An environment warping approach is implemented to improve a robustness of contact-aware robot trajectory optimization by a change of coordinates from an ambient space to a flat space. The disclosed method warps the ambient space of a curved terrain to a warped space with a flat terrain using a optimized mapping function. A contact-aware trajectory optimization procedure is then formulated in the warped space under a set of geometrical and physical constraints with decision variables pulled back from the ambient space to the warped flat space. The decision variables are parameterized using high-order spines with a set of control parameters which are optimized in the warped space in order to generate the gait trajectory in the ambient space. For example, an objective function and constraint functions from the ambient space are pushed back to the warped space while force and rotational variables are pushed forward from the warped space to the ambient space. Such an approach, in comparison to implementations involving optimization within the ambient space only achieves a higher success rate in fining optical solutions.

Algorithmic reasoning about a cutting tool assembly's space of feasible configurations can be effectively harnessed to construct a sequence of motions that guarantees a collision-free path for the tool assembly to remove each support structure in the sequence. A greedy algorithm models the motion of the cutting tool assembly through the free-spaces around the intermediate shapes of the part as the free-spaces iteratively reduce in size to the near-net shape to determine feasible points of contact for the cutting tool assembly. Each support beam is evaluated for a contact feature along the boundary of the near-net shape that constitutes a feasible point of contact. If a support beam has at least one feasible configuration at each point, the support beam is deemed accessible and a collection of tool assembly configurations that are guaranteed to be non-colliding but which can access all points of contact of each accessible support beam can be generated.

A processing system is disclosed for providing processing of homogenous and non-homogenous objects in both structured and cluttered environments. The processing system includes a programmable motion device including an end effector, a perception system for recognizing any of the identity, location, and orientation of an object presented in a plurality of objects at an input location, a grasp acquisition system for acquiring the object using the end effector to permit the object to be moved from the plurality of objects to one of a plurality of destination bins, and a motion planning system for determining a changing portion of a trajectory path of the end effector from the object to a base location proximate to the input location, and determining an unchanging portion of a trajectory path of the end effector from the base location to a destination bin location proximate to a destination bin, wherein the unchanging portion of the trajectory path is chosen to provide a path from the base location to the destination bin location that is consistent with paths taken by other objects.

The present disclosure provides a robot motion path planning method, apparatus, and terminal device. The method includes planning a planned path for a robot in a current scene using an open motion planning library (OMPL) database, setting a shortest ideal path as an initial ideal path, calculating a new path between the planned path and the initial ideal path using a dichotomy method, determining whether the new path meets an obstacle avoidance requirement and a structural constraint of the robot in the current scene, making the new path as the new planned path if yes, otherwise determining the new path as a new ideal path, optimizing the planned path using the dichotomy method iteratively until an error between the planned path and the ideal path is within a preset range, and determining the planned path as a motion path of the robot, thereby improving the motion efficiency.

Algorithmic reasoning about a cutting tool assembly's space of feasible configurations can be effectively harnessed to construct a sequence of motions that guarantees a collision-free path for the tool assembly to remove each support structure in the sequence. A greedy algorithm models the motion of the cutting tool assembly through the free-spaces around the intermediate shapes of the part as the free-spaces iteratively reduce in size to the near-net shape to determine feasible points of contact for the cutting tool assembly. Each support beam is evaluated for a contact feature along the boundary of the near-net shape that constitutes a feasible point of contact. If a support beam has at least one feasible configuration at each point, the support beam is deemed accessible and a collection of tool assembly configurations that are guaranteed to be non-colliding but which can access all points of contact of each accessible support beam can be generated.

A robot joint space point-to-point movement trajectory planning method. Joint space trajectory planning is performed according to the displacement of a robot from a start point to a target point during PTP movement and a limitation condition of a preset movement parameter physical quantity of each axis in a robot control system. An n-dimensional space is constructed by taking each axis of the robot as a vector, wherein n 2, and the movement parameter physical quantity of each axis of the robot is verified according to a vector relationship between the n axes of the robot, so that a trajectory planning curve of each axis of the robot satisfies the limitation condition of the preset movement parameter physical quantity. The method has a small amount of calculations and strong real-time performance, the movement curves are mild, the control time is optimal, and the algorithm execution effect is good.

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.

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.

An industrial controller that integrates with an external controller for improved control of an industrial machine or process and for coordinating internal motion control functions of the industrial controller with the control routines native to the external controller is disclosed. The industrial controller includes one or more internal motion control instructions, such as a jog, cam, follower, or gearing function. The industrial controller further includes an internal motion planner to generate commands for motor drives connected to the industrial controller to execute the internal motion control instructions or user provided motion control instructions in a control program. External vendors have also developed motion planners to generate motion commands, for example, for the axes on robotic equipment. The present invention includes an interface between motion commands and motor drives controlled by the industrial controller and the external motion planners to seamlessly integrate the external motion planner with the industrial controller.

Robotic systems with dynamic motion planning for transferring unregistered objects (and associated systems, devices, and methods) are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a method for operating a robotic system includes (i) receiving sensor data representing a distance between a sensor of the robotic system and a target object engaged by an end-effector of the robotic system, and (ii) determining a height of the target object based at least in part on the sensor data. The method can further comprise updating, based at least in part on the height of the target object, a motion plan for placing the target object at a destination location. The updated motion plan can include commands, settings, or a combination thereof for operating a robotic arm and the end-effector to (i) approach the destination location and (ii) disengage the target object for placing the target object at the destination location.