Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

United States of America As Represented by the Administrator of Nasa

Harnischfeger Technologies, Inc.

UniversitÈ Laval

Joy Global Surface Mining Inc

Matthew J Reiland

Muhammad E Abdallah

Robert E Platt

Adam M Sanders

Charles W Wampler, Ii

Brian Hargrave

Myron A Diftler

Chris A Ihrke

Brian K Hargrave, Jr

Steven Koxlien

Ryan A Munoz

Wesley P Taylor

Douglas Martin Linn

Lyndon Bridgwater

Frank Noble Permenter

Philip A Strawser

Mark M Flees

Kamal Kishore Gupta

Dalong Gao

Clement M Gosselin

Leandro G Barajas

Jason Knuth

Nicholas R Voelz

Thierry Laliberte

Donald R Davis

Nicolaus A Radford

Joshua S Mehling

Simon Foucault

Daniel Schlegel

Adam H Parsons

Robert O Ambrose

Boris Mayer-St-Onge

Neil David McKay

Alexandre Lecours

Scott R Askew

Robert J Platt, Jr

Anthony Reid

Marc-Antoine Lacasse

David M Reich

David E Milburn

Linda Y Harkenrider

Paul Sisneros

Phillip A Strawser

Ted Doheny

Systems and methods for providing feedback to an operator of an industrial machine. One system includes a controller including an electronic processor. The electronic processor is configured to monitor at least one operating parameter of the industrial machine, determine a plurality of performance metrics based on the at least one operating parameter, and select a subset of the plurality of performance metrics based on a selection criterion. The electronic processor is also configured to display the subset of the plurality of performance metrics to an operator of the industrial machine during operation of the industrial machine.

Providing operator feedback during operation of an industrial machine

Systems and methods for providing an overview-head view of an industrial machine, such as a shovel. One system includes at least one processor configured to receive data from at least one sensor installed on the shovel relating to the area around the shovel, identify a plurality of planes based on the data, determine if the plurality of planes are positioned in a predetermined configuration associated with a haul truck, and if the plurality of planes are positioned in the predetermined configuration, superimpose the plurality of planes on an overhead-view image of the shovel and the area.

Overhead view system for a shovel

A robotic charging station for charging a battery of an electric vehicle includes a base plate, a riser coupled with the base plate and extending substantially transverse to the base plate, and a robotic arm. The robotic arm extends from the riser and supports an end effector. The end effector includes a plurality of electrical contacts configured to couple with a receptacle disposed on the electric vehicle. The robotic arm is configured to move the end effector in three degrees of motion.

Robotically operated vehicle charging station

Systems and methods for detecting collisions. One system includes a processor configured to receive data from at least one sensor installed on a shovel, identify a plurality of planes based on the data, determine if the plurality of planes are positioned in a predetermined configuration associated with a haul truck to identify whether the plurality of planes represent a haul truck. The processor is further configured to receive a current position and a current direction of movement of a dipper of the shovel, and determine if a collision is possible between the dipper and the identified haul truck based on the plurality of planes, the current position, and the current direction of movement and without receiving any information from the haul truck. If a collision is possible, the processor is configured to alert an operator of the shovel and, optionally, augment movement of the dipper.

Collision detection and mitigation systems and methods for a shovel

A robotic system includes a controller and one or more robots each having a plurality of robotic joints. Each of the robotic joints is independently controllable to thereby execute a cooperative work task having at least one task execution fork, leading to multiple independent subtasks. The controller coordinates motion of the robot(s) during execution of the cooperative work task. The controller groups the robotic joints into task-specific robotic subsystems, and synchronizes motion of different subsystems during execution of the various subtasks of the cooperative work task. A method for executing the cooperative work task using the robotic system includes automatically grouping the robotic joints into task-specific subsystems, and assigning subtasks of the cooperative work task to the subsystems upon reaching a task execution fork. The method further includes coordinating execution of the subtasks after reaching the task execution fork.

Concurrent path planning with one or more humanoid robots

A tendon tensioning system includes a tendon having a proximal end and a distal end, an actuator, and a motor controller. The actuator may include a drive screw and a motor, and may be coupled with the proximal end of the tendon and configured to apply a tension through the tendon in response to an electrical current. The motor controller may be electrically coupled with the actuator, and configured to provide an electrical current having a first amplitude to the actuator until a stall tension is achieved through the tendon; provide a pulse current to the actuator following the achievement of the stall tension, where the amplitude of the pulse current is greater than the first amplitude, and return the motor to a steady state holding current following the conclusion of the pulse current.

System and method for tensioning a robotically actuated tendon

A robotic system includes a robot having a total number of degrees of freedom (DOF) equal to at least n, an underactuated tendon-driven finger driven by n tendons and n DOF, the finger having at least two joints, being characterized by an asymmetrical joint radius in one embodiment. A controller is in communication with the robot, and controls actuation of the tendon-driven finger using force control. Operating the finger with force control on the tendons, rather than position control, eliminates the unconstrained slack-space that would have otherwise existed. The controller may utilize the asymmetrical joint radii to independently command joint torques. A method of controlling the finger includes commanding either independent or parameterized joint torques to the controller to actuate the fingers via force control on the tendons.

Torque control of underactuated tendon-driven robotic fingers

An SEA architecture for controlling the torque applied by an SEA that has particular application for controlling the position of a robot link. The SEA architecture includes a motor coupled to one end of an elastic spring and a load coupled to an opposite end of the elastic spring, where the motor drives the load through the spring. The orientation of the shaft of the motor and the load are measured by position sensors. Position signals from the position sensors are sent to an embedded processor that determines the orientation of the load relative to the motor shaft to determine the torque on the spring. The embedded processor receives reference torque signals from a remote controller, and the embedded processor operates a high-speed servo loop about the desired joint torque. The remote controller determines the desired joint torque based on higher order objectives by their impedance or positioning objectives.

Architecture for robust force and impedance control of series elastic actuators

A humanoid robot includes a torso, a pair of arms, two hands, a neck, and a head. The torso extends along a primary axis and presents a pair of shoulders. The pair of arms movably extend from a respective one of the pair of shoulders. Each of the arms has a plurality of arm joints. The neck movably extends from the torso along the primary axis. The neck has at least one neck joint. The head movably extends from the neck along the primary axis. The head has at least one head joint. The shoulders are canted toward one another at a shrug angle that is defined between each of the shoulders such that a workspace is defined between the shoulders.

Humanoid robot

A robotic system includes a tendon-driven finger and a control system. The system controls the finger via a force-based control law when a tension sensor is available, and via a position-based control law when a sensor is not available. Multiple tendons may each have a corresponding sensor. The system selectively injects a compliance value into the position-based control law when only some sensors are available. A control system includes a host machine and a non-transitory computer-readable medium having a control process, which is executed by the host machine to control the finger via the force- or position-based control law. A method for controlling the finger includes determining the availability of a tension sensor(s), and selectively controlling the finger, using the control system, via the force or position-based control law. The position control law allows the control system to resist disturbances while nominally maintaining the initial state of internal tendon tensions.

Robust operation of tendon-driven robot fingers using force and position-based control laws

A robotic system includes a humanoid robot with multiple compliant joints, each moveable using one or more of the actuators, and having sensors for measuring control and feedback data. A distributed controller controls the joints and other integrated system components over multiple high-speed communication networks. Diagnostic, prognostic, and health management (DPHM) modules are embedded within the robot at the various control levels. Each DPHM module measures, controls, and records DPHM data for the respective control level/connected device in a location that is accessible over the networks or via an external device. A method of controlling the robot includes embedding a plurality of the DPHM modules within multiple control levels of the distributed controller, using the DPHM modules to measure DPHM data within each of the control levels, and recording the DPHM data in a location that is accessible over at least one of the high-speed communication networks.

Embedded diagnostic, prognostic, and health management system and method for a humanoid robot

A robotic system includes a humanoid robot having a plurality of joints adapted for force control with respect to an object acted upon by the robot, a graphical user interface (GUI) for receiving an input signal from a user, and a controller. The GUI provides the user with intuitive programming access to the controller. The controller controls the joints using an impedance-based control framework, which provides object level, end-effector level, and/or joint space-level control of the robot in response to the input signal. A method for controlling the robotic system includes receiving the input signal via the GUI, e.g., a desired force, and then processing the input signal using a host machine to control the joints via an impedance-based control framework. The framework provides object level, end-effector level, and/or joint space-level control of the robot, and allows for functional-based GUI to simplify implementation of a myriad of operating modes.

Method and apparatus for automatic control of a humanoid robot

A robotic system includes a robot having joints, actuators, and sensors, and a distributed controller. The controller includes command-level controller, embedded joint-level controllers each controlling a respective joint, and a joint coordination-level controller coordinating motion of the joints. A central data library (CDL) centralizes all control and feedback data, and a user interface displays a status of each joint, actuator, and sensor using the CDL. A parameterized action sequence has a hierarchy of linked events, and allows the control data to be modified in real time. A method of controlling the robot includes transmitting control data through the various levels of the controller, routing all control and feedback data to the CDL, and displaying status and operation of the robot using the CDL. The parameterized action sequences are generated for execution by the robot, and a hierarchy of linked events is created within the sequence.

Interactive robot control system and method of use

A system and method for providing multiple priority impedance control for a robot manipulator where impedance laws are realized simultaneously and with a given order of priority. The method includes a control scheme for realizing a Cartesian space impedance objective as a first priority while also realizing a joint space impedance objective as a second priority. The method also includes a control scheme for realizing two Cartesian space impedance objectives with different levels of priority. The method includes instances of the control schemes that use feedback from force sensors mounted at an end-effector and other instances of the control schemes that do not use this feedback.

Multiple priority operational space impedance control

Growing community of inventors

Oxford, MI, United States of America

Matthew J Reiland