Robotic multi-gripper assemblies and methods for gripping and holding objects

A system configured to control operation of a transport robot, the system comprising:

• a communication circuit configured to communicate data, commands, and/or settings with a set of sensors and the transport robot, wherein the communication circuit is configured to:
• receive image data depicting packages, including a target package and a second package, at a start location, and
• send a motion plan or a set of corresponding commands and/or settings for operating the transport robot to simultaneously grasp and transfer the target package and the second package;
• at least one processor coupled to the communication circuit and configured to:
• identify the target package based on the image data;
• determine a grasp set representative of grip poses relative to the target package;
• identify a set of grip poses within the grasp set that overlap the second package;
• derive a combined movement control parameter for simultaneously manipulating the target package and the second package, wherein deriving the combined movement control parameter includes:
• determining a target control parameter based on the grasp set, wherein the target control parameter represents a force, an acceleration, a rate, or a combination thereof associated with a speed of transferring the target package according to a target pose of the multi-gripper assembly;
• determining a second control parameter based on estimating an overlap between the multi-gripper assembly and the second package, wherein the second control parameter represents a force, an acceleration, a rate, or a combination thereof associated with a speed of transferring the second package according to the target pose of the multi-gripper assembly;
• and
• selecting the combined movement control parameter as the target control parameter or the second control parameter corresponding to a lower transfer speed;
• determine a release sequence for placing the target package and the second package at respective target locations;
• select a simultaneous grasp pose from the grasp set based on the combined movement control parameter and the release sequence, wherein the simultaneous grasp pose represents a pose of a multi-gripper assembly for simultaneously grasping and transferring the target package and the second package;
• and
• derive the motion plan based on the simultaneous grasp pose, the motion plan for maneuvering the multi-gripper assembly to simultaneously transfer the target package and the second package to the respective target locations.

A tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium having processor instructions stored thereon that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform a method, the method comprising:

• receiving image data depicting packages at a start location, wherein the image data is for analyzing simultaneous grasp of two or more of the packages;
• identifying a target package based on the image data;
• determining a grasp set representative of grip poses relative to the target package;
• identifying a set of grip poses within the grasp set that overlap a second package;
• deriving a combined movement control parameter for simultaneously manipulating the target package and the second package, wherein deriving the combined movement control parameter includes:
• determining a target control parameter based on the grasp set, wherein the target control parameter represents a force, an acceleration, a rate, or a combination thereof associated with a speed of transferring the target package according to a target pose of the multi-gripper assembly;
• determining a second control parameter based on estimating an overlap between the multi-gripper assembly and the second package, wherein the second control parameter represents a force, an acceleration, a rate, or a combination thereof associated with a speed of transferring the second package according to the target pose of the multi-gripper assembly;
• and
• selecting the combined movement control parameter as the target control parameter or the second control parameter corresponding to a lower transfer speed;
• determining a release sequence for placing the target package and the second package at respective target locations;
• selecting a simultaneous grasp pose from the grasp set based on the combined movement control parameter and the release sequence, wherein the simultaneous grasp pose represents a pose of a multi-gripper assembly for simultaneously grasping and transferring the target package and the second package;
• deriving a motion plan based on the simultaneous grasp pose, the motion plan for simultaneously maneuvering the multi-gripper assembly to transfer the target package and the second package to the respective target locations;
• and
• implementing the motion plan for operating a transport robot to simultaneously grasp and transfer the target package and the second package.