This disclosure relates generally to human-robot interaction (HRI) to enable a robot to execute tasks that are conveyed in a natural language. The state-of-the-art is unable to capture human intent, implicit assumptions and ambiguities present in the natural language to enable effective robotic task identification. The present disclosure provides accurate task identification using classifiers trained to understand linguistic and semantic variations. A mixed-initiative dialogue is employed to resolve ambiguities and address the dynamic nature of a typical conversation. In accordance with the present disclosure, the dialogues are minimal and directed to the goal to ensure human experience is not degraded. The method of the present disclosure is also implemented in a context sensitive manner to make the task identification effective.

A method and system for piece-picking or piece put-away within a logistics facility. The system includes a central server and at least one mobile manipulation robot. The central server is configured to communicate with the robots to send and receive piece-picking data which includes a unique identification for each piece to be picked, a location within the logistics facility of the pieces to be picked, and a route for the robot to take within the logistics facility. The robots can then autonomously navigate and position themselves within the logistics facility by recognition of landmarks by at least one of a plurality of sensors. The sensors also provide signals related to detection, identification, and location of a piece to be picked or put-away, and processors on the robots analyze the sensor information to generate movements of a unique articulated arm and end effector on the robot to pick or put-away the piece.

A voice interactive robot interacting with a user by voice includes a main body, a movable part capable of moving relative to the main body, a following control unit that moves the movable part so that the movable part follows the user, a temporary origin setting unit that sets a temporary origin of the movable part in response to movement of the movable part by the following control unit, an acquisition unit that acquires an operation instruction issued in relation to the movable part, and an operation execution unit that moves the movable part in accordance with the operation instruction using the temporary origin as a reference.

A new technology of prediction of manipulability in response even to an instruction with missing information in an object manipulation task to have a robot manipulate some kind of object is provided. An instruction understanding system includes an obtaining engine configured to obtain a linguistic expression of a name of an object to be manipulated and a linguistic expression of a situation where the object corresponding to the name is placed in a real environment and a classifier configured to receive input of the linguistic expression of the name and the linguistic expression of the situation and output manipulability of the object corresponding to the name in the real environment.

A handling assembly having a handling device for carrying out at least one working step with and/or on a workpiece in a working region of the handling device, stations being situated in the working region, with at least one monitoring sensor for the optical monitoring of the working region and for provision as monitoring data, with a localization module, the localization module being designed to recognize the stations and to determine a station position for each of the stations.

A method and system for picking or put-away within a logistics facility. The system includes a central server and at least one mobile manipulation robot. The central server is configured to communicate with the robots to send and receive picking data which includes a unique identification for each item to be picked, a location within the logistics facility of the items to be picked, and a route for the robot to take within the logistics facility. The robots can then autonomously navigate and position themselves within the logistics facility by recognition of landmarks by at least one of a plurality of sensors. The sensors also provide signals related to detection, identification, and location of a item to be picked or put-away, and processors on the robots analyze the sensor information to generate movements of a unique articulated arm and end effector on the robot to pick or put-away the item.

A method for waking up a robot includes: acquiring sight range information when a voice command issuer issues a voice command; if the sight range information of the voice command issuer when issuing the voice command is acquired, determining, based on the sight range information, whether the voice command issuer gazes the robot when the voice command is issued; and determining that the robot is called if the voice command issuer gazes the robot.

Devices, methods, and systems for voice control of components of a facility are described herein. One computing device apparatus includes a memory, and a processor configured to execute executable instructions stored in the memory to receive a voice command or voice query from a user, determine location context information associated with the computing device, and determine which component or components of the facility are associated with the voice command or voice query based, at least in part, on the location context information associated with the computing device.

Devices, methods, and systems for voice control of components of a facility are described herein. One computing device apparatus includes a memory, and a processor configured to execute executable instructions stored in the memory to receive a voice command or voice query from a user, determine location context information associated with the computing device, and determine which component or components of the facility are associated with the voice command or voice query based, at least in part, on the location context information associated with the computing device.

A method and system for piece-picking or piece put-away within a logistics facility. The system includes a central server and at least one mobile manipulation robot. The central server is configured to communicate with the robots to send and receive piece-picking data which includes a unique identification for each piece to be picked, a location within the logistics facility of the pieces to be picked, and a route for the robot to take within the logistics facility. The robots can then autonomously navigate and position themselves within the logistics facility by recognition of landmarks by at least one of a plurality of sensors. The sensors also provide signals related to detection, identification, and location of a piece to be picked or put-away, and processors on the robots analyze the sensor information to generate movements of a unique articulated arm and end effector on the robot to pick or put-away the piece.