A robot control apparatus according to one or more embodiments may include: a calculating unit configured to calculate an interference range of a robot based on a model of the robot in a state in which an object is gripped by a gripper with which the robot is equipped; and a planning unit configured to plan a motion of the robot based on the model and the interference range.

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.

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer-readable storage devices, for robot navigation using 2D and 3D path planning. In the disclosed method, a robot accesses map data indicating two-dimensional layout of objects in a space and evaluates candidate paths for the robot to traverse. In response to determining that the candidate paths do not include a collision-free path across the space for a two-dimensional profile of the robot, the robot evaluates a three-dimensional shape of the robot with respect to a three-dimensional shape of an object in the space. Based on the evaluation of the three-dimensional shapes, the robot determines a collision-free path to traverse through the space.

Specialized robot motion planning hardware and methods of making and using same are provided. A robot-specific hardware can be designed using a tool that receives a robot description comprising a collision geometry of a robot, degrees of freedom for each joint of the robot, and joint limits of the robot; receives a scenario description; generates a probabilistic roadmap (PRM) using the robot description and the scenario description; and for each edge of PRM, produces a collision detection unit comprising a circuit indicating all parts of obstacles that collide with that edge. The hardware is implemented as parallel collision detection units that provide collision detection results used to remove edges from the PRM that is searched to find a path to a goal position.

A robot controller includes: axis motor control units that control motors for driving axes of a robot; and an action command generation unit that generates a first action command having the shortest action time when the robot is moved from an action start point to an action goal point without considering an obstacle, and selects, from among the axes, a major axis having the longest action time when the action is performed in accordance with the first action command. The first action command includes another axis command, and a major axis command, and the action command generation unit adjusts the other axis command so as to reduce an action time according to the other axis command and outputs a second action command including the major axis command and the adjusted other axis command and corresponding to a first trajectory when determining that the first trajectory avoids a clash between the robot and the obstacle.

A programmable motion robotic system is disclosed that includes a plurality of arm sections that are joined one to another at a plurality of joints to form an articulated arm, and a hose coupling an end effector of the programmable motion robotic system to a vacuum source. The hose is attached to at least one arm section of the articulated arm by a pass-through coupling that permits the hose to pass freely through the coupling as the plurality of arm sections are moved about the plurality of joints.

The present invention features a computer-implemented method of planning a processing path relative to a three-dimensional workpiece for a plasma arc cutting system coupled to a robotic arm. The method includes receiving input data from a user comprising (i) Computer-Aided Design (CAD) data for specifying a desired part to be processed from the three-dimensional workpiece, and (ii) one or more desired parameters for operating the plasma arc cutting system. A plurality of features of the desired part to be formed on the three-dimensional workpiece are identified based on the CAD data. The method also includes dynamically filtering a library of cut charts based on the plurality of features and the desired operating parameters to determine a recommended cut chart for processing the plurality of features. The method further includes generating the processing path based on the recommended cut chart and the plurality of features to be formed.

Various approaches to ensuring safe operation of industrial machinery in a workcell include disposing multiple image sensors proximate to the workcell and acquiring, with at least some of the image sensors, the first set of images of the workcell; registering the sensors to each other based at least in part on the first set of images and, based at least in part on the registration, converting the first set of images to a common reference frame of the sensors; determining a transformation matrix for transforming the common reference frame of the sensors to a global frame of the workcell; registering the sensors to the industrial machinery; acquiring the second set of images during operation of the industrial machinery; and monitoring the industrial machinery during operation thereof based at least in part on the acquired second plurality of images, transformation, and registration of the sensors to the industrial machinery.

Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture are disclosed to improve resource utilization for binary tree structures. An example apparatus to improve resource utilization for field programmable gate array (FPGA) resources includes a computation determiner to identify a computation capability value associated with the FPGA resources, a k-ary tree builder to build a first k-ary tree having a number of k-ary nodes equal to the computation capability value, and an FPGA memory controller to initiate collision computation by transferring the first k-ary tree to a first memory of the FPGA resources.

Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards robotic systems and methods. The robot may include an end effector, a tool flange of the robot, and a joint. The end effector may include a contacting part configured to contact a workpiece. The joint may be positioned between, and connected to, the tool flange and the end effector. The joint may include a variable angle between the tool flange and the end effector.