SYSTEM AND METHOD OF ROBOTICALLY ENGAGING AN OBJECT

1 . A method for engaging objects with a robotic system, the method comprising:

capturing an image of an imprecisely-engaged object with an image capture device;

processing the captured image to identify a pose of the imprecisely-engaged object; and

determining a pose deviation based upon the pose of the imprecisely-engaged object and an ideal pose of a corresponding ideally-engaged object.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining a pose of the imprecisely engaged object based upon the pose deviation and a reference coordinate system; and

determining a path of movement for the imprecisely engaged object from a current pose to an object destination based upon the determined pose.

3 . The method of claim 1 wherein processing the captured image and determining the pose deviation comprises:

processing the captured image to identify a reference point pose for at least one reference point of the imprecisely-engaged object; and

determining the pose deviation based upon the reference point pose of the identified reference point and a corresponding reference point pose on a an ideally-engaged object.

4 . The method of claim 3 , further comprising:

determining a difference between the identified reference point on the imprecisely-engaged object and a model reference point on a known model of the imprecisely-engaged object, such that determining the pose deviation is based at least in part upon the difference between the identified reference point and the model reference point.

5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining a deviation work path based upon the determined pose deviation, wherein the deviation work path corresponds to an ideal work path offset by the determined pose deviation.

6 . The method of claim 5 , further comprising:

moving the imprecisely-engaged object along the determined deviation work path.

7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining an object pose of the imprecisely-engaged object based upon the determined pose deviation, wherein the object pose is defined with respect to a reference coordinate system; and

determining a path of movement for the imprecisely-engaged object, wherein the path of movement is determined based upon the object pose and the reference coordinate system.

8 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising:

moving the imprecisely-engaged object along the determined path of movement.

9 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising:

moving the imprecisely-engaged object along the determined path of movement to an object destination.

10 . The method of claim 6 wherein the path of movement is further determined based upon a moveable object destination.

11 . The method of claim 1 wherein determining the pose deviation comprises:

determining a distance deviation.

12 . The method of claim 1 wherein determining the pose deviation comprises:

determining an orientation deviation.

13 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

imprecisely engaging an object with an engaging device.

14 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

imprecisely engaging a tool with an engaging device, wherein the imprecisely-engaged object is the imprecisely-engaged tool.

15 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

in response to determining the pose deviation, updating a tool definition for the tool.

16 . A robotic system that engages objects, comprising:

an engaging device operable to imprecisely engage an object;

an image capture device operable to capture an image of the imprecisely-engaged object; and

a control system communicatively coupled to the image capture device, and operable to:

receive the captured image;

process the captured image to identify a pose of at least one reference point of the imprecisely-engaged object; and

determine a pose deviation based upon the pose of the identified reference point and a reference point pose of a corresponding reference point on an ideally-engaged object.

17 . The system of claim 16 wherein the control system is operable to determining a pose of the imprecisely engaged object based upon the pose deviation and a robot coordinate system and to determining a path of movement for the imprecisely engaged object from a current pose to an object destination based upon the determined pose.

18 . The system of claim 16 wherein the control system is operable to determine a difference between at least one identified reference point on the imprecisely-engaged object and a model reference point on a known model of the imprecisely-engaged object, such that determining the pose deviation is based at least in part upon the difference between the identified reference point and the model reference point.

19 . The system of claim 16 wherein the image capture device is physically coupled to the engaging device.

20 . The system of claim 16 wherein the image capture device is physically coupled to a remote structure.

21 . The system of claim 16 , further comprising:

a robot member operable to move the imprecisely-engaged object, and wherein the image capture device is physically coupled to the robot member.

22 . A method for engaging objects with a robotic system, the method comprising:

processing a captured image of an imprecisely-engaged object to identify an initial pose of the imprecisely-engaged object;

referencing the initial pose of the imprecisely-engaged object with a coordinate system; and

determining a path of movement for the imprecisely-engaged object, wherein the path of movement begins at the initial pose for the imprecisely-engaged object and ends at an intended destination for the imprecisely-engaged object.

23 . The method of claim 22 , further comprising:

processing the captured image to identify an initial pose of at least one reference point of the imprecisely-engaged object; and

determining a pose deviation based upon the initial pose and a reference point pose of a corresponding reference point on an ideally-engaged object.

24 . The method of claim 23 wherein processing the captured image to identify an initial pose of at least one reference point comprises:

processing the captured image to identify the initial pose of at least one secondary reference point; and

translating the initial pose of the at least one secondary reference point to the initial pose the reference point.

25 . The method of claim 22 , further comprising:

determining a difference between at least one identified reference point on the imprecisely-engaged object and a model reference point on a known model of the imprecisely-engaged object, such that determining the path of movement is based at least in part upon the difference between the identified reference point and the model reference point.

26 . The method of claim 22 wherein determining the path of movement for the imprecisely-engaged object comprises:

determining a pose deviation based upon the initial pose and a reference point pose of a corresponding reference point on an ideally-engaged object; and

offsetting an ideal path of movement with an offset based upon the determined pose deviation.

27 . The method of claim 22 , further comprising:

moving the imprecisely-engaged object along the determined path of movement.

28 . A system for engaging objects with a robotic system, comprising:

means for imprecisely engaging an object;

means for capturing an image of an imprecisely-engaged object with an image capture device;

means for processing the captured image to identify a pose of the imprecisely-engaged object; and

means for determining a pose deviation based upon the pose of the imprecisely-engaged object and an ideal pose of a corresponding ideally-engaged object.

29 . The system of claim 28 , further comprising:

means for moving the imprecisely-engaged object along a determined path of movement, wherein the determined path of movement is based upon the determined pose deviation.

30 . The system of claim 28 , further comprising:

means for adjusting an imprecise pose of the imprecisely-engaged object to an ideal pose.

31 . A method for engaging objects with a robotic system, the method comprising:

capturing an image of a plurality of imprecisely-engaged objects with an image capture device;

processing the captured image to determine a pose of at least one of the imprecisely-engaged objects with respect to a reference coordinate system; and

determining a path of movement for the at least one imprecisely engaged object to an object destination based upon the identified pose.

32 . The method of claim 31 wherein processing the captured image to identify a pose comprises:

processing the captured image to identify a reference point pose for at least one reference point of the at least one imprecisely-engaged object; and

determining the pose of at least one of the imprecisely-engaged objects based upon the reference point pose.

33 . The method of claim 31 , further comprising:

determining pose of at least two of the plurality of imprecisely-engaged objects;

selecting one of the at least two imprecisely-engaged objects based upon a pose of interest.

34 . The method of claim 33 , further comprising:

initially engaging the plurality of imprecisely-engaged objects with a first engaging device;

imprecisely engaging the selected one of the imprecisely-engaged objects with a second engaging device; and

processing a second captured image to determine a second pose of at least one of the imprecisely-engaged objects with respect to a reference coordinate system, such that determining the path of movement to the object destination for the selected imprecisely-engaged object is determined from the second pose.

35 . A method for engaging objects with a robotic system, the method comprising:

acquiring information about an imprecisely-engaged object;

processing the acquired information to identify a pose of the imprecisely-engaged object; and

determining a pose of the imprecisely-engaged object.

36 . The method of claim 35 wherein determining a pose of the imprecisely-engaged object is based upon an ideal pose of a corresponding ideally-engaged object and a reference coordinate system.

37 . The method of claim 35 wherein acquiring information about the imprecisely-engaged object comprises:

acquiring ultrasound information.

38 . The method of claim 35 wherein acquiring information about the imprecisely-engaged object comprises:

acquiring magnetic information.

39 . The method of claim 38 wherein acquiring magnetic information comprises:

acquiring magnetic information with a magnetic resonant imaging device.

40 . The method of claim 35 wherein acquiring information about the imprecisely-engaged object comprises:

acquiring laser energy information.

41 . A method for engaging objects with a robotic system, the method comprising:

capturing an image of an imprecisely-engaged object with an image capture device;

processing the captured image to determine at least one object attribute of the imprecisely-engaged object; and

determining the pose of the imprecisely-engaged object based upon the determined object attribute.

42 . The method of claim 41 , further comprising:

determining a path of movement to an object destination for the imprecisely engaged object from the determined pose.

43 . The method of claim 41 wherein processing the captured image and determining the pose deviation comprises:

processing the captured image to identify a reference point pose for at least one reference point of the imprecisely-engaged object; and

determining the pose based upon the reference point pose.

44 . The method of claim 43 , further comprising:

determining a difference between the identified reference point on the imprecisely-engaged object and a model reference point on a known model of the imprecisely-engaged object, such that determining the pose is based at least in part upon the difference between the identified reference point and the model reference point.

45 . The method of claim 41 , further comprising:

imprecisely engaging a tool with the engaging device, wherein the imprecisely-engaged object is the imprecisely-engaged tool, and wherein the determined pose is pose of the imprecisely-engaged tool.

46 . The method of claim 41 , further comprising:

in response to determining the pose, updating a tool definition for the tool.