A robotic system is disclosed. The system includes a communication interface that receives, from a sensor(s) deployed in a workspace, sensor data indicative of a current state of the workspace, the workspace comprising a pallet or other receptacle and a plurality of items stacked on or in the receptacle. The system includes one or more processors that control a robotic arm to place a first set of items on or in, or remove the first set of items from, the pallet or other receptacle, update a geometric model based on the first set of items placed on or in a receptacle, use the geometric model in combination with the sensor data to estimate a stack of one or more items on or in the receptacle, and use the estimated state to generate or update a plan to control the robotic arm to place a second set of items.

A robotic system is disclosed. The system includes a memory that stores for each of a plurality of items a set of attribute values. The system includes a processor(s) that uses the attribute values to simulate the placement of items, including by determining, iteratively, for each next item a placement location at which to place the item on a simulated stack of items on the pallet, using the attribute values and a geometric model of where items have been simulated to have been placed to estimate a state of the stack after each of a subset of simulated placements, and using the estimated state to inform a next placement decision. The steps of determining for each next item a placement location and estimating the state of the stack until all of at least a subset of the plurality of items have been simulated as having been placed on the stack.

A tool, for palletizing mixed load products, includes a frame for mounting the tool to a robot, a support assembly having a support member forming a support surface disposed in a predetermined reference orientation so as to support product, and a gripping assembly, mounted to the frame, with an actuator and a grip press operably coupled to the actuator so as to move the grip press relative to the frame in an actuation direction opposite the support surface so as to clamp the product between the support surface in the predetermined reference orientation and the grip press. The support assembly coupling to the frame has a configuration fixing the support member relative to the frame in the actuation direction with the support surface in the predetermined reference orientation, and is movably released in at least another direction so that the support member is movable away from the predetermined reference orientation.

A computing system including a processing circuit in communication with a camera having a field of view, The processing circuit obtains image information based on the objects in the field of view and defines a minimum viable region for a target open corner. Potential minimum viable regions are defined by identifying candidate edges of an object and determining potential intersection points based on the candidate edges. The minimum viable region may then be identified and validated from the potential minimum viable regions.

Techniques are disclosed to use a robotic arm to palletize or depalletize diverse items. In various embodiments, data associated with a plurality of items to be stacked on or in a destination location is received. A plan to stack the items on or in the destination location is generated based at least in part on the received data. The plan is implemented at least in part by controlling a robotic arm of the robot to pick up the items and stack them on or in the receptacle according to the plan, including by for each item: using one or more first order sensors to move the item to a first approximation of a destination position for that item at the destination location; and using one or more second order sensors to snug the item into a final position.

Various embodiments described herein relate to techniques for object height detection for palletizing operations and/or depalletizing operations. In this regard, an automated industrial system comprises at least a column portion, a robot arm portion, and an end effector configured to grasp an object. An image-capturing device is mounted onto the automated industrial system and is configured to rotate, based on movement of the robot arm portion, to scan the object grasped by the end effector and to generate image-capturing data associated with the object. Furthermore, a processing device is configured to determine height data for the object based on the image-capturing data. The processing device is also configured to determine location data for the object with respect to a conveyor system based on the height data.

A method for retrieving content stored in a warehouse, the method may include: maintaining first content in boxes of a lowest shelf of a storage unit of the warehouse, while maintaining in boxes of higher shelves of the storage unit second content that is of less interest than the first content; accessing the boxes of the lowest shelf and providing the boxes to interfacing units, by a first robot; accessing the boxes of the higher shelves and providing the boxes to the interfacing units, by a second robot; wherein the first robot, when positioned at a lower position, is lower than a height of the lowest shelf; and wherein the second robot is higher than the height of the lowest shelf.

A system and method for operating a robotic system to place objects into containers that have support walls is disclosed. The robotic system may detect an unexpected condition associated with a container during or before a real-time operation. Accordingly, the robotic system may dynamically adjust an existing packing plan based on detecting the unexpected condition.

A system and method for operating a transfer robot to grasp and transfer objects is disclosed. The transport robot includes a robotic gripper assembly having an array of addressable vacuum regions each configured to independently provide a vacuum to grasp a target object. The gripper assembly can be configured and/or operated according to one or more physical characteristics of targeted objects and/or corresponding scenarios.

A method and system for decanting a plurality of substantially identical target items in a topmost layer of target items supported on a transport structure at one time with a picking tool for placement into a transport container are provided. The method includes the steps of providing a ranked configuration which describes the location and orientation of all items in the topmost layer and identifying a set of all legal picks of multiple items from the topmost layer based on the size and shape of the picking tool and the size and shape of the transport container. The method also includes the step of grouping the legal picks into equivalence classes. Each equivalence class contains a subset of items from the ranked configuration.