Controlling a robot
AssigneeKUKA Deutschland GmbH
InventorYevgen Kogan
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for controlling a robot includes applying a setpoint force to a contact point; measuring a contact stiffness at the contact point; and slowing down the moving robot using its drives and/or braking the robot to apply the setpoint force to the contact point by the slowing down and/or slowed down robot depending on the measured contact stiffness, wherein the robot is slowed down before the setpoint force is reached.
Claims14
A method for controlling a robot having a plurality of movement axes, and respective drives and brakes associated with the movement axes, the method comprising:
- specifying a setpoint force to be applied by the robot to a contact point;
- determining a contact stiffness at the contact point;
- slowing down the moving robot by at least one of drives or brakes of the robot to apply the setpoint force to the contact point by the slowing down and/or slowed down robot based on the determined contact stiffness;
- wherein movement of the robot is slowed down before the setpoint force is reached;
- detecting at least one reaction force between the robot and at least one of the contact point or the environment of the contact point;
- wherein determining the contact stiffness at the contact point comprises determining the stiffness based on the at least one detected reaction force;
- and
- contacting at least one of the contact point or the environment of the contact point one or more times for test purposes;
- wherein detecting at least one reaction force comprises detecting the at least one reaction force during the contacting for test purposes;
- and
- wherein the contact stiffness is determined based on the at least one detected reaction force before the robot contacts the contact point again to apply the setpoint force.
A controller for controlling a robot having a plurality of movement axes, and respective drives and brakes associated with the movement axes, the controller configured to:
- specify a setpoint force to be applied by the robot to a contact point;
- determine a contact stiffness at the contact point;
- slow down the moving robot by at least one of drives or brakes of the robot to apply the setpoint force to the contact point by the slowing down and/or slowed down robot based on the determined contact stiffness;
- wherein movement of the robot is slowed down before the setpoint force is reached;
- detect at least one reaction force between the robot and at least one of the contact point or the environment of the contact point;
- wherein determining the contact stiffness at the contact point comprises determining the stiffness based on the at least one detected reaction force;
- and
- contact at least one of the contact point or the environment of the contact point one or more times for test purposes;
- wherein detecting at least one reaction force comprises detecting the at least one reaction force during the contacting for test purposes;
- and
- wherein the contact stiffness is determined based on the at least one detected reaction force before the robot contacts the contact point again to apply the setpoint force.
A computer program product for controlling a robot having a plurality of movement axes, and respective drives and brakes associated with the movement axes, the computer program product comprising program code stored on a non-transitory, computer-readable medium, the computer program, when executed by a computer, causing the computer to:
- specify a setpoint force to be applied by the robot to a contact point;
- determine a contact stiffness at the contact point;
- and
- slow down the moving robot by at least one of drives or brakes of the robot to apply the setpoint force to the contact point by the slowing down and/or slowed down robot based on the determined contact stiffness;
- wherein movement of the robot is slowed down before the setpoint force is reached;
- detect at least one reaction force between the robot and at least one of the contact point or the environment of the contact point;
- wherein determining the contact stiffness at the contact point comprises determining the stiffness based on the at least one detected reaction force;
- and
- contact at least one of the contact point or the environment of the contact point one or more times for test purposes;
- wherein detecting at least one reaction force comprises detecting the at least one reaction force during the contacting for test purposes;
- and
- wherein the contact stiffness is determined based on the at least one detected reaction force before the robot contacts the contact point again to apply the setpoint force.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.