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 robotic system for arranging packages at a destination in a specified arrangement. The robotic system processes incoming packages, stores the packages in a temporary storage area, executes a simulate function to generate or update a simulated stacking plan, determines the occurrence of a palletizing trigger, and places the packages on the pallet according to the simulated stacking plan upon determining the occurrence of the palletizing trigger. The palletizing trigger can be one of a time limit trigger, a uniform layer trigger, a storage capacity trigger, or receiving a placement initiation command.

A robotic palletization/depalletization system is disclosed. In various embodiments, data associated with a plurality of items to be stacked on or in a destination location is received, and a plan to stack the items on or in the destination location is generated based at least in part on the received data. The generating the plan includes determining a source location from which to pick the item based at least in part on (i) an attribute of the source location, and (ii) a state of a platform or receptacle on which one or more items are to be stacked.

Devices, systems, and methods for autonomously packing folded laundry articles into a container are described. A packing system includes a refillable cartridge, a queue conveyor having one or more folded laundry articles and stacks of folded laundry articles disposed thereon, at least one retractable conveyor loading end between the refillable cartridge and the queue conveyor for loading the folded laundry articles into the refillable cartridge, a driven lifter for selectively raising and lowering the into and out of the container, and a controller in operative configuration with processors and drives of all of the foregoing and one or more sensors detecting a fill height of the refillable cartridge. The refillable cartridge includes a removable receiving surface that moves from a closed position to an open position during loading of the folded laundry by the retractable conveyor and unloading of the folded laundry into the container.

An trajectory information generating unit for generating trajectory information defining a trajectory for which a picking hand picks a work at a first position and arranges the work at a second position, an execution control unit for operating a picking apparatus based on trajectory information generated by the trajectory information generating unit, and an execution time estimating unit for estimating a period of time from when the picking apparatus receives an instruction for starting an operation on a work to a time when the operation of the picking apparatus on the work is ended are included. The trajectory information generating unit may adjust an amount of calculation based on an estimation result of the execution time estimating unit.

A method of operating a robotic system includes: receiving first image data representative of a package surface; identifying a pair of edges based on the first image data; determining a minimum viable region based on the pair of edges; receiving second image data representative of the package after the lift; and creating registration data based on the first and second image data.

A method of operating a robotic system includes: receiving first image data representative of a package surface; identifying a pair of edges based on the first image data; determining a minimum viable region based on the pair of edges; receiving second image data representative of the package after the lift; and creating registration data based on the first and second image data.

A system and method for operating a robotic system to place objects into containers that have support walls is disclosed. The robotic system may derive a packing plan for stacking objects on top of each other. The robotic system may derive placement locations for one or more objects overhanging one or more support objects below. The derived placement locations may be based on utilizing one or more of the support walls to secure the placed object.

A control apparatus includes a force sensation information acquiring unit for acquiring force sensation information representing a magnitude of at least one of a force and a torque at a distal end of a manipulator while a target item is being transported; a mass information acquiring unit for acquiring mass information representing a mass of the item; a plan information acquiring unit for acquiring plan information representing content of a plan of a trajectory; a force sensation estimating unit for estimating a magnitude of at least one of a force and a torque to be detected at the distal end of the manipulator; and a first detecting unit for detecting an abnormality, based on the magnitude of at least one of the force and the torque represented by the force sensation information and the magnitude of at least one of the force and the torque estimated by the estimating unit.

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.