Abstract: A control method includes an acquiring step for acquiring information concerning a plurality of end effectors and acquiring an operation program, and a driving step for driving a robot arm based on the operation program acquired in the acquiring step, wherein in the driving step, speed of a speed estimation target part is calculated, for each of the plurality of end effectors based on a detection result of the detecting section, and when it is determined that, in a result of the calculation, speed of the speed estimation target part moving at highest speed when the robot arm is driven by the operation program is equal to or higher than predetermined speed, operating speed of the robot arm is reduced.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for planning by work volumes to avoid conflicts. One of the methods includes receiving a process definition graph for a robot that includes action nodes, wherein the action nodes include (1) transition nodes that represent a motion to be taken by the robot from a respective start location to an end location and (2) task nodes that represent a particular task to be performed by the robot at a particular task location. An initial modified process definition graph that ignores one or more conflicts between respective transition nodes as well as one or more conflicts between respective transition nodes and task nodes is generated from the process definition graph. A refined process definition graph that ignores conflicts between transition nodes and recognizes conflicts between transition nodes and task nodes is generated from the initial modified process definition graph.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a robotic arm space position adjustment method, a robotic arm controller, and a computer readable storage medium. The method includes: calculating a potential energy function of moving a feature point of the robotic arm to a reference point based on an obtained preset acceleration of an artificial gravitational field, first vector of the artificial gravitational field in a preset reference coordinate system, second vector of the feature point of the robotic arm in the preset reference coordinate system, and a third vector of the reference point in the preset reference coordinate system; and calculating a null space virtual moment of moving the feature point of the robotic arm to the reference point based on a preset null space operator and the potential energy function, so as to adjust each joint of the robotic arm.

Abstract: A control device for a robot is configured to control operation of a robotic arm having a plurality of links coupled to each other through a rotation axis, and a motor for drive provided to the rotation axis. The control device includes an angle calculating module configured to calculate an angle formed by the two links adjacent to each other through the rotation axis, and an angle monitoring module configured to monitor whether the angle calculated by the angle calculating module is a given angle or below.

Abstract: A robot optimization motion planning technique using a refined initial reference path. When a new path is to be computed using motion optimization, a candidate reference path is selected from storage which was previously computed and which has similar start and goal points and collision avoidance environment constraints to the new path. The candidate reference path is adjusted at all state points along its length to account for the difference between the start and goal points of the new path compared to those of the previously-computed path, to create the initial reference path. The initial reference path, adjusted to fit the start and goal points, is then used as a starting state for the motion optimization computation. By using an initial reference path which is similar to the final converged new path, the optimization computation converges more quickly than if a naïve initial reference path is used.

Abstract: A robotic kitting machine is disclosed. In various embodiments, a robotic arm is used to move an item to a location in proximity to a slot into which the item is to be inserted. Force information generated by a force sensor is received via a communication interface. The force sensor information is used to align a structure comprising the item with a corresponding cavity comprising the slot, and the item is inserted into the slot.

Abstract: A controller calculates a correction amount of a position of a robot 1 at a movement point in a first movement path, and drives the robot 1 in a second movement path obtained by correcting the first movement path. The controller includes a second camera configured to detect a shape of a part after a robot apparatus performs a task, and a variable calculating unit configured to calculate, based on an output of the second camera, a quality variable representing quality of a workpiece. When the quality variable deviates from a predetermined determination range, a determination unit of the controller determines that the position or an orientation of the robot 1 needs to be modified based on a correlation between the correction amount of the position in the first movement path and the quality variable.

Abstract: This control device for controlling the motion of a robot comprises a first processing part and a command part. The first processing part sets a first state of the robot and a second state to which the robot transitions from the first state as inputs, and sets at least one basic motion selected from a plurality of basic motions the robot is instructed to perform for transitioning from the first state to the second state and the order in which the basic motions are to be performed as outputs. Prescribed operating parameters are set for each of the basic motions. The command part executes motion commands for the robot on the basis of the output from the first processing part.

Abstract: A controller for robot arms and the like having mechanical singularities identities paths near the singularities and modifies those paths to avoid excessive joint movement according to a minimization of tool orientation deviation to produce alternative paths that minimize changes in the tool orientation such as can affect application such as welding, sealant application, coating and the like.

Abstract: Systems and methods described herein relate to controlling a robot. One embodiment receives an initial state of the robot, an initial nominal control trajectory of the robot, and a Kullback-Leibler (KL) divergence bound between a modeled probability distribution for a stochastic disturbance and an unknown actual probability distribution for the stochastic disturbance; solves a bilevel optimization problem subject to the modeled probability distribution and the KL divergence bound using an iterative Linear-Exponential-Quadratic-Gaussian (iLEQG) algorithm and a cross-entropy process, the iLEQG algorithm outputting an updated nominal control trajectory, the cross-entropy process outputting a risk-sensitivity parameter; and controls operation of the robot based, at least in part, on the updated nominal control trajectory and the risk-sensitivity parameter.

Abstract: A robot includes a first driving source, a second driving source, an output portion to which both rotation of the first driving source and rotation of the second driving source are transmitted, and a control device configured to execute a first process and a second process. In the first process, the control device controls the first driving source and the second driving source such that when the output portion is rotated toward a predetermined direction, a rotational direction of the output portion is limited to the predetermined direction. In the second process, the control device controls the first driving source and the second driving source such that when the output portion is rotated toward a predetermined direction, the output portion is able to rotate toward a direction opposite to the predetermined direction.

Abstract: A determination apparatus acquires, as acquired data, the state of force and moment applied to a manipulator and the state of the position and the posture in an operation when a force control of an industrial robot is carried out, and creates an evaluation function that evaluates the quality of the operation of the industrial robot based on the acquired data. Then, it creates determination data for the acquired data using the evaluation function, and creates state data used for machine learning based on the acquired data. Then, it generates a learning model for determining a quality of an operation of the industrial robot using the state data and the determination data.

Abstract: A humanoid robot and its balance control method and computer readable storage medium are provided. Expected accelerations of each of a sole and centroid of a humanoid robot corresponding to a current expected balance trajectory and an expected angular acceleration of the waist corresponding to the current expected balance trajectory are obtained based on current motion data of the sole, the centroid, and the waist, respectively first, then an expected angular acceleration of each joint meeting control requirements of the sole, the centroid, and the waist while the robot corresponds to the current expected balance trajectory is calculated based on an angular velocity of the joint, the expected accelerations of the waist, the sole, and the centroid, respectively, and then each joint of the robot is controlled to move at the obtained expected angular acceleration of the joint based on the angular displacement of the joint.

Abstract: A method for risk-aware game-theoretic trajectory planning is described. The method includes modeling an ego vehicle and at least one other vehicle as risk-aware agents in a game-theoretic driving environment. The method also includes ranking upcoming planned trajectories according to a risk-aware cost function of the ego vehicle and a risk-sensitivity of the other vehicle associated with each of the upcoming planned trajectories. The method further includes selecting a vehicle trajectory according to the ranking of the upcoming planned trajectories based on the risk-aware cost function and the risk-sensitivity of the other vehicle associated with each of the upcoming planned trajectories to reach a target destination according to a mission plan.

Abstract: This disclosure relates generally to real-time path planning. Planning amidst obstacles in a cluttered indoor environment is a difficult task for a robotic agent. The disclosed method provides semidefinite programming induced free-space based path planning. Free-space is generated by an efficient environment grid resolution independent seeding technique. In the proposed resolution independent seeding technique, initial position of the robotic agent is considered as the first seed. For subsequent seeding, information of the expanded earlier seeds are employed intelligently. This process is followed unto a finite sequence, which naturally results in a contiguous navigable convex free-space. This contiguous navigable convex free-space is employed to create an undirected graph, which is then used for path planning. Path planning is done locally by evaluating the subgoal with respect to a final goal. Local planning cumulatively assists the planner to attain the final goal.

Abstract: A model generator implements a data-driven approach to generating a robot model that describes one or more physical properties of a robot. The model generator generates a set of basis functions that generically describes a range of physical properties of a wide range of systems. The model generator then generates a set of coefficients corresponding to the set of basis functions based on one or more commands issued to the robot, one or more corresponding end effector positions implemented by the robot, and a sparsity constraint. The model generator generates the robot model by combining the set of basis functions with the set of coefficients. In doing so, the model generator disables specific basis functions that do not describe physical properties associated with the robot. The robot model can subsequently be used within a robot controller to generate commands for controlling the robot.

Abstract: A method of training a robot system for manipulation of objects, the robot system being able to perform a set of skills, wherein each skill is learned as a skill model, the method comprising: receiving physical input from a human trainer, regarding the skill to be learned by the robot; determining for the skill model a set of task parameters including determining for each task parameter of the set of task parameters if a task parameter is an attached task parameter, which is related to an object being part of said kinesthetic demonstration or if a task parameter is a free task parameter, which is not related to a physical object; obtaining data for each task parameter of the set of task parameters from the set of kinesthetic demonstrations, and training the skill model with the set of task parameters and the data obtained for each task parameter.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for optimizing a plan for one or more robots using a process definition graph. One of the methods includes receiving a process definition graph for a robot, the process definition graph having a plurality of action nodes. One or more of the action nodes are motion nodes that represent a motion to be taken by the robot from a respective start location to an end location. It is determined that a motion node satisfies one or more splitting criteria, and in response to determining that the motion node satisfies the one or more splitting criteria, the process definition graph is modified. Modifying the process definition graph includes splitting the motion node into two or more separate motion nodes whose respective paths can be scheduled independently.

Abstract: A substrate transport device includes an arm, an end effector coupled to the arm, a driver configured to lift the arm so that the end effector receives a substrate, and a controller configured to control an output of the driver to set a lifting speed of the arm. A difference in height between the end effector and the arm is a position difference. A period from when the end effector contacts the substrate until the end effector completes reception of the substrate is a transition period. The controller sets an upper limit value of the lifting speed that decreases an amplitude of one of acceleration or jerk of the position difference in the transition period as compared to before the transition period to an upper limit value of the lifting speed for the transition period.

Abstract: A robot system and method for conditionally stopping a robot, wherein a maximum stopping time and/or distance are defined by a user or integrator through a user interface as safety limits based on the risk assessment. The method provides the continuous calculation of the time and/or distance, which the robot would need to stop under maximum motor torque and/or brake appliance. The robot is stopped or the speed of the robot is reduced, if the calculated time and/or distance exceeds the maximum limit values set by the user or integrator. The method may also be used to program or generate the trajectories of the robot as not to exceed the speed of the movement under the condition of keeping the set maximum stopping time and/or distance as defined by a use.