Robotic Heavy-Item Detection for Conveyor Singulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Manual singulation of items in parcel distribution centers is labor-intensive and inefficient, and robotic singulation is challenging due to the dynamic nature of item arrival and the difficulty in identifying, grasping, and adapting to a cluttered mix of items.
Innovation Solution
A robotic singulation system using a robotic arm with a suction-based end effector, coordinated by a control computer, employs sensors to model the workspace environment, determine item attributes, and adaptively plan paths and trajectories to efficiently singulate items, including handling heavy or special items by pushing or diverting them to alternate locations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual singulation is used, then items can be handled with flexibility, but labor intensity increases and throughput decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic system autonomously performs singulation operations without continuous human intervention. The robot identifies items, plans paths, grasps objects, and places them in destination bins independently, enabling the system to serve itself and achieve high throughput while minimizing manual labor.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical operations with an automated robotic system that uses sensors, computer vision, and controlled mechanical arms. This substitution of human-operated mechanical processes with automated systems increases productivity while maintaining the physical manipulation capabilities needed for singulation.
2Productivity
If robotic singulation is implemented, then automation increases and throughput improves, but difficulty in identifying and grasping cluttered items increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-planning paths and pre-grasping items before actual movement. The robot identifies items in advance, plans complete paths to destination bins beforehand, and prepares grasping motions in advance, which simplifies the real-time execution phase and improves overall system performance despite cluttered conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The robotic system employs dynamic path planning and adaptive control to handle cluttered items. The robot can adjust its grasping strategy and movement path in real-time based on item position, orientation, and destination requirements, enabling it to successfully identify and manipulate items in cluttered environments while maintaining high throughput.
3Extent of automation
If robotic arm attempts to pick heavy items, then automation is maintained, but system reliability decreases due to inability to lift
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes operational parameters by switching from a pick-and-lift mode to a push-mode when dealing with heavy items. The robot detects item weight characteristics and adjusts its interaction parameters accordingly, using pushing forces instead of lifting forces to maintain automated handling while ensuring reliable operation with heavy objects.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the handling process into different modes based on item characteristics. For heavy items, the system separates the transportation function from the lifting function by using a pushing mechanism, allowing the robotic system to maintain automation while reliably handling items beyond its lifting capacity through alternative physical interactions.
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 improves singulation efficiency by autonomously handling items, avoiding collisions, and ensuring accurate routing, even with mixed item sizes and weights, enhancing 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.