SBIR Phase I: Whole-body 3D perception for human-safe collaborative robots

SBIR 第一阶段：人体安全协作机器人的全身 3D 感知

• 批准号: 1843188
• 负责人: Nicolaus Correll
• 金额: $ 22.5万
• 依托单位: Robotic Materials Inc
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2019
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2019-02-01 至 2019-07-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1843188&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: SBIR; Phase; Whole; body; 3D

The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is to enable a new generation of collaborative robots that are capable and safe. Collaborative robotics is poised to revolutionize manufacturing where they will enable better utilization of factory space and machines, reduce energy cost, and mitigate labor shortages. Safe operation is a critical factor for successful operation of collaborative robotics, especially if they are mobile. The proposed project will demonstrate that tactile sensing skins can make robots safer, more collaborative, and manufactured at reasonable cost. The proposed task will also contribute to workforce development and enhance scientific understanding in the critical fields of robotics, soft robotics, and artificial intelligence, as well as providing opportunities for local students.This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will investigate a novel type of tactile sensing skin to improve robot safety and its ability to interact with human users. Unlike previous work, the proposed skin can detect obstacles from a distance of up to 20cm, as well as measuring contact and force. Also, the ability to detect user gestures such as tapping, rubbing or poking, opens new avenues for human-robot interaction and will enable the study of truly collaborative robots. The proposed research and development project will overcome the following key challenges that stand in the way of commercializing the technology: scaling from single patches to full-body sensing skins, fusing proximity data collected from the skin with those provided by conventional 3D sensors, and demonstrating its benefits in a series of real-world use cases.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

该项目更广泛的影响/商业潜力是实现新一代的协作机器人，这些机器人既有能力又安全。协作机器人有望彻底改变制造业，使其能够更好地利用工厂空间和机器，降低能源成本，缓解劳动力短缺。安全操作是协作机器人成功操作的关键因素，特别是如果它们是移动的。该项目将证明触觉传感皮肤可以使机器人更安全，更具协作性，并以合理的成本制造。这项小型企业创新研究（SBIR）第一期项目将研究一种新型的触觉感知皮肤，以改善机器人的安全性和与人类用户互动的能力。与以前的工作不同，拟议中的皮肤可以检测距离最远20厘米的障碍物，以及测量接触和力。此外，检测用户手势的能力，如点击，摩擦或戳，为人机交互开辟了新的途径，并将使真正的协作机器人的研究成为可能。拟议的研究和开发项目将克服阻碍该技术商业化的以下关键挑战：从单个贴片扩展到全身传感皮肤，将从皮肤收集的接近数据与传统3D传感器提供的数据融合，并在一系列真实的-该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。