Acoustic contact sensors
AssigneeX Development LLC
InventorsJeffrey Thomas Bingham, Bruce Schena
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for causing a transducer to transmit an acoustic input signal into a member of a device. Receiving a detection signal representing reverberations of the input signal traveling within the member from a receiver. Detecting a contact of the member with an object external to the member based on a change in the detection signal, where the change in the detection signal represents an alteration in the reverberations of the input signal caused by the contact of the member with the object. Determining a position along the member of a point of the contact of the member with the object based on the change in the detection signal.
Claims23
A computer-implemented method comprising:
- causing a transducer to transmit a first acoustic input signal and a second acoustic input signal into a member of a robotic device, wherein the first acoustic input signal is different from the second acoustic input signal;
- receiving, from a first receiver, a first electrical detection signal representing reverberations of the first acoustic input signal traveling within the member as received at a first location along the member;
- receiving, from the first receiver, a second electrical detection signal representing reverberations of the second acoustic input signal traveling within the member as received at the first location along the member;
- detecting a contact of the member with an object external to the member based on a change in at least one of the first electrical detection signal or the second electrical detection signal;
- determining, based on the first electrical detection signal, a position along the member of a point of the contact of the member with the object;
- and
- determining, based on the second electrical detection signal, a contact pressure of the contact of the member with the object.
A robotic device comprising:
- a transducer acoustically coupled to an acoustically conductive member of the robotic device;
- a first receiver acoustically coupled to the acoustically conductive member of the robotic device at a first location along the member;
- an actuator coupled to the member of the robotic device;
- and
- a control system coupled to the transducer, the first receiver, and the actuator, the control system comprising one or more processors and a data store coupled to the one or more processors having instructions stored thereon which, when executed by the one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
- controlling the transducer to transmit a first acoustic input signal and a second acoustic input signal into the member, wherein the first acoustic input signal is different from the second acoustic input signal;
- receiving, from the first receiver, a first electrical detection signal representing reverberations of the first acoustic input signal traveling within the member as received at the first location;
- receiving, from the first receiver, a second electrical detection signal representing reverberations of the second acoustic input signal traveling within the member as received at the first location along the member;
- detecting a contact of the member with an object external to the member based on a change in at least one of the first electrical detection signal or the second electrical detection signal;
- determining, based on the first electrical detection signal, a position along the member of a point of the contact of the member with the object;
- determining, based on the second electrical detection signal, a contact pressure of the contact of the member with the object;
- and
- controlling the actuator to maneuver the member in response to detecting the contact pressure of the contact of the member with the object.
A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform operations comprising:
- causing a transducer to transmit a first acoustic input signal and a second acoustic input signal into a member of a robotic device, wherein the first acoustic input signal is different from the second acoustic input signal;
- receiving, from a first receiver, a first electrical detection signal representing reverberations of the first acoustic input signal traveling within the member as received at a first location along the member;
- receiving, from the first receiver, a second electrical detection signal representing reverberations of the second acoustic input signal traveling within the member as received at the first location along the member;
- detecting a contact of the member with an object external to the member based on a change in at least one of the first electrical detection signal or the second electrical detection signal;
- determining, based on the first electrical detection signal, a position along the member of a point of the contact of the member with the object;
- and
- determining, based on the second electrical detection signal, a contact pressure of the contact of the member with the object.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.