The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 15, 2021
Filed:
Jan. 10, 2019
General Electric Company, Schenectady, NY (US);
General Electric Company, Schenectady, NY (US);
Abstract
Methods and systems for controlling a snake-arm robot. In an embodiment, a server computer receives real-time image data associated with at least one of an operating environment and a location of a workpiece from an optical sensor mounted on a robot head of a snake-arm robot, and receives, input data describing a desired pose of the robot head from a user device. The server computer then computes a desired velocity of the robot head using an image Jacobian, translates the desired velocity of the robot head into incremental displacement data and rotation data within a control cycle, computes a position of each of a plurality of links comprising a snake-arm of the snake-arm robot to follow motion of the robot head, computes a current position of each of the plurality of links utilizing a forward dynamics model, and computes force and torque data required to move at least one of a plurality of joints connecting the links to move the snake-arm robot to the desired pose. The method also includes generating movement instructions based on the force and torque data, and transmitting the movement instructions to at least one of a drive motor associated with an introduction device and a plurality of controllers associated with servo-motors operably connected to joints connecting the links of the snake arm causing the robot head to move to the desired pose.