Robotic systems, methods, and end-effectors for harvesting produce

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9554512-B2
Application number	US-201514849729-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 10, 2015
Priority date	Sep 12, 2014
Publication date	Jan 31, 2017
Grant date	Jan 31, 2017

Abstract

Robotic systems and specialized end-effectors provide for automated harvesting of produce such as fresh market apples. An underactuated design using tendons and flexure joints with passive compliance increases robustness to position error, overcoming a significant limitation of previous fruit harvesting end-effectors. Some devices use open-loop control, provide a shape-adaptive grasp, and produce contact forces similar to those used during optimal hand picking patterns. Other benefits include relatively low weight, low cost, and simplicity.

First claim

We claim:

1. A robotic produce harvesting system, comprising:
an end-effector comprising
a palm; and
at least three primary fingers which are tendon-driven,
wherein said end-effector is underactuated, and
wherein the robotic end-effector is configured to grasp a piece of produce to be harvested with a power grasp;

a manipulator for positioning the end-effector in three-dimensional space; and
a machine vision system for providing a location of the piece of produce to be harvested.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein planned trajectories of the manipulator are executed using a look-and-move approach.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein said end-effector has a passive, adaptive grasp.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the end-effector further comprises a single actuator and a disc differential for simultaneously actuating all of the primary fingers together.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the end-effector utilizes open-loop, feedforward control.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the primary fingers are arranged symmetrically about the palm.

7. A method of autonomous robotic harvesting of fruit, comprising
approaching a piece of fruit that is nearest to and reachable by a robotic end-effector, said approach being made along an azimuth angle;
grasping the piece of fruit with a first set of fingers; and
picking and dropping the piece of fruit,
wherein said approaching step includes determining, using a machine vision system, a location of the piece of fruit that is nearest to and reachable by the robotic end-effector.

Assignees

• Univ Washington State

Inventors

• Davidson Joseph Ryan
• Mo Changki
• Zhang Qin
• Silwal Abhisesh
• Karkee Manoj

Classifications

• B25J13/084

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

• B25J15/10

  with three or more finger members {(B25J15/0009 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B25J9/1697

  Vision controlled systems · CPC title

• G05B2219/45003

  Harvester · CPC title

• B25J9/1664

  characterised by motion, path, trajectory planning · CPC title