Toyota Research Institute, Inc.

Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha

Erik C Sobel

Alexander Alspach

Kunimatsu Hashimoto

Russell L Tedrake

Takuya Ikeda

Naveen Suresh Kuppuswamy

Avinash Uttamchandani

Samson F Creasey

Guy Danner

Ira Spool

Seth O Newburg

Aimee S Goncalves

Todd J Rowell

Joseph Fenton

Calder Phillips-Grafflin

Jonathan Kalow

Nicholas Brennan

Stephen Hughes

Systems and methods for determining a location of a robot are provided. A method includes receiving, by a processor, a signal from a deformable sensor including data with respect to a deformation region in a deformable membrane of the deformable sensor resulting from contact with a first object. The data associated with contact with the first object is compared, by the processor, to details associated with contact with the first object to information associated with a plurality of objects stored in a database. The first object is identified, by the processor, as a first identified object of the plurality of objects stored in the database. The first identified object is an object of the plurality of objects stored in the database that is most similar to the first object. The location of the robot is determined, by the processor, based on a location of the first identified object.

Systems for determining location using robots with deformable sensors

A robot arm assembly for detecting a pose and force associated with an object is provided. The robot arm assembly includes an end effector having a plurality of fingers, and a deformable sensor provided on each finger. The deformable sensor includes a housing, a deformable membrane coupled to the housing, an enclosure filled with a medium, and an internal sensor disposed within the housing having a field of view directed through the medium and toward an internal surface of the deformable membrane. A processor is configured to receive an output from each internal sensor, the output including a contact region of the deformable membrane as a result of contact with the object. The processor determines an amount of displacement of the contact region based on the output from each internal sensor, and determines the pose and the force associated with the object based on the amount of displacement.

Robot arm assemblies including fingers having deformable sensors

A method for alerting a driver when a cyclist is detected near an ego vehicle is described. The method includes detecting a presence of an object proximate the ego vehicle. The method also includes identifying the object as the cyclist according to geometric characteristics and/or speed data of the detected object. The method further includes displaying a graphical indication of the cyclist on a passenger side/driver side mirror of the ego vehicle while the cyclist is in a blind spot of the ego vehicle.

Detection of bicyclists near ego vehicles

Systems and methods for detecting pose and force against an object are provided. A method includes receiving a signal from a deformable sensor comprising data from a deformation region in a deformable membrane resulting from contact with the object utilizing an internal sensor disposed within an enclosure and having a field of view directed through a medium and toward a bottom surface of the deformable membrane. The method also determines a pose of the object based on the deformation region of the deformable membrane. The method also determines an amount of force applied between the deformable membrane and the object is determined based on the deformation region of the deformable membrane.

Deformable sensors and methods for detecting pose and force against an object

A robotic grommet installer includes a robotic arm and an installation unit. The installation unit includes a rotary grommet holder rotatively coupled to the robotic arm and an installer coupled to the robotic arm. The rotary grommet holder includes a plurality of grommet chambers spaced circumferentially about a rotational axis of the rotary grommet holder. Each grommet chamber of the plurality of grommet chambers is configured to hold a plurality of grommets. The installer is configured to retrieve a grommet from the rotary grommet holder, wherein the rotary grommet holder is configured to rotate to align the installer with an available grommet positioned within one of the plurality of grommet chambers.

Robotic grommet installers and methods of installing grommets

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.

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

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Newton, MA, United States of America

Erik C Sobel