A robotic inspection platform comprises a robotic arm, an imager, and a controller. The controller causes the robotic arm to retrieve, using its end effector, a container, and to manipulate the container such that the container is sequentially placed in a plurality of orientations while in view of the imager. The controller also causes the imager to capture images, with each of the images being captured while the container is in a respective one of the orientations. The controller also determines one or more attributes of the container, and/or a sample within the container, by analyzing the images using a pattern recognition model and, based on the attribute(s), determines whether the container and/or sample satisfies one or more criteria. If the container and/or sample fails to satisfy the criteria, the controller causes the robotic arm to place the container in an area (e.g., bin) reserved for rejected containers and/or samples.

Methods and apparatuses are provided for use in monitoring product placement within a shopping facility. Some embodiments provide an apparatus configured to determine product placement conditions within a shopping facility, comprising: a transceiver configured to wirelessly receive communications; a product monitoring control circuit coupled with the transceiver; a memory coupled with the control circuit and storing computer instructions that when executed by the control circuit cause the control circuit to: obtain a composite three-dimensional (3D) scan mapping corresponding to at least a select area of the shopping facility and based on a series of 3D scan data; evaluate the 3D scan mapping to identify multiple product depth distances; and identify, from the evaluation of the 3D scan mapping, when one or more of the multiple product depth distances is greater than a predefined depth distance threshold from the reference offset distance of the product support structure.

Disclosed is a system and a method for classifying articles in a flow of articles to be separated, the flow of articles to be separated being installed on a conveying device, including: —an image acquisition member installed so as to be able to acquire at least one image of a portion of the flow of articles to be separated; —a first overhanging light source, which emits in the visible spectrum and illuminates the portion of the flow of articles to be separated, the at least one image of which is acquired by the image acquisition member; a classification member capable of classifying the articles of the portion of the flow of articles to be separated according to the acquired image; and at least one second light source, of a different nature than the first light source, allowing additional visual information to appear on the acquired image.

Control system for sorting receives a first order and assigns a first destination container of a plurality of destination containers to the first order to direct a computer-controlled mobile transport device to deposit a first and a second article into the destination container based on a product type of each article. The first and second articles are selected from the plurality of disparate articles. The first and second articles from the article supply location are both deposited at a same instant onto the computer-controlled mobile transport device. The control system directs the computer-controlled mobile transport device to transport and deposit both the first and second articles in the destination container in a single trip by manipulation of the computer-controlled mobile transport device from a first position to a second position. The control system determines when the order has been completed and directs removal of the completed order.

A package sort cell includes a robot with an end of arm tool for transporting packages from an in-feed conveyor to a selected one of a plurality of out-feed conveyors or bins, the robot receiving instruction from the package reader as to which of the plurality of conveyors or bins to hand-off the package. An end of arm tool may be in the configuration of a conveyor which may be aligned with the out-feed conveyor on a bottom up movement. The end of arm tool may also be in the configuration of a hanging carriage frame suspending a conveyor in a top down movement. A worker platform may be provided which may be movable between in-use and out-of-use positions whereby upon robot downtime, the platform may move into the in-use position for a worker to temporarily takeover the transfer functions of the robot. A plurality of sort cells may be arranged in side by side relation adjacent a like plurality of package delivery points (e.g., truck bays) and include diverter conveyors to allow diversion of a selected quantity of packages from one cell to an adjacent cell when the adjacent cell has no associated package delivery occurring at that time.

A tray engine includes a vertical drive column, a rotation mechanism for rotating the vertical drive column, and an end effector attached to the vertical drive column. The end effector includes an end effector base attached to the vertical drive column. The end effector further includes a slide attached to the end effector base to support a tray, when present. The slide enables the tray to slide along a length of the end effector base. The tray engine includes a drive mechanism attached to the end effector base for moving along the length of the end effector base to enable the tray, when present, to slide linearly along the length and load or unload the tray to or from the slide.

The invention provides a method for cargo sorting, configured to control an end effector with a package placement platform to sort the cargo, and the method includes: moving the package placement platform to a package obtaining position and obtaining the cargo to be sorted that enters into the package placement platform; moving the package placement platform to a package storage location; and exerting a first force to push the cargo into a package storage unit. With the help of the package placement platform, the method of the invention can receive the packages of different types or different sizes or different material so as to sort and transport all kinds of packages.

This invention discloses an automatic magnetic core sorting system based on machine vision, which comprises an image acquisition and detection mechanism, a digital conversion module, an image processing module, and a workpiece sorting mechanism. The digital conversion module communicates with the image acquisition and detection mechanism. The image processing module receives the digital signals of images of each workpiece taken from various angles and compares the digital signals with a preset value. Afterwards, the results of comparison are sent to the central control module which judges and controls the operations of the workpiece sorting mechanism according to the results sent from the image processing module. This invention adopts the machine vision-based automatic identification technology to automatically identify color and appearance defects of magnetic sheets on conveyor line. With advantages of real-time and accurate detection with high precision, it greatly improves the efficiency and the degree of automation of production.

A robotic singulation system is disclosed. In various embodiments, sensor data including image data associated with a workspace is received. The sensor data is used to generate a three dimensional view of at least a portion of the workspace, the three dimensional view including boundaries of a plurality of items present in the workspace. A grasp strategy is determined for each of at least a subset of items, and for each grasp strategy a corresponding probability of grasp success is computed. The grasp strategies and corresponding probabilities of grasp success are used to determine and implement a plan to autonomously operate a robotic structure to pick one or more items from the workplace and place each item singly in a corresponding location in a singulation conveyance structure.

A robotic singulation system that provides an automated visual indication for human intervention is disclosed. In various embodiments, the system includes a communication interface; and a processor coupled to the communication interface and configured to: receive via the communication interface an indication of an error with respect to a receptacle comprising a conveyance structure; and in response to the indication, cause a visual indication to be provided with respect to the receptacle as it is moved through a workspace by the conveyance structure.