 82B extends in the X direction. The third electromagnet 82C is disposed at the other end of the storage portion 71 in the X direction. The third electromagnet 82C extends in the Y direction. The fourth electromagnet 82D is disposed at the other end of the storage portion 71 in the Y direction. The fourth electromagnet 82D extends in the X direction. The connecting portion 72 of the second member 62 is disposed in a position surrounded by the first electromagnet 82A, the second electromagnet 82B, the third electromagnet 82C, and the fourth electromagnet 82D. The resistance force adjustment device 83 includes a plurality of voltage adjustment devices 86A, 86B, 86C, and 86D that can change the voltage applied to the coil 85 of the electromagnet 82. The damper mechanism 60D is also used, for example, when the displacement directions in the X and Y directions are not fixed.

[0048] 4.2.3 Damper Mechanism Elastically Deformable in Three Axial Directions FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a damper mechanism 60E, another example of the damper mechanism 60. The damper mechanism 60E is elastically deformable in three directions (e.g., the X direction, the Y direction, and the rotational direction Dθ). The first member 61 of the damper mechanism 60 has a housing portion 71 extending in the X direction and the Y direction. The connecting portion 72 of the second member 62 is inserted into the housing portion 71 of the first member 61 from the Z direction. Here, the plane along the X direction and the Y direction is referred to as the "XY plane." In the example shown in FIG. 10 , the connecting portion 72 of the second member 62 has an elliptical or rectangular shape with its longitudinal direction extending in any direction along the XY plane. The connecting portion 72 has a pair of longitudinal ends, a first end 72a and a second end 72b.

[0049] The elastic connecting portion 63 includes a plurality of partitions 78 and a resistance force adjusting device 74. One end of each partition 78 is connected to the inner surface of the accommodation portion 71 of the first member 61. The other end of each partition 78 is connected to the connecting portion 72 of the second member 62. In the example shown in FIG. 10 , one partition 78A included in the plurality of partitions 78 is connected to the inner surface of the accommodation portion 71 of the first member 61 and a first end 72a of the connecting portion 72 of the second member 62. Another partition 78B included in the plurality of partitions 78 is connected to the inner surface of the accommodation portion 71 of the first member 61 and a second end 72b of the connecting portion 72 of the second member 62. The resistance force (e.g., spring constant) of the elastic connecting portion 63 can be changed, for example, by changing the air pressure supplied to each space S separated by the partitions 78. In the example shown in FIG. 10 , the resistance force (e.g., spring constant) in the rotational direction Dθ can be changed by changing the air pressure supplied to each space S.

[0050] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing a damper mechanism 60F, another example of the damper mechanism 60. The damper mechanism 60F is elastically deformable in three directions (e.g., the X direction, the Y direction, and the rotational direction Dθ). The first member 61 of the damper mechanism 60 has a housing portion 71 that extends in the X direction and the Y direction. A connecting portion 72 of a second member 62 is inserted into the housing portion 71 of the first member 61 from the Z direction. The connecting portion 72 has a pair of longitudinal ends, namely, a first end 72a and a second end 72b. For example, a first pole (e.g., a north pole) of a magnet 81 is provided at the first end 72a. For example, a second pole (e.g., a south pole) of the magnet 81 is provided at the second end 72b.

[0051] 11 , the multiple electromagnets 82 include a first electromagnet 82A, a second electromagnet 82B, a third electromagnet 82C, and a fourth electromagnet 82D, similar to the example shown in Fig. 9 . The connecting portion 72 of the second member 62 is disposed at a position surrounded by the first electromagnet 82A, the second electromagnet 82B, the third electromagnet 82C, and the fourth electromagnet 82D. In the example shown in Fig. 10 , the resistive force (e.g., spring constant) in the rotational direction Dθ can be changed by changing the voltage applied to the coil 85 of the electromagnet 82.

[0052] The above describes specific configuration examples of the damper mechanism 60. However, the specific configuration examples of the damper mechanism 60 are not limited to the above examples. For example, a damper mechanism that can be displaced in two directions may be realized by stacking two one-way damper mechanisms 60A as shown in FIG. 7, one for the X direction and one for the Y direction. Furthermore, a damper mechanism that can be displaced in three directions (e.g., the X direction, the Y direction, and the rotational direction Dθ) may be realized by stacking damper mechanisms 60B, 60C, and 60D that can be displaced in the X direction and the Y direction as shown in FIGS. 7, 8, and 9, and another damper mechanism corresponding to the rotational direction Dθ.

[0053] 5. System Configuration of Robot Next, the system configuration of the robot 100 will be described. Fig. 12 is a block diagram showing the system configuration of the processing system 1. The control device 90 of the robot 100 has, for example, an acquisition unit 91, a movement control unit 92, a resistance force determination unit 93, a resistance force control unit 94, and a storage unit 95. The control device 90 is an example of a "control system."

[0054] 5.1 Acquisition Unit The acquisition unit 91 acquires various information necessary for controlling the robot 100. For example, when performing an operation of moving the held object MH in the direction of the target object T located at least at the movement destination A2, the acquisition unit 91 acquires information indicating physical quantities that affect the movement operation. The "physical quantities that affect the movement operation" are, for example, physical quantities that affect the behavior of the held object MH or the target object T accompanying the movement of the held object MH. In the present disclosure, "behavior" is not limited to the movement of the held object MH or the target object T, such as shaking or displacement, but may also include a force (e.g., an impact) acting on the held object MH or the target object T.

[0055] It should be noted that in the present disclosure, "do YY when doing XX" is not limited to doing YY during the action of doing XX, but may also include doing YY in advance when doing XX. For example, "when performing an action to move the held object MH, obtain information indicating physical quantities that will affect the action of moving" may include, for example, when an action of moving the held object MH is planned, obtaining information indicating physical quantities that will affect the action of moving in advance, such as before the action.

[0056] In this embodiment, when performing an operation to move the held object MH next to the target object T present at the destination A2, the acquisition unit 91 acquires information indicating physical quantities that affect the operation to move the held object MH next to the target object T. From another perspective, when performing an operation to place the held object MH next to the target object T present at the destination A2, the acquisition unit 91 acquires information indicating physical quantities that affect the operation to place the held object MH next to the target object T.

[0057] For example, in the present embodiment, as an example of an operation of moving the held object MH next to the target T (an operation of placing the held object MH alongside the target T), an operation of pressing the held object MH against the target T from the side of the target T (i.e., from a direction different from the up-down direction) is performed. When performing an operation of pressing the object M against the target T that is present at least at the destination A2 of the held object MH, the acquisition unit 91 acquires information indicating physical quantities that affect the pressing operation. As described above, in the present disclosure, "when performing an operation of pressing the object M against the target T, acquiring information indicating physical quantities that affect the pressing operation" may correspond to, for example, when an operation of pressing the held object MH against the target T is planned, acquiring information indicating physical quantities that affect the pressing operation in advance, such as before the operation.

[0058] The physical quantity as described above is, for example, at least one of a physical quantity related to the held object MH, a physical quantity related to the robot arm 20, or a physical quantity related to the target object T. In this embodiment, the physical quantity is at least one of the weight of the held object MH, the softness of the held object MH, the moving speed of the robot arm 20, the weight of the target object T, or the softness of the target object T. The acquisition unit 91 is an example of an "acquisition means."

[0059] The acquisition unit 91 acquires, for example, the detection result of the torque sensor 30. Based on the detection result of the torque sensor 30, the acquisition unit 91 acquires a physical quantity indicating the weight of the held object MH.

[0060] The acquisition unit 91 may also acquire a physical quantity indicating the softness of the held object MH. The physical quantity indicating the softness of the held object MH is acquired, for example, by inputting the information into the management system 200 by an operator and receiving the input information from the management system 200. Alternatively, the acquisition unit 91 may acquire the physical quantity indicating the softness of the held object MH based on detection results such as the amount of deformation when the held object MH is held by the holding unit 40.

[0061] The acquisition unit 91 also acquires the control content of the robot arm 20 determined by a movement control unit 92, which will be described later. The acquisition unit 91 acquires a physical quantity indicating the movement speed of the robot arm 20 based on the control content determined by the movement control unit 92.

[0062] In this embodiment, in the process of moving the held object MH from the source A1 to the destination A2, the movement control unit 92 makes the movement speed of the robot arm 20 different between a first movement process in which the held object MH is at a position more than a predetermined distance away from the destination A2 (or the target T at the destination A2) and a second movement process in which the held object MH is at a position within a predetermined distance from the destination A2 (or the target T at the destination A2). The acquisition unit 91 acquires a physical quantity indicating the movement speed of the robot arm 20 in the first movement process and a physical quantity indicating the movement speed of the robot arm 20 in the second movement process.

[0063] The acquisition unit 91 also acquires destination information 95a stored in the memory unit 95. The destination information 95a includes a physical quantity indicating the weight of the object T. If a container C is present but a preceding object MT is not present, the weight of the object T is the weight of the container C. If a container C is not present but a preceding object MT is present, the weight of the object T is the sum of the weights of one or more preceding objects MT lined up in the movement direction of the robot arm 20 during the pushing operation of the robot 100, which will be described later. If a container C and a preceding object MT contained in the container C are present, the weight of the object T is the sum of the weight of the container C and the weight of all preceding objects MT contained in the container C.

[0064] The physical quantity indicating the weight of the container C is registered in advance in the destination information 95a by the operator. The weight of each preceding object MT is a physical quantity detected by the torque sensor 30 when the preceding object MT is held at the source A1 and moved to the destination A2. The weight of each preceding object MT is additionally registered in the destination information 95a by the acquisition unit 91 every time the preceding object MT is moved to the destination A2.

[0065] Furthermore, the acquisition unit 91 may acquire a physical quantity indicating the softness of the object T (e.g., the softness of the preceding object MT). The physical quantity indicating the softness of the object T is acquired, for example, by inputting the information into the management system 200 by an operator and receiving the input information from the management system 200. Alternatively, the acquisition unit 91 may acquire the physical quantity indicating the softness of the preceding object MT based on detection results such as the amount of deformation when the preceding object MT is held by the holding unit 40 at the source A1 and moved to the destination A2.

[0066] The acquisition unit 91 also acquires information indicating the target placement position of the held object MH at the destination A2. For example, the acquisition unit 91 acquires information indicating the target placement position of the held object MH at the destination A2 based on a control command from the management system 200. Alternatively, the acquisition unit 91 may acquire an image of the destination A2 captured by a camera or the like, and perform image processing on the image to acquire information indicating the target placement position of the held object MH at the destination A2.

[0067] The acquisition unit 91 acquires, for example, at least for each pressing operation described below, information on physical quantities that affect the pressing operation. The acquisition unit 91 acquires information on physical quantities that affect the pressing operation multiple times during one pressing operation, for example, by acquiring information on physical quantities at a predetermined cycle. For example, when the movement speed of the robot arm 20 decreases during one pressing operation, the acquisition unit 91 acquires information indicating the decreased movement speed of the robot arm 20.

[0068] The acquisition unit 91 does not need to acquire all of the above-mentioned physical quantities, but may acquire at least one of the above-mentioned physical quantities. The information acquired by the acquisition unit 91 is output to the movement control unit 92 and the resistance force determination unit 93.

[0069] <5.2 Movement Control Unit> The movement control unit 92 controls the arm driving device 23 to control the driving of the robot arm 20 and executes the movement of the held object MH from the origin A1 to the destination A2. The movement control unit 92 controls the arm driving device 23 based on information acquired by the acquisition unit 91 (such as information indicating the target placement position of the held object MH at the destination A2).

[0070] In this embodiment, the movement control unit 92 causes the robot arm 20 to perform a first operation (transport operation) during the first movement process in which the held object MH is at a position that is more than a predetermined distance away from the destination A2 (or the target object T at the destination A2). The first operation (transport operation) is an operation of transporting the held object MH from the source A1 toward the destination A2 at a speed equal to or greater than a predetermined standard.

[0071] Meanwhile, the movement control unit 92 causes the robot arm 20 to perform a second operation (a pressing operation) during the second movement process in which the held object MH is within a predetermined distance from the destination A2 (or the target T at the destination A2). The second operation (a pressing operation) is an operation in which the held object MH is moved at a low speed below the predetermined standard at the destination A2, and the held object MH is pressed from the side against the target T located adjacent to the target placement position.

[0072] 5.3 Resistance Determination Unit The resistance determination unit 93 determines the resistance setting of the damper mechanism 60. For example, when performing an operation of pressing the object M against a target T present at least at the destination A2 of the held object MH, the resistance determination unit 93 determines the resistance setting of the damper mechanism 60 in the second operation (pressing operation) based on information indicating physical quantities that affect the pressing operation. The resistance determination unit 93 is an example of a "determination means."

[0073] In this embodiment, the resistance force determination unit 93 determines the setting content of the resistance force of the damper mechanism 60 in the above-mentioned second operation (pressing operation) based on at least one of the physical quantities that affect the pressing operation, namely the weight of the held object MH, the softness of the held object MH, the movement speed of the robot arm 20, the weight of the target object T, or the softness of the target object T.

[0074] (Adjusting Resistance Force According to Weight of Held Object) The resistance force determination unit 93 may determine the setting content of the resistance force of the damper mechanism 60 according to the weight of the held object MH. For example, when the weight of the held object MH is a first weight, the resistance force determination unit 93 increases the resistance force (e.g., spring constant) of the damper mechanism 60 compared to when the weight of the held object MH is a second weight that is lighter than the first weight. For example, the resistance force determination unit 93 increases the resistance force of the damper mechanism 60 as the weight of the held object MH increases.

[0075] The reason for this is as follows: A heavy held object MH is subjected to a large moment of inertia. Therefore, if the resistance force of the damper mechanism 60 is small during the pressing operation of the heavy held object MH, the held object MH will move significantly due to the moment of inertia, and will push, for example, the target object T significantly. As a result, the target object T at the destination A2 (for example, the container C or the preceding object MT present at the destination A2) will move, making it difficult to store the held object MH next time and thereafter. Therefore, when performing the pressing operation of a heavy held object MH, the resistance force of the damper mechanism 60 is made larger than when performing the pressing operation of a light held object MH.

[0076] On the other hand, even if the resistance force of the damper mechanism 60 is small during the pressing operation of a light held object MH, the target object T at the destination A2 is unlikely to move. Therefore, by reducing the resistance force of the damper mechanism 60 and increasing the shock absorption capacity, the movement speed of the robot arm 20 during the pressing operation of a light held object MH can be made higher than the movement speed of the robot arm 20 during the pressing operation of a heavy held object MH. This makes it possible to increase the speed at which the object M is moved from the origin A1 to the destination A2.

[0077] If it is better to determine the resistance force of the damper mechanism 60 for another reason, the resistance force determiner 93 may set the resistance force of the damper mechanism 60 to be smaller as the weight of the held object MH increases.

[0078] (Determination According to Softness of Held Object) The resistance force determination unit 93 may determine the setting content of the resistance force of the damper mechanism 60 according to the softness of the held object MH. For example, when the softness of the held object MH is a first degree, the resistance force determination unit 93 increases the resistance force (e.g., spring constant) of the damper mechanism 60 compared to when the softness of the held object MH is a second degree that is harder than the first degree. For example, the softer the held object MH is, the greater the resistance force of the damper mechanism 60 the resistance force determination unit 93 increases.

[0079] The reason for this is as follows: even if a soft held object MH comes into contact with the target object T during the pressing operation, a large impact is unlikely to occur. Therefore, by increasing the resistance force of the damper mechanism 60 to suppress vibration of the held object MH, the movement speed of the robot arm 20 during the pressing operation of a soft held object MH can be made faster than the movement speed of the robot arm 20 during the pressing operation of a non-soft held object MH. This makes it possible to increase the speed at which the object M is moved from the origin A1 to the destination A2. Note that if it is better to determine the resistance force of the damper mechanism 60 for another reason, the resistance force determination unit 93 may set the resistance force of the damper mechanism 60 to be smaller the softer the held object MH.

[0080] (Determination According to Moving Speed ​​of Robot Arm) The resisting force determiner 93 may determine the setting content of the resisting force of the damper mechanism 60 according to the moving speed of the robot arm 20. For example, when the moving speed of the robot arm 20 is a first speed, the resisting force determiner 93 reduces the resisting force (e.g., spring constant) of the damper mechanism 60 compared to when the moving speed of the robot arm 20 is a second speed that is slower than the first speed. For example, the resisting force determiner 93 reduces the resisting force of the damper mechanism 60 as the moving speed of the robot arm 20 increases.

[0081] The reason for this is as follows: if the movement speed of the robot arm 20 is high, a large impact is likely to occur when the held object MH and the target object T come into contact during the pressing operation. For this reason, when the movement speed of the robot arm 20 is high, the resistance force of the damper mechanism 60 is made smaller than when the movement speed of the robot arm 20 is low. Note that if it is better to determine the resistance force of the damper mechanism 60 for another reason, the resistance force determiner 93 may increase the resistance force of the damper mechanism 60 as the movement speed of the robot arm 20 increases.

[0082] (Determination According to Weight of Object) The resistance force determination unit 93 may determine the setting content of the resistance force of the damper mechanism 60 according to the weight of the object T (e.g., the weight of the container C at destination A2 and the preceding object MT). For example, when the weight of the object T is a third weight, the resistance force determination unit 93 increases the resistance force (e.g., spring constant) of the damper mechanism 60 compared to when the weight of the object T is a fourth weight that is lighter than the third weight. For example, the resistance force determination unit 93 increases the resistance force of the damper mechanism 60 as the weight of the object T increases.

[0083] The reason for this is as follows: If the object T is light, the object T at the destination A2 (for example, the container C or preceding object MT present at the destination A2) will move when the held object MH comes into contact with the object T during the pressing operation, making it difficult to store the held object MH from the next time onwards. For this reason, if the object T is light, the resistance force of the damper mechanism 60 is reduced so that the object T is less likely to move even when the pressing operation is performed.

[0084] On the other hand, if the resistance force of the damper mechanism 60 is small, the held object MH is more likely to vibrate when it comes into contact with the target object T during the pressing operation. Therefore, if the target object T is heavy and therefore difficult to move, the resistance force of the damper mechanism 60 can be increased to improve the stability of the movement of the held object MH.

[0085] If it is better to determine the resistance force of the damper mechanism 60 for another reason, the resistance force determiner 93 may set the resistance force of the damper mechanism 60 to be smaller as the weight of the object T increases.

[0086] (Determination According to Softness of Object) The resistance force determination unit 93 may determine the setting content of the resistance force of the damper mechanism 60 according to the softness of the object T. For example, when the softness of the object T is about third, the resistance force determination unit 93 increases the resistance force (e.g., spring constant) of the damper mechanism 60 compared to when the softness of the object T is about fourth, which is harder than the third level. For example, the softer the object T, the greater the resistance force of the damper mechanism 60 the resistance force determination unit 93 increases.

[0087] The reason for this is as follows: even if the held object MH comes into contact with the soft target object T during the pressing operation, a large impact is unlikely to occur. Therefore, by increasing the resistance force of the damper mechanism 60 to suppress vibration of the held object MH, the movement speed of the robot arm 20 during the pressing operation of the held object MH can be increased. This makes it possible to increase the speed at which the object M is moved from the origin A1 to the destination A2. Note that if it is better to determine the resistance force of the damper mechanism 60 for another reason, the resistance force determiner 93 may set the resistance force of the damper mechanism 60 to be smaller the softer the target object T.

[0088] In this embodiment, the resisting force determination unit 93 determines the designated amount of the spring constant of the damper mechanism 60 as the setting content of the resisting force of the damper mechanism 60. For example, the resisting force determination unit 93 determines the designated amount of the spring constant of the damper mechanism 60 based on the following equation (1).

[0089]

[0090] In equation (1), the variables or coefficients are as follows: K: spring constant of the damper mechanism 60 m: weight of the held object MH g: gravitational acceleration Km: adjustment coefficient of the spring constant relative to the weight of the held object v: movement speed of the robot arm 20 in the pressing operation Kv: adjustment coefficient of the spring constant relative to the movement speed of the robot arm 20 mtarget: weight of the target object T Ktarget: adjustment coefficient of the spring constant relative to the weight of the target object T

[0091] The adjustment coefficients Km, Kv, and Ktarget are adjusted in advance so that the robot 100 exerts an appropriate pressing force on a specific object M and operating environment. These adjustment coefficients may be determined experimentally, or may be derived and determined using a machine learning algorithm, for example.

[0092] (Determining Different Resistance Forces for the Conveying Operation and the Pressing Operation) In the present embodiment, the resistance force determination unit 93 can set different resistance forces as the resistance force of the damper mechanism 60 in the first operation (conveying operation) and the resistance force of the damper mechanism 60 in the second operation (pressing operation). For example, the resistance force determination unit 93 may determine a first content as the resistance force of the damper mechanism 60 in the first operation (conveying operation), and may determine a second content different from the first content as the resistance force of the damper mechanism 60 in the second operation (pressing operation).

[0093] The first content is, for example, a content in which the resistance force of the damper mechanism 60 is higher than that of the second content. The first content may be fixed regardless of the weight of the held object MH. Alternatively, the first content may be determined based on the weight of the held object MH acquired by the acquisition unit 91. For example, when the weight of the held object MH is a first weight, the resistance force determination unit 93 increases the resistance force of the damper mechanism 60, which is the first content, compared to when the weight of the held object MH is a second weight that is lighter than the first weight. For example, the resistance force determination unit 93 increases the resistance force of the damper mechanism 60, which is the first content, the greater the weight of the held object MH.

[0094] The resisting force determination unit 93 determines the setting of the resisting force of the damper mechanism 60, for example, at least for each pressing operation described below, based on information about physical quantities that affect the pressing operation. For example, the resisting force determination unit 93 determines the setting of the resisting force of the damper mechanism 60 based on the most recently acquired physical quantity, at least each time the information about the physical quantity changes during one pressing operation. For example, if the movement speed of the robot arm 20 decreases during one pressing operation, the resisting force determination unit 93 sequentially determines the setting of the resisting force of the damper mechanism 60 by reflecting the decreased movement speed of the robot arm 20.

[0095] 5.4 Resisting Force Control Unit The resisting force control unit 94 controls the resisting force of the damper mechanism 60 by controlling the resisting force adjustment devices 74, 83 based on the setting of the resisting force of the damper mechanism 60 (e.g., the spring constant of the damper mechanism 60) determined by the resisting force determination unit 93. The resisting force control unit 94 is an example of a "control means."

[0096] For example, if the resistance force adjustment device 74 includes air pressure adjustment devices 75A, 75B, 75C, and 75D, the resistance force control unit 94 controls the air pressure adjustment devices 75A, 75B, 75C, and 75D to adjust the magnitude of the air pressure supplied to the damper device 73 or the space S, thereby realizing the resistance force of the damper mechanism 60 determined by the resistance force determination unit 93. For example, if the resistance force adjustment device 83 includes voltage adjustment devices 86A, 86B, 86C, and 86D, the resistance force control unit 94 controls the voltage adjustment devices 86A, 86B, 86C, and 86D to adjust the magnitude of the voltage supplied to the coil 85 of the electromagnet 82, thereby realizing the resistance force of the damper mechanism 60 determined by the resistance force determination unit 93.

[0097] 6. Configuration of Management System Next, a description will be given of the configuration of the management system 200. The management system 200 is, for example, a system for remotely controlling the robot 100. The management system 200 has a display unit 201 and an operation reception unit 202.

[0098] 13 is a diagram illustrating the management system 200. The display unit 201 is, for example, a display device such as a liquid crystal display or an organic electroluminescence (EL) display. The display unit 201 has a display screen 201a that can display various information. For example, an image or video showing the state of the destination A2 captured by a camera 203 is displayed on the display screen 201a. The display screen 201a also virtually displays an image IMG-M of the object MH to be held next by the robot 100.

[0099] The operation reception unit 202 is a device capable of receiving operations from an operator. The operation reception unit 202 includes, for example, a touch panel disposed over the display screen 201 a. The operation reception unit 202 receives an operation from the operator to instruct where the next held object MH to be held by the robot 100 should be placed in the destination A2.

[0100] For example, the operation receiving unit 202 receives an instruction to execute an operation of pressing the held object MH against a target object T (e.g., the inner surface of the container C or the preceding object MT) adjacent to the target placement position, based on an operation by an operator to swipe an image IMG-M of the held object MH to be next held by the robot 100 on the display screen 201a toward the target placement position at the destination A2. A control command indicating the instruction received by the operation receiving unit 202 is output from the management system 200 to the control device 90 of the robot 100.

[0101] 7. Pressing Operation by Robot Next, a pressing operation by the robot 100 will be described. Fig. 14 is a perspective view showing the pressing operation by the robot 100. The held object MH held by the robot arm 20 is moved so as to approach the target object T at the destination A2, with the resistance force of the damper mechanism 60 adjusted (see (a) in Fig. 14).

[0102] When the held object MH held by the robot arm 20 comes into contact with the side of the object T (e.g., the preceding object MT) at the destination A2, the movement of the held object MH is restricted, and the torque sensor 30 of the robot arm 20 detects that the held object MH has come into contact with the object T at the destination A2 (see (b) in Figure 14).

[0103] When the movement control unit 92 of the robot 100 detects that the held object MH has come into contact with the target object T at the destination A2, it outputs a control command to the arm driving device 23 to stop the movement of the robot arm 20. However, since the robot arm 20 cannot stop immediately, it attempts to continue moving for a certain period of time. In this case, the first member 61 of the damper mechanism 60 is misaligned with the second member 62, and the held object MH comes into contact with the target object T at the destination A2, absorbing the impact, and allowing the robot arm 20 to overshoot (see (c) in FIG. 14 ).

[0104] When the movement of the robot arm 20 stops, the movement control unit 92 of the robot 100 releases the holding unit 40 from holding the held object MH, and then moves the robot arm 20 upward. At this time, the second member 62 of the damper mechanism 60 returns to its original position relative to the first member 61 in response to the holding unit 40 releasing its hold on the held object MH.

[0105] 8. Control Flow Next, a description will be given of the control flow of the robot 100. Fig. 15 is a flowchart showing the control flow of the robot 100. The processing of this flowchart is performed each time one held object MH is moved.

[0106] First, the robot 100 holds the object M using the holding unit 40 (S101). Next, the acquisition unit 91 acquires a physical quantity used to determine the resistance force of the damper mechanism 60 (S102). Note that the timing for acquiring the physical quantity may be before the processing of S101. Next, the resistance force determination unit 93 determines the resistance force of the damper mechanism 60 in the first operation (transport operation) based on, for example, the physical quantity acquired by the acquisition unit 91 (S103). Next, the resistance force control unit 94 adjusts the resistance force of the damper mechanism 60 based on the resistance force determined by the resistance force determination unit 93 (S104).

[0107] Next, the robot 100 moves the held object MH from the origin A1 toward the destination A2 (S105). The movement control unit 92 determines whether the remaining distance to the destination A2 (or object T) has reached a predetermined distance based on the detection results from the camera 203 or the like (S106). If the remaining distance to the destination A2 (or object T) exceeds the predetermined distance (S106: NO), the process of S106 is repeated at a predetermined interval. On the other hand, if the remaining distance to the destination A2 (or object T) has reached the predetermined distance (S106: YES), the movement control unit 92 decelerates the robot arm 20 (S107).

[0108] Next, the resisting force determination unit 93 determines the resisting force of the damper mechanism 60 in the second operation (pressing operation) based on the physical quantity acquired by the acquisition unit 91 (S108). Note that the determination of the resisting force of the damper mechanism 60 in the second operation (pressing operation) may be performed before the processing of S107. Next, the resisting force control unit 94 adjusts the resisting force of the damper mechanism 60 based on the resisting force determined by the resisting force determination unit 93 (S109).

[0109] Next, the movement control unit 92 moves the held object MH toward the target object T at the destination A2 with the resistance force of the damper mechanism 60 adjusted (S110). Then, the movement control unit 92 determines whether or not contact of the held object MH with the target object T at the destination A2 has been detected based on the detection result of the torque sensor 30 (S111). If contact is not detected (S111: NO), the process returns to S110, and the pressing operation continues.

[0110] On the other hand, if contact is detected (S111; YES), the movement control unit 92 outputs a control command to the arm driving device 23 to stop the movement of the robot arm 20. As described above, the robot arm 20 cannot stop immediately at this time, and an overshoot occurs in the movement of the robot arm 20. As a result, the first member 61 of the damper mechanism 60 is displaced relative to the second member 62, and the movement of the robot arm 20 is permitted in a state in which the held object MH is in contact with the target object T at the destination A2.

[0111] When the movement of the robot arm 20 stops, the movement control unit 92 releases the holding unit 40 from holding the held object MH (S112), and then moves the robot arm 20 upward. This completes the operation of moving one held object MH.

[0112] 9. Advantages: There is a desire to develop a processing system that can place objects closely together. However, with simple position specification, there are errors in the movement of the robot and in specifying the location of the objects remotely, making it difficult to place objects closely together.

[0113] The inventors therefore came up with the idea of ​​placing objects closely together by having a subsequently moved object press laterally against an object previously placed at its destination. However, when a torque sensor or other device is used to detect contact between objects and stop the movement of the robot arm, an overshoot of 1 to 2 cm occurs, which can result in unintended forces being applied to the object or the container at the destination moving. This phenomenon becomes more pronounced when the movement speed of the robot arm is increased.

[0114] However, the control device 90 of this embodiment is equipped with an acquisition unit 91 that acquires information regarding physical quantities that affect the movement operation when performing an operation to move the held object MH in the direction of an object T located at least in the movement destination A2, a resistance force determination unit 93 that determines the setting contents of the resistance force of the damper mechanism 60 provided on the robot arm 20 that holds and moves the held object MH based on the information acquired by the acquisition unit 91, and a resistance force control unit 94 that controls the resistance force of the damper mechanism 60 based on the setting contents determined by the resistance force determination unit 93.

[0115] With this configuration, by using the damper mechanism 60 whose resistance is adjusted based on the physical quantity that affects the movement, the held object MH can be moved in the direction of the preceding object MT while appropriately absorbing impacts, making it easier to arrange the objects closely together, thereby enabling the robot 100 to perform more appropriate operations.

[0116] Second Embodiment An embodiment according to the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 16 is a diagram illustrating an example of a control system 90A. The control system 90A includes an acquisition unit 91A, a determination unit 93A, and a control unit 94A. The acquisition unit 91A acquires information regarding physical quantities that affect at least an operation of pressing an object against a target object present at the object's destination. The determination unit 93A determines, based on the information acquired by the acquisition unit 91A, the setting of a resistance force of a damper mechanism provided in a robot arm that holds and moves the object. The control unit 94A controls the resistance force of the damper mechanism based on the setting determined by the determination unit 93A.

[0117] 17 is a flowchart showing an example of the processing flow of the control system 90A. When performing an operation of pressing an object against a target object present at the object's destination, the control system 90A acquires information about physical quantities that affect the pressing operation (S201). Based on the information about the physical quantities, the control system 90A determines the setting contents of the resistance force of a damper mechanism provided in a robot arm that holds and moves the object (S202). The control system 90A controls the resistance force of the damper mechanism based on the setting contents (S203).

[0118] The above describes the control system 90A according to the second embodiment. This control system 90A can realize more appropriate robot operations.

[0119] Although the embodiments of the present disclosure have been described, the above-described control device 90, control system 90A, or management system 200 may include a computer device. The above-described processing steps are stored in the form of a program on a computer-readable recording medium, and the above processing is performed by reading and executing the program by a computer. Specific examples of computers are shown below.

[0120] FIG. 18 is a schematic block diagram showing the configuration of a computer according to at least one embodiment. The computer 1000 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 1001, a main memory 1002, a storage 1003, and an interface 1004. For example, the above-described control device 90, control system 90A, or management system 200 is implemented in the computer 1000. The operation of each of the above-described processing units is stored in the storage 1003 in the form of a program. The CPU 1001 reads the program from the storage 1003, loads it into the main memory 1002, and executes the above-described processing in accordance with the program. The CPU 1001 also allocates storage areas in the main memory 1002 corresponding to each of the above-described storage units in accordance with the program.

[0121] Examples of storage 1003 include a hard disk drive (HDD), a solid state drive (SSD), a magnetic disk, a magneto-optical disk, a compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), a digital versatile disc read-only memory (DVD-ROM), and semiconductor memory. Storage 1003 may be internal media directly connected to the bus of computer 1000, or external media connected to computer 1000 via an interface or a communication line. Furthermore, if the program is distributed to computer 1000 via a communication line, computer 1000 may load the program into main memory 1002 and execute the above-described processing. In at least one embodiment, storage 1003 is a non-transitory tangible recording medium.

[0122] The program may also implement some of the functions described above. Furthermore, the program may be a file that can implement the functions described above in combination with a program already stored in the computer device, a so-called differential file (differential program).

[0123] The order of the processes in each embodiment of the present disclosure may be changed as long as the processes are performed appropriately.

[0124] Although several embodiments of the present disclosure have been described, these embodiments are merely examples and do not limit the scope of the disclosure. Various additions, omissions, substitutions, and modifications may be made to these embodiments without departing from the spirit of the disclosure.

[0125] Some or all of the above-described embodiments can be described as, but are not limited to, the following supplementary notes.

[0126] (Supplementary Note 1) A control system comprising: an acquisition means for acquiring information on physical quantities that affect an action of moving an object in the direction of a target object that exists at the destination of the object; a determination means for determining, based on the information acquired by the acquisition means, the setting contents of a resistance force of a damper mechanism provided on a robot arm that holds and moves the object; and a control means for controlling the resistance force of the damper mechanism based on the setting contents determined by the determination means.

[0127] (Supplementary Note 2) The control system according to Supplementary Note 1, wherein the movement action is an action of pressing the object against the target object, and the physical quantity is a physical quantity that affects the pressing action.

[0128] (Supplementary Note 3) The control system according to Supplementary Note 1 or Supplementary Note 2, wherein the physical quantity includes at least one of a physical quantity related to the object, a physical quantity related to the robot arm, or a physical quantity related to the target object.

[0129] (Supplementary Note 4) The control system according to any one of Supplementary Note 1 to Supplementary Note 3, wherein the physical quantity includes at least one of a weight of the object and a softness of the object.

[0130] (Supplementary Note 5) The control system according to any one of Supplementary Note 1 to Supplementary Note 4, wherein the physical quantity includes a moving speed of the robot arm.

[0131] (Supplementary Note 6) The control system according to any one of Supplementary Notes 1 to 5, wherein the physical quantity includes a weight of the object.

[0132] (Supplementary Note 7) The control system according to Supplementary Note 6, wherein the weight of the object includes a weight of a container that contains the object at the destination.

[0133] (Supplementary Note 8) The control system according to Supplementary Note 6 or Supplementary Note 7, wherein the weight of the target object includes a weight of another object that was previously housed in a container that will house the object at the destination.

[0134] (Supplementary Note 9) The control system according to any one of Supplementary Note 6 to Supplementary Note 9, wherein the weight of the object includes a weight of a container in which the object is housed at the destination and a weight of another object that was previously housed in the container.

[0135] (Supplementary Note 10) The control system according to Supplementary Note 2, wherein the acquisition means acquires, for at least each of the pressing actions, information relating to the physical quantity that affects the pressing action, and the determination means determines, for at least each of the pressing actions, the setting content based on the information acquired by the acquisition means.

[0136] (Supplementary Note 11) The control system described in Supplementary Note 2 or Supplementary Note 10, wherein the acquisition means acquires information about the physical quantity affecting the pressing action a plurality of times during one pressing action, and the determination means determines the setting content based on the information acquired by the acquisition means at least each time the information about the physical quantity changes.

[0137] (Supplementary Note 12) The control system described in any one of Supplementary Note 1 to Supplementary Note 11, wherein the determination means determines the setting content of the resistance force of the damper mechanism to a first content for an operation of moving the object at a position that is more than a predetermined distance away from the destination or the target object, and determines the setting content of the resistance force of the damper mechanism to a second content different from the first content for an operation of moving the object at a position that is within the predetermined distance from the destination or the target object.

[0138] (Supplementary Note 13) A robot comprising: the control system according to any one of Supplementary Note 1 to Supplementary Note 12; and the robot arm having the damper device.

[0139] (Supplementary Note 14) The robot according to Supplementary Note 13, wherein the damper mechanism is capable of absorbing at least one of a linear displacement and a rotational displacement.

[0140] (Supplementary Note 15) A control method including: when one or more computers perform an operation to move an object in the direction of an object that exists at the destination of the object, acquiring information on physical quantities that affect the movement operation; determining, based on the information on the physical quantities, settings for the resistance force of a damper mechanism provided on a robot arm that holds and moves the object; and controlling the resistance force of the damper mechanism based on the settings.

[0141] (Supplementary Note 16) The control method according to Supplementary Note 15, wherein the movement action is an action of pressing the object against the target object, and the physical quantity is a physical quantity that affects the pressing action.

[0142] (Supplementary Note 17) The control method according to Supplementary Note 15 or Supplementary Note 16, wherein the physical quantity includes at least one of a physical quantity related to the object, a physical quantity related to the robot arm, or a physical quantity related to the target object.

[0143] (Supplementary Note 18) The control method according to any one of Supplementary Note 15 to Supplementary Note 17, wherein the physical quantity includes at least one of a weight of the object and a softness of the object.

[0144] (Supplementary Note 19) The control method according to any one of Supplementary Note 15 to Supplementary Note 18, wherein the physical quantity includes a moving speed of the robot arm.

[0145] (Supplementary Note 20) The control method according to any one of Supplementary Notes 15 to 19, wherein the physical quantity includes a weight of the object.

[0146] (Supplementary Note 21) The control method according to Supplementary Note 20, wherein the weight of the target object includes a weight of a container that contains the object at the destination.

[0147] (Supplementary Note 22) The control method according to Supplementary Note 20 or Supplementary Note 21, wherein the weight of the target object includes a weight of another object that was previously housed in a container that will house the object at the destination.

[0148] (Supplementary Note 23) The control method according to any one of Supplementary Note 20 to Supplementary Note 22, wherein the weight of the target object includes the weight of a container in which the object is housed at the destination and the weight of another object that was previously housed in the container.

[0149] (Supplementary Note 24) The control method described in Supplementary Note 16, wherein acquiring information about the physical quantity includes acquiring the physical quantity that affects the pressing action at least for each pressing action, and determining the setting content includes determining the setting content based on the acquired information at least for each pressing action.

[0150] (Supplementary Note 25) The control method described in Supplementary Note 16 or Supplementary Note 24, wherein acquiring information related to the physical quantity includes acquiring information related to the physical quantity affecting the pressing action multiple times during one pressing action, and determining the setting content includes determining the setting content based on the acquired information at least each time the information related to the physical quantity changes.

[0151] (Appendix 26) The control method described in any one of Appendices 15 to 25, wherein determining the setting content includes determining the setting content of the resistance force of the damper mechanism to a first content for an operation of moving the object at a position that is more than a predetermined distance away from the destination or the target object, and determining the setting content of the resistance force of the damper mechanism to a second content different from the first content for an operation of moving the object at a position that is within the predetermined distance from the destination or the target object.

[0152] (Supplementary Note 27) A recording medium storing a program for causing one or more computers to execute the following operations: when performing an operation to move an object in the direction of a target object that exists at the destination of the object, acquire information on physical quantities that affect the movement; determine, based on the information on the physical quantities, settings for the resistance force of a damper mechanism provided on a robot arm that holds and moves the object; and control the resistance force of the damper mechanism based on the settings.

[0153] (Supplementary Note 28) The recording medium according to Supplementary Note 27, wherein the moving action is an action of pressing the object against the target object, and the physical quantity is a physical quantity that affects the pressing action.

[0154] (Supplementary Note 29) The recording medium according to Supplementary Note 27 or Supplementary Note 28, wherein the physical quantity includes at least one of a physical quantity related to the object, a physical quantity related to the robot arm, or a physical quantity related to the target object.

[0155] (Supplementary Note 30) The recording medium according to any one of Supplementary Notes 27 to 29, wherein the physical quantity includes at least one of a weight of the object and a softness of the object.

[0156] (Supplementary Note 31) The recording medium according to any one of Supplementary Notes 27 to 30, wherein the physical quantity includes a moving speed of the robot arm.

[0157] (Supplementary Note 32) The recording medium according to any one of Supplementary Notes 27 to 31, wherein the physical quantity includes a weight of the object.

[0158] (Supplementary Note 33) The recording medium according to Supplementary Note 32, wherein the weight of the target object includes the weight of a container that contains the object at the destination.

[0159] (Supplementary Note 34) The recording medium according to Supplementary Note 32 or Supplementary Note 33, wherein the weight of the target object includes a weight of another object that was previously housed in a container that will house the object at the destination.

[0160] (Appendix 35) The recording medium according to any one of Appendices 32 to 34, wherein the weight of the target object includes the weight of a container in which the object will be housed at the destination and the weight of another object that was previously housed in the container.

[0161] (Appendix 36) The recording medium described in Appendix 28, wherein acquiring information related to the physical quantity includes acquiring the physical quantity that affects the pressing action at least for each pressing action, and determining the setting content includes determining the setting content based on the acquired information at least for each pressing action.

[0162] (Supplementary Note 37) The recording medium described in Supplementary Note 28 or 36, wherein acquiring information about the physical quantity includes acquiring information about the physical quantity that affects the pressing action multiple times during one pressing action, and determining the setting content includes determining the setting content based on the acquired information at least each time the information about the physical quantity changes.

[0163] (Appendix 38) The recording medium described in any one of Appendices 27 to 37, wherein determining the setting content includes determining the setting content of the resistance force of the damper mechanism to a first content for an operation of moving the object at a position that is more than a predetermined distance away from the destination or the target object, and determining the setting content of the resistance force of the damper mechanism to a second content different from the first content for an operation of moving the object at a position that is within the predetermined distance from the destination or the target object.

[0164] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Processing system 10 Base 20 Robot arm 30 Torque sensor 40 Holding part 60 Damper mechanism 61 First member 62 Second member 63 Elastic connection part 90 Control device 90A Control system 91 Acquisition part 91A Acquisition means 92 Movement control part 93 Resistance force determination part 93A Determination means 94 Resistance force control part 94A Control means 100 Robot 200 Management system

Claims

1. A control system comprising: an acquisition means for acquiring information on physical quantities that affect the movement of an object in the direction of a target object at least at the object's destination; a determination means for determining, based on the information acquired by the acquisition means, the setting of a resistance force of a damper mechanism provided on a robot arm that holds and moves the object; and a control means for controlling the resistance force of the damper mechanism based on the setting determined by the determination means.

2. The control system according to claim 1, wherein the movement action is an action of pressing the object against the target object, and the physical quantity is a physical quantity that affects the pressing action.

3. The control system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the physical quantity includes at least one of a physical quantity related to the object, a physical quantity related to the robot arm, or a physical quantity related to the target object.

4. The control system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the physical quantity includes at least one of the weight of the object and the softness of the object.

5. The control system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the physical quantity includes a moving speed of the robot arm.

6. The control system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the physical quantity includes a weight of the object.

7. A control system as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the determination means determines the resistance setting of the damper mechanism to a first setting for an operation of moving the object to a position that is more than a predetermined distance away from the destination or the object, and determines the resistance setting of the damper mechanism to a second setting different from the first setting for an operation of moving the object to a position that is within the predetermined distance from the destination or the object.

8. A robot comprising: a control system according to any one of claims 1 to 7; and a robot arm having the damper mechanism.

9. A control method comprising: when one or more computers perform an operation to move an object in the direction of an object that exists at the destination of the object, acquiring information on physical quantities that affect the operation of moving the object; determining, based on the information on the physical quantities, the setting contents of the resistance force of a damper mechanism provided on a robot arm that holds and moves the object; and controlling the resistance force of the damper mechanism based on the setting contents.

10. A recording medium storing a program for causing one or more computers to execute the following operations: when performing an operation to move an object in the direction of an object existing at the object's destination, acquire information on physical quantities that affect the movement; determine, based on the information on the physical quantities, the settings for the resistance force of a damper mechanism provided on a robot arm that holds and moves the object; and control the resistance force of the damper mechanism based on the settings.

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