There is provided an information processing apparatus to estimate a position of a distal end of a movable unit with a reduced processing load, the information processing including a position computer that computes, on the basis of first positional information obtained from reading of a projected marker by a first visual sensor and second positional information including positional information obtained from reading of the marker by a second visual sensor that moves relative to the first visual sensor, a position of a movable unit in which the second visual sensor is disposed. This makes it possible to estimate the position of the distal end of the movable unit with a reduced processing load.

When a force sensor on a robot arm detects that the force of contact between an end of a calibration device and a calibration plate reaches a threshold, the robot arm stops, and the end of the calibration device performs marking at the contact position between the end of the calibration device and the calibration plate. The robot arm moves upward and stops at a position where the end of the robot arm is at a predetermined height. At this position, a camera at the end of the robot arm photographs marks on the calibration plate, records the coordinates of the marks in the camera coordinate system, and records the coordinates of the end of the calibration device in the robot coordinate system. A calibration transformation matrix is calculated according to the recorded coordinates of at least three marks.

A work robot system including a conveying apparatus that conveys an object, a robot that performs a predetermined task on a target portion of the object being conveyed by the conveying apparatus, a controller that controls the robot, a sensor that is attached to the robot and successively detects a position, relative to the robot, of the target portion of the object being conveyed by the conveying apparatus, and a force detector that detects a force generated by a contact between the object and a part supported by the robot. When the robot is performing the predetermined task, the controller performs force control based on a detection value of the force detector while controlling the robot by using a detection result of the sensor.

Embodiments of the disclosure include a method to create a three-dimensional (3D) tool frame for a robot. The method includes identifying a reference point on a calibration grid using a robotic vision system, such as a camera or laser. The identified reference point is used to create a user frame coordinate system with an origin at the identified reference point. The identified reference point being equal to a field of view origin created by a 3D scanner. Being at the specific location where the field of view origin is created during calibration, a 3D tool frame is created based on user frame location. The 3D tool frame indicates the location and orientation of the 3D scanner in the field of view coordinate system.

A system and method for robustly calibrating a vision system and a robot is provided. The system and method enables a plurality of cameras to be calibrated into a robot base coordinate system to enable a machine vision/robot control system to accurately identify the location of objects of interest within robot base coordinates.

Disclosed herein is a device, system and method for determining error in robotic manipulator-to-camera calibration. The method includes detecting a test object by a camera coupled to a robotic manipulator. One or more test points are identified on the test object based on a CAD model and pre-defined contact points corresponding to the test object. Arm poses are determined for the robotic manipulator to reach the test points on the 3D test object by using current robotic manipulator-to-camera calibration. While driving an end effector of the robotic manipulator based on the arm poses, any contact of the end effector on the 3D test object is recorded upon receiving a feedback from the 3D test object. An error is determined in the current robotic manipulator-to-camera calibration based on current position of the end effector relative to the one or more test points on the 3D test object.

An apparatus for labeling support structures includes: a chassis having a locomotive assembly, and supporting an effector assembly with an end movable relative to the chassis and carrying a label modification unit with an image sensor; a controller coupled to the locomotive assembly, effector assembly and label modification unit, and configured to: obtain label modification data defining a location relative to a support structure reference feature for a label modification operation; control the locomotive assembly to travel to the support structure; detect the reference feature via image data captured at the image sensor; control the effector assembly to place the label modification unit at the location relative to the reference feature; control the effector assembly and the label modification unit perform the label modification operation.

To simplify the optical calibration of an optical observation apparatus, a stand for an optical observation unit including a calibration object arranged directly on the stand in a fixed location is specified. Moreover, an optical observation apparatus, which includes such a stand and an optical observation unit connected to the stand, a method for calibrating such an optical observation apparatus, and a computer program are specified.

A supplementary metrology position coordinates determination (SMPD) system is used with a robot. “Robot accuracy” (e.g., for controlling and sensing an end tool position of an end tool that is mounted proximate to a distal end of its movable arm configuration) is based on robot position sensors included in the robot. The SMPD system includes an imaging configuration and an XY scale and an alignment sensor for sensing alignment/misalignment therebetween, and an image triggering portion and processing portion. One of the XY scale or imaging configuration is coupled to the movable arm configuration and the other is coupled to a stationary element (e.g., a frame above the robot). The imaging configuration acquires an image of the XY scale with known alignment/misalignment, which is utilized to determine metrology position coordinates that are indicative of the end tool position, with an accuracy level that is better than the robot accuracy.

A supplementary metrology position determination system is provided for use with a robot. The robot includes a movable arm configuration and a motion control system configured to control an end tool position with a robot accuracy (i.e., based on sensors included in the robot). The supplementary system includes cameras and 2D scales, each of which is attached to the movable arm configuration (e.g., as attached on arm portions and/or rotary joints). The cameras are operated to acquire images for determining relative positions of the scales. The scales may be coupled to rotary joints (e.g., as may be utilized to determine rotary motion as well as any motion transverse to a rotary axis), and/or to arm portions (e.g., as may be utilized to determine any bending or twisting of the arm portions). Such information may be utilized to achieve higher accuracy (e.g., for measurement operations and/or control of the robot, etc.).