In variants, a method for robot control can include: receiving sensor data of a scene, modeling the physical objects within the scene, determining a set of potential grasp configurations for grasping a physical object within the scene, determining a reach behavior based on the potential grasp configuration, determining a trajectory for the reach behavior, and grasping the object using the trajectory.

A method for monitoring a robot arrangement, which robot arrangement has at least one robot includes capturing optical signals from a plurality of signal sources at least one sensor, wherein the signal sources and/or the sensor is/are positioned on the robot arrangement and triggering a monitoring reaction if a deviation of an actual arrangement of the captured optical signals from a desired arrangement of these signals exceeds a limit value. In one aspect, a reaction may be triggered if at least a predefined minimum number of signals from the desired arrangement is not present in the actual arrangement of the captured optical signals.

Robot charging dock includes a charge connector configured to mate with a charging port of a mobile robot. There is a charge connector frame having a front surface on which the charge connector is mounted. The front surface has a first side edge and a second side edge. There is a front cover disposed over the charge connector frame which has an aperture through which the charge connector protrudes. At least a portion of the front cover is spaced from the front surface of the charge connector frame, defining an internal region. There is an opening to the internal region formed along at least a portion of a perimeter of the aperture and there is a light source disposed in the internal region. The light source is directed toward the opening to allow the light source to illuminate charge connector.

A human-like tactile perception apparatus for providing enhanced tactile information (feedback data) from an end-effector/gripper to the control circuit of an arm-type robotic system. The apparatus's base structure is attached to the gripper's finger and includes a flat/planar support plate that presses a pressure sensor array against a target object during operable interactions. The pressure sensor array generates pressure sensor data that indicates portions of the array contacted by surface features of the target object. A sensor data processing circuit generates tactile information in response to the pressure sensor data, and then transmits the tactile information to the robotic system's control circuit. An optional mezzanine connector extends through an opening in the support plate to pass pressure sensor data to the processing circuit. An encapsulating layer covers the pressure sensor array and transmits pressure waves generated by slipping objects to enhance the tactile information.

This hand system comprises: a suction pad that sucks a conductive workpiece by fluid effect; at least three electrodes that are arranged on the suction pad; and an electrical characteristics measuring device that measures the electrical characteristics of an electrical circuit formed by the contact between any two of the electrodes and the workpiece.

Systems and methods are described, and an example system includes a transport bin configured to carry a baggage item and having spatial reference frame marking detectable by electromagnetic scan and by machine vision. The system includes a robotic arm apparatus at an inspection area, and includes a switched path baggage conveyor that, responsive to electromagnetic scan detection of an object-of-interest (OOI) within the baggage item, conveys the transport bin to the inspection area. The electromagnetic scan generates OOI geometric position information indicating geometric position of the OOI relative to the spatial reference frame marking. The robotic arm apparatus, responsive to receiving the transport bin, uses machine vision to detect orientation of the spatial reference frame marking, then translates OOI geometric position information to local reference frame, for robotic opening of the baggage item, and robotic accessing and contact swab testing on the OOI.

Systems and methods for simultaneous position and impedance control for myoelectric interfaces are disclosed herein. Properties such as control refinement, retention, generalization, and transfer allow users to learn simultaneous and proportional motion simply by interacting with a myoelectric interface, regardless of its initial intuitiveness. The presently disclosed technology expands on these motor learning approaches by implementing a multidirectional impedance controller in this framework. Using sEMG inputs from upper limb muscles, users simultaneously control both the stiffness and set-point of 3-DOFs. Users stabilize control in the presence of external forces in an analogous way to natural limb movements. Despite having no haptic feedback, subjects learn to tune the stiffness of the object being controlled to stabilize movement along desired paths.

A wearable device for assisting a human body movement according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a sensor including an inner electrode arranged at a center of an arbitrary circle, a plurality of outer electrodes arranged at regular intervals in a circumferential direction at positions spaced apart from the inner electrode in a radial direction so as to be arranged on a circumference of the circle, and a plurality of deformation elements disposed between the inner electrode and each of the outer electrodes and formed of a material whose resistance is changed by deformation; a controller configured to apply different control signals to an actuator according to a combination of different resistance values of the deformation elements of the sensor; and the actuator operating based on the control signals of the controller.

A method for providing a referenced distance signal which corresponds to the distance between a contact tip of a welding torch and a workpiece to be machined, includes adjusting an operating point on a predetermined welding characteristic, which is defined at least by a wire feed rate, a welding voltage and/or a welding current, and a CTWD distance between the contact tip and the workpiece; determining a target parameter value of at least one parameter dependent on the CTWD distance for the operating point; determining an actual parameter value of the at least one parameter by measuring at least one of the present wire feed rate, welding voltage and/or welding current; modifying the determined actual parameter value as a function of a calculated difference between the target parameter value and a predetermined reference value; and outputting the referenced distance signal corresponding to the modified actual parameter value to a position control system of a robot arm.

An upper limb motion support apparatus and an upper limb motion support system which are capable of significantly improving the enhancement of an operator's work efficiency and the reduction of their workload are proposed. A controller which causes an articulated arm and an end effector to perform three-dimensional motion according to the operator's intention based on a biological signal acquired by a biological signal detection unit causes the articulated arm and the end effector to perform cooperative motion in conjunction with the operator's upper limb motion by referring to content recognized by an upper limb motion recognition unit.