Robot Hand-Eye Calibration via Autonomous Object Placement

Solution Overview

Problem

Current robot systems require significant manpower and time for hand-eye calibration, which involves calculating the transformation relation between the end effector's coordinate system and the camera's coordinate system, as users manually operate the robot to acquire necessary coordinates.

Innovation Solution

A robot system with a robot arm, communication interface, and control circuit that autonomously grasps objects, places them on a worktable, and calculates calibration parameters by acquiring coordinates from camera images, reducing user involvement and time required for hand-eye calibration.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Extent of automation

If manual operation by user is used to acquire coordinates for hand-eye calibration, then the calibration process can be completed, but significant manpower and time are required

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveautomation of hand-eye calibrationVSAvoidtime for hand-eye calibration

Core Design Contradiction:

Extent of automationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The robot performs hand-eye calibration autonomously without user intervention. The control circuit automatically controls the robot arm to move to multiple positions, the camera captures images at each position, and the system automatically calculates coordinate transformations, making the system self-calibrating

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces manual mechanical operation with an automated system combining robot arm control and image processing. The camera captures images and the control circuit processes these images to automatically calculate coordinate transformations, substituting human manual work with automated optical and computational systems

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Ease of operation

If manual operation by user is used to acquire coordinates for hand-eye calibration, then the calibration process can be completed, but significant manpower is required

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of hand-eye calibrationVSAvoidautomation of hand-eye calibration

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSExtent of automation

Solution Approach 1:

The robot performs hand-eye calibration autonomously without user intervention. The control circuit automatically controls the robot arm to move to multiple positions, the camera captures images at each position, and the system automatically calculates coordinate transformations, making the system self-calibrating

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces manual mechanical operation with an automated system combining robot arm control and image processing. The camera captures images and the control circuit processes these images to automatically calculate coordinate transformations, substituting human manual work with automated optical and computational systems

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Productivity

If automated coordinate acquisition is implemented, then time and manpower are reduced, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveefficiency of hand-eye calibrationVSAvoidcomplexity of calibration system

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The robot arm serves multiple functions: it performs both the calibration process and actual robotic operations. The camera serves dual purposes by capturing images for both calibration and potential inspection tasks, reducing the need for dedicated calibration equipment

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a worktable as an intermediary platform to hold the target object during calibration. This simple mechanical addition provides a stable reference frame without requiring complex positioning systems, facilitating automated image-based coordinate acquisition

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS10780585B2Robot and electronic device for performing hand-eye calibration

Publication Date: 2020.09.22 SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD

AI summary

A robot for performing hand-eye calibration is provided. The robot includes a robot arm including a plurality of joints, a plurality of arm sections, and an end effector, a communication interface, and a control circuit. The control circuit controls the robot arm to place the external object on a worktable after the external object is grasped by the end effector, acquires coordinates of a central point of the external object in a coordinate system of the camera from an image of the external object, and calculates a calibration parameter for defining a relation between a coordinate system of the end effector and the coordinate system of the camera, based on coordinates of the end effector in a base coordinate system of the robot and coordinates of the central point of the external object in the coordinate system of the camera when the external object is placed on the worktable.