Robotic handling of soft products in non-rigid packaging

A method, comprising:

• receiving via a communication interface sensor data associated with a workspace in which one or more robotic elements controlled at least in part by a robotic system are present, wherein the sensor data is received from a plurality of different types of sensors;
• determining based at least in part on the sensor data an action to be performed in the workspace using one or more of the robotic elements, the action including:
• moving an end effector of one of the robotic elements to a location within a prescribed distance of a surface of flexible packaging that includes an item to be grasped, wherein the flexible packaging comprises a deformable polymeric material;
• actuating a grasping mechanism of the end effector, subsequent to stopping gross movement of the end effector, to grasp the flexible packaging that includes the item using an amount of force and structures associated with minimized risk of damage to one or both of the item and its packaging;
• and
• using sensor data generated by at least two of the plurality of different types of sensors that includes a force sensor and a pressure sensor to detect a grasp state of a plurality of grasp states associated with the flexible packaging that includes item, wherein an output of the pressure sensor indicates whether a suction-based grasp has been completed successfully, wherein a first grasp state of the plurality of grasp states associated with the item includes that the end effector has made sufficient contact with the flexible packaging that includes the item for a grasp and a second grasp state of the plurality of grasp states associated with the item includes that the end effector cannot move any closer without risk of damaging the item;
• and
• sending control communications to the one of the robotic elements via the communication interface to cause the robotic element to perform the action by grasping the flexible packaging without touching the item included in the flexible packaging.

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

• receiving via a communication interface sensor data associated with a workspace in which one or more robotic elements controlled at least in part by a robotic system are present, wherein the sensor data is received from a plurality of different types of sensors;
• determining based at least in part on the sensor data an action to be performed in the workspace using one or more of the robotic elements, the action including:
• moving an end effector of one of the robotic elements to a location within a prescribed distance of a surface of flexible packaging that includes an item to be grasped, wherein the flexible packaging comprises a deformable polymeric material;
• actuating a grasping mechanism of the end effector, subsequent to stopping gross movement of the end effector, to grasp the flexible packaging that includes the item using an amount of force and structures associated with minimized risk of damage to one or both of the item and its packaging;
• and
• using sensor data generated by at least two of the plurality of different types of sensors that includes a force sensor and a pressure sensor to detect a grasp state of a plurality of grasp states associated with the flexible packaging that includes item, wherein an output of the pressure sensor indicates whether a suction-based grasp has been completed successfully, wherein a first grasp state of the plurality of grasp states associated with the item includes that the end effector has made sufficient contact with the flexible packaging that includes the item for a grasp and a second grasp state of the plurality of grasp states associated with the item includes that the end effector cannot move any closer without risk of damaging the item;
• and
• sending control communications to the one of the robotic elements via the communication interface to cause the robotic element to perform the action by grasping the flexible packaging without touching the item included in the flexible packaging.