Systems and methods for providing contact detection in an articulated arm

1. A sensing manipulator of an articulated arm, said sensing manipulator comprising a compliant section for engaging an object and a movement detection system for detecting movement in at least two degrees of freedom of the compliant section as the compliant section engages an object and the sensing manipulator moves the object, wherein said effector portion of the articulated arm is provided with a vacuum at an opening of a tubular or conical bellows that is in communication with a vacuum source.

2. The sensing manipulator as claimed in claim 1 , wherein movement of said compliant section is detectable by the movement detection system in three degrees of freedom.

3. The sensing manipulator as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the compliant section is provided as a vacuum cup at the end effector portion of the articulated arm.

4. The sensing manipulator as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the opening is provided at a rim that contacts the object and wherein the movement detection system detects movement of the compliant section at the opening in the at least two degrees of freedom.

5. The sensing manipulator as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the compliant section includes a flexible section formed in the shape of the tubular or conical bellows.

6. The sensing manipulator as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the movement detection system includes at least one force sensitive resistor.

7. The sensing manipulator as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the movement detection system includes at least three movement detectors.

8. The sensing manipulator as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the movement detectors each include a force sensitive resistor.

9. The sensing manipulator as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the movement detectors each include a magnetic field sensor.

10. The sensing manipulator as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the movement detection system includes an attachment band around the compliant section.

11. The sensing manipulator as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the movement of the compliant section is detected in each of three degrees of freedom.

12. A sensing manipulator of an articulated arm, said sensing manipulator comprising a compliant section for engaging an object, said compliant section providing movement in at least two degrees of freedom, and a movement detection system for detecting movement of the compliant section in the at least two degrees of freedom of the compliant section as the compliant section engages an object, and for providing output data regarding movement of the compliant section in the at least two degrees of freedom, wherein an end effector portion of the articulated arm is provided with a vacuum at an opening of a tubular or conical bellows that is in communication with a vacuum source.

13. The sensing manipulator as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the compliant section is provided as a vacuum cup at the end effector portion of the articulated arm.

14. The sensing manipulator as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the opening is provided at a rim that contacts the object and wherein the movement detection system detects movement of the compliant section at the opening in the at least two degrees of freedom.

15. The sensing manipulator as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the compliant section includes a flexible section formed in the shape of the tubular or conical bellows.

16. The sensing manipulator as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the movement detection systems provides output data regarding movement of the compliant section in the at least two degrees of freedom.

17. The sensing manipulator as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the movement detection system includes at least three movement detectors.

18. The sensing manipulator as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the movement detection system includes a force sensitive resistor.

19. The sensing manipulator as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the movement detection system includes a magnetic field sensor.

20. The sensing manipulator as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the movement detection system includes an attachment band around the compliant section.

21. The sensing manipulator as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the movement of the compliant section is detected in each of three degrees of freedom.

22. A method of determining the position and orientation of an object held by an end effector of a programmable motion system, said method comprising the steps of:

engaging the object in a working environment of the programmable motion system using a compliant section of the end effector such that the compliant section directly engages the object, wherein the compliant section is provided as a tubular or conical vacuum bellows;

perceiving an initial position of a movement detector;

lifting the object against gravity;

perceiving a subsequent position of the movement detector; and

determining at least one of load, pitch, roll and yaw of the object responsive to the initial position of the movement detector and the subsequent position of the movement detector.

23. The sensing manipulator as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least two degrees of freedom include at least two of load, pitch, roll and yaw.

24. The sensing manipulator as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the at least two degrees of freedom include at least two of load, pitch, roll and yaw.

25. A sensing manipulator of an articulated arm, said sensing manipulator comprising a compliant section for engaging an object and a movement detection system for detecting movement in at least two degrees of freedom of the compliant section as the compliant section engages an object and the sensing manipulator moves the object, wherein the compliant section includes a flexible section formed in the shape of a tubular or conical bellows, and wherein the movement detection system includes at least one force sensitive resistor.

26. The sensing manipulator as claimed in claim 25 , wherein movement of said compliant section along both the first direction and at least one direction transverse to said first direction, are is detectable by the movement detection system in three degrees of freedom.

27. The sensing manipulator as claimed in claim 25 , wherein the compliant section is provided as a vacuum cup at an end effector portion of the articulated arm.

28. The sensing manipulator as claimed in claim 25 , wherein said end effector portion is provided with a vacuum at an opening of a tubular or conical bellows that is in communication with a vacuum source at the opening of the tubular or conical bellows.

29. The sensing manipulator as claimed in claim 28 , wherein the opening is provided at a rim that contacts the object and wherein the movement detection system detects movement of the compliant section at the opening in the at least two degrees of freedom.

30. The sensing manipulator as claimed in claim 25 , wherein the movement detection system includes at least three movement detectors.

31. The sensing manipulator as claimed in claim 30 , wherein the movement detectors each include a force sensitive resistor.

32. The sensing manipulator as claimed in claim 30 , wherein the movement detectors each include a magnetic field sensor.

33. The sensing manipulator as claimed in claim 25 , wherein the movement of the compliant section along the first direction and the at least one direction that is transverse to the first direction, includes movement along a third direction that is at least partially transverse to the first direction detection system includes an attachment band around the compliant section.

34. The sensing manipulator as claimed in claim 25 , wherein the movement of the compliant section along the first direction and the at least one direction that is transverse to the first direction, includes movement along a third direction that is transverse to the first direction is detected in each of three degrees of freedom.

35. A sensing manipulator of an articulated arm, said sensing manipulator comprising a compliant section for engaging an object and a movement detection system for detecting movement in at least two degrees of freedom of the compliant section as the compliant section engages an object and the sensing manipulator moves the object, wherein the movement detection system includes at least three movement detectors, and wherein the movement detectors include at least one force sensitive resistor.

36. The sensing manipulator as claimed in claim 35 , wherein movement of said compliant section is detectable by the movement detection system in three degrees of freedom.

37. The sensing manipulator as claimed in claim 35 , wherein the compliant section is provided as a vacuum cup at an end effector portion of the articulated arm.

38. The sensing manipulator as claimed in claim 37 , wherein said end effector portion is provided with a vacuum at an opening of a tubular or conical bellows that is in communication with a vacuum source.

39. The sensing manipulator as claimed in claim 38 , wherein the opening is provided at a rim that contacts the object and wherein the movement detection system detects movement of the compliant section at the opening in the at least two degrees of freedom.

40. The sensing manipulator as claimed in claim 35 , wherein the compliant section includes a flexible section formed in the shape of a tubular or conical bellows.

41. The sensing manipulator as claimed in claim 40 , wherein the movement detection system includes a plurality of force sensitive resistors.

42. The sensing manipulator as claimed in claim 35 , wherein the movement detection system includes an attachment band around the compliant section.

43. The sensing manipulator as claimed in claim 35 , wherein the movement of the compliant section is detected in each of three degrees of freedom.

44. The sensing manipulator as claimed in claim 35 , wherein the at least two degrees of freedom include at least two of load, pitch, roll and yaw.

45. A sensing manipulator of an articulated arm, said sensing manipulator comprising a compliant section for engaging an object and a movement detection system for detecting movement in at least two degrees of freedom of the compliant section as the compliant section engages an object and the sensing manipulator moves the object, wherein the at least two degrees of freedom include at least two of load, pitch, roll and yaw.

46. The sensing manipulator as claimed in claim 45 , wherein movement of said compliant section is detectable by the movement detection system in three degrees of freedom.

47. The sensing manipulator as claimed in claim 45 , wherein the compliant section is provided as a vacuum cup at an end effector portion of the articulated arm.

48. The sensing manipulator as claimed in claim 45 , wherein said end effector portion is provided with a vacuum at an opening of a tubular or conical bellows that is in communication with a vacuum source.

49. The sensing manipulator as claimed in claim 48 , wherein the opening is provided at a rim that contacts the object and wherein the movement detection system detects movement of the compliant section at the opening in the at least two degrees of freedom.

50. The sensing manipulator as claimed in claim 45 , wherein the compliant section includes a flexible section formed in the shape of a tubular or conical bellows.

51. The sensing manipulator as claimed in claim 50 , wherein the movement detection system includes at least one force sensitive resistor.

52. The sensing manipulator as claimed in claim 45 , wherein the movement detection system includes at least three movement detectors.

53. The sensing manipulator as claimed in claim 52 , wherein the movement detectors each include a force sensitive resistor.

54. The sensing manipulator as claimed in claim 52 , wherein the movement detectors each include a magnetic field sensor.

55. The sensing manipulator as claimed in claim 45 , wherein the movement detection system includes an attachment band around the compliant section.

56. The sensing manipulator as claimed in claim 45 , wherein the movement of the compliant section is detected in each of three degrees of freedom.

57. A sensing manipulator of an articulated arm, said sensing manipulator comprising a compliant section for engaging an object, said compliant section providing movement in at least two degrees of freedom, and a movement detection system for detecting movement of the compliant section in the at least two degrees of freedom of the compliant section as the compliant section engages an object, and for providing output data regarding movement of the compliant section in the at least two degrees of freedom, wherein the movement detection system includes a force sensitive resistor.

58. The sensing manipulator as claimed in claim 57 , wherein the compliant section is provided as a vacuum cup at an end effector portion of the articulated arm.

59. The sensing manipulator as claimed in claim 58 , wherein said end effector portion is provided with a vacuum at an opening of a tubular or conical bellows that is in communication with a vacuum source.

60. The sensing manipulator as claimed in claim 59 , wherein the opening is provided at a rim that contacts the object and wherein the movement detection system detects movement of the compliant section at the opening in the at least two degrees of freedom.

61. The sensing manipulator as claimed in claim 57 , wherein the compliant section includes a flexible section formed in the shape of a tubular or conical bellows.

62. The sensing manipulator as claimed in claim 57 , wherein the movement detection systems provides output data regarding movement of the compliant section in the at least two degrees of freedom.

63. The sensing manipulator as claimed in claim 57 , wherein the movement detection system includes at least three movement detectors.

64. The sensing manipulator as claimed in claim 57 , wherein the movement detection system includes a force sensitive resistor.

65. The sensing manipulator as claimed in claim 57 , wherein the movement detection system includes a magnetic field sensor.

66. The sensing manipulator as claimed in claim 57 , wherein the movement detection system includes an attachment band around the compliant section.

67. The sensing manipulator as claimed in claim 57 , wherein the movement of the compliant section is detected in each of three degrees of freedom.

68. A sensing manipulator of an articulated arm, said sensing manipulator comprising a compliant section for engaging an object, said compliant section providing movement in at least two degrees of freedom, and a movement detection system for detecting movement of the compliant section in the at least two degrees of freedom of the compliant section as the compliant section engages an object, and for providing output data regarding movement of the compliant section in the at least two degrees of freedom, wherein the at least two degrees of freedom include at least two of load, pitch, roll and yaw.

69. The sensing manipulator as claimed in claim 68 , wherein the compliant section is provided as a vacuum cup at an end effector portion of the articulated arm.

70. The sensing manipulator as claimed in claim 68 , wherein said end effector portion is provided with a vacuum at an opening of a tubular or conical bellows that is in communication with a vacuum source.

71. The sensing manipulator as claimed in claim 70 , wherein the opening is provided at a rim that contacts the object and wherein the movement detection system detects movement of the compliant section at the opening in the at least two degrees of freedom.

72. The sensing manipulator as claimed in claim 68 , wherein the compliant section includes a flexible section formed in the shape of a tubular or conical bellows.

73. The sensing manipulator as claimed in claim 68 , wherein the movement detection systems provides output data regarding movement of the compliant section in the at least two degrees of freedom.

74. The sensing manipulator as claimed in claim 68 , wherein the movement detection system includes at least three movement detectors.

75. The sensing manipulator as claimed in claim 68 , wherein the movement detection system includes a force sensitive resistor.

76. The sensing manipulator as claimed in claim 68 , wherein the movement detection system includes a magnetic field sensor.

77. The sensing manipulator as claimed in claim 68 , wherein the movement detection system includes an attachment band around the compliant section.

78. The sensing manipulator as claimed in claim 68 , wherein the movement of the compliant section is detected in each of three degrees of freedom.

79. The method as claimed in claim 22 , wherein movement of said compliant section is detectable by the movement detection system in three degrees of freedom.

80. The metyhod as claimed in claim 22 , wherein the compliant section is provided as a vacuum cup at an end effector portion of the articulated arm.

81. The method as claimed in claim 22 , wherein said end effector is provided with a vacuum at an opening of a tubular or conical bellows that is in communication with a vacuum source.

82. The method as claimed in claim 81 , wherein the opening is provided at a rim that contacts the object and wherein the movement detection system detects movement of the compliant section at the opening in the at least two degrees of freedom.

83. The method as claimed in claim 22 , wherein the compliant section includes a flexible section formed in the shape of a tubular or conical bellows.

84. The method as claimed in claim 83 , wherein the movement detection system includes at least one force sensitive resistor.

85. The method as claimed in claim 22 , wherein the movement detection system includes at least three movement detectors.

86. The method as claimed in claim 85 , wherein the movement detectors each include a force sensitive resistor.

87. The method as claimed in claim 85 , wherein the movement detectors each include a magnetic field sensor.

88. The method as claimed in claim 22 , wherein the movement detection system includes an attachment band around the compliant section.

89. The method as claimed in claim 22 , wherein the movement of the compliant section is detected in each of three degrees of freedom.