Automatic Capturing a Moving Object by the Robot Manipulator

The paper contents the results of the experiments, connected with capturing the moving object by means of robot manipulator RM-01 (like PUMA 560) with vision system. The object to be grasped is the rod on the bifilar suspension. The upper ends of the threads are attached to the stable beam which holds the TV-camera connected to computer. The camera's image is converted to digital form. Data processing results in the coordinates of the tip points of the rod. The algorithm developed gives the possibility to get up to 25 pairs of tip points per second. The data are subjected to statistical analysis taking into account the dynamic model of the rod motion. The results obtained for the 0.5 sec interval allow to calculate the initial conditions of the rod motion and to predict the motion to several seconds ahead. Analysis of the predicted motion allows to determine the proper moment of capture, and the position of the manipulator grip at that moment. The time delays model of the control system of the robot manipulator RM-01 is used to form, for the robot manipulator, the program of the automatic capturing of the rod. The capture is implemented in 2-5 seconds after the start of the process, within 1-2 periods of longitudinal and lateral modes of the rod oscillation.