Omron Corporation

Andres Rodriguez Campo

John Drinkard

Akihiro Suzumura

Sean Bailey

Gaurav Misra

Kautilya Chenna

Disclosed techniques for graph generation for online path planning offer multiple advantages, such as providing for high-quality motion during online operation of the robot, while reducing the computational burden of graph generation. Achieving these competing goals involves reducing the dimensionality of the graph generation problem by performing unconstrained sampling that defines partial robot poses that set values for fewer than all configuration parameters of the robot. The remaining configuration parameters for each sample are then determined in dependence on a distance function that relates the partial pose to one or more reference robot poses that are associated with one or more tasks to be performed by the robot and are provided as inputs to the graph generation. Reference robot poses may be determined automatically based on computer analysis of the robot application or may be user-input values.

Method and apparatus for improved sampling-based graph generation for online path planning by a robot

Disclosed techniques embody advantageous approaches to online task and motion planning for robots, based on the decomposition of robot tasks into subtasks having attached attributes that, among other things, indicate whether dynamic trajectory modification is permitted during subtask execution. The decomposition and attribute tagging allows for hybrid motion control during task execution, for example, with some subtasks allowing for reactive motion planning for collision avoidance, and other subtasks disallowing reactive motion. Collision avoidance for non-reactive subtasks involves, for example, coordinating volume reservations within an involved robot work cell, to prevent other robots from interfering with a robot engaged in a subtask designated as non-reactive. Determination of which subtasks are non-reactive relies on information included in an input task specification and may be based on user analysis or automated analysis of the involved robot application.

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San Ramon, CA, United States of America

Andres Rodriguez Campo