Apparatus and method for holding objects

An object holding apparatus comprising:

• a holding part that is able to hold at least one object;
• a recognition device that recognizes a plurality of objects to generate a recognition result;
• and
• a controller that
• selects a first object from the objects, based on the recognition result,
• sets a first direction to one side of the first object along which a distance from the first object to an end of objects aligned with the first object is smaller than a distance from the first object to an end of objects aligned with the first object along the other side of the first object,
• selects a second object aligned with the first object along the first direction, and
• controls a driving of the holding part, based on a selection result of the first object and the second object.

An object holding method in an apparatus including a holding part that is able to hold at least one object, a recognition device that recognizes a plurality of objects, and a controller that controls a driving of the holding part,

• the method comprising:
• generating by the recognition device, a recognition result of the plurality of objects;
• selecting by the controller, a first object from the objects, based on the recognition result;
• setting by the controller, a first direction to one side of the first object along which the number of objects aligned with the first object is smaller than the number of objects aligned with the first object along the other side of the first object;
• selecting by the controller, a second object aligned with the first object along the first direction;
• and
• controlling by the controller, a driving of the holding part, based on a selection result of the first object and the second object.

An object holding method in an apparatus including a holding part that is able to hold at least one object, a recognition device that recognizes a plurality of objects, and a controller that controls a driving of the holding part,

• the method comprising:
• generating by the recognition device, a recognition result of the plurality of objects;
• selecting by the controller, a first object from the objects, based on the recognition result;
• setting by the controller, a first direction to one side of the first object along which a distance from the first object to an end of objects aligned with the first object is smaller than a distance from the first object to an end of objects aligned with the first object along the other side of the first object;
• selecting by the controller, a second object aligned with the first object along the first direction;
• and
• controlling by the controller, a driving of the holding part, based on a selection result of the first object and the second object.