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US 9,643,316 B2Granted
Semi-autonomous multi-use robot system and method of operation
AssigneeBattelle Memorial Institute
InventorsDarren P. Krasny, Richard L. Shoaf, Jeffrey D. Keip, Scott A. Newhouse, Timothy J. Lastrapes
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A semi-autonomous robot system (10) that includes scanning and scanned data manipulation that is utilized for controlling remote operation of a robot system within an operating environment.
Claims21
A robot system comprising:
- a track;
- a robot that includes a robot arm having multiple degrees of freedom of movement;
- a carriage configured to carry said robot on said track;
- a 3D scanner mounted upon an end of said robot arm, said 3D scanner configured to collect environmental data from an operating environment surrounding said robot while said robot remains within a safe working volume;
- and
- an operator station that includes a computer and associated software and is located remotely from said robot arm, said operator station configured to control movement of said robot arm and said carriage;
- wherein, in said safe working volume, said robot is configured to translate along said track in a tucked position without colliding with any portion of the operating environment,
- wherein said 3D scanner is a laser device configured to gather said environmental data, wherein said computer and associated software is configured to voxelize said scanned data and to utilize said voxelized data to define said operating environment, and wherein said computer and associated hardware is configured to utilize said voxelized data to define movements of said carriage and said robot arm with said operating environment that also avoids collisions between said carriage and said robot arm with said operating environment.
5 more elements
A method for operating a robot system that comprises the steps of:
- providing a robot system that includes:
- a robot arm having multiple degrees of freedom of movement;
- a carriage configured to carry the robot;
- a 3D scanner mounted upon an end of the robot arm;
- and an operator station located remotely from the robot arm, the operator station configured to control movement of the robot arm and the carriage;
- collecting 3D scanned data with the 3D scanner regarding an operating environment surrounding the robot while the robot remains within a safe working volume;
- using the 3D scanned data to form an operating environment mesh that represents the operating environment;
- selecting a desired position on the operating environment mesh;
- determining a path for moving the robot and the carriage that avoids any collisions between the robot, the 3D scanner and the operating environment such that the 3D scanner is positioned to scan the selected desired position;
- and
- moving the robot and the carriage via the determined path,
- wherein, in said safe working volume, the robot is configured to translate along the track in a tucked position without the robot, said 3D scanner, or said carriage colliding with any portion of the operating environment.
9 more elements
A robot system comprising:
- a track;
- a robot that includes a robot arm having multiple degrees of freedom of movement;
- a carriage configured to carry said robot on said track;
- a 3D scanner mounted upon an end of said robot arm, said 3D scanner configured to collect 3D environmental data from an operating environment surrounding said robot while said robot remains in a safe working volume;
- and
- an operator station that includes a computer and associated software and is located remotely from said robot arm, said operator station configured to control movement of said robot arm and said carriage;
- said robot system configured to collect the scanned 3D environmental data with the 3D scanner regarding an operating environment surrounding the robot, use the scanned 3D environmental data to form a mesh that represents the operating environment, and select a desired position on the mesh for the robot within the robot operating environment,
- wherein, in said safe working volume, said robot is configured to translate along said track in a tucked position without colliding with any portion of the operating environment.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.