In the following, a method for synchronizing the motion sequences of at least two robots will be described. In accordance with one embodiment, the method comprises the following: During operation of a robot cell having at least two robots, a path parameter is regularly calculated for each of the at least two robots based on a current position of the respective robot and on a previously specified robot path of the respective robot. The path parameter represents the current position of the robot. Subsequently, a run-ahead limit is calculated for each robot based on the path parameters determined for the respective other robots. Based on the respective calculated run-ahead limit, the path speed of every robot can be adjusted.

A planning system includes flow generating circuitry, confirmation circuitry, and update circuitry. The flow generating circuitry is configured to generate a task flow which includes work tasks predetermined based on a concurrent execution constraint with respect to concurrent execution of tasks performed by robots and connection tasks to be connected to the work tasks. The confirmation circuitry is configured to determine whether at least one of the robots interferes with an object in the connection tasks. The update circuitry is configured to update the concurrent execution constraint when the at least one of the robots is determined to interfere with the object.

A teaching system, includes a computer configured to calculate trajectories of a plurality of robots disposed so as to have a common working area on a virtual space and a display unit. The computer calculates a robot passing area which is a set of trajectories drawn by a point constituting each robot when a driving unit of each robot is operated based on a teaching value on the virtual space for each robot. The computer detects whether the robot passing areas of the robots cross with each other. The computer sets a constraint condition by which none of the plurality of robots is permitted to pass through at least to a partial space within a crossing area in a case where the computer detects that the robot passing areas cross with each other.

A simulation device that performs a convey operation simulation in which the position and orientation of a workpiece in the conveyor device changes in a random fashion. The simulation device may include a model arrangement section, an offset setting section for setting an offset amount from the reference position of the workpiece model, a conveying operation execution section for executing a convey operation to convey the workpiece model by the conveyor device model, an interference detection section for detecting interference between two workpiece models, a non-interfering position search section for searching for a non-interfering position where interference does not occur, and a workpiece position correction section for correcting the position of at least one workpiece model based on the non-interfering position.

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 implementing machining tasks for an object. The method identifies location coordinates for a plurality of holes. A task file contains the machining tasks. The robotic devices use the task files to perform the machining tasks. A minimum number of positioning stations is determined where a portion of the machining tasks will be performed by the robotic devices. An ordered sequence for performing the machining tasks is calculated and path a path with the near-minimum distance is determined. Robotic control files are created that cause the robotic devices to perform the machining tasks. The robotic control files are output to the robotic devices to perform the machining tasks to form the plurality of holes.

To provide a robot system capable of reducing the burden of a setting operator regardless of conditions such as setting conditions of a robot and the complexity of a work space at the time of setting an operable-inoperable area of the robot. A robot system has a robot capable of detecting contact with an obstacle. The robot moves inside a predetermined search area in a predetermined posture along a previously-determined scheduled search route and sets an operable-inoperable area of the robot inside the search area based on position-posture data with respect to the robot having come into contact with the obstacle during moving of the robot.

A method of operating a robotic control system comprising a master apparatus in communication with a plurality of input devices having respective handles capable of translational and rotational movement and a slave system having a tool positioning device corresponding to each respective handle and holding a respective tool having an end effector whose position and orientation is determined in response to a position and orientation of a corresponding handle. The method involves producing desired new end effector positions and orientations of respective end effectors in response to current positions and current orientations of corresponding handles. using the desired new end effector positions and orientations to determine distances from each point of a first plurality of points along a first tool positioning device to each point of a plurality of points along at least one other tool positioning device, and determining and notifying that any of the distances meets a proximity criterion.

A method for characterizing 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.

Cooperation among robots is a necessary feature of advanced manufacturing and many other applications. The invention relates to systems and methods for robots to identify each other using simultaneous infrared pulses and wireless messages in 5G or 6G. The wireless message can indicate the wireless address of the transmitting robot, and the infrared signal can indicate which robot, among many, is transmitting the wireless message. Thus the other robots can compare the arrival direction of the infrared signal with an optical image, and thereby localize the transmitting robot. The robots can then begin cooperative actions thereafter. The procedures are suitable for mobile robots in a self-driving and self-managing scenario, fixed and mobile robots cooperating to accomplish a task, and robots intermingled with humans. Multiple operating modes are illustrated across a wide range of industries and use cases.