Platform perturbation compensation
A method for compensating for a perturbation external to a platform having a plurality of mechanical arms in accordance with an embodiment of the technology includes detecting a normal positional and/or orientational measurement of the platform using a sensor. A perturbed positional and/or orientational measurement of the platform can also be detected using the sensor. The normal positional and/or orientational measurement and the perturbed positional and/or orientational measurement can be compared to determine a positional and/or orientational difference. A position and/or orientation of a mechanical arm can be adjusted to compensate for the perturbation based on the positional and/or orientational difference.
1. A method for compensating for a perturbation external to a platform having a plurality of mechanical arms, comprising:
detecting a normal positional measurement of the platform using a sensor;
detecting a perturbed positional measurement of the platform using the sensor;
comparing the normal positional measurement and the perturbed positional measurement to determine a positional difference; and
adjusting a position of at least one of the plurality of mechanical arms to compensate for the perturbation based on the positional difference.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the platform is a mobile platform, the method further comprising moving the mobile platform following detecting the normal positional measurement.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising locking out operator input to the mechanical arms, limiting operator input to the mechanical arms, or coordinating operator input and the perturbation compensation function.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein adjusting a position of at least one of the plurality of mechanical arms comprises extending the at least one of the plurality of mechanical arms outwardly from the platform to counter-balance a load carried by a different at least one of the plurality of mechanical arms.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising carrying a load with the at least one of the plurality of mechanical arms.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the perturbation external to the platform comprises a perturbation in a surface supporting the platform.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the perturbation external to the platform comprises a perturbation in a surface relative to the platform and which is independent of a surface supporting the platform.
8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining a perturbation compensation method for adjusting the position of the at least one of the plurality of mechanical arms.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the perturbation compensation method comprises absorbing shock to the platform from the perturbation.
10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the perturbation compensation method comprises positioning a distal end of the mechanical arms relative to an external frame of reference.
11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the perturbation compensation method comprises compensating for at least one of pitch, yaw, and roll of at least one of the platform and the mechanical arms.
12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the perturbation compensation method comprises balancing a load carried by the at least one of the plurality of mechanical arms.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein balancing the load further comprises maintaining a level position of the load.
14. A perturbation compensating system, comprising:
a platform;
a plurality of individually controllable mechanical arms coupled to the platform;
a position detecting sensor coupled to at least one of the platform and the mechanical arms, the position detecting sensor being operable to detect a perturbation in a position of the platform; and
a perturbation compensation module in communication with the mechanical arms and the position detecting sensor, wherein the perturbation compensation module is operable to adjust a position of at least one of the platform and at least one of the mechanical arms to compensate for the perturbation.
15. The system of claim 14 , further comprising input controls for enabling user selection of a desired perturbation compensation method from a plurality of perturbation compensation methods.
16. A system for compensating for a perturbation external to a platform having a plurality of mechanical arms, the system comprising a processor and a memory, wherein the memory includes program instructions capable of performing the operations of:
identifying a normal position of the platform;
detecting a perturbed position of the platform;
comparing the normal position and the perturbed position to determine a position difference; and
transmitting a control signal to at least one of the plurality of mechanical arms to move to compensate for the perturbation based on the position difference.
17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the memory includes program instructions capable of performing the further operation of determining a perturbation compensation method for adjusting the position of the at least one of the plurality of mechanical arms.
18. The system of claim 17 , wherein determining the perturbation compensation method further comprises:
identifying whether manual selection of the perturbation compensation method has been received; and
selecting a default perturbation compensation method when manual selection of the perturbation compensation method has not been received.
19. A computer readable medium comprising program instructions for compensating for a perturbation external to a platform having a plurality of mechanical arms, wherein the program instructions, when executed by a processor, function as a position identification module, a data analysis module, a perturbation compensation module, and a control module, wherein:
the position identification module is operable to receive and store normal and perturbed positional data about the platform;
the data analysis module is operable to analyze the normal and perturbed positional data and identify a difference in at least one dimension between the normal and perturbed positional data;
the perturbation compensation module is operable to determine mechanical arm movement instructions to compensate for the difference in the at least one dimension; and
the control module is operable to receive the mechanical arm movement instructions and send control signals to the mechanical arms to cause the mechanical arms to move based on the mechanical arm movement instructions.
20. The medium of claim 19 , wherein the perturbation compensation module further comprises a shock absorption module, the shock absorption module being operable to determine shock absorbing mechanical arm movement instructions for absorbing shock to a load carried by at least one of the mechanical arms.
21. The medium of claim 19 , wherein the perturbation compensation module further comprises an external frame module, the external frame module being operable to determine external frame of reference mechanical arm movement instructions for maintaining a position of a distal end of at least one of the mechanical arms relative to a frame of reference external to the platform.
22. The medium of claim 19 , wherein the memory further includes program instructions that when executed by the processor function as an operator input module, the operator input module being in communication with the perturbation compensation module and operable to receive selection of a frame of reference and a perturbation compensation type.
23. The medium of claim 19 , wherein the operator input module is further operable to lock out operator input to the mechanical arms, limit operator input to the mechanical arms, or coordinate operator input with the mechanical arm movement instructions when the mechanical arms move based on the mechanical arm movement instructions.
24. The medium of claim 19 , wherein the perturbation compensation module further comprises a load balancing module, the load balancing module being operable to determine load balancing mechanical arm movement instructions for balancing a load carried by at least one of the mechanical arms.
25. The medium of claim 24 , wherein the load balancing module is further operable to determine load balancing mechanical arm movement instructions for maintaining the load in a level position.