Systems, devices, components, and methods for a compact robotic gripper with palm-mounted sensing, grasping, and computing devices and components

A three-dimensional perception and object manipulation robot gripper configured for connection to and operation in conjunction with a robot arm, the gripper comprising:

• a palm comprising a plurality of at least one of mounting surfaces, attachment surfaces, mounting points, attachment points, mounting mechanisms, and attachment mechanisms, or combination of such surfaces, points, or mechanisms;
• a plurality of at least one of motors and actuators mounted to, on or in, or attached to, on or in the palm;
• a mechanical manipulation system attached to, on or in, or operably connected, to the palm, the mechanical manipulation system being operably connected to the motors or actuators and comprising a plurality of fingers, the plurality of fingers being configured to manipulate one or more objects located within a workspace or target volume accessible by the fingers;
• at least one light projector mounted to, on or in, or connected operably, to the palm, the light projector being configured to illuminate at least partially with light having predetermined characteristics the one or more objects located within the workspace or target volume;
• at least two camera sensors mounted to, on or in, or connected operably to, the palm and configured and positioned to sense at least one of reflected and backscattered light having the predetermined characteristics and originating from the light projector, the at least two camera sensors further being configured to generate and provide input images or signals corresponding to the reflected and backscattered light sensed thereby;
• a first computing device operably connected to the at least one light projector and the at least two camera sensors, the first computing device being mounted to, on, or in, or connected operably to, the palm and configured to:
• (a) at least partially one of control operation, control activation, and control deactivation of the at least two camera sensors and the projector;
• (b) receive and at least partially process or format the input images or signals provided by the at least two camera sensors, and (c) generate and provide output images corresponding at least partially to the input images or signals provided by the at least two camera sensors, and
• a second computing device mounted to, on or in, or connected operably to, the palm, the second computing device being operably connected to the first computing device and to the plurality of at least one of motors and actuators, the second computing device being configured to receive the output images provided by the first computing device, and further being configured and programmed to process the output images to determine the location and orientation of the one or more objects within the workspace, and in accordance therewith provide as outputs therefrom control signals or instructions configured to be employed by the motors or actuators to control movement and operation of the plurality of fingers so as to permit the fingers to manipulate the one or more objects located within the workspace or target volume;
• wherein the gripper is configured to rotate or translate in conjunction with a movable robot wrist and robot arm operably connected thereto, and the gripper is configured such that during object grasping, releasing, and moving operations the plurality of fingers operate within a predetermined operational range of distances and angles that define the boundaries of the workspace and target volume.