Robot

Abstract

A robot including a manipulator driven by actuators, and configured to determine external forces and/or external torques acting upon the manipulator, the robot configured to: regulate the actuators for a sub-space T1 of a working space AR such that, upon application of an external force and/or external torque upon the manipulator, the manipulator recedes into T1, wherein following applies: T1.Math.AR and T1≠AR, and AR specifies all permitted translations and/or rotations of the manipulator; and determine, for a space TK1 that is complementary to T1, a projection {right arrow over (P)}.sub.TK1 of the external force and/or external torque into TK1, wherein following applies: T1∩TK1={0}, TK1.Math.AR, and T1∪TK1=AR, classify {right arrow over (P)}.sub.TK1 into one of several predefined classes with respect to amount and/or direction and/or time curve of {right arrow over (P)}.sub.TK1, store a command and/or rule for each predefined class, and regulate the actuators as a function of classification of {right arrow over (P)}.sub.TK1 based on respective command and/or rule.

Claims

1. A robot comprising a manipulator driven by actuators; and the robot being configured to determine external forces and/or external torques acting upon the manipulator, wherein the robot is further configured to: control or regulate the actuators for a predefined sub-space T1 of a working space AR of the manipulator such that, upon application of a determined external force and/or a determined external torque upon the manipulator, the manipulator recedes along a projection {right arrow over (P)}.sub.T1 of the determined external force and/or the determined external torque into the sub-space T1, wherein the following applies: T1.Math.AR and T1≠AR, and the working space AR specifies all permitted translations and/or rotations of the manipulator; and determine, for a sub-space TK1 that is complementary to the sub-space T1, a projection {right arrow over (P)}.sub.TK1 of the determined external force and/or the determined external torque into the complementary space TK1, wherein the following applies: T1∩TK1={0}, TK1.Math.AR, and T1∪TK1=AR, classify the projection {right arrow over (P)}.sub.TK1 into one of several predefined classes with respect to amount and/or direction and/or time curve of the projection {right arrow over (P)}.sub.TK1, store at least one discrete and/or continuous control command and/or control rule for each predefined class, and control or regulate the actuators as a function of classification of the projection {right arrow over (P)}.sub.TK1, such that the manipulator reverts from the sub-space T1 and extends into complementary sub-space TK1, based on the respective discrete or continuous control command and/or control rule.

2. The robot according to claim 1, wherein the robot comprises sensors and/or monitors and/or estimators to determine the external forces and/or torques acting upon the manipulator.

3. The robot according to claim 1, wherein the robot controls or regulates the actuators such that a point of application of the force and/or the torque on the manipulator recedes along the projection {right arrow over (P)}.sub.T1.

4. The robot according to claim 1, wherein the robot controls or regulates the actuators such that the receding along the projection {right arrow over (P)}.sub.T1 only takes place when an absolute value |{right arrow over (P)}.sub.T1| of the projection {right arrow over (P)}.sub.T1 is greater than a predefined limit value G1.

5. The robot according to claim 1, wherein the robot controls or regulates the actuators such that the receding along the projection {right arrow over (P)}.sub.T1 takes place in an impedance-controlled manner.

6. A method of operating a robot, the robot comprising a manipulator driven by actuators, and the robot being configured to determine external forces and/or external torques acting upon the manipulator, wherein the method comprises: controlling or regulating the actuators for a predefined sub-space T1 of a working space AR of the manipulator such that, upon application of a determined external force and/or a determined external torque upon the manipulator, the manipulator recedes along a projection {right arrow over (P)}.sub.T1 of the determined external force and/or the determined external torque into the sub-space T1, wherein the following applies: T1.Math.AR and T1≠AR, and the working space AR specifies all permitted translations and/or rotations of the manipulator; and determining for a sub-space TK1 that is complementary to the sub-space T1, a projection {right arrow over (P)}.sub.TK1 of the determined external force and/or the determined external torque into the complementary space TK1, wherein the following applies: T1∩TK1={0}, TK1.Math.AR, and T1∪TK1=AR, classifying the projection {right arrow over (P)}.sub.TK1 into one of several predefined classes with respect to amount and/or direction and/or time curve of the projection {right arrow over (P)}.sub.TK1, storing at least one discrete and/or continuous control command and/or control rule for each predefined class, and controlling or regulating the actuators as a function of classification of the projection {right arrow over (P)}.sub.TK1, such that the manipulator reverts from the sub-space T1 and extends into the complementary sub-space TK1, based on the respective discrete or continuous control command and/or control rule.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the actuators are controlled or regulated such that a point of application of the force and/or the torque on the manipulator recedes along the projection {right arrow over (P)}.sub.T1.

8. The method according to claim 6, wherein the external forces and/or the external torques acting upon the manipulator are determined by sensors and/or monitors and/or estimators.

9. The method according to claim 6, wherein the actuators are controlled or regulated such that the receding along the projection {right arrow over (P)}.sub.T1 only takes place when an absolute value |{right arrow over (P)}.sub.T1| of the projection {right arrow over (P)}.sub.T1 is greater than a predefined limit value G1.

10. The method according to claim 6, wherein the actuators are controlled or regulated such that the receding along the projection {right arrow over (P)}.sub.T1 takes place in an impedance-controlled manner.

11. A system to operate a robot, the robot comprising a manipulator driven by actuators, and the robot being configured to determine external forces and/or external torques acting upon the manipulator, wherein the system comprises: a data processing device; and a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the data processing device, cause the data processing device to perform operations comprising: controlling or regulating the actuators for a predefined sub-space T1 of a working space AR of the manipulator such that, upon application of a determined external force and/or a determined external torque upon the manipulator, the manipulator recedes along a projection {right arrow over (P)}.sub.T1 of the determined external force and/or the determined external torque into the sub-space T1, wherein the following applies: T1.Math.AR and T1≠AR, and the working space AR specifies all permitted translations and/or rotations of the manipulator; and determining for a space TK1 that is complementary to the sub-space T1, a projection {right arrow over (P)}.sub.TK1 of the determined external force and/or of the determined external torque into the complementary space TK1, wherein the following applies: T1∩TK1={0}, TK1.Math.AR, and T1∪TK1=AR, classifying the projection {right arrow over (P)}.sub.TK1 into one of several predefined classes with respect to amount and/or direction and/or time curve of the projection {right arrow over (P)}.sub.TK1, storing at least one discrete and/or continuous control command and/or control rule for each predefined class, and controlling or regulating the actuators as a function of the classification of the projection {right arrow over (P)}.sub.TK1, such that the manipulator reverts from the sub-space T1 and extends into the complementary sub-space TK1, based on the respective discrete or continuous control command and/or control rule.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein the actuators are controlled or regulated such that a point of application of the force and/or the torque on the manipulator recedes along the projection {right arrow over (P)}.sub.T1.

13. The system according to claim 11, wherein the robot comprises sensors and/or monitors and/or estimators to determine the external forces and/or torques acting upon the manipulator.

14. The system according to claim 11, wherein the actuators are controlled or regulated such that the receding along the projection {right arrow over (P)}.sub.T1 only takes place when an absolute value |{right arrow over (P)}.sub.T1| of the projection {right arrow over (P)}.sub.T1 is greater than a predefined limit value G1.

15. The system according to claim 11, wherein the actuators are controlled or regulated such that the receding along the projection {right arrow over (P)}.sub.T1 takes place in an impedance-controlled manner.

16. A non-transitory storage medium storing instructions to operate a robot, the robot comprising a manipulator driven by actuators, and the robot being configured to determine external forces and/or external torques acting upon the manipulator, wherein the instructions when executed by a data processing device cause the data processing device to perform operations comprising: controlling or regulating the actuators for a predefined sub-space T1 of a working space AR of the manipulator such that, upon application of a determined external force and/or a determined external torque upon the manipulator, the manipulator recedes along a projection {right arrow over (P)}.sub.T1 of the determined external force and/or the determined external torque into the sub-space T1, wherein the following applies: T1.Math.AR and T1≠AR, and the working space AR specifies all permitted translations and/or rotations of the manipulator; and determining for a space TK1 complementary to the sub-space T1, a projection {right arrow over (P)}.sub.TK1 of the determined external force and/or of the determined external torque into the complementary space TK1, wherein the following applies: T1∩TK1={0}, TK1.Math.AR, and T1∪TK1=AR, classifying the projection {right arrow over (P)}.sub.TK1 into one of several predefined classes with respect to amount and/or direction and/or time curve of the projection {right arrow over (P)}.sub.TK1, storing at least one discrete and/or continuous control command and/or control rule for each predefined class, and controlling or regulating the actuators as a function of the classification of the projection {right arrow over (P)}.sub.TK1, such that the manipulator reverts from the sub-space T1 and extends into the complementary sub-space TK1, based on the respective discrete or continuous control command and/or control rule.

17. The non-transitory storage medium according to claim 16, wherein the actuators are controlled or regulated such that a point of application of the force and/or the torque on the manipulator recedes along the projection {right arrow over (P)}.sub.T1.

18. The non-transitory storage according to claim 16, wherein the robot comprises sensors and/or monitors and/or estimators to determine the external forces and/or torques acting upon the manipulator.

19. The non-transitory storage according to claim 16, wherein the actuators are controlled or regulated such that the receding along the projection {right arrow over (P)}.sub.T1 only takes place when an absolute value |{right arrow over (P)}.sub.T1| of the projection {right arrow over (P)}.sub.T1 is greater than a predefined limit value G1.

20. The non-transitory storage according to claim 16, wherein the actuators are controlled or regulated such that the receding along the projection {right arrow over (P)}.sub.T1 takes place in an impedance-controlled manner.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) In the drawings:

(2) FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic configuration of a robot according to the invention;

(3) FIG. 2 illustrates an example working space and several example sub-spaces of the working space that are complementary, associated with the robot of FIG. 1; and

(4) FIG. 3 illustrates several example projections into the respective sub-spaces of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(5) FIG. 1 shows a schematic configuration of a robot according to the invention. The robot has: a robot manipulator 102 driven by actuators 101a-101c, a first unit 103 for determining external forces and/or external torques acting upon the manipulator 102, and a second unit 104 for controlling or regulating the actuators 101a-101c as a function of the determined external forces and/or external torques acting upon the manipulator 102. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, an external force and/or an external torque applied at an example point on the robot manipulator 102 can be determined as the external force and/or external torque acting upon the manipulator 102.

(6) FIG. 2 illustrates an example working space AR and several example complementary sub-spaces T1 and TK1 of the working space AR, associated with the robot of FIG. 1. The working space AR specifies all permitted translations and/or rotations of the robot manipulator 102. As shown in FIG. 2, T1 is a predefined sub-space of the working space AR and thus includes certain of the translations and/or rotations of the manipulator 102. As further shown in FIG. 2, TK1 is similarly a predefined sub-space of AR and is further complementary to sub-space T1, and thus includes certain other of the translations and/or rotations of working space AR, wherein elements of the sub-spaces do not overlap and make up the working space AR. Sub-spaces T1 and TK1 are defined in view of the working space AR by the following: T1.Math.AR and T1≠AR, T1∩TK1={0}, TK1.Math.AR, and T1∪TK1=AR.

(7) FIG. 3 illustrates several example projections {right arrow over (P)}.sub.T1 and {right arrow over (P)}.sub.TK1 of the determined external force and/or determined external torque into the respective sub-spaces T1 and TK1 of FIG. 2. In particular, the actuators 101a-101c of the robot manipulator 102 are controlled or regulated such that, upon application of a determined external force and/or torque upon the robot manipulator 102, the robot manipulator 102 recedes along projection {right arrow over (P)}.sub.T1 into sub-space T1, then reverts from sub-space T1 and extends into complementary sub-space TK1, as a function of a classification of the projection {right arrow over (P)}.sub.TK1 into the complementary sub-space TK1, based on a control command or a control rule.

(8) In view of FIGS. 1-3, the second unit 104 is designed and configured to control/regulate the actuators 101a-101c for the predefined sub-space T1 of the working space AR of the manipulator 102 such that, upon application of a determined external force and/or a determined external torque onto the manipulator, the manipulator 102 recedes along a projection {right arrow over (P)}.sub.T1 of the determined external force and/or the determined external torque into the sub-space T1, wherein the following applies: T1.Math.AR and T1≠AR, and the working space AR specifies all permitted translations and/or rotations of the manipulator 102, and to determine, for a sub-space TK1 that is complementary to the sub-space T1, a projection {right arrow over (P)}.sub.TK1 of the determined external force and/or the determined external torque into the complementary space TK1, wherein the following applies: T1∩TK1={0}, TK1.Math.AR, and T1∪TK1=AR, classify the projection {right arrow over (P)}.sub.TK1 into one of several predefined classes with respect to amount and/or direction and/or time curve of the projection {right arrow over (P)}.sub.TK1, store at least one discrete and/or continuous control command and/or control rule for each predefined class, and control/regulate the actuators 101a-101c as a function of classification of the projection {right arrow over (P)}.sub.TK1, such that the manipulator 102 reverts from the sub-space T1 and extends into complementary sub-space TK1, based on the respective discrete or continuous control command and/or control rule.

(9) The manipulator 102 is capable of achieving flexible receding by receding along the projection {right arrow over (P)}.sub.T1 into the sub-space T1, reverting from the sub-space T1 and extending into the complementary sub-space TK1 as a function of classification of the projection {right arrow over (P)}.sub.TK1, based on the control command and/or control rule. Accordingly, the manipulator 102 is capable of returning to a pose from which it was moved as a result of the externally applied force and/or externally applied torque on the manipulator 102.

(10) Although the invention has been illustrated and explained in more detail by preferred example embodiments, the invention is not limited by the disclosed examples and other variations may be derived by one of ordinary skill in the art without extending beyond the protective scope of the invention. It is thus clear that a plurality of variation options exists. It is likewise clear that example embodiments actually only represent examples, which are not to be interpreted in any manner as a limitation, for example, of the protective scope, the use options, or the configuration of the invention. Rather, the previous description and the description of figures should make one of ordinary skill in the art capable of specifically implementing the example embodiments, wherein one of ordinary skill in the art with knowledge of the disclosed concept of the invention can undertake various changes, for example with respect to the function or the arrangement of individual elements listed in an example embodiment, without going beyond the scope of protection, which is defined by the claims and the legal equivalents thereof such as, for example, more extensive explanations in the description.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

(11) 101a-101c Actuators 102 Manipulator 103 First unit 104 Second unit