Dynamic path for end effector control

A method for performing interactions within a physical environment using a system including:

• a) a robot base that undergoes movement relative to the environment, the robot base being mounted to a boom extending from a vehicle and moved with respect to the environment by the boom;
• b) a robot arm mounted to the robot base, the robot arm including an end effector mounted thereon;
• and,
• c) a tracking system that measures a robot base position indicative of a position of the robot base relative to the environment during the movement of the robot base, and wherein the method includes, in a control system:
• i) acquiring an indication of an end effector destination;
• ii) determining a robot base position using signals from the tracking system;
• iii) calculating an initial end effector path extending to the end effector destination at least in part using the determined robot base position;
• iv) generating robot control signals based on the end effector path;
• v) applying the robot control signals to the robot arm to cause the end effector to be moved along the initial end effector path towards the end effector destination;
• and,
• vi) in response to movement of the boom leading to relative movement between the robot base and the environment during movement of the end effector, calculating an updated end effector path extending to the end effector destination and moving the end effector towards the end effector destination along the updated end effector path during the movement of the robot base to thereby account for the movement of the boom and the relative movement between the robot base and the environment during.

A computer program product including computer executable code, which when executed by a suitably programmed control system causes the control system to control a system for performing interactions within a physical environment, the system including:

• a) a robot base that undergoes movement relative to the environment, the robot base being mounted on a boom extending from a vehicle and moved with respect to the environment by the boom;
• b) a robot arm mounted to the robot base, the robot arm including an end effector mounted thereon;
• c) a tracking system that measures a robot base position indicative of a position of the robot base relative to the environment during the movement of the robot base;
• and,
• d) a control system that:
• i) acquires an indication of an end effector destination;
• ii) determines a robot base position using signals from the tracking system;
• iii) calculates an initial end effector path extending to the end effector destination at least in part using the determined robot base position;
• iv) generates robot control signals based on the end effector path;
• v) applies the robot control signals to the robot arm to cause the end effector to be moved along the initial end effector path towards the end effector destination;
• and,
• vi) in response to movement of the boom leading to relative movement between the robot base and the environment during movement of the end effector, calculates an updated end effector path extending to the end effector destination and moves the end effector towards the end effector destination along the updated end effector path during the movement of the robot base to thereby account for movement of the boom and the relative movement between the robot base and the environment.