US 10,471,591 B1 · Object hand-over between robot and actor

Abstract

An example robotic device may include an arm having a palm and fingers, a depth sensor disposed within the palm, and a control system. The control system may be configured to detect an indication to receive an object from an actor, and in response, cause the robotic device to enter a receive-object mode. When the robotic device is in the receive-object mode, the control system is further configured to: receive, from the depth sensor, depth data indicating a distance between the palm and the object; when the distance is greater than a first threshold and less than a second threshold, cause the arm to move towards the object; when the distance exceeds the second threshold, maintain the arm in a fixed position; and when the distance drops below the first threshold, cause the two or more fingers to close to grasp the object.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A robotic device comprising:

an arm comprising a palm and two or more fingers;
a first sensor;
a depth sensor disposed within the palm;
and
a control system configured to:
receive, from the first sensor, first data associated with an actor holding an object;
detect an indication to receive the object from the actor based on the first data;
and
in response to detecting the indication to receive the object from the actor, cause the robotic device to enter a receive-object mode, wherein, when the robotic device is in the receive-object mode, the control system is further configured to:
receive, from the depth sensor, depth data indicating a distance between the palm and the object;
when the distance between the palm and the object is greater than a first threshold and less than a second threshold, cause the arm to move towards the object;
when the distance between the palm and the object exceeds the second threshold, maintain the arm in a fixed position;
and
when the distance between the palm and the object drops below the first threshold, cause the two or more fingers to close to grasp the object.

11 more elements

A method comprising:

receiving, from a first sensor on a robotic device and by a control system of the robotic device, first data associated with an actor holding an object;
based on the first data, detecting, by the control system, an indication to receive the object from the actor by an arm of the robotic device, wherein the arm comprises a palm and two or more fingers;
and
in response to detecting the indication to receive the object from the actor, operating the robotic device in a receive-object mode, wherein operating in the receive-object mode comprises:
receiving, from a depth sensor disposed within the palm and by the control system, depth data indicating a distance between the palm and the object;
when the distance between the palm and the object is greater than a first threshold and less than a second threshold, causing, by the control system, the arm to move towards the object;
when the distance between the palm and the object exceeds the second threshold, causing, by the control system, the arm to be maintained in a fixed position;
and
when the distance between the palm and the object drops below the first threshold, causing, by the control system, the two or more fingers to close to grasp the object.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Object hand-over between robot and actor

Life of this patent

Object hand-over between robot and actor

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20