Teaching a robot system using hand gesture control and visual-inertial-odometry

An apparatus comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the memory is configured to store executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform the steps of:
• detecting, by a first sensor system of a robot system, a hand gesture of an operator;
• moving a robotic arm of the robot system along a path in accordance with the hand gesture of the operator;
• detecting, by a second sensor system of the robot system, an impending collision of the robotic arm with an obstacle;
• and
• moving the robotic arm along at least a section of a collision-free path around the obstacle, wherein moving the robotic arm along at least the section of the collision-free path around the obstacle comprises:
• halting the robotic arm at a predetermined safety distance before colliding with the obstacle;
• when the robotic arm has moved in a vertical direction in accordance with the hand gesture of the operator, moving the robotic arm in a horizontal direction until the path in accordance with the hand gesture of the operator no longer includes the impending collision;
• when the robotic arm has moved in the horizontal direction in accordance with the hand gesture of the operator, moving the robotic arm in the vertical direction until the path in accordance with the hand gesture of the operator no longer includes the impending collision;
• and
• continuing moving the robotic arm in accordance with the hand gesture of the operator.

A robot system comprising:

• a first sensor system;
• a second sensor system;
• a robotic arm;
• a processor;
• and
• a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the memory is configured to store executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
• detect, by the first sensor system, a hand gesture of an operator;
• move the robotic arm along a path in accordance with the hand gesture of the operator;
• detect, by the second sensor system, an impending collision of the robotic arm with an obstacle;
• and
• move the robotic arm along at least a section of a collision-free path around the obstacle, wherein moving the robotic arm along at least the section of the collision-free path around the obstacle comprises:
• halting the robotic arm at a predetermined safety distance before colliding with the obstacle;
• when the robotic arm has moved in a vertical direction in accordance with the hand gesture of the operator, moving the robotic arm in a horizontal direction until the path in accordance with the hand gesture of the operator no longer includes the impending collision;
• when the robotic arm has moved in a horizontal direction in accordance with the hand gesture of the operator, moving the robotic arm in a vertical direction until the path in accordance with the hand gesture of the operator no longer includes the impending collision;
• and
• continuing moving the robotic arm in accordance with the hand gesture of the operator.