In an embodiment, a method includes determining a given material to manipulate to achieve a goal state. The goal state can be one or more deformable or granular materials in a particular arrangement. The method further includes, for the given material, determining, a respective outcome for each of a plurality of candidate actions to manipulate the given material. The determining can be performed with a physics-based model, in one embodiment. The method further can include determining a given action of the candidate actions, where the outcome of the given action reaching the goal state is within at least one tolerance. The method further includes, based on a selected action of the given actions, generating a first motion plan for the selected action.

The present invention provides a method for tracking food data transactions in a network data processing system comprising the steps of reading a network storage devices a packaged food production data hash tree, receiving a food data transaction from a hardware data processor in a food packaging machine, appending the food data transaction to the packaged food production data hash tree, and causing decentralised storage of identical instances of the appended packaged food production data hash tree in the plurality of network storage devices. The present invention further provides a network data processing system and a computer program for carrying out the method.

In an embodiment, a method during execution of a motion plan by a robotic arm includes determining a voice command from speech of a user said during the execution of the motion plan, determining a modification of the motion plan based on the voice command from the speech of the user, and executing the modification of the motion plan by the robotic arm.

In an embodiment, a method and system use various sensors to determine a shape of a collection of materials (e.g., foodstuffs). A controller can determine a trajectory which achieves the desired end-state, possibly chosen from a set of feasible, collision-free trajectories to execute, and a robot executes that trajectory. The robot, executing that trajectory, scoops, grabs, or otherwise acquires the desired amount of material from the collection of materials at a desired location. The robot then deposits the collected material in the desired receptacle at a specific location and orientation.

A food preparation system arranged in a kitchen includes a gantry fixed with the kitchen, at least one robot arm having an end effector supported on a base in the kitchen, where the base is movably mounted on the gantry, defining a reaching distance of the robot from the end effector to the base, along a travel path of the base on the gantry, a storage container arranged in the kitchen, within the reaching distance of the at least one robot arm, and configured for storing a food item, at least one ingredient distribution device arranged in the kitchen, within the reaching distance of the at least one robot arm, and configured for dispensing at least one ingredient on the food item, and an oven arranged in the kitchen, within the reaching distance of the at least one robot arm, and configured for baking the food item.

A method for operating a first food machine and a second food machine, where a data set required to operate the first food machine is stored in a first storage unit of the first food machine, and the data set required to operate the first food machine is additionally stored in a second storage unit of the second food machine.

There is provided a data processing device, a data processing method, and a cooking robot that allow for object sensing with use of an appropriate algorithm. The data processing device according to one aspect of the present technology adaptively selects, in accordance with an object sensing condition, and executes an object sensing program in which an object sensing algorithm for sensing an object on the basis of sensor data output from a sensor mounted on a robot is defined. The present technology can be applied to sensor devices mounted on various devices.

In an embodiment, a method for handling an order includes determining a plurality of ingredients based on an order, received from a user over a network, for a location having a plurality of robots. The method further includes planning at least one trajectory for at least one robot based on the plurality of ingredients and utensils available at the location, and proximity of each ingredient and utensil to the at least one robot. Each trajectory can be configured to move one of the plurality of ingredients into a container associated with the order. In an embodiment, the method includes executing the at least one trajectory by the at least one robot to fulfill the order. In an embodiment, the method includes moving the container to a pickup area.

A master controller programmed to execute a recipe, stored in computer memory, for a finished food product, prepared from a plurality of raw ingredients; a raw ingredients storage unit controller controlled by the master controller and programmed to control a mechanism for getting the plurality of raw ingredients for the recipe; a cleaning controller controlled by the master controller and programmed by computer software to control one or more cleaning devices configured to clean one or more of the plurality of raw ingredients; a manipulator controller programmed to control one or more devices which physically manipulate one or more of the plurality of raw ingredients by one or more of grinding, mincing, peeling, cutting, and rolling one or more of the plurality of raw ingredients; and a heater controller programmed to control one or more heating devices to heat one or more of the plurality of raw ingredients.

This disclosure discloses various technical features for creating robotic humanoid movements, actions, and interactions with tools and the instrumented environment by automatically building movements for the humanoid; actions and behaviors of the humanoid based on a set of computer-encoded robotic movement and action primitives. The primitives are defined by motions/actions of articulated degrees of freedom that range in complexity from simple to complex, and which can be combined in any form in serial/parallel fashion. These motion-primitives are termed to be minimanipulations and each has a clear time-indexed command input-structure and output behavior/performance profile that is intended to achieve a certain function. Minimanipulations comprise a new way of creating a programmable-by-example platform for robots. The minimanipulation electronic libraries provide a large suite of higher-level sensing-and-execution sequences that are common building blocks for complex tasks, such as cooking, taking care of the infirm, or other tasks performed by robots.