A techniques for improved guiding of hyper-redundant manipulator probes into a constrained space which make use of the known characteristics of the space into which the probe is being inserted to increase the efficiency of the computation of the path of the probe. Embodiments of the invention achieve this through an optimisation function which determined a new orientation which minimises the deviation between each of: a) the point on the probe where the probe starts to follow a defined curve within the constrained space and a predetermined initial point, and b) the distal end of the probe and said defined curve.

A method for controlling a robot to perform a task, for which the robot is redundant, includes specifying an adjustment of first and second axes of at least one pair of two movement axes of the robot based on a specified operating mode such that both axes can be adjusted and adjustment of the first axis is prioritized over the second axis if a first operating mode is specified. Adjustment of the second axis is prioritized over the first axis if a second operating mode is specified. Additionally or alternatively, adjustment of at least one selected movement axis is specified based on a specified operating mode such that this axis can be adjusted or is blocked independently of the task if a reduced operating mode is specified, and can be adjusted for the purpose of performing this task if an operating mode differing from this reduced operating mode is specified.

A method for automatically ascertaining an input command for a robot, wherein the input command is entered by manually exerting an external force onto the robot. The input command is ascertained on the basis of the joint force component attempting to cause a movement of the robot in only one robot joint coordinate sub-space which is specific to the input command. The joint forces are imprinted with the external force.

In some aspects, computer-implemented methods for selecting a robotic tool path for a manufacturing processing system to execute a material processing sequence in three-dimensional space can include: providing to a computer-readable product including robotic system data of a robotic tool handling system and workpiece data relating to a processing path of a tool along the workpiece; generating a plurality of possible robotic tool paths to be performed to move the tool along the processing path; identifying one or more obstacles, or an absence of obstacles, associated with the robotic tool paths; comparing robotic tool paths based on a predetermined robotic parameter to be controlled as the tool moves from the start point to the end point; and based on the identified obstacles, determining feasible tool paths, between the start point and the end point that avoid the obstacles, that can be obtained by adjusting the predetermined robotic parameter.

Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards a robotic system. The system may include a robot configured to receive an initial constrained approach for performing a robot task. The system may further include a graphical user interface in communication with the robot. The graphical user interface may be configured to allow a user to interact with the robot to determine an allowable range of robot poses associated with the robot task. The allowable range of robot poses may include fewer constraints than the initial constrained approach. The allowable range of poses may be based upon, at least in part, one or more degrees of symmetry associated with a workpiece associated with the robot task or an end effector associated with the robot. The system may also include a processor configured to communicate the allowable range of robot poses to the robot.

Systems and a method for teaching a robot in reaching a given target location. The system and method include receiving inputs on a representation of a given target location to be reached by the robot. A check is made whether the given target location is singular. If the given target location is non-singular, the teaching of the robot is effected by associating with the given target location a selected configuration. If the given target is singular, the teaching of the robot is effected by associating with the given target location an assigned joint-values solution.

In some aspects, computer-implemented methods for selecting a robotic tool path for a manufacturing processing system to execute a material processing sequence in three-dimensional space can include: providing to a computer-readable product including robotic system data of a robotic tool handling system and workpiece data relating to a processing path of a tool along the workpiece; generating a plurality of possible robotic tool paths to be performed to move the tool along the processing path; identifying one or more obstacles, or an absence of obstacles, associated with the robotic tool paths; comparing robotic tool paths based on a predetermined robotic parameter to be controlled as the tool moves from the start point to the end point; and based on the identified obstacles, determining feasible tool paths, between the start point and the end point that avoid the obstacles, that can be obtained by adjusting the predetermined robotic parameter.

In some aspects, computer-implemented methods for selecting a robotic tool path for a manufacturing processing system to execute a material processing sequence in three-dimensional space can include: providing to a computer-readable product including robotic system data of a robotic tool handling system and workpiece data relating to a processing path of a tool along the workpiece; generating a plurality of possible robotic tool paths to be performed to move the tool along the processing path; identifying one or more obstacles, or an absence of obstacles, associated with the robotic tool paths; comparing robotic tool paths based on a predetermined robotic parameter to be controlled as the tool moves from the start point to the end point; and based on the identified obstacles, determining feasible tool paths, between the start point and the end point that avoid the obstacles, that can be obtained by adjusting the predetermined robotic parameter.

A method for controlling a kinematically redundant robot (100) in order to fulfill multiple tasks. At least one passivity-based first controller module (102) is used, at least one task target description and at least one associated task mapping are computed for the at least one first controller module (102), at least one weighting is computed for the tasks, and the at least one first controller module (102) is integrated into an overall controller (104), using the at least one weighting. Moreover, the invention relates to a computer program product that includes commands which, when the program is executed with the aid of at least one processor, prompt the processor to carry out such a method.

Devices, systems, and methods for providing commanded movement of an end effector of a manipulator concurrent with a desired movement of one or more joints of the manipulator according to one or more consolidated null-space objectives. The null-space objectives may include a joint state combination, relative joint states, range of joint states, joint state profile, kinetic energy, clutching movements, collision avoidance movements, singularity avoidance movements, pose or pitch preference, desired manipulator configurations, commanded reconfiguration of the manipulator, and anisotropic emphasis of the joints. Methods include calculating multiple null-space movements according to different null-space objectives, determining an attribute for each and consolidating the null-space movements with a null-space manager using various approaches. The approaches may include applying weighting, scaling, saturation levels, priority, master velocity limiting, saturated limited integration and various combinations thereof.