Teleoperated Robot Interface for Pick-and-Place Packing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Autonomous robots struggle with tasks in unstructured, dynamic environments requiring variation, such as handling diverse objects, leading to inefficiencies and the need for worker intervention to complete tasks like securely grasping and packing items.
Innovation Solution
A teleoperator interface allows operators to efficiently instruct robots to pick and place items in specific orientations within containers, minimizing worker intervention by providing real-time sensor data and allowing for teleoperator or onsite assistance when needed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If autonomous robots perform repetitive tasks, then accuracy and efficiency are improved, but the ability to handle unstructured environments and diverse objects deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces teleoperation as an intermediary between autonomous robot operation and human intervention. The teleoperator system acts as a mediator that can take control when the autonomous robot encounters unstructured environments or diverse objects it cannot handle, thus maintaining both autonomous efficiency and human adaptability without requiring full manual control for every task
2Reliability
If workers physically assist robots in edge case scenarios, then task completion reliability is improved, but productivity deteriorates due to worker intervention time
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by having the autonomous robot attempt tasks first and only invoking human teleoperation when necessary. This preliminary autonomous execution ensures high productivity for routine tasks while maintaining reliability by having a fallback mechanism for edge cases, rather than requiring human intervention for every task from the start
3Adaptability or versatility
If teleoperators manually guide robots through entire tasks, then adaptability to unstructured environments is improved, but productivity deteriorates due to duplicative manual efforts
Solution Approach 1:
The teleoperation system applies partial action by having teleoperators intervene only for specific portions of tasks that require human judgment or dexterity, rather than controlling the entire task sequence. The robot handles routine portions autonomously while the teleoperator provides adaptive control only when needed, eliminating duplicative manual efforts while maintaining adaptability
4Device complexity
If current teleoperator systems provide limited functionality, then system complexity is reduced, but adaptability to specific packing requirements deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The teleoperator interface is designed with multi-functionality to handle diverse packing requirements including orientation control, placement location specification, and real-time task adjustment. This universal interface can adapt to various packing scenarios without requiring separate specialized systems, thus providing high adaptability while maintaining reasonable system complexity through integrated design
Data Source
AI summary
The technology is directed to providing pick and place instructions to a robot. Sensor data including an image feed of a picking container in which at least one product is located may be output. An input indicating a selected product including at least one of the products located in the picking container may be received. A representation of the selected product and at least one image of the order container may be output for display. The representation of the product may be scaled relative to the at least one image of the order container. A place input corresponding to the position of the representation of the product at a packing location within the at least one image of the order container may be received and transmitted to a robot control system.