An article transfer device includes: a robot hand transferring an article gripped by a gripping unit; and a control unit controlling operation of the robot hand so as to insert the gripping unit into an article region where the article is disposed, grip the article, and transfer the gripped article to a transfer destination. The control unit controls the operation of the robot hand such that the gripping unit is closed and a predetermined amount of the article is gripped after opening-closing operation for opening the gripping unit after temporarily closing the gripping unit is executed at least once.

When one of the objects placed on a placement board is sucked and held by a suction nozzle and is taken out by an actuator under the control of an operation controller, a first acquirer acquires a difference M between a first moment M1 applied to the suction nozzle and a second moment M2 applied to the suction nozzle when the object is taken out by the suction nozzle by a first taking-out movement distance. The operation controller performs control, based on the acquired difference between the moments, whether the taking-out operation is to be further continued.

Techniques for controlling a robotic picking arm using estimated seal quality metrics. A plurality of candidate contact points for holding an item using a suction device of the robotic picking arm, based on captured images of the item and an n-dimensional surface model of the item. An expected seal quality metric for a first one of the candidate contact points, by processing the n-dimensional surface model of the item and physical properties of the suction device of the robotic picking arm. Based on the expected seal quality metric, embodiments can determine whether to retrieve the item from the storage container by holding the item at the first candidate contact point using the suction device of the robotic picking arm.

The invention relates to a robot having a robot manipulator with an effector, wherein the robot manipulator is designed and constructed for picking up, handling, and releasing an object and is controlled/regulated in accordance with a control program by a control unit, including a first sensor means, which is designed and constructed to determine a persisting adherence of the object to the effector after a release of the object by the effector in accordance with a control program, and where such an adherence persists, to generate a signal S, wherein the control unit is designed and constructed to execute the following control program: where a signal S is present, control the robot manipulator in such a manner that it executes a predefined movement in which the effector with the persistently adhering object is passed by a wiping object in such a manner that the adhering object is wiped off on the surface of the wiping object

A robotic device includes an end effector device, a first sensor, and a controller. The end effector device includes two fingers for gripping a workpiece. The first sensor detects a pressure distribution on a gripping position on the workpiece by the two fingers. The controller performs, based on a temporal variation in the pressure distribution when the workpiece is lifted, posture control including rotation of the end effector device.

A system and method of determining a grasp type of an end-effector of a robot when interacting with an item wherein a plurality of velocity values of the end-effector at various positions of its movement are collected and used to determine the grasp type when a given velocity value is below a predetermined threshold.

An object detecting method includes imaging a plurality of target objects with an imaging section and acquiring a first image, recognizing an object position/posture of one of the plurality of target objects based on the first image, counting the number of successfully recognized object positions/postures of the target object, outputting, based on the object position/posture of the target object, a signal for causing a holding section to hold the target object, calculating, as a task evaluation value, a result about whether the target object was successfully held, updating, based on an evaluation indicator including the number of successfully recognized object positions/postures and the task evaluation value, a model for estimating the evaluation indicator from an imaging position/posture of the imaging section and determining an updated imaging position/posture, acquiring a second image in the updated imaging position/posture, and recognizing the object position/posture of the target object based on the second image.

Techniques for controlling a robotic picking arm using estimated seal quality metrics. A plurality of candidate contact points for holding an item using a suction device of the robotic picking arm, based on captured images of the item and an n-dimensional surface model of the item. An expected seal quality metric for a first one of the candidate contact points, by processing the n-dimensional surface model of the item and physical properties of the suction device of the robotic picking arm. Based on the expected seal quality metric, embodiments can determine whether to retrieve the item from the storage container by holding the item at the first candidate contact point using the suction device of the robotic picking arm.

Handling of piece good via a suction gripping device for automated movement of a piece of material via a suction gripping device including docking a suction head of the suction gripping device onto the piece good and gripping the piece good via a vacuum generated in the suction head, automatically moving the suction gripper by automatically moving the suction head, generating an output signal via a load sensor, the output signal comprising information that includes gripping information, and which provides information on how securely the piece of material is held by the suction gripping device and adjusting at least one operating parameter of the suction gripping device as a function of the gripping information.

Techniques for controlling a robotic picking arm using estimated seal quality metrics. A plurality of candidate contact points for holding an item using a suction device of the robotic picking arm, based on captured images of the item and an n-dimensional surface model of the item. An expected seal quality metric for a first one of the candidate contact points, by processing the n-dimensional surface model of the item and physical properties of the suction device of the robotic picking arm. Based on the expected seal quality metric, embodiments can determine whether to retrieve the item from the storage container by holding the item at the first candidate contact point using the suction device of the robotic picking arm.