A tool calibration apparatus includes a first measuring device, a second measuring device, a third measuring device, a fourth measuring device and a fifth measuring device. The first measuring device includes a first measuring surface, a first measuring edge and a sensor. The second measuring device includes a second measuring surface, a second measuring edge and a sensor. The third measuring device includes a third measuring edge and a sensor. The fourth measuring device includes a fourth measuring edge and a sensor. The fifth measuring device includes a third measuring surface and a sensor. The first measuring surface, the first measuring edge and the third measuring edge are movable in an X-axis direction. The second measuring surface, the second measuring edge and the fourth measuring edge are movable in a Y-axis direction. The third measuring surface is movable in a Z-axis direction.

A method for characterising the environment of a robot, the robot having a flexible arm having a plurality of joints, a datum carried by the arm, a plurality of drivers arranged to drive the joints to move and a plurality of position sensors for sensing the position of each of the joints, the method comprising: contacting the datum carried by the arm with a first datum on a second robot in the environment of the first robot, wherein the second robot has a flexible arm having a plurality of joints, and a plurality of drivers arranged to drive those joints to move; calculating in dependence on the outputs of the position sensors a distance between a reference location defined in a frame of reference local to the robot and the first datum; and controlling the drivers to reconfigure the first arm in dependence on at least the calculated distance.

A method for characterising the environment of a robot, the robot having a flexible arm having a plurality of joints, a datum carried by the arm, a plurality of drivers arranged to drive the joints to move and a plurality of position sensors for sensing the position of each of the joints, the method comprising: contacting the datum carried by the arm with a first datum on a second robot in the environment of the first robot, wherein the second robot has a flexible arm having a plurality of joints, and a plurality of drivers arranged to drive those joints to move; calculating in dependence on the outputs of the position sensors a distance between a reference location defined in a frame of reference local to the robot and the first datum; and controlling the drivers to reconfigure the first arm in dependence on at least the calculated distance.

Disclosed are systems and methods to provide a method for calibrating a touchscreen coordinate system of a touchscreen with an industrial robot coordinate system of an industrial robot for industrial robot commissioning and industrial robot system and control system using the same. In one form the systems and methods include attaching an end effector to the industrial robot; (a) moving the industrial robot in a compliant way until a stylus of the end effector touches a point on the touchscreen; (b) recording a position of the stylus of the end effector in the industrial robot coordinate system when it touches the point of the touchscreen; (c) recording a position of the touch point on the touchscreen in the touchscreen coordinate system; and calculating a relation between the industrial robot coordinate system and the touchscreen coordinate system based on the at least three positions of the end effector stylus and the at least three positions of the touch points.

A method for calibrating a touchscreen panel and the system, the industrial robot and the touchscreen panel using the same. The method including the steps of: (a) defining at least one area of the touchscreen with predetermined accuracy for position measuring; (b) recording a plurality of kinematic parameters of the industrial robot on a plurality of first touch points on the at least one area of the touchscreen; (c) recording a plurality of first position values on the plurality of first touch points on the at least one area of the touchscreen; (d) determining a first calibration data for the kinematic model of the industrial robot using the kinematic parameters and using the first position values; (e) computationally correcting errors of the kinematic model of the industrial robot using the first calibration data; (f) recording a plurality of second position values on a plurality of second touch points on the at least one area with at least a portion of its border extending outwards; (g) determining a second calibration data for the touchscreen using the kinematic parameters and using the second position values; (h) computationally correcting errors of position measurement of the touchscreen using the second calibration data; and iteratively repeating the steps (b) through (h) for different postures of the industrial robot until the iteration step no longer results in significant improvement of the error correction of the kinematic model of the industrial robot.

A mechanism-parametric-calibration method for a robotic arm system is provided, including: controlling the robotic arm to perform a plurality of actions so that one end of the robotic arm moves toward corresponding predictive positioning-points; determining a predictive relative-displacement between each two of the predictive positioning-points; after each of the actions is performed, sensing three-dimensional positioning information of the end of the robotic arm; determining, according to the three-dimensional positioning information, a measured relative-displacement moved by the end of the robotic-arm when each two of the actions are performed; deriving an equation corresponding to the robotic arm from the predictive relative-displacements and the measured relative-displacements; and utilizing a feasible algorithm to find the solution of the equation. When an ambient temperature changes or a stress variation on the robotic arm exceeds a predetermined range, re-obtaining the set of mechanism parametric deviations corresponds to a current robot configuration.

Disclosed are systems and methods to provide a method for calibrating a touchscreen coordinate system of a touchscreen with an industrial robot coordinate system of an industrial robot for industrial robot commissioning and industrial robot system and control system using the same. In one form the systems and methods include attaching an end effector to the industrial robot; (a) moving the industrial robot in a compliant way until a stylus of the end effector touches a point on the touchscreen, (b) recording a position of the stylus of the end effector in the industrial robot coordinate system when it touches the point of the touchscreen; (c) recording a position of the touch point on the touchscreen in the touchscreen coordinate system; and calculating a relation between the industrial robot coordinate system and the touchscreen coordinate system based on the at least three positions of the end effector stylus and the at least three positions of the touch points.

A tool calibration apparatus includes a first measuring device, a second measuring device, a third measuring device, a fourth measuring device and a fifth measuring device. The first measuring device includes a first measuring surface, a first measuring edge and a sensor. The second measuring device includes a second measuring surface, a second measuring edge and a sensor. The third measuring device includes a third measuring edge and a sensor. The fourth measuring device includes a fourth measuring edge and a sensor. The fifth measuring device includes a third measuring surface and a sensor. The first measuring surface, the first measuring edge and the third measuring edge are movable in an X-axis direction. The second measuring surface, the second measuring edge and the fourth measuring edge are movable in a Y-axis direction. The third measuring surface is movable in a Z-axis direction.

A three-dimensional measuring device includes a ball-shaped structure, an X-axis measuring module, a Y-axis measuring module and a Z-axis measuring module. The ball-shaped structure is moved and/or rotated in response to a movement of a movable object. The X-axis measuring module includes a first measuring structure and a first position sensor. The first measuring structure is movable along an X-axis direction and contacted with the ball-shaped structure. The Y-axis measuring module includes a second measuring structure and a second position sensor. The second measuring structure is movable along a Y-axis direction and contacted with the ball-shaped structure. The Z-axis measuring module includes a third measuring structure and a third position sensor. The third measuring structure is movable along a Z-axis direction and contacted with the ball-shaped structure.

A method and apparatus for selecting an initial point for industrial robot commissioning, the initial point being located above a touchscreen for industrial robot commissioning. The method including: calculating a nominal posture of a work object relative to the industrial robot by a nominal posture calculating module; and selecting an initial point according to the nominal posture by an initial point selecting module. The method and apparatus can automatically select the initial point so as to further increase automation of the commissioning process and reduce workloads.