The ‘ambidextrous’ robot that can use either hand to pick up objects: Automaton equipped with a ‘sucker’ and a ‘gripper’ could speed up processing of online shopping orders
- Scientists create robot that pick up ‘anything’ using different arm movements
- It can assess each object and quickly decide the best combinations to use
- Each arm has a ‘gripper’ or a ‘sucker’ that can be used at the same time
- The system could be used to speed up warehouse processing in the future
Scientists have showcased an ‘ambidextrous’ robot that can learn different ways of moving their arms grippers to pick up objects in the most effective way.
Researchers from the University of California, Berkeley, have created a system that allows robots with multiple arms to analyse and rapidly decide which grip would pick up an object most successfully.
The latest invention could help speed up processing in warehouses for e-commerce companies.
The actions are driven by a new machine-learning algorithm developed by the university’s engineers that can teach robots to grasp and carry items.
The robots are equipped with different types of hands that include ‘suckers’ and a ‘grippers’ and can decide which gripper to use depending on the object.
The system uses a ‘reward function’ assigned to each type of gripper which the robot then calculates the probability of each type of grip succeeding on a specific item.
The researchers said their two-armed robot had achieved a 95% reliability rate.
This allows the robot to operate quickly on a feedback loop.
Jeff Mahler, the research’s lead author and a postdoctoral researcher at the university said: ‘Any single gripper cannot handle all objects.’
‘For example, a suction cup cannot create a seal on porous objects such as clothing and parallel-jaw grippers may not be able to reach both sides of some tools and toys.’
As e-commerce companies become increasingly reliant on machinery to cope with growing order demands, robotics could play important roles in future warehouses.
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