Robots with perception-based fiber-optic tactile sensing and methods for providing the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10857684-B2
Application number	US-201816164630-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 18, 2018
Priority date	Oct 18, 2018
Publication date	Dec 8, 2020
Grant date	Dec 8, 2020

Abstract

Systems and methods for perception-based tactile sensing in a robot are provided. The robot may include an external portion and an illuminator that outputs illumination. The robot may further include a receiving sensor that receives illumination. The robot may also include a pair of conduits, located at an external portion, that include an injecting conduit that traverses one or more housings of the robot. The injecting conduit may be configured to receive the illumination from the illuminator and output the illumination to illuminate an object external to the robot. The pair of conduits may also include a receiving conduit, traversing one or more housings of the robot, configured to receive the illumination from the object external to the robot and output the illumination to the receiving sensor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A robot having perception-based tactile sensing, comprising:
an external portion;
an illuminator configured to output illumination of a different color to each of a plurality of injecting conduits;
a receiving sensor configured to receive illumination;
conduits, located at the external portion, comprising:
the plurality of injecting conduits, traversing one or more housings of the robot, configured to:
receive the illumination from the illuminator; and
output the illumination to illuminate an object external to the robot; and

a receiving conduit, traversing one or more housings of the robot, configured to:
receive the illumination from the object external to the robot; and
output the illumination to the receiving sensor.

2. The robot of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the injecting conduits is configured to directly provide illumination originating from the illuminator to an exterior point on the robot.

3. The robot of claim 2 , wherein the receiving conduit is configured to provide a direct connection for illumination received at the exterior point on the robot to the receiving sensor.

4. The robot of claim 3 wherein the exterior point on the robot comprises a lens or window.

5. The robot of claim 3 further comprising a processor configured to calibrate the location of each of a plurality of exterior points with respect to exterior portions of the robot.

6. The robot of claim 3 wherein a plurality of exterior points on the robot each correspond to a pixel in the receiving sensor.

7. The robot of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the injecting conduits and the receiving conduit in a pair are each part of a different conduit bundle.

8. The robot of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of conduit bundles.

9. The robot of claim 8 , wherein at least one of the injecting bundles comprises a plurality of injecting conduits and at least one of the receiving bundles comprises a plurality of receiving conduits.

10. The robot of claim 9 , wherein the injecting conduits in the plurality of bundles originate from the illuminator.

11. The robot of claim 10 , wherein the receiving conduits in the plurality of bundles terminate at the receiving sensor.

12. The robot of claim 11 , further comprising a plurality of pairs wherein at least two of the pairs are located at different exterior points on different exterior surfaces of the robot.

13. The robot of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of pairs.

14. The robot of claim 13 wherein at least two of the pairs are located at different exterior points on different exterior surfaces of the robot.

15. The robot of claim 1 wherein the receiving sensor comprises an array of pixels.

16. The robot of claim 1 wherein one or more pixels are registered to an individual injecting conduit, an exterior point, or both.

17. The robot of claim 1 wherein the illuminator comprises a laser or infrared light source.

18. The robot of claim 1 wherein the different colors are utilized for three dimensional imaging.

19. A robot having perception-based tactile sensing, comprising:
one or more external portions;
an illuminator configured to output illumination of a different color to each of a plurality of injecting conduits;
a receiving sensor configured to receive illumination;
a plurality of pairs of conduits each located at the one or more external portions, wherein each pair comprises:
an injecting conduit, traversing one or more housings of the robot, configured to:
receive the illumination from the illuminator; and
output the illumination to illuminate an object external to the robot,

wherein the injecting conduit is configured to directly provide illumination originating from the illuminator to an exterior point on the robot; and
a receiving conduit, traversing one or more housings of the robot, configured to:
receive the illumination from the object external to the robot; and
output the illumination to the receiving sensor, wherein the receiving conduit is configured to directly provide illumination received at the exterior point on the robot to the receiving sensor;

a plurality of conduit bundles, wherein:
at least two of the conduit bundles each comprise a plurality of injecting conduits and a plurality of receiving conduits; and
the injecting conduits in the plurality of bundles originate from the illuminator;

an external skin having exterior points each comprising a lens or window; and
a processor configured to calibrate the location of each of a plurality of exterior points with respect to exterior portions of the robot.

Assignees

• Toyota Res Inst Inc

Inventors

• Zapolsky Samuel
• Stone Kevin
• Amacker Matthew
• Poursohi Arshan

Classifications

• G02B6/50

  Underground or underwater installation; Installation through tubing, conduits or ducts · CPC title

• G02B6/4415

  Cables for special applications (G02B6/4429, G02B6/4439, G02B6/4479 take precedence) · CPC title

• B25J9/0009

  Constructional details, e.g. manipulator supports, bases · CPC title

• B25J13/084

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

• B25J19/025 Primary

  including optical fibres · CPC title