A calibration method for a robotic arm system is provided. The method includes: capturing an image of a calibration object fixed to a front end of the robotic arm by a visual device, wherein a pedestal of the robotic arm has a pedestal coordinate system, and the front end of the robotic arm has a first relative relationship with the pedestal, the front end of the robotic arm has a second relative relationship with the calibration object; receiving the image and obtaining three-dimensional feature data of the calibration object according to the image by a computing device; and computing a third relative relationship between the visual device and the pedestal according to the three-dimensional feature data, the first relative relationship, and the second relative relationship to calibrate a position error between a physical location of the calibration object and a predictive positioning-location generated by the visual device.

Methods and apparatuses for detecting one or more objects (e.g., dropped objects) by a robotic device are described. The method comprises receiving a distance-based point cloud including a plurality of points in three dimensions, filtering the distance-based point cloud to remove points from the plurality of points based on at least one known surface in an environment of the robotic device to produce a filtered distance-based point cloud, clustering points in the filtered distance-based point cloud to produce a set of point clusters, and detecting one or more objects based, at least in part, on the set of point clusters.

An imaging apparatus includes a structural support rigidly coupled to a surface of a mobile robot and a plurality of perception modules, each of which is arranged on the structural support, has a different field of view, and includes a two-dimensional (2D) camera configured to capture a color image of an environment, a depth sensor configured to capture depth information of one or more objects in the environment, and at least one light source configured to provide illumination to the environment. The imaging apparatus further includes control circuitry configured to control a timing of operation of the 2D camera, the depth sensor, and the at least one light source included in each of the plurality of perception modules, and at least one computer processor configured to process the color image and the depth information to identify at least one characteristic of one or more objects in the environment.

A robotic gripping device is provided. The robotic gripping device includes a palm and a plurality of digits coupled to the palm. The robotic gripping device also includes a time-of-flight sensor arranged on the palm such that the time-of-flight sensor is configured to generate time-of-flight distance data in a direction between the plurality of digits. The robotic gripping device additionally includes an infrared camera, including an infrared illumination source, where the infrared camera is arranged on the palm such that the infrared camera is configured to generate grayscale image data in the direction between the plurality of digits.

An article searching method includes: receiving a search task for searching for an article to be searched; acquiring, based on the search task, a three dimensional model corresponding to the article to be searched; determining a search task group for searching for the article to be searched; and searching for the article to be searched based on the acquired three dimensional model and in combination with the search task group, wherein the search task group shares a search result in the process of searching for the article to be searched.

A robotic gripping device is provided. The robotic gripping device includes a palm and a plurality of digits coupled to the palm. The robotic gripping device also includes a time-of-flight sensor arranged on the palm such that the time-of-flight sensor is configured to generate time-of-flight distance data in a direction between the plurality of digits. The robotic gripping device additionally includes an infrared camera, including an infrared illumination source, where the infrared camera is arranged on the palm such that the infrared camera is configured to generate grayscale image data in the direction between the plurality of digits.

A control apparatus includes a processor that executes a first point cloud generation process including a first imaging process of acquiring a first image according to a first depth measuring method and a first analysis process of generating a first point cloud and a second point cloud generation process including a second imaging process of acquiring a second image according to a second depth measuring method and a second analysis process of generating a second point cloud, and detects the object using the first point cloud or the second point cloud. The first point cloud generation process completes in a shorter time than the second point cloud generation process, and the processor starts the second point cloud generation process after the first imaging process and discontinues the second point cloud generation process if the first point cloud satisfies a predetermined condition of success.

A robotic gripping device is provided. The robotic gripping device includes a palm and a plurality of digits coupled to the palm. The robotic gripping device also includes a time-of-flight sensor arranged on the palm such that the time-of-flight sensor is configured to generate time-of-flight distance data in a direction between the plurality of digits. The robotic gripping device additionally includes an infrared camera, including an infrared illumination source, where the infrared camera is arranged on the palm such that the infrared camera is configured to generate grayscale image data in the direction between the plurality of digits.

A robotic gripping device is provided. The robotic gripping device includes a palm and a plurality of digits coupled to the palm. The robotic gripping device also includes a time-of-flight sensor arranged on the palm such that the time-of-flight sensor is configured to generate time-of-flight distance data in a direction between the plurality of digits. The robotic gripping device additionally includes an infrared camera, including an infrared illumination source, where the infrared camera is arranged on the palm such that the infrared camera is configured to generate grayscale image data in the direction between the plurality of digits.

A calibration method for a robotic arm system is provided. The method includes: capturing an image of a calibration object fixed to a front end of the robotic arm by a visual device, wherein a pedestal of the robotic arm has a pedestal coordinate system, and the front end of the robotic arm has a first relative relationship with the pedestal, the front end of the robotic arm has a second relative relationship with the calibration object; receiving the image and obtaining three-dimensional feature data of the calibration object according to the image by a computing device; and computing a third relative relationship between the visual device and the pedestal according to the three-dimensional feature data, the first relative relationship, and the second relative relationship to calibrate a position error between a physical location of the calibration object and a predictive positioning-location generated by the visual device.