Robotic insertion for modular cable connector

A robotic insertion system, comprising:

• an articulated robot arm equipped with an end effector;
• a laser alignment system;
• a camera system;
• and
• a controller configured to:
• receive, via the camera system, two or more images captured of a module retainer into which a cable insert module is to be inserted into a module slot by the end effector, wherein at least one of the two or more images is captured while the module retainer is illuminated by the laser alignment system;
• perform image processing on the two or more images to identify a segmented image region corresponding to the module retainer, and to identify a virtual plane parallel to a face of the module retainer;
• control movements of the articulated robot arm to move the cable insert module to an alignment pose determined based, at least in part, on the segmented image region and the virtual plane;
• control movements of the articulated robot arm to move the cable insert module from the alignment pose toward an insertion pose;
• and
• upon insertion of the cable insert module into the module slot of the module retainer, control the end effector to release the cable insert module and thereby at least partially assemble a modular cable connector assembly.

A computing system, comprising:

• a logic subsystem;
• and
• a storage subsystem holding instructions executable by the logic subsystem to:
• receive, via a camera system, two or more images captured of a module retainer into which a cable insert module is to be inserted into a module slot by an end effector of an articulated robot arm, wherein at least one of the two or more images is captured while the module retainer is illuminated by a laser alignment system;
• perform image processing on the two or more images to identify a segmented image region corresponding to the module retainer, and to identify a virtual plane parallel to a face of the module retainer;
• control movements of the articulated robot arm to move the cable insert module to an alignment pose determined based, at least in part, on the segmented image region and the virtual plane;
• control movements of the articulated robot arm to move the cable insert module from the alignment pose toward an insertion pose;
• and
• upon insertion of the cable insert module into the module slot of the module retainer, control the end effector to release the cable insert module and thereby at least partially assemble a modular cable connector assembly.