Cobots

An apparatus allowing for collaboration between said apparatus and a human operator, said device having one or more joints and an endpoint having a plurality of apparent degrees of freedom, comprising:

• one or more joints;
• an endpoint having a plurality of apparent degrees of freedom;
• one or more sensors for measuring a position and speed of said endpoint and a force applied by an operator to said endpoint;
• at least one continuously variable transmission element which couples a velocity of said endpoint in one of said degrees of freedom with a velocity of said endpoint in another of said degrees of freedom, said continuously variable transmission element having a steering angle which controls a ratio of said velocities, whereby said continuously variable transmission element restricts motion of said endpoint at a particular instant in time to a single instantaneous degree of freedom which is adjustable by varying said steering angle;
• a motor, connected to said continuously variable transmission element which adjusts the steering angle of the continuously variable transmission element, thereby adjusting the ratio of said velocities;
• and
• a computer, which receives from said sensors signals representing the position and speed of the endpoint and the force applied by an operator to the endpoint, and controls the operation of said motor in response to said signals, thereby controlling the instantaneous degrees of freedom of said endpoint.

A robotic device allowing for collaboration with a human operator, said device having one or more joints and an endpoint having a plurality of degrees of freedom, comprising:

• means for determining a position and speed of said endpoint and a force applied by an operator to said endpoint;
• means for coupling a velocity of said endpoint in one of said degrees of freedom with a velocity of said endpoint in another of said degrees of freedom, said continuously variable transmission element having an adjustable steering angle which controls a ratio of said velocities, whereby said coupling means restricts motion of said endpoint at a particular instant in time to a single direction of motion which is adjustable by varying said steering angle;
• means for adjusting said steering angle;
• means for controlling said adjusting means based on the position and speed of said endpoint and the force applied by an operator to said endpoint, thereby controlling the mechanically allowed direction of motion through space of said endpoint.

A method for controlling a robotic device having a plurality of joints coupled together by at least one steerable non-holonomic transmission element coupled together by at least one steerable non-holonomic transmission element and endpoint movable by an operator in a plurality of directions, said non-holonomic transmission element having a steering angle for controlling its transmission ratio, comprising:

• storing a virtual surface;
• determining the position and speed of the endpoint of the robotic device;
• measuring the force applied by an operator to the endpoint;
• adjusting a steering angle of said non-holonomic transmission element so as to prohibit any motion of the endpoint that would penetrate said virtual surface when said robotic device is in contact with said virtual surface;
• and
• adjusting the steering angle of said non-holonomic transmission element so as to provide apparent freedom of motion of the endpoint to a user when said endpoint is not in contact with the virtual surface.

A method for controlling a robotic device having a plurality of joints coupled together by at least one steerable non-holonomic transmission element and an endpoint movable by an operator in a plurality of directions, comprising:

• storing a path to be followed by the robotic device;
• determining the position and speed of the robotic device;
• measuring the force applied by an operator to the robotic device;
• continuously adjusting the steering angle of said non-holonomic transmission element as said robotic device is moved along said path by an operator so that the robotic device will move smoothly along said path.