Robot-Machine Coordinate Transformation via Calibration Markers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for coordinating robot and machine tool operations lack accuracy and efficiency in transforming the robot coordinate system to the machine coordinate system, especially when performing tasks other than handling objects, and often require high-cost equipment like supervisory computers and offline simulation devices.
Innovation Solution
A cooperation system that includes a camera attached to the robot, calibration markers on the machine tool, and components for obtaining and transforming coordinate values, allowing for precise calculation of the coordinate transformation matrix between the robot and machine coordinate systems using camera measurements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a supervisory computer or offline simulation device is used to achieve coordinate transformation, then the accuracy of coordinate transformation is improved, but the device complexity and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
A calibration marker is introduced as an intermediary object between the robot and machine tool. The marker serves as a common reference that both the robot camera and machine tool measurement system can detect, enabling coordinate transformation without requiring complex supervisory computers or offline simulation devices. The marker's known geometry provides a bridge for calculating the transformation matrix between different coordinate systems.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using expensive physical measurement devices, the patent uses a visual copy (image) of the calibration marker captured by the robot camera. The marker's position and orientation are extracted from image data, creating a virtual representation that can be used for coordinate transformation calculations, replacing the need for physical measurement equipment.
2Adaptability or versatility
If traditional handling operations are performed with limited coordinate transformation, then the ease of operation is maintained, but the robot's operational area and versatility are restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The calibration marker-based coordinate transformation system enables the robot to perform multiple functions beyond simple object handling. The same transformation mechanism supports inspection operations, cleaning tasks, and other activities within the machine tool's workspace, making the robot system universal and multi-functional while maintaining ease of operation through automated marker detection.
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
This solution enables high-accuracy coordinate transformation with a simple configuration, expanding the robot's operational area and reducing non-linear modeling errors, improving work efficiency and allowing for automated inspection of the machine tool.
Implementation Method 1
a second marker coordinate obtaining part which obtains a second coordinate value of the calibration marker in a robot coordinate system defined with respect to the robot, by capturing the calibration marker by the camera
Data Source
AI summary
A cooperation system of a robot and a machine tool, capable of obtaining a coordinate transformation means with high accuracy by a simple configuration, by which a robot coordinate system is transformed to a machine coordinate system. A provisional coordinate system is defined by coordinate values of three calibration markers in a base coordinate system obtained by translating the machine coordinate system, and a coordinate transformation matrix from the provisional coordinate system to the base coordinate system is calculated. The positions of the markers in the robot coordinate system are obtained by capturing the markers by a camera. Based on the three coordinate values in the robot coordinate system, a coordinate transformation matrix from the robot coordinate system to the provisional coordinate system is calculated, and a coordinate transformation matrix from the robot coordinate system to the base coordinate system is calculated based on the above two matrixes.