Abstract: A robot system includes: a feature point position detection unit configured to detect, at a constant cycle, a position of a feature point of an obstacle that moves or deforms within a motion range of a robot; a movement path calculation unit configured to calculate a movement path of the robot before a motion of the robot; a mapping function derivation unit configured to derive a mapping function based on a position of the feature point that is detected at a time interval; and a path adjustment unit configured to dynamically adjust the movement path of the robot using the derived mapping function.

Abstract: The present invention provides a collaborative robot system in which a robot and a worker share tasks and perform the tasks. The collaborative robot system including: a work-time-measurement-unit that measures work time for locations assigned to the worker and the robot; a difference-at-increase/decrease-prediction-unit that predicts a difference between the work time of the worker and the robot, when the number of locations assigned to the worker is increased or decreased; an assigned-location-adjustment-unit that increases or decreases the number of locations so that the difference in the work time becomes smaller, in a case in which a predicted-difference-value based on the work time of the worker and the robot, when the number of locations assigned to the worker is maintained is greater than the predicted-difference-value; and an assigned-location-indication-unit that indicates the locations assigned to the worker after the number of assigned locations is increased or decreased.

Abstract: Any technical error with robotic arms that are used to automatically perform object packing can affect quality and efficiency with which the packing is being carried out, and this in turn affects space utilization when a large quantity of objects are to be accommodated in tight packing spaces. This disclosure relates generally to automated object packing and more specifically to an object packing mechanism in which corrections are made when placement of object is identified as violating one or more regulations. The system packs objects by calculating ICP-BCP pairs for each empty space in a packing space. After packing each object, the system checks whether placement of the object violates one or more regulations, and if any violation is found, then the system determines and executes one or more corrective action to correct placement of the object that violates the regulation.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method of engineering autonomous system with reusable skills includes displaying a graphical user interface simulating a physical environment. The graphical user interface depicts one or more simulated objects corresponding to one or more physical objects. Graphical markers are created on the simulated objects based on instructions provided by a user via the graphical user interface. The position and orientation of each graphical marker is determined with respect to the simulated objects. A skill function is created which comprises a functional description for using a controllable physical device to interact with the physical objects based on the position and orientation of each graphical marker. Executable code operable to perform the skill function is created and used to actuate the controllable physical device.

Abstract: The controller acquires a force applied to a manipulator of a robot, to generate, based on the acquired data, force state data containing information related to the force applied to the manipulator and control command adjustment data indicating an adjustment behavior of a control command related to the manipulator as state data, thereby executing, based on the generated state data, a process of machine learning related to the adjustment behavior of the control command related to the manipulator.

Abstract: A method for limiting joint velocity of a plurality of joints of a surgical robotic system, the surgical robotic system comprising a robot having a base and an arm extending from the base to an attachment for an instrument, the arm comprising a plurality of joints whereby the configuration of the arm can be altered, the method comprising: obtaining joint states for a first group of k joints of the arm, where k>1; for each of the k joints: determining from the obtained joint state a permitted range of motion for that joint; deriving, using the permitted range of motion, a joint velocity limit for that joint; selecting the minimum joint velocity limit of the k joints to be a common joint velocity limit used to limit each of the k joints individually; and calculating drive signals for driving the k joints wherein the velocity of each of the k joints is limited using the common joint velocity limit.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method for generating a novel impedance configuration for a three-degree-of-freedom (3DOF) leg of a hydraulically-driven legged robot. The method includes: separately determining variations of input signals of an inner position-based control loop and an inner force-based control loop of a hydraulic drive unit of each joint based on an obtained mathematical model; generating a novel impedance configuration in which position-based control is performed on a hydraulic drive unit of a hip joint, and force-based control is performed on hydraulic drive units of a knee joint and an ankle joint in a hydraulic drive system of the leg of a to-be-controlled robot; and performing forward calculation by using the leg mathematical model, to obtain an actual position and a force variation of the foot of the leg of the to-be-controlled robot to control motion of the foot of the to-be-controlled robot within motion space.

Abstract: A controller for controlling a plurality of robots includes a failure prediction section configured to predict a failure time for each of the robots; and a load adjustment section configured to perform adjustment of a work load of each of the robots according to each of the predicted failure times, so that each of the robots operates until a maintenance time determined in common to each of the robots.

Abstract: To execute processing with high accuracy in terms of time and distance via a simple method. A robot controller comprises a motion command interpretation unit that interprets a motion command program describing a taught motion and a taught position of a robot and generates a motion command; a motion command execution unit that executes the motion command; a parallel call command detection unit that pre-reads the motion command program and detects a line where a parallel call command is taught; and a parallel call command execution unit that calls and executes a program designated by a parallel call command at a designated timing.

Abstract: Robotic processor embodiments determine via graphical image analysis physical attributes of an engagement area of a work-piece that a specified tool physically engages to execute a specific action. The processors identify a model set plurality of alternate substitute tools that are each available within a physical environment of the engagement area and have a body portion with physical dimensions that conform to physical dimensions of the work-piece engagement area, and thereby select a substitute tool that has a body portion that best conforms to the physical dimensions of the work-piece engagement area and meets constraints for substitute tool selection for executing the specific action.

Abstract: A pipelayer machine includes a propulsion system, a ranging, and a controller in communication with the propulsion system and the ranging system. The controller is configured to receive a predetermined distance that the pipelayer machine is to maintain between the pipelayer machine and an adjacent pipelayer machine, determine, via the ranging system, a first distance between the pipelayer machine and the adjacent pipelayer machine, and determine that a difference between the first distance and the predetermined distance is outside of a predetermined tolerance range. The controller is further configured to modify a speed of the propulsion system based at least in part on determining that the difference is outside of the predetermined tolerance range, wherein modifying the speed of the propulsion system causes acceleration or deceleration of the pipelayer machine.

Abstract: There are provided a communication terminal, a server device, a movement guidance system, and a computer program that can provide movement guidance based on a new version of map information soon after starting up the communication terminal. Specifically, a communication terminal 5 is configured to identify, after its startup, update target areas which are areas whose terminal-side map information 48 included in the communication terminal 5 is an older version of map information than device-side map information 25 included in a server device 3; request the server device 3 for movement guidance information 26 targeted for at least update target areas around a current location, the movement guidance information 26 being used to provide movement guidance for a mobile unit; and provide movement guidance for the mobile unit using movement guidance information 26 transmitted from the server device 3 in response to the request.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method for controlling an arm of a robot, including obtaining obstacle information relating to the arm of the robot by at least one sensor, obtaining current posture information of the arm of the robot by a least one detector and obtaining an expected posture information of an end-portion of the arm of the robot, determining an expected trajectory of the end-portion of the arm of the robot, determining an expected speed of the end-portion of the arm of the robot in accordance with the expected trajectory of the end-portion, determining a virtual speed of a target point on the arm of the robot, and configuring a target join speed corresponding to a joint of the arm of the robot. Such that the redundant arm of the robot may be configured to prevent from contacting the obstacles in the complex environment while performing corresponding tasks.

Abstract: A programming support apparatus includes: a storage device configured to store work jobs each of which defines operation pattern of a robot; and circuitry configured to: set an environmental condition of the robot at one or more execution timings associated with the work jobs in accordance with user input; select a plurality of the work jobs in accordance with the user input; and check whether at least one work job of the plurality of work jobs satisfies the environmental condition of the robot at an execution timing of the one work job based on an execution flow of the plurality of work jobs.

Abstract: For power-enhanced slew maneuvers, a method determines a power collection function for a satellite. The method determines a power cost function for the satellite. The method calculates a power enhanced slew maneuver based on the power collection function and the power cost function.

Abstract: A robot system includes: a first robot; a second robot; and circuitry configured to: control the first and second robots to execute a collaborative operation on a work piece; and control, in response to a detection of an irregular state of the first robot during the collaborative operation, the first and second robots to execute a collaborative counteractive operation to eliminate the irregular state.

Abstract: A control apparatus includes a memory and a processor. The processor is configured to control a distal end portion of a robot to rotate around first and second distal end axes, perform a first control mode in which the distal end portion rotates around the first and second distal end axes, perform a second control mode in which the distal end portion rotates around the first distal end axis and does not rotate around the second distal end axis, switch the first control mode to the second control mode when the first distal end axis is perpendicular to a working surface, and control the distal end portion to work while performing the second control mode and maintaining a state in which the first distal end axis is perpendicular to the working surface after the first control mode is switched to the second control mode.

Abstract: A machine tool system is disclosed which can shorten time required for generating a robot program even for a machine tool user who has no experience in using a robot. A machine tool controller includes an operation panel and an interactive program generator, and sets an operation parameter of the robot using a template screen prepared for each stylized operation of the robot. The interactive program generator generates a robot preprogram using the set operation parameter, reads the robot preprogram during execution of a machine tool program, and transfers the program to a robot preprocessor. The robot preprocessor interprets the robot preprogram and outputs a control command to a robot controller.

Abstract: Systems (100) and methods (900) for controlling movement of an articulating arm having a plurality of joints. The methods comprise: receiving, by the controller, a command to perform a task by the articulating arm; ranking movements of the joints based on how much each said joint needs to move at a first time in order to follow the command; selecting a first subset of joints with top-ranked movements from the plurality of joints, where the subset of joints comprises less than a total number of joints contained in the plurality of joints; and causing only the joints of the first subset to move during a first timeslot of a plurality of timeslots.

Abstract: Apparatus, systems, methods, and articles of manufacture for automatic robot perception programming by imitation learning are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a percept mapper to identify a first percept and a second percept from data gathered from a demonstration of a task and an entropy encoder to calculate a first saliency of the first percept and a second saliency of the second percept. The example apparatus also includes a trajectory mapper to map a trajectory based on the first percept and the second percept, the first percept skewed based on the first saliency, the second percept skewed based on the second saliency. In addition, the example apparatus includes a probabilistic encoder to determine a plurality of variations of the trajectory and create a collection of trajectories including the trajectory and the variations of the trajectory.