Systems, devices, articles, and methods for robots in workplaces

1. A method of operation in a robotic system including at least one robot that is selectively operable in an autonomous mode and operable in a piloted mode by a human operator via an operator interface operator, at least one processor in communication with the robot, and in communication with the operator interface, the method comprising:

receiving, by the at least one processor, a request to process a pipeline of tasks including a plurality of tasks;

assessing, by the at least one processor, an ability to complete one of the plurality of tasks prior to the robot attempting the one of the plurality of tasks;

in response to a positive assessment of the ability to complete the one of the plurality of tasks, performing the one of the plurality of tasks by the robot without human intervention;

assessing, by the at least one processor, an ability to complete an other one of the plurality of tasks;

in response to a negative assessment of the ability to complete the other one of the plurality of tasks, requesting, by the at least one processor, a pilot to operate the robot for the other one of the plurality of the tasks; and

performing the other one of the plurality of the tasks under guidance of a human operator based at least in part on instructions received from the human operator via an operator interface.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of tasks comprises:

gripping, by the robot, an item.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of tasks comprises a task selected from the group consisting of:

identifying an item;

releasing an item; and

placing an item in an order container.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein performing the task by the robot without human intervention further comprises:

executing, one or more times, by the robot, autonomous control instructions which when executed by the robot causes the robot to autonomously perform the one of the plurality of tasks.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

producing, by the robot, data that represents non-completion of the one of the plurality of tasks; and

including, by the at least one processor, the data that represents the non-completion of the one of the plurality of tasks in the assessment of completion of the one of the plurality of tasks.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

creating, by the at least one processor, a motion plan for the robot to autonomously perform the one of the plurality of tasks in the pipeline of tasks; and

deriving, by the at least one processor, a probability of completion of the one of the plurality of tasks from the motion plan.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

requesting the pilot to operate the robot for the other one of the plurality of the tasks occurs before performing the one of the plurality of tasks by the robot without human intervention.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

producing, by the robot, environmental sensor data that represents an environment of the robot; and

updating, by the at least one processor, at least one tangible computer readable storage medium with processor readable information that represents one or more of:

the environmental sensor data,

the other one of the plurality of tasks, and

the instructions received from the human operator via an operator interface.

9. A method of operation in a robotic system including a robot, at least one processor in communication with the robot, and an operator interface in communication with the robot and the at least one processor, the method comprising:

receiving, by the at least one processor, a request to process a pipeline of tasks;

directing, by the at least one processor, the robot to autonomously perform a first task in the pipeline of tasks;

deriving, by the at least one processor, an assessment of completion of the first task prior to attempting the first task;

as a result of the assessment of completion of the first task being negative, requesting, by the at least one processor, an operator at an operator interface perform the first task;

sending, from the robot, environmental sensor data that represents the environment of the robot; and

receiving, at the robot, device control instructions, generated at the operator interface, which when executed by the robot, causes the robot to perform the first task in the pipeline of tasks.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the first task in the pipeline of tasks further comprises:

gripping, by the robot, an item.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the first task in the pipeline of tasks further comprises a task selected from the group consisting of:

identifying an item;

releasing an item; and

placing an item in an order container.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein directing the robot to autonomously perform the first task in the pipeline of tasks further comprises:

executing, by the robot, autonomous control instructions, which when executed by the robot causes the robot to autonomously perform the first task in the pipeline of tasks.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

producing, by the robot, data that represents non-completion of the first task; and

including, by the at least one processor, the data that represents the non-completion of the first task in the assessment of completion of the first task.

14. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

creating, by the robot, a motion plan for the robot to autonomously perform the first task in the pipeline of tasks; and

deriving, by the robot, the assessment of completion of the first task from the motion plan.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein:

deriving the assessment of completion of the first task from the motion plan further comprises deriving, by the at least one processor, a probability for completion of the first task; and

the assessment of completion of the first task is negative as a result of the probability of completion of the first task being below a defined threshold.

16. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

directing, by the at least one processor, the robot to autonomously perform a second task in the pipeline of tasks.

17. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

updating, by the at least one processor, at least one tangible computer readable storage medium with at least one processor readable information that represents the environmental sensor data, and the device control instructions.

18. A system, comprising:

a robot;

at least one processor configured to communicate with the robot; and

memory storing instructions that, as a result of execution by the at least one processor, causes the system to:

receive, by the at least one processor, a request to process a pipeline of tasks including a plurality of tasks;

assess, by the at least one processor, an ability to complete one of the plurality of tasks prior to the robot attempting the one of the plurality of tasks;

perform, in response to a positive assessment of the ability to complete the one of the plurality of tasks, the one of the plurality of tasks by the robot without human intervention;

assess, by the at least one processor, an ability to complete an other one of the plurality of tasks;

request, by the at least one processor in response to a negative assessment of the ability to complete the other one of the plurality of tasks, a pilot to operate the robot for the other one of the plurality of the tasks; and

perform the other one of the plurality of the tasks under guidance of a human operator based at least in part on instructions from the human operator.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein execution of the instructions causes the system to:

create, by the at least one processor, a motion plan for the robot to autonomously perform the one of the plurality of tasks in the pipeline of tasks; and

derive, by the at least one processor, a probability of completion of the one of the plurality of tasks from the motion plan.

20. The system of claim 18 , wherein execution of the instructions causes the system to:

receive, by the at least one processor, environmental sensor data generated by the robot that represents an environment of the robot; and

update, by the at least one processor, information stored in the memory that represents one or more of:

the environmental sensor data,

the other one of the plurality of tasks, and

the instructions received from the human operator via an operator interface.