Robots with compliant contact and geometry sensors having varying touch sensitivity and methods for providing the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10549428-B2
Application number	US-201815913603-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 6, 2018
Priority date	Sep 26, 2017
Publication date	Feb 4, 2020
Grant date	Feb 4, 2020

Abstract

Robots having varying touch sensitivity are provided. A robot may include a plurality of deformable sensors with differing levels of depth resolution and spatial resolution for detecting a pose and force associated with an object. Each deformable sensor may have an enclosure comprising a deformable membrane, the enclosure configured to be filled with a medium. Each deformable sensor may further include an optical sensor, disposed within the enclosure, having a field of view configured to be directed toward a bottom surface of the deformable membrane. The robot may also include a first portion and a second portion, each comprising at least one deformable sensor of the plurality of deformable sensors.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A robot having touch sensitivity, comprising:
a plurality of deformable sensors with differing levels of depth resolution and spatial resolution for detecting a pose and force associated with an object, wherein each deformable sensor comprises:
an enclosure comprising a deformable membrane, the enclosure configured to be filled with a medium; and
an optical sensor, disposed within the enclosure, having a field of view configured to be directed toward a bottom surface of the deformable membrane; and

a first portion and a second portion each comprising at least one deformable sensor of the plurality of deformable sensors.

2. The robot of claim 1 further comprising a processor configured to analyze a contact region in the deformable membrane as a result of contact with the object to determine both a pose of the object and an amount of force applied between the deformable membrane and the object.

3. The robot of claim 1 wherein the enclosure further comprises a housing, and the deformable membrane is coupled to an upper portion of the housing.

4. The robot of claim 1 wherein the first portion comprises a first subset of the plurality of deformable sensors.

5. The robot of claim 4 wherein the second portion comprises a second subset of the plurality of deformable sensors.

6. The robot of claim 4 wherein at least two of the deformable sensors differ in size.

7. The robot of claim 1 wherein the first portion and the second portion are non-overlapping.

8. The robot of claim 1 wherein the first portion is configured to provide an aggregate spatial resolution exceeding the second portion.

9. The robot of claim 1 wherein the first portion is configured to provide an aggregate spatial resolution exceeding the second portion based upon:
a quantity of deformable sensors in the first portion; and
a spatial resolution obtained from each deformable sensor in the first portion.

10. The robot of claim 1 wherein depth resolution or spatial resolution of deformable sensors in the first portion is configured based upon a softness value received by the processor and pertaining to an object with which the first portion interacts.

11. The robot of claim 10 wherein depth resolution or spatial resolution of deformable sensors in the second portion is configured to differ from the corresponding depth resolution or spatial resolution of deformable sensors in the first portion based upon the first portion and the second portion being configured to interact with a plurality of objects having differing softness values.

12. The robot of claim 1 wherein at least one of the deformable sensors comprises a plurality of internal sensors.

13. The robot of claim 1 wherein the first portion is configured to interact with the object in simultaneous coordination with a portion of a second robot.

14. The robot of claim 13 wherein an aggregate spatial resolution of the first portion of the robot equals the portion of the second robot.

15. The robot of claim 1 wherein at least at least one of the deformable sensors comprises a clamping mechanism to attach to a robot.

16. A robot having touch sensitivity, comprising:
a first portion and a second portion each comprising at least one of a plurality of deformable sensors, wherein the plurality of deformable sensors comprise differing levels of depth resolution and spatial resolution for detecting a pose and force associated with an object, and wherein each deformable sensor of the plurality of deformable sensors comprises:
an enclosure comprising a deformable membrane, the enclosure configured to be filled with a medium; and
an internal sensor, disposed within the enclosure, having a field of view configured to be directed through the medium and toward a bottom surface of the deformable membrane; and

a processor configured to analyze a contact region in the deformable membrane as a result of contact with the object to determine both a pose of the object and an amount of force applied between the deformable membrane and the object.

17. The robot of claim 16 further comprising a first portion and a second portion each comprising at least one of the plurality of deformable sensors.

18. The robot of claim 17 where depth resolution or spatial resolution of deformable sensors in the first portion is configured based upon a softness value received by the processor and pertaining to an object with which the first portion interacts and depth resolution or spatial resolution of deformable sensors in the second portion is configured to differ from the corresponding depth resolution or spatial resolution of deformable sensors in the first portion based upon the first portion and the second portion being configured to interact with a plurality of objects having differing softness values.

19. The robot of claim 17 wherein the first portion is configured to provide an aggregate spatial resolution exceeding the second portion based upon at least one of:
a quantity of deformable sensors in the first portion; and
a spatial resolution obtained from each deformable sensor in the first portion.

20. The robot of claim 16 wherein at least one internal sensor comprises a time of flight sensor.

Assignees

• Toyota Res Inst Inc

Inventors

• Alspach Alexander
• Tedrake Russell L
• Hashimoto Kunimatsu
• Sobel Erik C

Classifications

• G01L1/04

  by measuring elastic deformation of gauges, e.g. of springs · CPC title

• B25J9/1633

  compliant, force, torque control, e.g. combined with position control · CPC title

• B25J13/084 Primary

  Tactile sensors (in general G01L5/16, G01L5/22) · CPC title

• G05B2219/40253

  Soft arm robot, light, rubber, very compliant · CPC title

• G01B11/16

  for measuring the deformation in a solid, e.g. optical strain gauge · CPC title