IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,571,814
Granted Patent B2
US 11,571,814 · App. 16/570,976 · Granted Feb 7, 2023

Determining how to assemble a meal

Inventors: David M. S. Johnson (Cambridge, MA); Syler Wagner (Somerville, MA); Steven Lines (Brookline, MA); Mitchell Hebert (Littleton, CO)
Assignee: The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, Inc.
B25J9/1666B25J9/0009B25J9/16B25J9/161B25J9/1633B25J9/1653B25J9/1664B25J9/1674B25J9/1676B25J9/1682B25J9/1687B25J9/1697B25J11/0045B25J13/003B25J13/085B25J13/088B25J15/0052B25J15/0408B25J19/0083B25J19/023B65G1/137G05D1/02G06N3/08G06Q10/06316G06V40/28G10L15/22A47J44/00G05B19/4061G05B2219/32335G05B2219/39001G05B2219/39091G05B2219/39319G05B2219/39342G05B2219/39468G05B2219/40201G05B2219/40202G05B2219/40411G05B2219/40497G05B2219/45111G05B2219/49157G05B2219/50391H04L67/12
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,571,814
App. No.
16/570,976
Granted
Feb 7, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

In an embodiment, a method includes determining a given material to manipulate to achieve a goal state. The goal state can be one or more deformable or granular materials in a particular arrangement. The method further includes, for the given material, determining, a respective outcome for each of a plurality of candidate actions to manipulate the given material. The determining can be performed with a physics-based model, in one embodiment. The method further can include determining a given action of the candidate actions, where the outcome of the given action reaching the goal state is within at least one tolerance. The method further includes, based on a selected action of the given actions, generating a first motion plan for the selected action.

Claims (49)

1. A method comprising:

determining a given material to manipulate with an end effector of one or more autonomous robots to achieve a goal state, the goal state being one or more deformable or granular materials in a geometric distribution;

for the given material, simulating a respective simulated geometric distribution for each of a plurality of candidate actions performed by the end effector of the one or more autonomous robots to manipulate the given material;

selecting a given action of the candidate actions based on the respective simulated geometric distribution of the selected given action having a closest geometric distribution of the goal state;

based on the selected given action, generating a first motion plan for the one or more autonomous robots to execute the selected given action; and

executing the first motion plan using the one or more autonomous robots.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

creating a new goal state having the given material manipulated;

determining a new given material to manipulate to achieve a new goal state, the new goal state being one or more deformable or granular materials including the given material in a particular arrangement;

for the new given material, simulating a respective simulated geometric distribution for each of a plurality of new candidate actions to manipulate the new given material;

selecting a given new action of the new candidate actions based on the respective simulated geometric distribution of the new given action having a closest geometric distribution of the new goal state; and

based on the new selected given action, generating a second motion plan for the new selected given action.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

ordering, for execution, the first motion plan and second motion plan based on one or more rules, wherein the rules include one or more of material based rules, ease of assembly rules, and parallelization rules, said ordering resulting in an order.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:

executing the first motion plan and second motion plan in the order using one or more autonomous robots.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein a first autonomous robot of the one or more autonomous robots executes the first motion plan and a second autonomous robot of the one or more autonomous robots executes the second motion plan.

6. The method of claim 3 , wherein ordering is based on at least one of:

one or more instructions of ingredients or actions;

a set of material rules;

predicted based on a physics-based model, and

a heuristic.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining a given action of the candidate actions includes one or more of:

adding the given material to the goal state;

removing a given material from an existing state; and

performing a process step to the given material and one or more other materials.

8. A system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory with computer code instructions stored thereon, the processor and the memory, with the computer code instructions, being configured to cause the system to:

determine a given material to manipulate with an end effector of one or more autonomous robots to achieve a goal state, the goal state being one or more deformable or granular materials in a geometric distribution;

for the given material, simulate a respective simulated geometric distribution for each of a plurality of candidate actions performed by the end effector of the one or more autonomous robots to manipulate the given material;

selecting a given action of the candidate actions based on the respective simulated geometric distribution of the selected given action having a closest geometric distribution of the goal state;

based on the selected given action of the given one or more actions, generate a first motion plan for the one or more autonomous robots to execute selected action; and

executing the first motion plan using one or more autonomous robots.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

create a new goal state having the given material manipulated;

determine a new given material to manipulate to achieve a new goal state, the new goal state being one or more deformable or granular materials including the given material in a particular arrangement;

for the new given material, simulate, with a physics-based simulator, a respective simulated geometric distribution of new candidate actions to manipulate the new given material;

select a given new action of the candidate actions based on the respective simulated geometric distribution of the given new action reaching the new goal state;

based on a new selected action, generate a second motion plan for the new selected action.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

order, for execution, the first motion plan and second motion plan based on one or more rules, wherein the rules include one or more of material based rules, ease of assembly rules, and parallelization rules, said ordering resulting in an order.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

execute the first motion plan and second motion plan in the order using one or more autonomous robots.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein a first autonomous of the one or more autonomous robot executes the first motion plan and a second autonomous robot of the one or more autonomous robots executes the second motion plan.

13. The system of claim 10 , wherein ordering is based on one or more instructions of ingredients or actions.

14. The system of claim 8 , wherein determining a given action of the candidate actions includes one or more of:

adding the given material to the goal state; and

performing a process step to the given material and one or more other materials.

Assignments (4)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 22, 2025
From: THE CHARLES STARK DRAPER LABORATORY, INC.
To: DEXAI ROBOTICS, INC.
Reel/Frame 071796/0179 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE TYPOGRAPHICAL ERROR IN ASSIGNEE NAME FROM THE CHARLES START DRAPER LABORATORY, INC. TO CHARLES STARK DRAPER LABORATORY, INC. PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 66964 FRAME: 614. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Apr 5, 2024
From: THE CHARLES STARK DRAPER LABORATORY, INC.
To: DEXAI ROBOTICS, INC.
Reel/Frame 067845/0985 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 1, 2024
From: THE CHARLES START DRAPER LABORATORY, INC.
To: DEXAI ROBOTICS, INC.
Reel/Frame 066964/0614 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 30, 2023
From: JOHNSON, DAVID M.S.; WAGNER, SYLER; HEBERT, MITCHELL
To: THE CHARLES STARK DRAPER LABORATORY, INC.
Reel/Frame 062530/0529 →
Continuity (7)
Provisional Application 62731398 · Sep 14, 2018
Provisional Application 62730918 · Sep 13, 2018
Provisional Application 62730703 · Sep 13, 2018
Provisional Application 62730934 · Sep 13, 2018
Provisional Application 62730947 · Sep 13, 2018
Provisional Application 62730933 · Sep 13, 2018
Related Publication 20200090099A1 · Mar 19, 2020
Cited By (1)
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