System and method for automatic picking of products in a materials handling facility

A system, comprising:

• a first sensor;
• a conveyor;
• a robotic hand including multiple digits, each digit having one or more suction cups attached thereto, and at least one of the suction cups including a second sensor;
• a memory;
• and
• one or more processors coupled to the first sensor, the conveyor, the robotic hand and the memory, wherein the memory comprises program instructions executable by the one or more processors to implement a pick process component configured to:
• (a) receive sensed information of an item or product delivered on the conveyor from the first sensor, the sensed information including one or more of a variable shape, variable size, variable hardness and variable texture of the item or product;
• (b) generate a pick plan comprising processor-executable instructions to control the robotic hand to pick up the item or product, the pick plan being based on the received sensed information of the item or product;
• and
• (c) control the robotic hand to pick up the item or product from the conveyor by executing the generated pick plan, while selectively activating the one or more suction cups based on one or more measurement values detected by and received from corresponding one or more of the second sensors, respectively, which are coupled to the one or more suction cups, wherein the second sensor is configured to detect a measurement value indicative of a relationship between the second sensor and the item or product to be picked up and to send a detected measurement value to the pick process component.

A computer-implemented method, comprising:

• (a) receiving sensed information of an item or product delivered on a conveyor from a first sensor located relative to the conveyor, the sensed information including one or more of a variable shape, variable size, variable hardness and variable texture of the item or product;
• (b) based on the received sensed information of the item or product, generating a pick plan comprising computer-executable instructions to control a robotic hand to pick up the item or product, wherein the robotic hand includes multiple digits, each digit having one or more suction cups attached thereto, and at least one of the suction cups including a second sensor configured to detect a measurement value indicative of a relationship between the second sensor and the item or product to be picked up;
• and
• (c) controlling the robotic hand by executing the generated pick plan and by selectively activating the one or more suction cups based on one or more measurement values detected by corresponding one or more of the second sensors, respectively, which are coupled to the one or more suction cups.