Unified robotic vehicle systems and methods of control

A robotic vehicle control system, comprising:

• a first robotic vehicle having a mobility mechanism for moving about an environment;
• a second robotic vehicle having a mobility mechanism for moving about the environment;
• and
• one or more processors;
• one or more memory devices operatively coupled to at least one of the one or more processors and having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by at least one of the one or more processors, cause the system to:
• operate in a paired control mode to facilitate paired control of the first and second robotic vehicles so as to define a unified robotic vehicle system operable to move about the environment under user control, and
• switch to an unpaired control mode to facilitate independent movement of at least one of the first or second robotic systems relative to each other,
• wherein the first robotic vehicle and the second robotic vehicle are configured to operate in the paired control mode while being separated by a distance and physically unconnected from each other.

A method of operating a plurality of robotic vehicles, the method comprising:

• operating individual first and second robotic vehicles in an unpaired control mode to facilitate independent control of the first robotic vehicle and the second robotic vehicle about an environment;
• and
• switching to a paired control mode for paired control of the first and second robotic vehicles;
• and
• operating the first and second robotic vehicles to move together in a coordinated manner about the environment,
• wherein the first robotic vehicle and the second robotic vehicle are configured to operate in the paired control mode while being separated by a distance and physically unconnected from each other.

One or more non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

• establish an unpaired control mode of operating first and second vehicles;
• control movement of the first vehicle about an environment;
• control movement of the second vehicle about the environment independently from the first vehicle;
• switch to a paired control mode to facilitate paired control of the first and second vehicles to define a unified vehicle system;
• and
• control movement of the unified vehicle system about the environment, such that the first and second vehicles move together in a coordinated manner;
• wherein the first robotic vehicle and the second robotic vehicle are configured to operate in the paired control mode while being physically unconnected from each other and separated by a distance from one another.

A robotic system, comprising:

• a master robotic system;
• a first robotic system comprising a first mobile platform operable to move about an environment, and comprising a first manipulator supported by the first mobile platform;
• a second robotic system comprising a second mobile platform operable to move about the environment, and comprising a second manipulator supported by the second mobile platform;
• at least one force sensor operably coupled to the second manipulator, the at least one force sensor configured to generate at least one force output signal associated with a load applied to the second manipulator;
• and
• one or more processors;
• one or more memory devices operatively coupled to at least one of the one or more processors and having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by at least one of the one or more processors, cause the system to:
• operate in a follow-me mode to actively control the first robotic system while passively controlling the second robotic system based on the at least one force output signal when end effectors of the first and second manipulators are supporting a common payload, such that the second robotic system passively follows movement about the environment corresponding to actively controlled movement of the first robotic system via the master control system.

A robotic vehicle control system, comprising:

• a first robotic vehicle having a mobility mechanism for moving within an environment, and supporting a robotic manipulator having an end effector;
• a stabilizing robotic vehicle having a mobility mechanism for moving within the environment;
• and
• one or more processors;
• one or more memory devices operatively coupled to at least one of the one or more processors and having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by at least one of the one or more processors, cause the system to:
• operate in a paired control mode to facilitate paired control of the first robotic vehicle and the stabilizing robotic vehicle so as to define a unified robotic vehicle system operable to move within the environment, and
• switch to an unpaired control mode to facilitate independent control of movement of at least one of the first robotic vehicle or the stabilizing robotic vehicle relative to one another,
• wherein the first robotic vehicle and the stabilizing vehicle are operable in the paired control mode while being physically unconnected from each other and separated by a distance from one another.

A robotic system, comprising:

• a master robotic system comprising a first control manipulator and a second control manipulator;
• a first robotic system comprising a first mobile platform operable to move within an environment, the first mobile platform comprising a first robotic manipulator kinematically equivalent to the first control manipulator;
• a second robotic system comprising a second mobile platform operable to move within the environment, the second mobile platform comprising a second robotic manipulator kinematically equivalent to the second control manipulator;
• one or more processors;
• and
• one or more memory devices operatively coupled to at least one of the one or more processors and having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by at least one of the one or more processors, cause the system to:
• operate in a paired control mode to facilitate paired control of the first and second robotic systems that together define a unified robotic system operable to move within the environment via control of the master robotic system and to facilitate control of the first robotic manipulator based on input to the first control manipulator and second robotic manipulator based on input to the second control manipulator;
• wherein the first robotic vehicle and the second robotic vehicle are configured to operate in the paired control mode while physically unconnected from each other and separated by a distance from one another.