Virtual Robot Preview for Precise Positioning and Collision Avoidance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current robot systems require high operator load and inefficiency when positioning robots to avoid contact with other objects during operations, as they rely solely on an orthogonal coordinate system without sufficient visual guidance.
Innovation Solution
A robot system that includes an operating device, a real robot, a camera, and a display device showing both real and virtual robot images, allowing the virtual robot to operate based on operator instructions before the real robot, enabling easier positioning and collision avoidance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If only an orthogonal coordinate system is displayed for robot positioning, then the system complexity is low, but the operator load increases and positioning accuracy decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a virtual robot that copies the real robot's appearance, structure, and movement characteristics. This virtual replica is displayed on a display device to provide visual feedback to the operator, replacing the insufficient orthogonal coordinate system. The virtual robot serves as a visual copy that enhances operator understanding of the real robot's position and orientation, thereby reducing operator load while maintaining system manageability.
Solution Approach 2:
The virtual robot acts as an intermediary between the real robot and the operator. Instead of directly observing the real robot through complex coordinate systems, the operator interacts with the simplified virtual representation. This intermediary provides intuitive visual information about position, orientation, and potential collisions, improving ease of operation without significantly increasing overall system complexity.
2Manufacturing precision
If only an orthogonal coordinate system is displayed, then the device complexity is low, but positioning precision and collision detection capability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The virtual robot is created as a digital copy of the real robot with identical geometric characteristics. This copy enables precise visualization of the robot's position and orientation in the work space, allowing operators to accurately determine positioning status and potential collisions with workpieces or other objects, thereby improving positioning precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from displaying abstract coordinate information (2D coordinate values) to displaying a visual representation of the robot in 3D space. The virtual robot provides spatial context and visual depth, enabling operators to better understand the robot's position relative to the work space boundaries and objects, thus improving positioning precision and collision detection.
3Productivity
If the virtual robot operates before the real robot, then work efficiency improves through visual confirmation, but the control system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The virtual robot executes operations in advance before the real robot. This preliminary action allows operators to visually confirm the intended movement path, final position, and potential collisions before actual execution. Operators can review the virtual demonstration, make necessary adjustments to operation instructions, and approve the real robot operation, thereby improving work efficiency through visual verification.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements a feedback loop where the virtual robot's operation results are displayed to the operator, who then provides approval or modification feedback before the real robot executes. This feedback mechanism enables operators to verify positioning accuracy and collision avoidance visually, improving productivity while maintaining manageable control system complexity through a clear approval workflow.
Data Source
AI summary
A robot system includes an operating device that receives an operation instruction from an operator, a real robot that is installed in a work space and performs a series of works constituted of a plurality of steps, a camera configured to image the real robot, a display device configured to display video information of the real robot imaged by the camera and a virtual robot, and a control device, in which the control device is configured to operate the virtual robot displayed on the display device based on instruction information input from the operating device, and thereafter operate the real robot in a state that the virtual robot is displayed on the display device when operation execution information to execute an operation of the real robot is input from the operating device.