Object handling control device, object handling device, object handling method, and computer program product

1. An object handling control device, comprising:

one or more processors configured to:

acquire at least object information and status information, the object information representing an object grasped by a grasper, the status information representing an initial position and a destination of the object;

set, when the grasper grasping the object moves from the initial position to the destination, a first region, a second region, and a third region in accordance with the object information and the status information, the first region being a region in which the grasper is allowed to move without being restricted by an obstacle present in a space between the initial position and the destination, the second region being a region in which the grasper is restricted from moving due to the obstacle, the third region at least part of which is set below the second region, the third region being a region in which the grasper is operated under force control; and

calculate a moving route along which the object is moved from the initial position to the destination with reference to the first region, the second region, and the third region,

wherein the third region includes:

a first control region in which a pressing control is performed as the force control, and

a second control region in which a repulsive control is performed as the force control, and

in the pressing control, the object is pressed against a surface of the obstacle substantially orthogonally under a first pressing condition, and

in the pressing control, the one or more processors change the destination and recalculates the moving route when a contact area between a pressing surface of the object and a pressing surface of the obstacle is smaller than a contact threshold.

2. The object handling control device according to claim 1 , wherein in the second region, at least the grasper is restricted from approaching the obstacle from upward to downward.

3. An object handling device comprising:

the object handling control device according to claim 1 ;

a grasper; and

a motion controller that causes the grasper grasping the object to move along the calculated moving route.

4. An object handling method, comprising:

acquiring at least object information and status information, the object information representing an object grasped by a grasper, the status information representing an initial position and a destination of the object;

setting, when the grasper grasping the object moves from the initial position to the destination, a first region, a second region, and a third region in accordance with the object information and the status information, the first region being a region in which the grasper is allowed to move without being restricted by an obstacle present in a space between the initial position and the destination, the second region being a region in which the grasper is restricted from moving due to the obstacle, the third region at least part of which is set below the second region, the third region being a region in which the grasper is operated under force control;

calculating a moving route along which the object is moved from the initial position to the destination with reference to the first region, the second region, and the third region; and

moving the grasper grasping the object along the moving route

wherein the third region includes:

a first control region in which a pressing control is performed as the force control, and

a second control region in which a repulsive control is performed as the force control, and

in the pressing control, the object is pressed against a surface of the obstacle substantially orthogonally under a first pressing condition, and

in the pressing control, further changing the destination and recalculating the moving route when a contact area between a pressing surface of the object and a pressing surface of the obstacle is smaller than a contact threshold.

5. A computer program product including programmed object-handling instructions embodied in and stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium, wherein the instructions, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform:

acquiring at least object information and status information, the object information representing an object grasped by a grasper, the status information representing an initial position and a destination of the object;

setting, when the grasper grasping the object moves from the initial position to the destination, a first region, a second region, and a third region in accordance with the object information and the status information, the first region being a region in which the grasper is allowed to move without being restricted by an obstacle present in a space between the initial position and the destination, the second region being a region in which the grasper is restricted from moving due to the obstacle, the third region at least part of which is set below the second region, the third region being a region in which the grasper is operated under force control; and

calculating a moving route along which the object is moved from the initial position to the destination with reference to the first region, the second region, and the third region; and

moving the grasper grasping the object along the moving route

wherein the third region includes:

a first control region in which a pressing control is performed as the force control, and

a second control region in which a repulsive control is performed as the force control, and

in the pressing control, the object is pressed against a surface of the obstacle substantially orthogonally under a first pressing condition, and

in the pressing control, further changing the destination and recalculating the moving route when a contact area between a pressing surface of the object and a pressing surface of the obstacle is smaller than a contact threshold.