A robot control system includes a first controller, a second controller, a communication device to perform data communication between the controllers, a first robotic arm, a second robotic arm, a third robotic arm, a first tool, a second tool, and a third tool. A first controlling module receives, not via the communication device, input of first positional data that is output data from a first processor, the first processor being the preceding stage of the first controlling module. Each of a second processor, a second controlling module, a third processor, and a third controlling module receives, not via the communication device, input of the output data from the preceding stage that belongs to the first controller or the second controller to which the second processor, the second controlling module, the third processor, or the third controlling module belongs, or receives input of the output data from the preceding stage.

Disclosed herein are embodiments related to safety in robotic systems. For example, an apparatus for collaborative robotics may include a first segment, a second segment, and a joint assembly. The joint assembly may include a processing device and a stepper motor, the stepper motor may control a relative position of the first and second segments, the processing device may perform closed-loop control of the stepper motor and monitor one or more performance metrics, and the processing device may cause braking of the stepper motor when a value of at least one of the performance metrics is outside an allowable range.

Disclosed herein are embodiments related to stepper motors in robotic systems. For example, an apparatus for collaborative robotics may include a first segment, a second segment, and a joint assembly. The joint assembly may include a stepper motor and a drivetrain to control a relative position of the first and second segments, and the drivetrain may have a gear ratio that is less than 30:1.

Disclosed herein are embodiments related to braking joints in robotic systems. For example, an apparatus for collaborative robotics may include a first segment, a second segment, and a joint assembly. The joint assembly may include a stepper motor to control a relative position of the first and second segments, and a phase of the stepper motor may be shorted when the apparatus is unpowered.

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for planning by work volumes to avoid conflicts. One of the methods includes receiving a process definition graph for a robot that includes action nodes, wherein the action nodes include (1) transition nodes that represent a motion to be taken by the robot from a respective start location to an end location and (2) task nodes that represent a particular task to be performed by the robot at a particular task location. An initial modified process definition graph that ignores one or more conflicts between respective transition nodes as well as one or more conflicts between respective transition nodes and task nodes is generated from the process definition graph. A refined process definition graph that ignores conflicts between transition nodes and recognizes conflicts between transition nodes and task nodes is generated from the initial modified process definition graph.

Systems and a method for determining a sequence of kinematic chains of a multiple robot along a sequence of locations. Inputs on the locations to be reached by a robot tool are received. Each chain is considered separately by setting one chain in use and determining, for each chain in use, available configurations for each location. The available configurations are represented as nodes of a graph representing available robotic paths for reaching with a tool the locations, while allowing the switching among different chains within the same robotic path. Valid connectors are determined by simulating collision free robot trajectories while taking into account working modality constraints of the locations. Weight factors are assigned to connectors to represent robot efforts in moving between subsequent configurations. The shortest robotic path among valid paths is determined by taking into account the weight factors. The sequence of chains is determined from the shortest path.

Systems and a method for determining a sequence of kinematic chains of a multiple robot along a sequence of locations. Inputs on the locations to be reached by a robot tool are received. Each chain is considered separately by setting one chain in use and determining, for each chain in use, available configurations for each location. The available configurations are represented as nodes of a graph representing available robotic paths for reaching with a tool the locations, while allowing the switching among different chains within the same robotic path. Valid connectors are determined by simulating collision free robot trajectories while taking into account working modality constraints of the locations. Weight factors are assigned to connectors to represent robot efforts in moving between subsequent configurations. The shortest robotic path among valid paths is determined by taking into account the weight factors. The sequence of chains is determined from the shortest path.

Methods, systems, and platforms for automatic setup planning for a robot. The method includes sampling multiple poses in multiple dimensions within a robotic workspace. The method includes generating one or more candidate configurations based on the multiple poses. The method includes determining a score for each candidate configuration of the one or more candidate configurations. The score represents area coverage of a region of interest and at least one of an amount of setup time of the candidate configuration or an amount of energy used. The method includes determining a set of candidate configurations that has an overall area coverage that covers the region of interest based on the score for each candidate configuration. The method includes controlling a position and an orientation of the object based on the set of candidate configurations.

Methods, systems, and apparatus for automatically moving a tool attached to a robotic manipulator from a start position to a goal position. The method includes determining, using a processor, a plurality of next possible positions from the start position. The method includes selecting a second position from the plurality of next possible positions based on respective costs associated with moving the tool from the start position to each of the possible positions in the plurality of next possible positions. The method includes moving, using a plurality of actuators, the tool to the second position. The method includes determining an updated plurality of next possible positions, selecting a next position, and moving the tool to the next position until the goal position is reached.

Method and apparatus for working-place backflow of robots, comprising: acquiring current coordinates of robots currently in an idle state in a working place; acquiring all destination coordinates where the robots are going to return; calculating, according to distances and time from the current coordinates to all destination coordinates, target destination coordinates nearest to the current coordinates; controlling the robots to move out of the working place according to backflow paths corresponding to the target destination coordinates, ensuring order departure of the robots; performing, when paths intersect, queuing management on the robots, to determine a crowding point zone; setting, according to pass requests sent by robots in the crowding point zone, scheduling commands respectively for the robots in the crowding point zone; and sending the commands respectively to the robots in the crowding point zone, to make the robots having received the commands pass through the crowding point zone based thereon.