Patents Assigned to Rethink Robotics, Inc.
  • Patent number: 9556920
    Abstract: A planar flexure member for resisting rotation about a central axis thereof includes, in various embodiments, a central portion comprising a plurality of attachment points; and at least one serpentine flexure arm extending from the central portion in a plane. The arm(s) terminate in an arcuate mounting rail that includes a series of attachment points. The rails are positioned in opposition to to each other to partially define and occupy a planar circular envelope radially displaced from but surrounding the central portion of the flexure member. A portion of the serpentine arms may extend to (or substantially to) the envelope between the mounting rails.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: Rethink Robotics, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew Knoll, Jonathan Bond, Robert White, Umberto Scarfogliero, Andrew Wallace
  • Patent number: 9457475
    Abstract: Systems and methods for providing precise robotic operations without the need for special or task-specific components utilize, in one implementation, a spatial adjustment system, physically separate from the robotic manipulator, supports the target workpiece and works in concert with the robotic manipulator to perform tasks with high spatial precision.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: Rethink Robotics, Inc.
    Inventors: Yuri A. Ivanov, Rodney Brooks
  • Patent number: 9434072
    Abstract: Via intuitive interactions with a user, robots may be trained to perform tasks such as visually detecting and identifying physical objects and/or manipulating objects. In some embodiments, training is facilitated by the robot's simulation of task-execution using augmented-reality techniques.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: Rethink Robotics, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher J. Buehler, Michael Siracusa
  • Patent number: 9409298
    Abstract: An arcuate metal element for detecting a rotary force and generating a deformation in response thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: Rethink Robotics, Inc.
    Inventors: Josiah Rosmarin, Ben Berkowitz
  • Patent number: 9283677
    Abstract: Awareness of a device, such as a robot, to proximate humans (or other moving object) is manifested by a visual signal aligned with—i.e., aimed at—the human. For example, an illumination system may take the form of a closed or partial ring around which lighting elements may be selectively activated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: Rethink Robotics, Inc.
    Inventor: Stephen Hersey
  • Patent number: 9221172
    Abstract: Redundant robotic manipulators may be constrained in their motions during operation in a gravity-compensated mode by applying, in addition to gravity-compensating torques, constraining torques to one or more of the joints. The constraining torques may urge the manipulator to a specified canonical posture, and may be modeled by virtual springs attached to the constrained joints.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: Rethink Robotics, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew Murray Williamson, Matthew DiCicco, Joseph M. Romano
  • Publication number: 20150290802
    Abstract: Via intuitive interactions with a user, robots may be trained to perform tasks such as visually detecting and identifying physical objects and/or manipulating objects. In some embodiments, training is facilitated by the robot's simulation of task-execution using augmented-reality techniques.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2015
    Publication date: October 15, 2015
    Applicant: Rethink Robotics, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher J. Buehler, Michael Siracusa
  • Patent number: 9114536
    Abstract: Representative embodiments of a system for braking a cyclically rotating motor upon a power failure include (i) charge-storage circuitry for storing charge and converting the stored charge to an output voltage upon power failure; (ii) one or more passive electrical elements for conducting current induced by motor rotations; and (iii) voltage-actuated circuitry connected to the passive electrical element and the charge-storage circuitry for braking the motor during each half-cycle of motor rotation. The circuitry is inactive until actuated by the charge-storage circuitry upon power failure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: Rethink Robotics, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael Sussman
  • Patent number: 9092698
    Abstract: Via intuitive interactions with a user, robots may be trained to perform tasks such as visually detecting and identifying physical objects and/or manipulating objects. In some embodiments, training is facilitated by the robot's simulation of task-execution using augmented-reality techniques.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: Rethink Robotics, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher J. Buehler, Michael Siracusa
  • Patent number: 9079305
    Abstract: Sensors associated with a robot or sub-system thereof (e.g., a series elastic actuator associated with a robot joint) may be monitored for mutual consistency using one or more constraints that relate physical quantities measured by the sensors to each other. The constraints may be based on a physical model of the robot or sub-system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: Rethink Robotics, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew Murray Williamson, Michael Sussman, Waleed A. Farahat
  • Patent number: 9043025
    Abstract: In various embodiments, safe collaboration between a robot and humans is achieved by operating the robot continuously at or below a first threshold speed at which any collisions with a person's arms do not cause harm, and, upon detection of the person's torso or head within a danger zone around the robot, reducing the speed to or below a second threshold at which any collisions with the person's torso or head do not cause harm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: Rethink Robotics, Inc.
    Inventors: Rodney Brooks, Michael Sussman, Matthew Murray Williamson, William A. Goodwin, Noelle Dye, Bruce Blumberg
  • Patent number: 8996175
    Abstract: Robots may manipulate objects based on sensor input about the objects and/or the environment in conjunction with data structures representing primitive tasks and, in some embodiments, objects and/or locations associated therewith. The data structures may be created by instantiating respective prototypes during training by a human trainer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Rethink Robotics, Inc.
    Inventors: Bruce Blumberg, Rodney Brooks, Christopher J. Buehler, Noelle Dye, Gerry Ens, Natan Linder, Michael Siracusa, Michael Sussman, Matthew M. Williamson
  • Patent number: 8996174
    Abstract: In accordance with various embodiments, a user interface embedded into a robot facilitates robot training via direct and intuitive physical interactions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Rethink Robotics, Inc.
    Inventors: Rodney Brooks, Bruce Blumberg, Noelle Dye, Paula Long
  • Patent number: 8996167
    Abstract: In accordance with various embodiments, a user interface embedded into a robot facilitates robot training via direct and intuitive physical interactions. In some embodiments, the user interface includes a wrist cuff that, when grasped by the user, switches the robot into zero-force gravity-compensated mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Rethink Robotics, Inc.
    Inventors: Natan Linder, Rodney Brooks, Michael Sussman, Bruce Blumberg, Noelle Dye, Michael Caine, Elaine Y. Chen
  • Patent number: 8965580
    Abstract: Robots may manipulate objects based on sensor input about the objects and/or the environment in conjunction with data structures representing primitive tasks and, in some embodiments, objects and/or locations associated therewith. The data structures may be created by instantiating respective prototypes during training by a human trainer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Rethink Robotics, Inc.
    Inventors: Rodney Brooks, Christopher J. Buehler, Matthew DiCicco, Gerry Ens, Albert Huang, Michael Siracusa, Matthew M. Williamson
  • Patent number: 8965576
    Abstract: In accordance with various embodiments, a user-guidable robot appendage provides haptic feedback to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Rethink Robotics, Inc.
    Inventors: Elaine Y. Chen, Rodney Brooks, Christopher J. Buehler, Matthew M. Williamson, Bruce Blumberg, Noelle Dye, Joseph M. Romano, William A. Goodwin
  • Patent number: 8958912
    Abstract: Robots may manipulate objects based on sensor input about the objects and/or the environment in conjunction with data structures representing primitive tasks and, in some embodiments, objects and/or locations associated therewith. The data structures may be created by instantiating respective prototypes during training by a human trainer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Rethink Robotics, Inc.
    Inventors: Bruce Blumberg, Rodney Brooks, Christopher J. Buehler, Patrick A. Deegan, Matthew DiCicco, Noelle Dye, Gerry Ens, Natan Linder, Michael Siracusa, Michael Sussman, Matthew M. Williamson
  • Patent number: 8842495
    Abstract: Movements of objects within a space are adaptively detected by emitting ultrasound waves into the space and detecting reflections of the ultrasound waves, determining locations of objects within the space based on the ultrasound reflections, and determining real-time movements of the objects based on, in certain embodiments, (i) amplitude differences between amplitudes of echoes in a current wave cycle and an average amplitude over a plurality of wave cycles and (ii) elapsed times of the ultrasound reflections associated with the amplitude differences.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: Rethink Robotics, Inc.
    Inventor: Stephen Hersey
  • Patent number: D720378
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Rethink Robotics, Inc.
    Inventors: Noelle Dye, Ben Berkowitz, Jonathan Bond, Michael Lewis, Andrew Wallace, Michael Caine
  • Patent number: D761339
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: Rethink Robotics, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert White, Jr., Waleed A. Farahat, Michael Sussman, Elizabeth Goodrich, Peter Swai, James F. Daly, III