ROBOT WITH CONTROL SYSTEM FOR DISCRETE MANUAL INPUT OF POSITIONS AND/OR POSES

Abstract

The invention relates to a robot, a robot control system, and a method for controlling a robot. The robot comprises a movable, multi-membered robot structure (102) that can be driven by means of actuators (101), at least one marked structural element S being defined on the movable robot structure (102), with at least one point P.sub.S marked on the structural element S. The robot is designed such that, in an input mode, it learns positions POS.sub.PS of the point PS and/or poses of the structural element S in a work space of the robot, the user exerting an input force F.sub.EING on the movable robot structure in order to move the structural element S, which is conveyed to the point P.sub.S as F.sub.EING,PS, and/or to the structural element S as torque M.sub.EING,S. A control device (103) of the robot is designed such that, in the input mode, the actuators (101) are controlled on the basis of a pre-defined space-fixed virtual 3D grid that at least partially fills the work space, such that the structural element S is moved with a pre-defined force F.sub.GRID (POS.sub.PS), according to the current position POS.sub.PS of the point P.sub.S in the 3D grid, to the adjacent grid point of the 3D grid or in a grid point space defined around the adjacent grid point of the 3D grid, the point P.sub.S of the structural element S remaining on said adjacent grid point or in said grid point space in the event of the following holding true: |F.sub.EING,PS|<|F.sub.GRID(POS.sub.PS) and/or, in the input mode, the actuators (101) are controlled on the basis of a pre-defined virtual discrete 3D orientation space O, where the 3D orientation space O=: (.sub.i, .sub.j, .sub.k) where i=1, 2, . . . , I, j=1, 2, . . . J, k=1, 2, . . . , K is defined or can be defined by a pre-defined angle .sub.i, .sub.j, .sub.k, in such a way that the structural element S is moved with a pre-defined torque)(SO ROM according to the current orientation OR.sub.S of the structural element, towards the adjacent discrete orientation of the 3D orientation space O=: (.sub.i, .sub.j, .sub.k), S, the structural element remaining in said adjacent discrete orientation of the 3D orientation space O in the event that the following holds true: |M.sub.EING,S|<|M.sub.O(OR.sub.S).

Claims

1. A robot having a movable, multi-membered robot structure (102) that can be driven by means of actuators (101), wherein at least one marked structural element S is defined on the movable robot structure (102), with at least one point P.sub.S marked on the structural element S, the robot is designed such that, in an input mode, the robot learns positions POS.sub.PS of the point P.sub.S and/or poses of the structural element S in a work space of the robot, wherein the user exerts an input force {right arrow over (F)}.sub.EING on the movable robot structure in order to move the structural element S, which force is conveyed to the point P.sub.S as {right arrow over (F)}.sub.EING,PS, and/or to the structural element S as torque {right arrow over (M)}.sub.EING,S, and a control device (103) of the robot is designed such that, in the input mode, the actuators (101) are controlled on the basis of a predefined virtual 3D grid that at least partially fills the work space, such that the structural element S is moved with a pre-defined force {right arrow over (F)}.sub.GRID(POS.sub.PS), according to the current position POS.sub.PS of the point P.sub.S in the 3D grid, to the adjacent grid point of the 3D grid or in a grid point volume defined around the adjacent grid point of the 3D grid, wherein the point P.sub.S of the structural element S remains on said adjacent grid point or in said grid point volume in the event of the following holding true: |{right arrow over (F)}.sub.EING,PS|<|{right arrow over (F)}.sub.GRID(POS.sub.PS)| and/or, in the input mode, the actuators (101) are controlled on the basis of a predefined virtual discrete 3D orientation space O, wherein the 3D orientation space O=: (.sub.i, .sub.j, .sub.k) where i=1, 2, . . . , I, j=1, 2, . . . J, k=1, 2, . . . , K is defined or can be defined by predefined angles .sub.i, .sub.j, .sub.k, in such a way that the structural element S is moved with a predefined torque {right arrow over (M)}.sub.O({right arrow over (O)}R.sub.S) according to the current orientation {right arrow over (O)}R.sub.S of the structural element, towards the adjacent discrete orientation of the 3D orientation space O=: (.sub.i, .sub.j, .sub.k), wherein the structural element S remains in said adjacent discrete orientation of the 3D orientation space O in the event that the following holds true: |{right arrow over (M)}.sub.EING,S|<|{right arrow over (M)}.sub.O({right arrow over (O)}R.sub.S)|.

2. The robot of claim 1, wherein the predetermined force {right arrow over (F)}.sub.GRID(POS.sub.PS) periodically varies within the 3D grid.

3. The robot of claims 1 to 2, wherein the control device (103) is designed in such a way that if at least two adjacent grid points or grid point volumes are positioned at the same distance from the current position POS.sub.PS of point P.sub.S, one of these grid points/grid point volumes is selected as the adjacent grid point/grid point volume according to a predetermined method.

4. The robot of claims 1 to 3, wherein the control device (103) is configured in such a way that in the work space a virtual 3D potential field is defined, the local minima of which are identical to the grid points of the 3D grid, wherein the force {right arrow over (F)}.sub.GRID(POS.sub.PS) is determined based on the negative gradient of said potential field.

5. The robot of any of claims 1 to 4, wherein the control device (103) is configured in such a way that if at least two adjacent orientations O=: (.sub.i, .sub.i, .sub.k) have the same differences with respect to the current orientation {right arrow over (O)}R.sub.S of structural element S, one of these orientations O=: (.sub.i, .sub.i, .sub.k) is selected according to a predetermined method.

6. The robot of any of claims 1 to 5, wherein the orientation space O=: (.sub.i, .sub.i, .sub.k) is defined depending on the current position POS.sub.PS of point P.sub.S: O=O(POS.sub.PS)=(.sub.i(POS.sub.PS), .sub.j(POS.sub.PS), .sub.k(POS.sub.PS)).

7. A method for controlling a robot, which has a movable, multi-membered robot structure (102), that can be driven by means of actuators (101), wherein at least one marked structural element S is defined on the movable robot structure (102), with at least one point P.sub.S marked on the structural element S, the robot, in an input mode, learns positions POS.sub.PS of the point P.sub.S and/or poses of the structural element S in a work space of the robot, wherein the user exerts an input force {right arrow over (F)}.sub.EING on the movable robot structure in order to move the structural element S, which force is conveyed to the point P.sub.S as {right arrow over (F)}.sub.EING,PS, and/or to the structural element S as torque {right arrow over (M)}.sub.EING,S, and a control device (103) in the input mode, controls the actuators (101) on the basis of a predefined virtual 3D grid that at least partially fills the work space, such that {right arrow over (t)}he structural element S is moved with a pre-defined force F.sub.GRID (POS.sub.PS), according to the current position POS.sub.PS of the point P.sub.S in the 3D grid, to the adjacent grid point of the 3D grid or in a grid point volume defined around the adjacent grid point of the 3D grid, wherein the point P.sub.S of the structural element S remains on said adjacent grid point or in said grid point volume in the event of the following holding true: |{right arrow over (F)}.sub.EING,PS|<|{right arrow over (F)}.sub.GRID(POS.sub.PS)| and/or, in the input mode, controls the actuators (101) on the basis of a predefined virtual discrete 3D orientation space O, wherein the 3D orientation space O=: (.sub.i, .sub.i, .sub.k) where i=1, 2, . . . , I, j=1, 2, . . . J, k=1, 2, . . . , K is defined or can be defined by predefined angles .sub.i, .sub.j, .sub.k, in such a way that the structural element S is moved with a predefined torque {right arrow over (M)}.sub.O({right arrow over (O)}R.sub.S) according to the current orientation {right arrow over (O)}R.sub.S of the structural element, towards the adjacent discrete orientation of the 3D orientation space O=: (.sub.i, .sub.j, .sub.k), wherein the structural element S remains in said adjacent discrete orientation of the 3D orientation space O in the event that the following holds true: |{right arrow over (M)}.sub.EING,S|<{right arrow over (M)}.sub.O({right arrow over (O)}R.sub.S).

8. The method of claim 7, wherein in the work space a virtual 3D potential field is defined, the local minima of which are identical to the grid points of the 3D grid, wherein the force {right arrow over (F)}.sub.GRID(POS.sub.PS) is determined based on the negative gradient of said potential field.

9. The method of of claim 7 or 8, wherein the local minima of the 3D potential field have a constant potential within a predetermined space region around each grid point of the 3D grid, wherein the space region has a maximum extension which is smaller than the grid spacing between two adjacent grid points.

10. The method of any of claims 7 to 9, wherein, if at least two adjacent orientations have the same difference with respect to the current orientation OR.sub.S of structural element S, one of these orientations O=: (.sub.i, .sub.j, .sub.k) is selected according to a predetermined method.

Description

[0056] Further advantages, features and details emerge from the following description, in which at least one exemplary embodiment is described in detail, if necessary with reference to the drawing. The same, similar and/or functionally identical parts are provided with the same reference numerals.

[0057] In the drawings:

[0058] FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of a proposed robot.

[0059] FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of a proposed robot, comprising a movable, multi-membered robot structure 102 that can be driven by means of actuators 101, wherein at least one marked structural element S with at least one point P.sub.S marked on the structural element S is defined on the movable robot structure 102. The robot structure 102 is attached to a robot body (dashed box).

[0060] The robot structure 102 is presently a five-membered robot arm 102 at the distal end of which an effector S is arranged. In the present case, the effector S is the structural element S. At the effector S, a so-called Tool Center Point=TCP is defined, which is identical to the marked point P.sub.S=P.sub.TCP.

[0061] The robot is designed and set up in such a way that in an input mode the robot can learn positions POS.sub.TCP of the TCP and/or poses of the effector S in a work space of the robot, whereby the user, in order to move the effector S, exerts a force {right arrow over (F)}.sub.EING on the robot arm, which is conveyed to the point P.sub.TCP as {right arrow over (F)}.sub.EING,TCP and/or to the effector as {right arrow over (M)}.sub.EING,S.

[0062] The robot further comprises a control device which is embodied and configured in such a way that in the input mode the actuators 101 are controlled on the basis of a predetermined spatially fixed 3D virtual grid which at least partially fills the work space such that the effector S is moved with a given force {right arrow over (F)}.sub.GRID(POS.sub.TCP), which is dependent on the current position POS.sub.TCP of the tool center point TCP in the 3D grid, to the adjacent grid point of the 3D grid, wherein the point P.sub.TCP of the structural element S remains at this adjacent grid point if: |{right arrow over (F)}.sub.EING,PS|<|{right arrow over (F)}.sub.GRID(POS.sub.PS)|.

[0063] Moreover, the control device is configured in such a way that the actuators in the input mode are controlled based on a predetermined virtual discrete 3D orientation space O, wherein the 3D orientation space O=: (.sub.i, .sub.j, .sub.k) with i=1, 2, . . . , I, j=1, 2, . . . J, k=1, 2, . . . , K is defined or definable by predetermined angles .sub.i, .sub.j, .sub.k, controlled in such a way that the structural element S is moved by a predetermined torque {right arrow over (M)}.sub.O({right arrow over (O)}R.sub.S) depending on the current orientation {right arrow over (O)}R.sub.S of structural element S to the adjacent discrete orientation of the 3D orientation space O=: (.sub.i, .sub.j, .sub.k), wherein the structural element S remains in this adjacent discrete orientation of the 3D orientation space O in the case where: |{right arrow over (M)}.sub.EING,S|<|{right arrow over (M)}.sub.O({right arrow over (O)}R.sub.S)|.

[0064] Although the invention has been detailed and explained by means of preferred exemplary embodiments, it is understood that the invention is not limited by the disclosed examples and that other variations may be derived by those skilled in the art, without leaving the protection scope of the invention. It is thus clear that a multiplicity of possible variants exists. It is also clear that the exemplary embodiments only represent examples, which are not intended to limit the protection scope, the possible applications or the configuration of the invention. The previous description and the description of the figures are actually construed in order to allow those skilled in the art to put the exemplary embodiments into practice, wherein those skilled in the art, based on the knowledge of the disclosed inventive idea, may introduce various modifications, for example regarding the functionality or the arrangement of individual elements cited in an exemplary embodiment, without leaving the protection scope, which is defined by the claims and their legal equivalents, as for example in a further explanation of the invention.

REFERENCE LIST

[0065] 101 actuators [0066] 102 movable, multi-membered robot structure [0067] 103 control device