Low cost robot manipulator
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorA. Dorian Challoner
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Abstract
The present invention discloses a robotic manipulator, comprising at least one joint, each joint having a drive axis and at least one microelectromechanical system (MEMS) inertial sensor aligned with at least one drive axis providing sensing of a relative position of the drive axis. The robotic manipulator can include an inertial measurement unit (IMU) coupled to the robotic manipulator for determining the end effector position and orientation. A controller can be used, receiving a signal from at least one MEMS inertial sensor and controlling at least one joint drive axis in response to the signal to change the relative position of the joint drive axis. Rate information from MEMS sensors can be integrated to determine the position of their respective drive axes.
Claims22
A robotic manipulator, comprising:
- at least one joint, each joint having a drive axis;
- and
- a pair of single-axis microelectromechanical system (MEMS) inertial sensors are aligned with the drive axis, one of the MEMS inertial sensors on an input side of the drive axis and the other at the MEMS inertial sensors on the output side of the drive axis;
- wherein a relative rate is determined, the relative rate being a difference between inertial information from each of the pair of MEMS inertial sensors.
A method of producing a robotic manipulator, comprising:
- providing at least one joint, each joint having a drive axis;
- aligning a pair of single-axis microelectromechanical system (MEMS) inertial sensors with the drive axis one of the MEMS inertial sensors on an input side of the drive axis and the other of the MEMS inertial sensors on the output side of the drive axis;
- and
- determining a relative rate, the relative rate being a difference between inertial information from each of the pair MEMS inertial sensors.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.