One variation of a method for controlling a robotic arm includes: moving the robotic arm through a trajectory; at a first time in which the robotic arm occupies a first position along the trajectory, measuring a first capacitance of a first sense circuit comprising a first electrode extending over a first arm segment of the robotic arm; at a second time in which the robotic arm occupies a second position along the trajectory, measuring a second capacitance of the first sense circuit; calculating a first rate of change in capacitance of the first sense circuit based on a difference between the first capacitance and the second capacitance; in response to the first rate of change in capacitance of the first sense circuit exceeding a threshold rate of change, issuing a proximity alarm; and reducing a speed of the robotic arm moving through the trajectory in response to the proximity alarm.

A robot control apparatus for controlling a robot for gripping two workpieces includes an upper limit value changing unit for changing at least one of the upper speed limit value and the upper acceleration limit value of the robot depending on the type and number of workpieces gripped, and an operation controlling unit for controlling the operation of the robot such that at least one of the speed and the acceleration of the robot does not exceed the changed upper speed limit value and upper acceleration limit value.

A robot system includes a SCARA robot including a robot arm to which an end effector is attached and a driving section configured to drive the robot arm and a control device configured to control the driving section based on a control signal. The control device determines whether being in a first case in which a predetermined condition is satisfied or a second case in which the predetermined condition is not satisfied, in the first case, controls the driving section based on the control signal, and, in the second case, determines a frequency component to be removed from the control signal using a band stop filter, removes the frequency component from the control signal using the band stop filter to generate a corrected control signal, and controls the driving section based on the generated corrected control signal.

A first robot and at least one further second robot are provided to run through a plurality of positioning ranges during operation. A dynamic behavior and/or a load characteristic value of the robot in at least one first positioning range can be adapted to a dynamic behavior and/or a load characteristic value in at least one second positioning range of the robot and/or a dynamic behavior and/or a load characteristic value of the first robot in at least one first positioning range is adapted to a dynamic behavior and/or a load characteristic value of the second robot in at least one second positioning range.

A simulation system to determine an optimal trajectory path for a robot with an attached implement includes a trajectory simulator which provides a simulated trajectory path for an implement, an implement model database which comprises motion data of the implement, and a logger that associates a time stamp of the implement's motion during the simulated trajectory path to generate logger data. A profile is determined by the logger data received from the logger which identifies implement motion that exceeds predetermined thresholds, and a tuner adjusts the simulated trajectory path so as to reduce the number of times predetermined thresholds are exceeded.

A method controls a machine with redundant actuators according to pattern of disconnected contours, wherein the machine includes redundant actuators by first generating a set of initial trajectories from the pattern. Each initial trajectory corresponds to one of the disconnected contours, or a path from an exit point of one contour and an entry point of a next contour. A set of costs for the set of initial trajectories is determined. A sequence of final trajectories is determined based on the set of costs. Then, a set of commands is generated for controlling the machine according to the sequence of final trajectories.

A robot program generation apparatus includes an allowable jerk value setting unit for setting allowable jerk values to joints of a robot, a joint information calculation unit for simulating execution of a robot program in a virtual space and calculating positions and jerks of the joints in association with time, a jerks determination unit for determining whether or not the calculated jerk is an excess jerk exceeding the allowable jerk values, a joint information identification unit for identifying the joints and positions of the joints in which the excess jerks are generated, and a robot program adjustment unit for adjusting the robot program by modifying a teaching position within the neighborhood of the positions of the joints in which the excess jerks are generated so that the jerks of the identified joints become equal to or smaller than the allowable jerk values.

One variation of a method for controlling a robotic arm includes: moving the robotic arm through a trajectory; at a first time in which the robotic arm occupies a first position along the trajectory, measuring a first capacitance of a first sense circuit comprising a first electrode extending over a first arm segment of the robotic arm; at a second time in which the robotic arm occupies a second position along the trajectory, measuring a second capacitance of the first sense circuit; calculating a first rate of change in capacitance of the first sense circuit based on a difference between the first capacitance and the second capacitance; in response to the first rate of change in capacitance of the first sense circuit exceeding a threshold rate of change, issuing a proximity alarm; and reducing a speed of the robotic arm moving through the trajectory in response to the proximity alarm.

A robot control apparatus for controlling a robot for gripping two workpieces includes an upper limit value changing unit for changing at least one of the upper speed limit value and the upper acceleration limit value of the robot depending on the type and number of workpieces gripped, and an operation controlling unit for controlling the operation of the robot such that at least one of the speed and the acceleration of the robot does not exceed the changed upper speed limit value and upper acceleration limit value.