Robotically-controlled structure to regulate item flow

A method to control a robotic system, comprising:

• receiving, via a communication interface, data associated with a plurality of items within a workspace;
• obtaining a model of the workspace, wherein the model is determined based at least in part on obtaining sensor data and determining based on the sensor data a set of boundaries for the plurality of items within the workspace on the sensor data;
• determining, based at least in part on the model, a successful grasp likelihood that a robotic arm can successfully grasp an item from the plurality of items within the workspace;
• determining, by one or more processors, whether to control a flow of items on a chute based at least in part on the successful grasp likelihood;
• in response to determining to control the flow of items, implementing to control the flow of items at least by controlling a flow disrupter to move in a manner that causes the flow of items to change, wherein the flow disrupter is flush with the chute when the flow disrupter is not deployed to impede the flow of items;
• determining a plan to pick up an item and place an item at a destination location, wherein the item is comprised in the plurality of items;
• and
• controlling a robotic arm to pick the item from a pickup zone of the workspace and place the item at the destination location according to the plan.

A computer program product to control a robot, the computer program product being embodied in a non-transitory computer readable medium and comprising computer instructions for:

• receiving, via a communication interface, data associated with a plurality of items within a workspace;
• obtaining a model of the workspace, wherein the model is determined based at least in part on obtaining sensor data and determining based on the sensor data a set of boundaries for the plurality of items within the workspace on the sensor data;
• determine, based at least in part on the model, a successful grasp likelihood that the robotic arm can successfully grasp an item from the plurality of items within the workspace;
• determining, by one or more processors, whether to control a flow of items on a chute based at least in part on the successful grasp likelihood;
• in response to determining to control the flow of items, implementing to control the flow of items at least by controlling a flow disrupter to move in a manner that causes the flow of items to change, wherein the flow disrupter is flush with the chute when the flow disrupter is not deployed to impede the flow of items;
• determining a plan to pick up an item and place an item at a destination location, wherein the item is comprised in the plurality of items;
• and
• controlling a robotic arm to pick the item from a pickup zone of the workspace and place the item at the destination location according to the plan.

A robotic system, comprising:

• a communication interface;
• and
• one or more processors coupled to the communication interface and configured to:
• receive, via the communication interface, data associated with a plurality of items within a workspace;
• determine whether to control a flow of items on a chute based at least in part on the data associated with the plurality of items within the workspace, wherein determining whether to control the follow of items comprises determining that the flow of items within the chute is blocked;
• determining a strategy for controlling the flow of items, wherein the strategy comprises moving the flow disrupter in a manner that improves a blockage of the flow of items within the chute;
• and
• in response to determining to control the flow of items, implement to control the flow of items at least by controlling the flow disrupter to move in a manner that causes the flow of items to change, wherein the flow disrupter is flush with the chute when the flow disrupter is not deployed to impede the flow of items, and the flow disrupter is controlled based at least in part on the strategy.

A method to control a robotic system, comprising:

• receiving, via a communication interface, data associated with a plurality of items within a workspace;
• determining, by one or more processors, whether to control a flow of items on a chute based at least in part on the data associated with the plurality of items within the workspace, wherein determining whether to control the follow of items comprises determining that the flow of items within the chute is blocked;
• determining a strategy for controlling the flow of items, wherein the strategy comprises moving the flow disrupter in a manner that improves a blockage of the flow of items within the chute;
• and
• in response to determining to control the flow of items, implementing to control the flow of items at least by controlling a flow disrupter to move in a manner that causes the flow of items to change, wherein the flow disrupter is flush with the chute when the flow disrupter is not deployed to impede the flow of items, and the flow disrupter is controlled based at least in part on the strategy.

A robotic system, comprising:

• a communication interface;
• one or more processors coupled to the communication interface and configured to:
• receive, via the communication interface, data associated with a plurality of items within a workspace;
• determine whether to control a flow of items on a chute based at least in part on the data associated with the plurality of items within the workspace;
• and
• in response to determining to control the flow of items, implement to control the flow of items at least by controlling a flow disrupter to move in a manner that causes the flow of items to change, wherein the flow disrupter is flush with the chute when the flow disrupter is not deployed to impede the flow of items;
• and
• a flow disrupter device comprising the flow disrupter and an actuation device that moves the flow disrupter in response to an input communicated by the one or more processors, wherein (i) the actuation device is a bladder configured to rotate the flow disrupter at least partially around an axis, and (ii) the bladder rotates the flow disrupter in response to a fluid being introduced into an inner cavity of the bladder.

A method to control a robotic system, comprising:

• receiving, via a communication interface, data associated with a plurality of items within a workspace;
• determining, by one or more processors, whether to control a flow of items on a chute based at least in part on the data associated with the plurality of items within the workspace;
• and
• in response to determining to control the flow of items, implementing to control the flow of items at least by controlling a flow disrupter to move in a manner that causes the flow of items to change;
• wherein:
• the flow disrupter is flush with the chute when the flow disrupter is not deployed to impede the flow of items;
• the robotic system comprises a flow disrupter device comprising the flow disrupter and an actuation device that moves the flow disrupter in response to an input communicated in connection with controlling the flow disrupter to move in the manner that causes the flow of items to change;
• the actuation device is a bladder configured to rotate the flow disrupter at least partially around an axis;
• and
• the bladder rotates the flow disrupter in response to a fluid being introduced into an inner cavity of the bladder.