According to one embodiment, a handling system includes a movable arm, a holding unit, a sensor, and a controller. The holding unit is attached to the movable arm and capable of holding an object by selecting one or more of a plurality of holding methods. The sensor is capable of detecting a plurality of the objects. The controller controls the movable arm and the holding unit. The controller calculates a score based on a selected holding method for each object and each holding method on the basis of information acquired from the sensor. The controller selects a next object to be held and a holding method on the basis of the score. The controller calculates a position at which the selected object is held and a posture of the movable arm.

A tool changer at a distal end of a robotic arm may include a proximal engagement plate and a tool may include a distal engagement plate magnetically engaged with the proximal engagement plate. The tool changer may be configured to magnetically engage and disengage with a variety of tools as different tools are needed for operations being performed by the robotic arm. Decisions regarding which tools to couple to the tool changer may be made on-the-fly and based on changing circumstances as the robotic arm is used to operate on objects.

A robot operable within a 3-D volume includes a gripper movable between an open position and a closed position to grasp any one of a plurality of objects, an articulatable portion coupled to the gripper and operable to move the gripper to a desired position within the 3-D volume, and an object detection system operable to capture information indicative of the shape of a first object of the plurality of objects positioned to be grasped by the gripper. A computer is coupled to the object detection system. The computer is operable to identify a plurality of possible grasp locations on the first object and to generate a numerical parameter indicative of the desirability of each grasp location, wherein the numerical parameter is at least partially defined by the next task to be performed by the robot.

A method is disclosed of changing a tool on a programmable motion device. The method includes the steps of moving an attachment portion of an end effector of the programmable motion device in a continuous motion; while the attachment portion of the end effector moves in the continuous motion, engaging one of: the attachment portion of the end effector with the tool, or the tool attached to the attachment portion of the end effector with an exchange system, and continuing to move the attachment portion of the end effector in the continuous motion to change a connection status of the attachment portion of the end effector while the attachment portion of the end effector moves in the continuous motion.

In a method for transferring goods using a robot and a storage and picking system for carrying out the method, a gripper is coupled to or activated at a robot head of the robot depending on the grip type of the goods to be transferred. By doing so, a good can be picked up at a first position and deposited at a second position. The goods, separated into the groups of goods, are supplied to the robot so that the goods of a first group of goods are firstly provided at the first position and subsequently the goods of a second group of goods are provided at the first position. The first group of goods includes the goods of a first grip type, and the second group of goods includes the goods of a second grip type.

A method is disclosed of changing a tool on a programmable motion device. The method includes the steps of moving an attachment portion of an end effector of the programmable motion device in a continuous motion; while the attachment portion of the end effector moves in the continuous motion, engaging one of: the attachment portion of the end effector with the tool, or the tool attached to the attachment portion of the end effector with an exchange system, and continuing to move the attachment portion of the end effector in the continuous motion to change a connection status of the attachment portion of the end effector while the attachment portion of the end effector moves in the continuous motion.

The invention relates to a device and method for performing open-loop and closed-loop control of a robot manipulator which is driven by a number M of actuators ACT.sub.m and has an end effector. The invention comprises a first unit which registers and/or makes available an external force winder {right arrow over (F)}.sub.ext(t)={{right arrow over (f)}.sub.ext(t),{right arrow over (m)}.sub.ext(t)} acting on the end effector, a regulator which is connected to the first unit and to the actuators ACT.sub.m and which comprises a first regulator R1, which is a force regulator, and a second regulator R2 which is connected thereto and which is an impedance regulator, an admittance regulator, a position regulator or a cruise controller, wherein the regulator determines manipulated variables u.sub.m(t) with which the actuators ACT.sub.m can be actuated in such way that when contact occurs with the surface of an object, the end effector acts on said object with a predefined force winder {right arrow over (F)}.sub.D(t)={{right arrow over (f)}.sub.D(t),{right arrow over (m)}.sub.D(t)}; where u.sub.m(t)=u.sub.m,R1(t)+u.sub.m,R2(t), wherein the first regulator R1 is embodied and configured in such a way that the manipulated variable u.sub.m,R1(t) is determined as a product of a manipulated variable u.sub.m,R1(t)* and a function S(v(t)) or as a function S*(v(t), u.sub.m,R1(t)*), where: u.sub.m,R1(t)=S(v(t)) u.sub.m,R1(t)* or u.sub.m,R1(t)=S*(v*(t), u.sub.m,R1(t)*); v(t)=v({right arrow over (F)}.sub.D(t), {right arrow over (R)}(t)); v[v.sub.a, v.sub.e], v*(t)=v*({right arrow over (F)}.sub.D(t), {right arrow over (R)}(t))=[v.sub.1*({right arrow over (F)}.sub.D(t), {right arrow over (R)}(t)), . . . , v.sub.Q*({right arrow over (F)}.sub.D(t), {right arrow over (R)}(t))].

A method is disclosed of changing a tool on a programmable motion device. The method includes the steps of moving an attachment portion of an end effector of the programmable motion device in a continuous motion; while the attachment portion of the end effector moves in the continuous motion, engaging one of: the attachment portion of the end effector with the tool, or the tool attached to the attachment portion of the end effector with an exchange system, and continuing to move the attachment portion of the end effector in the continuous motion to change a connection status of the attachment portion of the end effector while the attachment portion of the end effector moves in the continuous motion.