Collaborative Robot Control via Operator Intention Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Industrial robots face challenges in precise manipulation of bulky parts due to ambiguities in force interpretation and the need for high torque, which increases operator effort and reduces assistance from the robot, especially when the operator is remote from the robot's control handle, and existing solutions like voice commands are complex and not universal.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that detect the operator's intention through analysis of force and kinematic torque at a determined point, allowing the robot to provide assistance by executing specific types of movements such as uncoordinated or coordinated translations and rotations, without requiring additional control channels, thus minimizing operator effort and ensuring precise movements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the operator applies high torque to resolve rotation/translation ambiguity, then the ambiguity is resolved, but the operator effort increases and robot assistance is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical torque application method with a sensor-based detection system. Force sensors and torque sensors mounted on the robot's end effector directly measure the operator's intended forces, eliminating the need for the operator to apply high torque to resolve ambiguities. The control system then interprets these sensor signals to determine the operator's intention, providing accurate force interpretation without increased physical effort.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces force sensors and torque sensors as intermediaries between the operator and the robot control system. These sensors act as mediators that directly detect the operator's intended forces and torques, translating them into control signals without requiring the operator to overcome mechanical ambiguities through high torque application.
2Ease of operation
If the control handle is fixed at the gripping member, then the robot can be controlled directly, but the handle becomes unreachable when the robot grasps large parts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the control handle dynamic by allowing it to be repositioned along the robot's manipulator arm. The handle can be moved to different locations depending on the task requirements and the size of the part being manipulated, ensuring it remains accessible to the operator while maintaining control capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the control system from the fixed gripping member location. The control handle is made as a separate, movable component that can be positioned at different locations along the manipulator arm, allowing the operator to access it regardless of where the gripping member is positioned relative to large parts.
3Manufacturing precision
If virtual guides constrain robot movements, then manipulation precision is improved, but operator freedom of movement is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the virtual guides dynamic and adaptive rather than fixed. The control system continuously adjusts the virtual guides based on the detected operator intention and task requirements, allowing the guides to provide precision assistance when needed while permitting operator freedom when the operator's intended movement aligns with safe and efficient manipulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback control where the system continuously monitors operator actions through force and torque sensors, detects the operator's intention, and dynamically adjusts the virtual guides accordingly. This feedback mechanism allows the virtual guides to adapt to the operator's needs, providing precision when necessary while maintaining operator freedom when appropriate.
Data Source
Figure 1~4
Figure 2A~2D
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for assisting in the control of a collaborative robot, including a grasping member suitable for holding a part at a grasping point, by an operator operating control means arranged on the part at at least one gripping point, wherein the assistance method enables the robot to execute a plurality of types of assistance corresponding to a plurality of characteristic predetermined movements of the grasping member, the method being characterized in that same includes at least: a first step (401) of detecting the intention of the operator for determining the intention of the operator of executing a predetermined type of assistance from an analysis of haptic data of the operator; and a second step (403) of determining the instructions that the robot should execute on the basis of the detected intention in order to provide the appropriate assistance.