Abstract: A tool for assembling first and second components includes a tool body having a first roller element rotatably mounted to the tool body and rotatable about a first axis of rotation. A second roller element is rotatably mounted to the tool body and is rotatable about a second axis of rotation nonparallel with the first axis of rotation. A third roller element is rotatably mounted to the tool body and is rotatable about a third axis of rotation nonparallel with the first axis of rotation. The second and third roller elements define a gap between one another. At least one clamping device provides clamping force directing one of the second and the third roller elements toward the gap. A weld head is operatively connected to the tool body. A system and method are provided for welding components to one another using the tool.

Abstract: A system includes a first camera defining a first camera coordinate system (C1) and configured to acquire a first image of a scene. A range sensor is spaced a first distance from the first camera and defines a range sensor coordinate system (R). A controller is operatively connected to the first camera and range sensor. The controller has a processor and a tangible, non-transitory memory device on which is recorded instructions for executing a method for obtaining a two-dimensional region of interest (u1*, v1*) in the first image, which is a two-dimensional intensity image. The first image is represented by a plurality of first points (u1, v1) in a first image plane. The controller is configured to acquire a range image of the scene with the range sensor. The range image is represented by a plurality of second points (u2, v2, d) in a second image plane.

Abstract: A system for creating an image with a wide dynamic range includes an imaging unit, a processing unit and a control unit operatively connected to each other. The imaging unit is configured to acquire a plurality of images of a scene at respective exposure times such that each of the respective exposure times are different from one another. The images are each represented by a set of pixels, each defining a respective pixel intensity. The processing unit is configured to combine the plurality of images to produce a combined image based at least in part on weighting factors assigned to each pixel and a mapping graph.

Abstract: A robotic charging station for charging a battery of an electric vehicle includes a base plate, a riser coupled with the base plate and extending substantially transverse to the base plate, and a robotic arm. The robotic arm extends from the riser and supports an end effector. The end effector includes a plurality of electrical contacts configured to couple with a receptacle disposed on the electric vehicle. The robotic arm is configured to move the end effector in three degrees of motion.

Abstract: A robotic system includes a humanoid robot with robotic joints each moveable using an actuator(s), and a distributed controller for controlling the movement of each of the robotic joints. The controller includes a visual perception module (VPM) for visually identifying and tracking an object in the field of view of the robot under threshold lighting conditions. The VPM includes optical devices for collecting an image of the object, a positional extraction device, and a host machine having an algorithm for processing the image and positional information. The algorithm visually identifies and tracks the object, and automatically adapts an exposure time of the optical devices to prevent feature data loss of the image under the threshold lighting conditions. A method of identifying and tracking the object includes collecting the image, extracting positional information of the object, and automatically adapting the exposure time to thereby prevent feature data loss of the image.

Abstract: A robotic system includes a humanoid robot with robotic joints each moveable using an actuator(s), and a distributed controller for controlling the movement of each of the robotic joints. The controller includes a visual perception module (VPM) for visually identifying and tracking an object in the field of view of the robot under threshold lighting conditions. The VPM includes optical devices for collecting an image of the object, a positional extraction device, and a host machine having an algorithm for processing the image and positional information. The algorithm visually identifies and tracks the object, and automatically adapts an exposure time of the optical devices to prevent feature data loss of the image under the threshold lighting conditions. A method of identifying and tracking the object includes collecting the image, extracting positional information of the object, and automatically adapting the exposure time to thereby prevent feature data loss of the image.

Abstract: An apparatus for identifying surfaces, comprising a point digitizing apparatus for obtaining data points of a surface to be located and an apparatus, such as a memory device, for storing a mathematical model of a model surface. A microprocessor control unit registers the mathematical model and the obtained data points, wherein the microprocessor control unit accomplishes the registration by (i) determining a data point set comprising various points from the obtained data points, (ii) finding a set of closest points comprising, for each point of the data point set, a closest point on the first mathematical model, (iii) registering the data point set to the set of closest points to obtain a registered point set, (iv) computing a mean square distance of points of the registered point set to the closest point set, (v) comparing the mean square distance to a predetermined threshold and (vi) if the mean square distance is above a threshold, (vi.i) redefining the data point set as the registered point set and (vi.