An automatic program-correction device includes: a clearance detecting unit that detects an amount of clearance between a robot and a peripheral device in an operation program; a near-miss detecting unit that detects a near-miss section; a closest-point detecting unit that detects a pair of closest points, in the near-miss section; and a program updating unit that generates a new operation program having an intermediate teaching point to which the closest points have been moved, along a straight line passing through the detected pair of closest points, until the amount of clearance becomes greater than a minimum amount of clearance and equal to or less than the threshold. While gradually reducing, from the threshold, the amount of clearance at the intermediate teaching point, the program updating unit obtains an intermediate teaching point that provides a maximum amount of clearance at which a new near-miss section is not detected.

A trajectory generation apparatus for robot includes a load judgement unit which compares a load applied to a component of a robot when the robot is operated on a reference trajectory with a load judgement value and a speed reduction unit which reduces a speed of the robot when the load is greater than the load judgement value. The trajectory generation apparatus includes a comparison trajectory generation unit which sets a comparison teaching point obtained by changing a position of a reference teaching point when the speed is reduced and generates a comparison trajectory based on the comparison teaching point and a trajectory selection unit which compares a transit time of the comparison trajectory with a transit time of the reference trajectory and selects a trajectory of which a transit time is shorter.

An automatic program-correction device includes: a clearance detecting unit that detects an amount of clearance between a robot and a peripheral device in an operation program; a near-miss detecting unit that detects a near-miss section; a closest-point detecting unit that detects a pair of closest points, in the near-miss section; and a program updating unit that generates a new operation program having an intermediate teaching point to which the closest points have been moved, along a straight line passing through the detected pair of closest points, until the amount of clearance becomes greater than a minimum amount of clearance and equal to or less than the threshold. While gradually reducing, from the threshold, the amount of clearance at the intermediate teaching point, the program updating unit obtains an intermediate teaching point that provides a maximum amount of clearance at which a new near-miss section is not detected.

A grasp management system and corresponding methods are described. In some examples, information about a set of grasps of a robotic manipulator is accessed. The information is used by the robotic manipulator to attempt to grasp an item using the set of grasps associated with a first grasping orientation. An orientation of the robotic manipulator can be adjusted into a second grasping orientation and the robotic manipulator can attempt to grasp the item using the set of grasps associated with the second grasping orientation. Information about the attempts can be recorded and used to determine a richness measure that may represent a richness of the set of grasps for the item.

A method of programming a manipulator, the method including providing a movement path for execution by the manipulator, the movement path having a plurality of points including a start point and an end point and at least one movement segment between the plurality of points; moving the manipulator to a path modifying position; and modifying the movement path from the start point to the end point based on the path modifying position upon receiving a modification input from a user. A control system for programming a manipulator, and an industrial robot including the manipulator and a control system, are also provided.

A grasp management system and corresponding methods are described. In some examples, information about a grasp by which an end of arm tool of a robotic manipulator successfully grasped an item is accessed. The grasp may be associated with contact points on the item. Other contact points may be simulated based on the contact points in order to define a grasping surface that includes at least a portion of the other contact points. Information about the grasping surface may be accessed to determine a primitive shape that represents a feature of the item. The primitive shape may be used determine other features on the item or other features on other items that may also be graspable by the end of arm tool or other end of arm tools.

A grasp management system and corresponding methods are described. In some examples, information about a grasp by which an end of arm tool of a robotic manipulator successfully grasped an item is accessed. The grasp may be associated with contact points on the item. Other contact points may be simulated based on the contact points in order to define a set of grasping surfaces that include at least a portion of the other contact points. Information about the grasping surfaces may be accessed to determine a primitive shape that represents a feature of the item. The primitive shape may be used determine other features on the item or other features on other items that may also be graspable by the end of arm tool or other end of arm tools.

A grasp management system and corresponding method are described. In some examples, it is determined whether an end of arm tool of a robotic manipulator is capable of grasping an item in a first orientation and a second orientation. Information regarding success of the attempts may be retained in a database. A richness measure for each of the first orientation and the second orientation may be determined based upon a spatial variation of successful attempted grasps in the respective orientation.