The invention relates to a method for gripping an object by a handling system, including a robot with at least one robot arm, a gripping device which is connected to the robot arm and has a pneumatically operated suction gripper having an elastically deformable contact portion for contact with an outer surface of the object to be gripped, an identification means for identifying the outer surface of the object to be gripped and a control means which interacts with the identification means and is designed to control the robot, wherein an outer surface of an object to be gripped is identified, wherein a distinction is made between planar portions of the outer surface on the one hand and convex elevations or outer edges on the other, and wherein the suction gripper is made to approach the outer surface of the object to be gripped in such a way that at least a part of the contact portion of the suction gripper clings to a convex elevation or outer edge of the outer surface. The invention also relates to a suction gripper for use in such a method.

A robot system includes a robot, a robot work environment in which the robot works, and a robot controller including circuitry that stores position information indicating a position of each of measured robot postures in the robot work environment, obtains a measured position of each of the measured robot postures based on a detection result obtained by a sensor, and corrects a movement position of the robot based on the measured position.

A robot includes a first arm having a hole and extending along a first axis, a second arm coupled to the first arm, and rotating around a second axis crossing the first axis, a sensor configured to detect a target, and an attachment member provided to the second arm, and configured to support the sensor, wherein the attachment member is inserted through the hole, and extending along the second axis. Further, the sensor may be located outside an outer surface of the first arm.

An object detecting method includes imaging a plurality of target objects with an imaging section and acquiring a first image, recognizing an object position/posture of one of the plurality of target objects based on the first image, counting the number of successfully recognized object positions/postures of the target object, outputting, based on the object position/posture of the target object, a signal for causing a holding section to hold the target object, calculating, as a task evaluation value, a result about whether the target object was successfully held, updating, based on an evaluation indicator including the number of successfully recognized object positions/postures and the task evaluation value, a model for estimating the evaluation indicator from an imaging position/posture of the imaging section and determining an updated imaging position/posture, acquiring a second image in the updated imaging position/posture, and recognizing the object position/posture of the target object based on the second image.

A system and method for automatically operating a camera includes a controller for controlling the movement of a robotically controlled camera. The controller includes a processor and a computer readable medium having instructions for controlling the camera. The system determines a task to be performed and, based on the determined task, determines a camera control scheme that corresponds to the task. The camera control scheme includes rules for controlling the camera. The system receives input parameters in the form of particular tools being used and the position and movement of the tools. The input parameters can be automatically determined by the controller via a video image produced by the camera. The controller will move the camera in response to particular movement of the tools and the particular rules of the determined control scheme that correspond to the particular movements.

The present disclosure is a robot system including a robot that performs work on a workpiece; a controller that controls the robot; a first camera that captures an image of the workpiece while being moved relative to the workpiece by means of the operation of the robot; and a second camera that is capable of acquiring, in synchronization with image capturing by the first camera, an image that represents the relative positional relationship between the first camera and the workpiece. The controller includes a correcting unit that corrects, on the basis of the image acquired by the second camera, the image-capturing timing of the first camera so that an image is captured at a position at which the workpiece is appropriately captured in the field of view of the first camera.

A robot system that performs work of coupling a flexible cable to a connector provided on a board, includes a robot in which a gripping unit that grips the cable and a force detection unit that detects a force acting on the gripping unit are provided, a control unit that controls the robot to perform a conveyance action to grip the cable using the gripping unit and convey the cable onto the board, and an insertion action to insert the cable into the connector by force control based on a detection result in the force detection unit, an insertion speed entry part in which an insertion speed of the cable into the connector at the insertion action is entered, and a determination unit that can determine force control information necessary for the force control in the insertion action according to the insertion speed.

A robot system includes: a robot including an end effector connected to an arm thereof; a vision sensor mounted to the robot; and a controller configured to output an operation signal that enables the robot to operate when an input is generated through a touch screen. Each of an object and a target to which the object is placed is inputted through the touch screen. The touch screen displays a recommendation region of the target in a distinguished manner.

A method of inserting an electronic components in through-hole technology, THT, into a printed circuit board, PCB by an industrial robot, based on reinforcement learning, includes grabbing, by means of a tool with universal fingers mounted to the end-effector of the industrial robot, the electronic component to be inserted into the PCB; moving the tool to a starting position being in close proximity to a final position of the electronic component; acquiring at least one image showing the tool, the electronic component and the PCB; calculating, on a basis of the at least one image, at least one movement instruction for the industrial robot; adjusting position of the tool on a basis of the at least one movement instruction, and repeating the steps until the electronic component is in the final position.

A robot control device is provided with a camera which images a teaching tool which includes a characteristic area, and a characteristic position detection unit which detects the position of the characteristic area. The robot control device includes a movement instruction generating unit which, when an operator has moved the teaching tool, changes the position and orientation of the robot such that the camera follows the characteristic area. The robot control device includes a calculation unit which, on the basis of the position of the characteristic area, calculates the position and orientation of an auxiliary coordinate system set for the teaching tool. The robot control device includes a setting unit which, on the basis of the position and orientation of the auxiliary coordinate system, sets the position of the teaching point and the orientation of the robot at the teaching point.