IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,311,529
Granted Patent B2
US 12,311,529 · App. 17/678,227 · Granted May 27, 2025

Systems and devices for surface slip detection

Inventors: Alexander Alspach (Woburn, MA); Andrew Beaulieu (Somerville, MA); Avinash Uttamchandani (Cambridge, MA)
Assignee: Toyota Research Institute, Inc.
B25J13/083B25J15/0033B25J15/0042
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,311,529
App. No.
17/678,227
Filed
Feb 23, 2022
Granted
May 27, 2025
Kind
B2
Art Unit
3658
USPC
700/258
Abstract

A system includes a processor, a robotic arm comprising an end effector, wherein the end effector comprises a plurality of ridges, a sensor configured to detect vibrations from the plurality of ridges, and a memory module. The memory module stores machine-readable instructions that cause the processor to perform operations including contacting, with the plurality of ridges, a target object, detecting, with the sensor, vibrations from the plurality of ridges caused by a movement between the target object and the plurality of ridges, determining an attribute of the movement based on the detected signals, and adjusting the end effector based on the attribute of the movement.

Claims (52)

1. A system comprising:

a processor;

a robotic arm comprising an end effector, wherein the end effector comprises a plurality of ridges, wherein a thickness of the plurality of ridges varies along at least one axis;

a sensor configured to detect vibrations from the plurality of ridges;

an output device configured to produce vibrations within the end effector; and

a non-transitory memory module storing machine-readable instructions that cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

contacting, with the plurality of ridges, a target object;

outputting the vibration from the output device to amplify the vibrations from the plurality of ridges;

detecting, with the sensor, vibrations from the plurality of ridges caused by a movement between the target object and the plurality of ridges;

determining an attribute of the movement based on the detected signals; and

adjusting the end effector based on the attribute of the movement.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of ridges are concentric shapes extending from a surface of the end effector.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of ridges are waves extending from a surface of the end effector.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of ridges are a non-uniformly distributed group of lines extending from a surface of the end effector.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of ridges are a uniformly distributed group of lines extending from a surface of the end effector.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein a surface of the end effector forms the plurality of ridges.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the detecting comprises detecting movement with an inertial measurement unit.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the detecting comprises detecting sound with a microphone.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the attribute comprises at least one of a direction or a magnitude of the movement.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the machine-readable instructions cause the processor to perform operations further comprising:

receiving a training data set comprising a plurality of vibration data and a plurality of attributes corresponding to the plurality of vibration data; and

training a machine learning model based on the training data set; wherein:

the determining the attribute of the movement based on the detected signals is based on the trained machine learning model.

11. A robotic arm comprising:

a processor;

an end effector comprising a plurality of ridges;

a sensor configured to detect vibrations from the plurality of ridges, wherein a thickness of the plurality of ridges varies along at least one axis;

an output device configured to produce vibrations within the end effector; and

a non-transitory memory module storing machine-readable instructions that cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

contacting, with the plurality of ridges, a target object;

outputting the vibration from the output device to amplify the vibrations from the plurality of ridges;

detecting, with the sensor, vibrations from the plurality of ridges caused by a movement between the target object and the plurality of ridges;

determining an attribute of the movement based on the detected signals; and

adjusting the end effector based on the attribute of the movement.

12. The robotic arm of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of ridges are a non-uniformly distributed group of lines extending from a surface of the end effector.

13. The robotic arm of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of ridges are a uniformly distributed group of lines extending from a surface of the end effector.

14. The robotic arm of claim 11 , wherein a surface of the end effector forms the plurality of ridges.

15. The robotic arm of claim 11 , wherein the attribute comprises at least one of a direction or a magnitude of the movement.

16. The robotic arm of claim 11 , wherein the machine-readable instructions cause the processor to perform operations further comprising:

receiving a training data set comprising a plurality of vibration data and a plurality of attributes corresponding to the plurality of vibration data; and

training a machine learning model based on the training data set; wherein:

the determining the attribute of the movement based on the detected signals is based on the trained machine learning model.

17. An end effector comprising:

a plurality of ridges;

a sensor configured to detect vibrations from the plurality of ridges, wherein a thickness of the plurality of ridges varies along at least one axis;

an output device configured to produce a vibration over a range of frequencies; and

a controller configured to perform operations comprising:

contacting, with the plurality of ridges, a target object;

detecting, with the sensor, vibrations from the plurality of ridges caused by a movement between the target object and the plurality of ridges, wherein one or more frequencies of the range of frequencies amplifies a frequency of the vibrations;

determining an attribute of the movement based on the detected signals; and

adjusting the end effector based on the attribute of the movement.

18. The end effector of claim 17 , wherein the plurality of ridges has a saw wave configuration.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 28, 2025
From: TOYOTA RESEARCH INSTITUTE, INC.
To: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Reel/Frame 072704/0537 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 23, 2022
From: ALSPACH, ALEXANDER; BEAULIEU, ANDREW; UTTAMCHANDANI, AVINASH
To: TOYOTA RESEARCH INSTITUTE, INC.
Reel/Frame 059076/0203 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230264366A1 · Aug 24, 2023
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