Skin replacement for robotic manipulator
AssigneeAmazon Technologies, Inc.
InventorWaldemar Bogdan Swiercz
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system may include a robotic manipulator with a replaceable cover material applied to rigid portions of extension of the manipulator. The system can further include a sensor or other monitoring mechanism that permits a determination of a quality of the cover material to determine whether replacement is warranted, a cover removal mechanism that permits removal of the cover material, and/or a cover application mechanism that permits a replacement for the cover material to be applied to the rigid portion.
Claims21
A system, comprising:
- a robotic manipulator comprising:
- a hub;
- a plurality of extensions each having a rigid member movable relative to the hub;
- and
- a cover layer applied to at least one rigid member of the plurality of extensions;
- a tester;
- a remover;
- an applicator;
- and
- a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored therein instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a computer system, cause the computer system to at least:
- receive cover quality information from the tester, the cover quality information comprising information about a quality of a material of the cover layer, wherein the quality of the material of the-cover is indicative of a deterioration of the material of the cover layer relative to a reference amount;
- provide instructions, based at least in part on the cover quality information, that cause the remover to remove the cover layer;
- and
- provide instructions that cause the applicator to apply a replacement for the cover layer.
A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored therein instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a computer system, cause the computer system to at least:
- receive, from a sensor configured to monitor a flexible cover layer located on a rigid member of an extension of a robotic manipulator, an indication that replacement is warranted for the flexible cover layer based on an indication of deterioration of a material of the flexible cover layer relative to a reference amount;
- and
- provide instructions, based at least in part on the indication, that cause a remover to remove the flexible cover layer from the rigid member;
- and
- provide instructions, in response to removal of the flexible cover layer, that cause an applicator to apply a replacement flexible cover layer to the rigid member.
A system, comprising:
- a rigid member of an extension of a robotic manipulator;
- a replaceable cover located on the rigid member;
- and
- a sensor configured to obtain information about a quality of a material of the replaceable cover to facilitate communication that replacement of the replaceable cover is warranted due to deterioration of the material of the flexible cover layer relative to a reference amount.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.