Item processing systems and methods employing parameter exploration

An item processing system comprising:

• a programmable motion device, and
• a control system including a parameter estimator, a parameter explorer, and a parameter governor for determining adjustable item handling parameters to configure the programmable motion device to handle an item,
• wherein the parameter estimator is configured to estimate the adjustable item handling parameters for items for which item properties are known, and
• wherein the parameter explorer is configured to identify through exploration the adjustable item handling parameters,
• wherein the parameter governor provides the adjustable item handling parameters from the parameter explorer when the adjustable item handling parameters from the parameter estimator were unsuccessfully used in a predetermined number of past attempts to handle the item, and
• wherein the parameter estimator, the parameter explorer, and the parameter governor are executed on a processing unit.

A method of processing items with a programmable motion device, said method comprising:

• providing a parameter estimator for estimating item handling parameters of items for which item properties are known;
• providing a parameter explorer for identifying item handling parameters of items for which no item properties are known;
• and
• employing a parameter governor for determining whether to handle an item using the item handling parameters from the parameter estimator or the parameter explorer,
• wherein the parameter governor determines to employ the item handling parameters from the parameter explorer responsive to at least one of a lack of history of handling with the item, a lack of information about item properties that affect handling of the item, and wherein the parameter estimator, the parameter explorer, and the parameter governor are executed on a processing unit.