In a method of operation of a robot, the robot identifies a set of candidate actions that may be performed by the robot, and collects, for each candidate action of the set of candidate actions, a respective set of ancillary data. The robot transmits a request for instructions to a tele-operation system that is communicatively coupled to the robot. The request for instructions includes each candidate action and each respective set of ancillary data. The robot receives, and executes, the instructions from the tele-operation system. The robot updates a control model, based at least in part on each candidate action, each respective set of ancillary data, and the instructions, to increase a level of autonomy of the robot. The robot may transmit the request for instructions to the tele-operation system in response to determining the robot is unable to select a candidate action to perform in furtherance of an objective.

A robotic system includes a robot having a picking arm to grasp an inventory item and a shuttle. The shuttle includes a platform adapted to receive the inventory item from the picking arm of the robot. The platform is moveable between a pick-up location located substantially adjacent to the robot and an end location spaced a distance apart from the pick-up location. The system improves efficiency as transportation of the item from the pick-up location to the end location is divided between the robot and the shuttle.

A sequence of tracking input samples that are measures of position or orientation of a user interface device, UID, being held by a user, are received. In a prediction phase, a current output sample of a state of linear quadratic estimator, LQE, is computed that is an estimate of the position or orientation of the UID. The current output sample is computed based on i) a previously computed output sample, and ii) a velocity term. In an update phase, an updated output sample of the state of the LQE is computed, based on i) a previously computed output sample from the prediction phase, and ii) a most recent tracking input sample. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.

A system for controlling a first robotic arm relative to a second robotic arm is disclosed. The system includes a two robotic arms each including a surgical tool and a tool driver. A central control circuit is configured to communicate with the robotic arms to determine a position of the robotic arms and modify a control algorithm for one of the robotic arms based on the relative position of the other robotic arm.

A robotic singulation system is disclosed. In various embodiments, sensor data including data associated with an item present in a workspace is received. The sensor data is used to determine and implement a plan to autonomously operate a robotic structure to move and place the item singly in a corresponding location in a singulation conveyance structure. The plan takes into consideration an attribute of the item determined based at least in part on the sensor data.

A robotic singulation system is disclosed. In various embodiments, sensor data image data associated with a plurality of items present in a workspace is received. The sensor data is used to determine and implement a plan to autonomously operate a robotic structure to pick one or more items from the workspace and place each item singly in a corresponding location in a singulation conveyance structure. The plan includes performing an active measure to change or adapt to a detected state or condition associated with one or more items in the workspace.

Disclosed herein are apparatus and method for resisting external articulation of one or more joints of a manipulator assembly when the joints are approaching mechanical limits. For example, an articulable system may include a joint mechanism, an actuator coupled to the joint mechanism, a sensor system for sensing a joint state and a controller. The controller can operate the articulable system in an external articulation facilitation mode. The controller can command the actuator to resist movement of the joint in response to the joint state indicating the joint is moving toward a mechanical limit location with a joint velocity meeting a first velocity criterion. The controller can also command the actuator resist movement of the joint at a second joint position when the joint velocity meets a second criterion.

A velocity control-based robotic system is disclosed. In various embodiments, sensor data is received from one or more sensors deployed in a physical space in which a robot is located. A processor is used to determine based at least in part on the sensor data an at least partly velocity-based trajectory along which to move an element comprising the robot. A command to implement the velocity-based trajectory is sent to the robot.

In some embodiments, correcting an alignment error between an end effector of a tool associated with a slave and a master actuator associated with a master in a robotic system involves receiving at the master, master actuator orientation signals (R.sub.MCURR) representing the orientation of the master actuator relative to a master reference frame and generating end effector orientation signals (R.sub.EENEW) representing the end effector orientation relative to a slave reference frame, producing control signals based on the end effector orientation signals, receiving an enablement signal for selectively enabling the control signals to be transmitted from the master to the slave, responsive to a transition of the enablement signal from not active state to active state, computing the master-slave misalignment signals (R.sub.Δ) as a difference between the master actuator orientation signals (R.sub.MCURR) and the end effector orientation signals (R.sub.EENEW), and adjusting the master-slave misalignment signals (R.sub.Δ) to reduce the alignment difference.

A powered user interface for a robotic surgical system includes a base, a handle mounted to the base and moveable relative to the base in at least six degrees of freedom, and actuators. The interface operates in accordance with a first mode of operation in which the actuators are operated to constrain predetermined ones of the joints to permit motion of the handle in only 4DOF with respect to the base, and a second mode of operation in which the actuators permit motion of the handle in at least 6DOF with respect to the base.