Apparatus, device, method and computer program for an autonomously acting machine or a computer system

1 . An apparatus for an autonomously acting machine, the apparatus comprising:

at least one sensor and/or at least one actuator for obtaining measurement data and/or actuation data, respectively, of the autonomously acting machine;

an interface for communicating with a computer system, the computer system being separate from the autonomously acting machine; and

a processor for executing machine-readable instructions to:

generate information about an internal state of the autonomously acting machine based on the measurement data and/or the actuation data;

provide the information about the internal state of the autonomously acting machine to the computer system,

obtain a feedback signal from the computer system, the feedback signal indicating whether sensor data for observing the autonomously acting machine is consistent with the internal state of the autonomously acting machine, wherein the feedback signal is based on a comparison between predicted sensor data generated by a digital twin of the autonomously acting machine and the observed sensor data, wherein the digital twin is a virtual model configured to simulate behavior of the autonomously acting machine and an internal state of the digital twin is based on the internal state of the autonomously acting machine, and

operate the autonomously acting machine based on the feedback signal.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to execute the machine-readable instructions to stop the operation of the autonomously acting machine if the feedback signal fails to occur within a predetermined time frame.

3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to execute the machine-readable instructions to stop the operation of the autonomously acting machine if the feedback signal indicates that the sensor data is inconsistent with the internal state of the autonomously acting machine, that an appearance of an environment of the autonomously acting machine does not correspond to an expected appearance, or that the environment comprises one or more potential sources of interference.

4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to execute the machine-readable instructions to obtain the sensor data for observing the autonomously acting machine at least in part from at least one sensor of the autonomously acting machine and to provide the sensor data to the computer system.

5 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to execute the machine-readable instructions to obtain the sensor data for observing the autonomously acting machine at least in part from at least one sensor external to the autonomously acting machine and to provide the sensor data to the computer system.

6 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the sensor data comprises at least of one of camera sensor data, infrared sensor data, depth sensor data, and ultrasonic sensor data.

7 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein at least a part of the autonomously acting machine is represented in the sensor data,

or wherein at least a part of the autonomously acting machine and an environment of the autonomously acting machine is represented in the sensor data.

8 . An industrial robot comprising the apparatus of claim 1 .

9 . A mobile robot comprising the apparatus of claim 1 .

10 . An apparatus for a computer system, the apparatus comprising:

an interface for communicating with an autonomously acting machine, the computer system being separate from the autonomously acting machine; and

a processor for executing machine-readable instructions to:

implement a digital twin that is configured to simulate behavior of the autonomously acting machine;

obtain information about an internal state of the autonomously acting machine from the autonomously acting machine,

obtain sensor data for observing the autonomously acting machine,

parameterize the digital twin of the autonomously acting machine based on the information about the internal state of the autonomously acting machine,

determine whether the sensor data is consistent with the internal state of the autonomously acting machine based on the parameterized digital twin, and

send a feedback signal to the autonomously acting machine to operate the autonomously acting machine based on the feedback signal, the feedback signal indicating whether the sensor data is consistent with the internal state of the autonomously acting machine, wherein the feedback signal is generated based on a comparison between predicted sensor data generated by the digital twin of the autonomously acting machine and the observed sensor data.

11 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the processor is configured to execute the machine-readable instructions to calculate an expected appearance of the autonomously acting machine in the sensor data based on the digital twin, to compare the expected appearance of the autonomously acting machine to an appearance of the autonomously acting machine from the sensor data, and to provide the feedback signal based on the comparison.

12 . The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the processor is configured to execute the machine-readable instructions to determine a geometry of the autonomously acting machine based on the digital twin, and to calculate the expected appearance of the autonomously acting machine based on the geometry of the autonomously acting machine.

13 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein at least a part of the autonomously acting machine and an environment of the autonomously acting machine is represented in the sensor data, wherein the processor is configured to execute the machine-readable instructions to calculate an expected appearance of the environment of the autonomously acting machine, and to provide the feedback signal based on a comparison between the expected appearance of the environment and the representation of the environment of the autonomously acting machine from the sensor data.

14 . The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the processor is configured to execute the machine-readable instructions to detect one or more potential sources of interference in the representation of the environment of the autonomously acting machine from the sensor data, and to provide the feedback signal based on the detection of the one or more potential sources of interference.

15 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the processor is configured to execute the machine-readable instructions to suspend the feedback signal if the sensor data is inconsistent with the internal state of the autonomously acting machine, if an appearance of an environment of the autonomously acting machine does not correspond to an expected appearance, or if the environment comprises one or more potential sources of interference.

16 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the processor is configured to execute the machine-readable instructions to provide the feedback signal such that the feedback signal indicates whether the sensor data is consistent with the internal state of the autonomously acting machine, whether an appearance of an environment of the autonomously acting machine corresponds to an expected appearance, and/or whether the environment comprises one or more potential sources of interference.

17 . A computer system comprising the apparatus of claim 10 .

18 . A method for an autonomously acting machine, the method comprising:

obtaining measurement data and/or actuation data of the autonomously acting machine by using at least one sensor and/or at least one actuator for, respectively;

generating information about an internal state of the autonomously acting machine based on the measurement data and/or the actuation data;

providing the information about the internal state of the autonomously acting machine to a computer system, wherein the computer system is separate from the autonomously acting machine,

obtaining a feedback signal from the computer system, the feedback signal indicating whether sensor data for observing the autonomously acting machine is consistent with the internal state of the autonomously acting machine, wherein the feedback signal is based on a comparison between predicted sensor data generated by a digital twin of the autonomously acting machine and the observed sensor data, wherein the digital twin is a virtual model configured to simulate behavior of the autonomously acting machine and an internal state of the digital twin is based on the internal state of the autonomously acting machine, and

operating the autonomously acting machine based on the feedback signal.

19 . A non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium containing a program code that, when executed, causes a machine to perform the method of claim 18 .