Heavy-Item Detection in Robotic Singulation Conveyors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Manual singulation of items in parcel and distribution centers is labor-intensive and inefficient, and robotic singulation faces challenges due to the cluttered mix of items and dynamic flow, making it difficult to identify, grasp, and adapt to changing conditions.
Innovation Solution
A robotic singulation system using a robotic arm with a suction-based end effector, coordinated by a control computer, employs sensors and vision systems to model the workspace environment, determine item attributes, and implement dynamic singulation plans to efficiently place items on a segmented conveyor, handling heavy or special items by adapting paths and trajectories.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual singulation is used, then items can be handled with flexibility, but labor intensity and inefficiency increase
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic system autonomously performs singulation operations without continuous human intervention. The robot identifies items, plans paths, executes grasping and placement, and adapts to changing conditions independently, enabling self-service operation that improves productivity while reducing manual labor
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical singulation with an automated robotic system that uses sensors, vision systems, and controlled robotic arms to perform item separation. This substitution of human-operated mechanical processes with automated systems directly addresses the contradiction by maintaining operational capability while eliminating labor-intensive manual work
2Productivity
If robotic singulation is implemented, then automation and efficiency improve, but difficulty in identifying and grasping items in cluttered environments increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by using vision systems and sensors to detect and model items in the cluttered environment before grasping occurs. The robot plans paths and identifies target items in advance, preparing the system state to handle the complexity of cluttered scenes, which reduces the difficulty of real-time detection and measurement during actual singulation operations
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces intermediary systems including vision cameras, sensors, and path planning algorithms that mediate between the robotic arm and the cluttered item environment. These intermediaries process complex visual information and translate it into actionable grasping commands, reducing the direct difficulty of detecting and measuring items in cluttered conditions
3Adaptability or versatility
If robotic arm pushes heavy items, then items that cannot be lifted can be handled, but system complexity and control challenges increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system adapts its operational parameters based on item characteristics. When items are detected to be too heavy for lifting, the robot changes its interaction mode from grasping-and-lifting to pushing. This parameter change in the manipulation strategy enables handling of heavy items while managing system complexity through adaptive control rather than requiring entirely separate mechanisms
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system enhances efficiency by autonomously handling items, avoiding collisions, and ensuring accurate routing, even with mixed item types, thereby improving throughput and reducing manual intervention.
Implementation Method 1
A robotic singulation system using a robotic arm with a suction-based end effector
Data Source
AI summary
The present application discloses a system, a method, and a computer system for moving items deemed to be too heavy to be picked up by a robotic arm. The method includes (i) receiving sensor data from one or more sensors associated with a source conveyor configured to convey items to a pick location, (ii) determining, based at least in part on the sensor data, that an item that is too heavy to be lifted by a robotic arm controlled by the one or more processors has entered the source conveyor, and (iii) providing an output indicating that the item too heavy to be lifted by the robotic arm has been detected.