Systems, Devices, Components, and Methods for a Compact Robotic Gripper with Palm-Mounted Sensing, Grasping, and Computing Devices and Components

A three-dimensional perception and object manipulation robot gripper configured for connection to and operation in conjunction with a robot arm, the gripper comprising:

• a palm comprising a plurality of at least one of mounting surfaces, attachment surfaces, mounting points, attachment points, mounting mechanisms, and attachment mechanisms, or combination of such surfaces, points, or mechanisms;
• a plurality of at least one of motors and actuators mounted to, on or in, or operably connected or attached to, on or in the palm;
• a mechanical manipulation system attached to, on or in, or operably connected, to the palm, the mechanical manipulation system being operably connected to the motors or actuators and comprising a plurality of fingers, the plurality of fingers being configured to manipulate one or more objects located within a workspace or target volume accessible by the fingers;
• at least two camera sensors mounted to, on or in, or connected operably to, the palm and configured and positioned to sense at least one of reflected and backscattered light having predetermined characteristics originating from a light projector or light source, the at least two camera sensors further being configured to generate and provide input images or signals corresponding to the reflected and backscattered light sensed thereby;
• at least one computing device operably connected to the at least two camera sensors and the plurality of at least one of motors and actuators, the at least one computing device being configured and programmed to:
• (a) at least partially one of control operation, control activation, and control deactivation of the at least two camera sensors;
• (b) receive and at least partially process or format the input images or signals provided by the at least two camera sensors;
• (c) generate and provide output Images corresponding at least partially to the input images or signals provided by the at least two camera sensors;
• (d) receive the output images and process the output images to determine the location and orientation of the one or more objects within the workspace;
• (e) provide as outputs control signals or instructions configured to be employed by the motors or actuators to control movement and operation of the plurality of fingers so as to permit the fingers to manipulate the one or more objects located within the workspace or target volume;
• wherein the gripper is configured to rotate or translate in conjunction with a movable robot wrist and robot arm operably connected thereto, and the gripper is configured such that during object grasping, releasing, and moving operations the plurality of fingers operate within a predetermined operational range of distances and angles that define the boundaries of the workspace and target volume.

A method of manipulating an object located in a workspace using a three-dimensional perception and object manipulation robot gripper configured for connection to and operation in conjunction with a robot arm, the gripper comprising a palm comprising a plurality of at least one of mounting surfaces, attachment surfaces, mounting points, attachment points, mounting mechanisms, and attachment mechanisms, or combination of such surfaces, points, or mechanisms, a plurality of at least one of motors and actuators mounted to, on or in, or attached to, on or in the palm, a mechanical manipulation system attached to, on or in, or operably connected, to the palm, the mechanical manipulation system being operably connected to the motors or actuators and comprising a plurality of fingers, the plurality of fingers being configured to manipulate one or more objects located within a workspace or target volume accessible by the fingers, at least two camera sensors mounted to, on or in, or connected operably to, the palm and configured and positioned to sense at least one of reflected and backscattered light having predetermined characteristics and originating from a light projector or light source, the at least two camera sensors further being configured to generate and provide input images or signals corresponding to the reflected and backscattered light sensed thereby, at least one computing device being operably connected to the at least two camera sensors and the plurality of at least one of motors and actuators, the at least one computing device being configured and programmed to:

• (a) at least partially one of control operation, control activation, and control deactivation of the at least two camera sensors;
• (b) receive and at least partially process or format the input images or signals provided by the at least two camera sensors;
• (c) generate and provide output images corresponding at least partially to the input images or signals provided by the at least two camera sensors;
• (d) receive the output images and process the output images to determine the location and orientation of the one or more objects within the workspace;
• (e) provide as outputs control signals or instructions configured to be employed by the motors or actuators to control movement and operation of the plurality of fingers so as to permit the fingers to manipulate the one or more objects located within the workspace or target volume, the method comprising:
• rotating or translating the gripper such that during object grasping, releasing, and moving operations the plurality of fingers operate within a predetermined operational range of distances and angles that define the boundaries of the workspace and target volume.