Abstract: A method for refining an original command signal which is intended to locate a robot at a desired position and orientation (pose) comprising the steps of identifying the actual system parameters of the robot; predicting, through utilization of those actual system parameters the anticipated pose of the robot which would actually be obtained as the result of the original command signal; calculating corrected command signals required to minimize the difference between the predicted anticipated pose and the desired pose; and employing the corrected command signals to place the robot. Preferably, a plurality of desired calibration pose command signals are used in the step of identifying the actual system parameters to place the robot in a plurality of actual calibration poses in the measuring range of at least one pose sensor.

Abstract: A sensor for measuring the position and orientation (POSE) of an object and related method involving the utilization of a target affixed to an object and including three mutually perpendicular intersecting planar surfaces, a base, a mechanism coupled to that base for directing a pair of light beams onto each of the planar surfaces, and an additional mechanism coupled to the base for detecting the reflection positions of the resultant reflections of each of the light beams, the reflection positions thereby being available to determine the POSE of the target relative to the POSE of the base.