Dual-Camera Robot Control for Occluded Workpiece and Posture Detection
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing robot control systems face challenges in acquiring proper images that cover the required area due to obstructions from the worker's body, leading to incomplete information about the workpiece and worker's posture.
Innovation Solution
A robot control system utilizing a first camera attached to the robot and a second wearable camera on the worker, with a control device that merges images from both cameras to accurately determine the workpiece and worker's posture, enabling comprehensive task execution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If a single camera is used to capture work area images, then the device complexity is reduced, but the image coverage area is insufficient due to worker body obstructions
Solution Approach 1:
The imaging system is segmented into two separate cameras: a first camera mounted on the robot for capturing robot-side views, and a second camera mounted on the worker for capturing worker-side views. This segmentation allows each camera to independently capture images from its specific viewpoint, collectively covering the entire work area without dead zones caused by body obstructions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the imaging data from two different sources (first camera on robot and second camera on worker) into a unified work situation determination. The control device integrates images from both cameras to comprehensively recognize workpiece positions, worker posture, and overall work status, achieving complete area coverage by combining multiple partial views.
2Loss of information
If images are captured from multiple viewpoints, then the information completeness about workpiece and worker posture is improved, but the data processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control device performs multiple functions using the integrated image data: it determines workpiece position, recognizes worker skeletal posture, identifies work status, and controls robot operations. This multi-functional approach consolidates various information processing tasks into a single control system, managing complexity through functional integration rather than separate processing units.
Solution Approach 2:
The control device acts as an intermediary that receives and processes images from both cameras, synthesizing the multi-viewpoint data into unified work situation information. This intermediary processing layer manages the complexity of integrating multiple data streams by providing a centralized coordination point that transforms raw images into actionable control commands.
3Measurement precision
If a camera is mounted on the worker, then the worker's posture and work area visibility are improved, but the system reliability decreases due to potential camera displacement
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adapts to camera position changes by continuously processing images from both cameras and updating work situation determination in real-time. The control device can handle dynamic positioning of the worker-mounted camera through continuous image acquisition and processing, maintaining measurement precision despite potential displacement by using the most current image data.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a robot control system (1) including a robot (200), at least one first camera (300) attached or fixed to the robot, a second camera (400) attached to a worker, and a control device (100). The control device controls the robot by specifying a position of a workpiece W or a component, or a skeletal posture or states of a worker based on an image of the first camera and an image of the second camera.