End Effector Sensor Planning for Robotic Item Singulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Manual singulation in parcel and distribution centers is labor-intensive and inefficient, and robotic singulation faces challenges due to cluttered workstations and dynamic item flows, making it difficult to identify, grasp, and separate items automatically.
Innovation Solution
A robotic singulation system that uses sensors to determine a plan for singulating items based on their attributes and the workspace conditions, employing a robotic arm and end effector to pick and place items on a conveyor, with dynamic updating of paths and trajectories to improve singulation efficiency and adapt to changing conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual singulation is used, then items can be separated with human adaptability, but labor intensity is high and throughput is low
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic system autonomously performs singulation operations without continuous human intervention. The robot identifies items, plans trajectories, executes picks and places, and adapts to changing conditions independently, enabling self-service automation that resolves the contradiction between maintaining adaptability and reducing manual labor while increasing throughput
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical human hand and cognitive processing with a robotic arm equipped with sensors, computer vision, and automated control systems. This substitution enables automated item identification, grasp planning, and placement operations, eliminating manual labor while maintaining or enhancing singulation capabilities and increasing productivity
2Extent of automation
If robotic singulation is implemented, then automation increases and labor decreases, but difficulty in identifying and grasping items in cluttered environments increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by using sensors and computer vision to identify and locate items in the cluttered workspace before attempting to grasp them. The robot plans trajectories and grasp strategies in advance based on pre-acquired spatial information, enabling automated operation despite cluttered conditions by preparing the interaction sequence before physical contact
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces sensors, computer vision systems, and planning algorithms as intermediaries between the robotic arm and the cluttered items. These intermediaries process visual and spatial data to create a structured representation of the cluttered environment, enabling the robot to identify and grasp items without direct human intervention despite the complexity of the workspace
3Extent of automation
If robotic arm navigates cluttered workspace, then automation is achieved, but risk of collisions with items increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary trajectory planning and collision assessment before executing robotic movements. The robot calculates safe paths through the cluttered workspace, identifies potential collision risks in advance, and adjusts trajectories preemptively, enabling automated operation while minimizing collisions with items during singulation tasks
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preemptive collision avoidance strategies where the robotic system identifies potential collision risks before they occur and takes corrective action. The planning algorithms incorporate safety margins and adaptive trajectory adjustments that cushion against potential collisions, protecting items from damage while maintaining automated singulation operations
4Adaptability or versatility
If dynamic flow of items is handled, then adaptability to changing conditions is required, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic system continuously monitors the workspace using sensors and computer vision, comparing actual item positions and conditions against planned trajectories. When deviations or changes are detected, the system provides feedback to the planning algorithms, which recalculate trajectories and grasp strategies in real-time, enabling adaptability to dynamic conditions through closed-loop control without excessive complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic trajectory planning and real-time path adjustment capabilities that allow the robotic arm to adapt its motion plan as items move or positions change in the cluttered workspace. The system transitions from static pre-planned paths to dynamic adaptive trajectories, enabling versatility in handling changing conditions while managing system complexity through efficient real-time computation
Data Source
AI summary
A robotic system comprising an end effector-mounted sensor is disclosed. In various embodiments, a robotic arm is manipulated to move a sensor to a position such that an object of interest is within a read range of the sensor. A sensor data read by the sensor is received via a communication interface. The sensor data is used to determine an attribute of the object; and the determined attribute of the object is used to determine a plan to grasp and move the object.