Method and apparatus for improved auto-calibration of a robotic cell

A robotic cell system comprising:

• one or more cameras;
• one or more sensors;
• a robotic arm;
• a processor configured to:
• perform a pre-calibration comprising:
• building a position accuracy map with position metrics for the robotic arm;
• and
• adjusting a movement pattern based on the position accuracy map;
• localize positions of cameras and components relative to a position of the robotic arm within the robotic cell using a common coordinate frame;
• control movement of the robotic arm in the movement pattern under a first load and using the cameras and the sensors to determine robotic arm position at multiple times during the movement;
• control movement of the robotic arm in the movement pattern under a second load and using the cameras and the sensors to determine robotic arm position at multiple times during the movement;
• identify a discrepancy in robotic arm position between a predicted position in the movement pattern and the determined robotic arm position in real time, for the first load and the second load;
• compute, by an auto-calibrator, a compensation for the identified discrepancy, the auto-calibrator solving for elements in the robotic cell system as a system;
• and
• modify actions of the robotic arm in real time during the movement based on the compensation to reduce the identified discrepancy in the robotic arm position.

A method to calibrate a robotic cell system including a robotic arm and one or more cameras, the method comprising:

• moving the robotic arm in a movement pattern under a first load and using the cameras to determine robotic arm positions at multiple times during the movement pattern;
• moving the robotic arm in the movement pattern under a second load and using the cameras to determine robotic arm positions at multiple times during the movement pattern;
• identifying a discrepancy in robotic arm position between a predicted position in the movement pattern and the determined robotic arm position in real time, for the first load and the second load;
• computing, by an auto-calibrator, a compensation for the identified discrepancy, the auto-calibrator solving for elements in the robotic cell system as a system;
• and
• modifying actions of the robotic arm during use based on the compensation to reduce the identified discrepancy in the robotic arm position.