Robots with collision avoidance functionality

US8311731B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Honda Research Institute Europe GmbH · DE

Inventors

• Hisashi Sugiura · Osaka, JP
• Herbert Janssen · Offenbach, DE
• Michael Gienger · Frankfurt am Main, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Mar 20, 2008
• Grant date: Nov 13, 2012
• Expiry date: Sep 30, 2030

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G05B2219/40492
• WIPO field: Handling
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

A robot is provided with a motion control unit that avoids collision between segments of the robot or between segments of the robot and other objects. The motion control unit of the robot comprises a distance computing module, a whole body control module, a collision avoidance module, and a blending control unit. The distance computing module calculates two closest points of different segments of the robot connected to each other via at least one joint or a segment of the robot and another object. The collision avoidance module is provided with the information about the two closest points. The blending control unit combines the weighted output control signals of the whole body control module and the collision avoidance control module. The weight of the whole body control output signal is higher when the risk of collision is lower. The weight of the collision avoidance control output signal is higher when the risk of collision is higher. The collision avoidance module is designed to control a collision avoidance action only in the direction parallel to a line connecting between the two closest points.