3D Vision Calibration Article for Robot-Camera Alignment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Robotic systems equipped with vision systems often face misalignment between the robot's work space and the camera's space, leading to inaccurate movements and reduced work quality due to the lack of coordination between the two.

Innovation Solution

A calibration article with angled side surfaces and a top surface is used to generate correlation data that aligns the robot and camera, allowing for transformations between positions in camera space and robot space during operational use.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If a vision system is added to provide robot guidance, then the robot can accommodate variations in work piece location and orientation, but misalignment between robot work space and camera space causes inaccurate robot movements

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvework piece location detection accuracyVSAvoidrobot movement accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

A calibration article with known geometric features (angled side surfaces and top surface) serves as an intermediary object between the camera and robot. The article provides reference features that both the camera can detect and the robot can locate, enabling the establishment of correlation data that transforms coordinates between camera space and robot work space, thereby resolving the misalignment issue

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The calibration process involves changing the spatial parameters by capturing images of the calibration article from multiple robot positions and orientations. This generates transformation parameters (correlation data) that enable accurate coordinate conversion between the camera's view space and the robot's work space, resolving the parameter mismatch between the two systems

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Adaptability or versatility

If the robot and camera operate in separate coordinate spaces, then each system can function independently, but coordination between the robot and vision system is poor

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveindependent system operationVSAvoidsystem coordination accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The calibration article merges the reference framework into both coordinate systems by providing features that are detectable by the camera and locatable by the robot. This creates a common reference frame that enables reliable coordination between the independently operating systems through generated correlation data

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP3577629B1Calibration article for a 3D vision robotic system
Publication Date: 2022.10.12 ABB (SCHWEIZ) AG
  • EP3577629B1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP3577629B1 patent drawingFigure 4~6
  • EP3577629B1 patent drawingFigure 7

AI summary

A calibration article is provided for calibrating a robot and 3D camera. The calibration article includes side surfaces that are angled inward toward a top surface The robot and camera are calibrated by capturing positional data of the calibration article relative to the robot and the camera. The captured data is used to generate correlation data between the robot and the camera. The correlation data is used by the controller to align the robot with the camera during operational use of the robot and camera.