VISION-BASED SENSOR SYSTEM AND CONTROL METHOD FOR ROBOT ARMS

摘要

A method for determining the joint positions of a kinematic chain (1), e.g. a robot (105), by using only an imaging sensor (4), e.g. a camera, and a computing unit (5), wherein characteristic features (3), e.g. patterns, on the links and joints of the kinematic chain (1), are identified and the joint positions are calculated from these visual measurements. The control of the robot can therefore be performed without the use of joint encoders. A sensor system (100) for monitoring the status of a kinematic chain (1), e.g. of a robot (105) is provided. The sensor system (100) includes a computing unit (5) and at least one imaging sensor (4), e.g. a camera, operably connected to the computing unit. The imaging sensor (4) may be mounted to the kinematic chain (1) or may be mounted in the surroundings of the kinematic chain and monitors at least a part of the kinematic chain and/or the surroundings of the kinematic chain. The computing unit (5) determines a pose and/or movement parameters of at least one element of the kinematic chain by analyzing an output signal of the imaging sensor, in particular by analyzing characteristic features and determines a rotational joint position by analyzing the characteristic features.