ROBOT HAVING MAGNETIC PROXIMITY SENSOR

Abstract: The invention relates to magnetic proximity sensors for robots. The technical problems heretofore have centered around the generation of sharp uniform electrical pulses without complex electronics. The instant invention overcomes these problems by incorporating sensors containing reentrant magnetic material (RMM) wires in robotic structure. For example, a robot hand having left and right fingers (30 and 32, respectively), pivotally connected to a palm portion (33) is provided with sensors. A sensing module RMM-1 in the right fingertip has its magnetization direction oriented perpendicular to that of a sensing module RMM-2 in the left fingertip. RMM-1 detects magnetized objects (31) while the hand is approaching them. RMM-2 detects magnetized objects (38) in the region between the fingers (30 and 32). For both fingertips, the range can be tailored by controlling the strength of the reset electromagnets (34 and 36). Sensing during a rotation of the hand makes it possible to sense the presence of magnetized objects regardless of their direction of magnetization. Additional sensing modules may be inserted in other parts of the hand (or the robot arm) for added sensitivity or redundancy.

Description: - 1 - ROBOT HAVING MAGNETIC PROXIMITY SENSOR Background of the Invention This invention relates to the field of robotics and, more particularly, to magnetic proximity sensors for robots. It has been suggested to use magnetic phenomena as the basis for robotic sensors. However, owing to various problems, only limited success has been obtained. The present invention relates to a new approach to a magnetic sensor for use in robots. Summary of the Invention A magnetic sensor, which relies on the reentrant- loop effect, is incorporated into a robot such as the robot hand" or arm. When a magnetic object (or a nonmagnetic object with a magnetic marker) is sufficiently near the robot, the sensor generates an electrical pulse. Brief Description of the Drawing FIG. 1 shows the hysteresis cycle of reentrant magnetic material (RMM) wires, where M is the magnetization of the wires and H is the ' magnetic field; FIGS. 2 and 3 show the state of magnetization of the core and external part of a RMM wire? FIG. 4 shows the voltage pulses generated in a coil wrapped around a RMM wire; FIG. 5 demonstrates RMM effect proximity sensing using a sensing module composed of a RMM wire with a pick¬ up coil and a reset magnet; FIG. 6 shows three RMM modules in a robot hand in accordance with one embodiment of our invention; FIG. 7 is a graph of switching distance (solid line) as a function of orientation angle θ for a RMM module. The dashed line shows the behavior of a perfect dipole for the same module; FIGS. 8 and 9 show schematically how a robot equipped with RMM module sensing removes a quasi- cylindrical object from the inside of a hollow cylinder; OMPI FIG. 10 is an end view of the quasi-cylindrical object shown in FIGS. 8 and 9; and FIG. 11 shows a pair of mutually perpendicular RMM wires embedded in the palm of the robot hand which is approaching the object of FIG. 10. Detailed Description The physics of the reentrant-loop magnetic effect is first discussed. One type of discontinuous behavior of . the magnetism in a magnetic material disposed within a changing magnetic field is known as the Barkhausen effect, and a single large jump in the magnetization is usually referred to as large "Barkhausen discontinuity", as described by H. Barkhausen, Phyzik Z., Vol. 20, pp. 401 (1919). These discontinuities may give rise to reentrant- loop hysteretic cycles. Such Barkhausen discontinuities observed in thin wire can be controlled to a large degree by the wire processing, geometry, and excitation magnetic field. For example, known reentrant magnetic material (RMM) wires of homogeneous alloys (such as 50% Ni, 50% Fe, or 10% V, 52% Co and 38% Fe) , when appropriately cycled under tension at given temperatures, acquire a new and useful property (see, for example, U.S. Patent 3,820,090). The coercive force of the core becomes much smaller than the coercive force of an external part (e.g., a cladding) of the wire, so that the magnetic field necessary to switch the direction of magnetization of the core is much smaller than for the external part. Thus, a -appropriate changing external magnetic field can induce a quick variation of the magnetic flux in the wire which generates a voltage pulse in a coil wound around the wire or placed in its proximity. This phenomenon is further described in connection with FIGS. 1-4. FIGS. 2 and 3 show a known type of RMM wire 10 comprising a core 8 and a cladding 9, the wire 10 being disposed within an electrical pick-up coil 12. The coil 12 is connected to a pulse detecting circuit (not shown) of known type. The wire-coil structure is disposed within a varying magnetic field illustrated by the top curve shown in FIG. 4. For such a field (indeed, for any varying field), the wire 10 exhibits a magnetic hysteresis cycle such as that shown in FIG. 1. The hysteresis cycle includes two end points S1 and S2, and arrows in FIGS. 2 and 3 show the direction of magnetization within the wire core 8 and cladding 9 at the magnetization levels corresponding to these end points. Illustratively, the magnetization level S1 (FIG. 1 ) is obtained by applying a magnetic field Hg of intensity ~120 Oe. For this value of the field, both the core 8 and the cladding 9 of the wire have the same direction of magnetization, as shown in FIG. 2. The magnetization level S2 (referred to as the "reset" level) is obtained by applying a magnetic field HR of ~20 Oe in the direction opposite to Hg. In this case, the core and the cladding have magnetizations directed in opposite directions, as shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 4 shows the voltage pulses (Pg, Pr) induced in the coil 12. The large positive pulse Pg occurs when the direction of magnetization of the core switches along the hysteresis cycle from S2 to S1. This pulse corresponds to the large discontinuity Dg in the right-hand side of the cycle. A small negative pulse PR corresponds with the smaller discontinuity DR on the left-hand side of the hysteresis cycle. This phenomenon can be used to generate sharp, uniform electrical pulses without complex electronics. The generated pulses are of the same amplitude regardless of the rate at which the external magnetic field is changed, and the pulses have a large signal-to-noise ratio. Thus, it is easy to design electronic control circuits since pulse-shaping networks and noise-suppressing electronics are not needed. A basic RMM sensing module, shown schematically in FIG. 5, comprises a RMM wire 10 with a coil 12 wrapped around it (or in close proximity) and a reset or bias electromagnet 14 parallel to the wire. Illustratively, the wire 10 is 2 cm long, 75 μm in diameter, and is electrically insulated from the coil -12 by a dielectric material (not shown). The coil itself may have thousands of turns (3500 in one embodiment). For convenience of handling, these components may be mounted on a nonmagnetic substrate 11. The direction of magnetization of the reset electromagnet 14 is shown by arrow 18. The current supply for electromagnet 14 is depicted as a drive circuit 20 which may be under the control of signal processor 22 via lead 21. The signal processor 22 detects and processes the electrical pulses generated in coil 12. A permanently magnetized reset magnet 14 can be used. However, an electromagnet is particularly advantageous. For example, the magnetized object (e.g., magnet 24) to be sensed can be detected at a distance which can be pre-selected by controlling the current in the electromagnet 14 via the processor 22. Alternatively, the strength and direction of magnetization of the electromagnet can be varied simultaneously during robot motion toward the target so as to determine distance and/or orientation of the target, as discussed later. The sensing module can operate without a reset magnet 14 if, for example, a magnetic field, generated in the coil 12 by a current flowing therein, is sufficiently large to cause the RMM to be reset. The current flow can be controlled by the signal processor 22. In operation, the magnet 14 generates a bias magnetic field for the RMM wire 10, e.g., a magnetization level corresponding to the reset level S2 shown in FIG. 1. This level, arbitrarily designated as - H 2 , gives rise to the condition shown in FIG. 3, i.e., the direction of magnetization in the wire core 8 is opposite that in the wire cladding 9. Then, the permanent magnet 24 shown in FIG. 5 is moved towards the wire 10. The magnet 24 is stronger then the magnet 18 and is magnetized in the opposite direction (as indicated by the arrows in FIG. 5). Thus, as the magnet 24 is moved closer to the wire 10, the wire ambient magnet field changes in the +H direction until - 5 - the field strength +H S is achieved. At this time, the direction of magnetization of the wire core abruptly changes (FIG. 2) and the pulse Pg is generated in the coil 12. This pulse is detected. With given magnetic field strengths of the bias 14 and target 24 magnets, the pulse Pg occurs when the target 24 is at a predetermined distance (in a fixed angular orientation) from the wire 10. Also, because the amplitude of the pulse Pg is substantially independent of the rate at which the ambient magnet field changes, the amplitude of the pulse Pg is substantially independent of the rate of approach of the target 24 towards the wire 10. In certain situations, this greatly simplifies the control circuitry needed to control the robot. When the target 24 is moved away from the wire 10, the magnetization direction of the wire core and cladding are eventually reset to the original (FIG. 3) condition, thus readying or resetting the sensing module for a further cycle of operation. To test the accuracy of detection, the following experiment was performed. In an arrangement as shown in FIG. 5, the target magnet 24 was moved toward the RMM module along a line passing through their centers (i.e., the z-axis). The magnet 24 was also rotated in the X-Y plane to vary the angle θ between the vertical y-axis and the magnetic field axis of the magnet 24. The threshold distance for detection (generation of a pulse Pg) was measured. FIG. 7 shows the measured detection distance as a function of orientation angle θ . The directions of magnetization 18 and 25 of the reset and target magnets were opposite to one another at θ = 0° . The data were taken as the orientation angle θ for the target magnet was increased from O β to 60° and decreased from 60° to 0° to check for hysteresis effects. In addition, hysteresis effects were tested by moving the target magnet towards and away from the module across the detection threshold. No hysteresis was detected. Reproducibility of results is withih 100 micrometers. One application of the sensor module is the detection of magnetized objects by placing a RMM module in a robot fingertip or other part of the robot hand. One embodiment is shown in FIG. 6, which depicts a robot hand having left and right fingers 30 and 32, respectively, pivotally connected to a palm portion 33. A sensing module RMM-1 in the right fingertip has its magnetization direction oriented perpendicular to that of a sensing module RMM-2 in the left fingertip. RMM-1 detects magnetized objects 31 while the hand is approaching them. RMM—2 detects magnetized objects 38 in the region between the fingers 30 and 32. For both fingertips, the range can be tailored by controlling the strength of the reset electromagnets 34 and 36. Sensing during a rotation of the hand makes it possible to sense the presence of magnetized objects regardless of their direction of magnetization. Additional sensing modules may be inserted in other parts of the hand (or the robot arm) for added sensitivity or redundancy. For example, sensing module RMM-3 in the palm portion 33 of the robot hand allows vertical detection and orientation of the magnetized objects between the fingers. RMM-3 preferably has its magnetization direction orthogonal to the magnetization directions of both RMM-1 and RMM-2. By way of further example, a robot 41 is depicted in FIG. 8 as being engaged in removing parts from the inside of hollow cylindrical objects 42 randomly scattered on a conveyor belt 43. The cylinders are closed at one end 42b and open at the other end 42a. FIG. 9 shows the robot arm inside a cylinder 42. A thin rod 48, parallel to the cylindrical axis but shorter than its length, is attached to the center of the cylinder base 42b. A quasi-: cylindrical part 46 is free to slide along and rotate about the thin rod 48. An end view of the part 46 is shown in FIG. 10. To remove part 46 from the thin rod 48, a notch 50 in the part 46 must be aligned (as shown in dashed lines) with pin 47 which protrudes from the inside wall of J - 7 - cylinder 42. A camera 44 sees the optical projection of. the cylinder on the conveyor belt. Assuming that the robot has a computer memory with information stored as to the exact geometry of the objects (except, of course, for the position and orientation of part 46 along rod 48), the robot can, with the information provided by the camera 44, direct its hand into the cylinder along its axis toward the part to be extracted. The second camera 45 simply identifies the open end of the cylinders. However, since part 46 is free to rotate and slide, the robot cannot extract the part unless its hand can sense its range and orientation. In accordance with our invention, one solution to this problem is to provide part 46 with a magnetic marker which can be sensed by RMM modules in the robot hand as described earlier. The marker could be natural (i.e., the object is magnetized) or applied (i.e., a magnetic strip) as an aid in assembly. For example, consider a simplified case for which the magnetic marker is a simple magnetic dipole 49 (FIG. 11) applied on part 46 across its axis of elongation and pointing to the notch. In this case a suitable magnetic sensor (FIG. 11) includes a pair of mutually perpendicular RMM wires 60 and 62 embedded in the palm portion 61 of the robot hand. A small magnet 64 is located in the plane of the RMM wires (or closely parallel to it), and its magnetization direction is oriented at 45 * to them. As the robot hand moves along the elongated axis of the part 46, one of the RMM wires, say 60, generates a detection pulse at a distance D (from the dipole 49) which depends on the orientation of the dipole and on the strength of magnet 64. Subsequently, the detection by RMM wire 62 occurs at a distance d<D. Having measured the distance D-d, the robot, in conjunction with a suitable computer and controller (not shown), can deduce its position and orientation with respect to part 46 in the following way. Each RMM wire is sensitive only to the dipole component parallel to it. Thus, for a perfect dipole d = k(sin θ) 1//3 and D = k(cos θ) 1 / 3 , where k is a constant that depends on the strength of the dipole and the reset field of magnet 64. Since 1< is known (for a given marker and reset field), and since D-d is measured, the robot can deduce D, 3 and θ . As previously explained in connection with FIG. 5, one mode of opertion requires that the direction of the magnetic field of- the object being detected be opposite that of the bias field provided by the reset magnet (14 in FIG. 5; 64 in FIG. 11). In this mode of operation, it is possible that the object 46 (FIG. 11) is so positioned that the field of the dipole 49 does not oppose the field of the magnet 64, with the result that the detection scheme does not work. One simple solution is the use of an electromagnet 64 and the use of an alternating drive current to repetitively reverse the direction of the field of the magnet 64. Using simple mathematics, the orientation of the object 64 can be determined.

Claims: Claims 1. A robot for handling a magnetized object CHARACTERIZED BY a reentrant-loop magnetic sensor (10) 5 incorporated in said robot so as to sense said object (24) and generate an electrical pulse (Pg) in response to the proximity of said object, and means (33) responsive to said pulse for causing said robot to handle said part. 10 2. A robot according to claim 1 including a robot hand (33) having at least two moveable fingers (30, 32) for gripping a magnetized object, a reentrant-loop magnetic first sensor (RMM-1 ) incorporated in one (32) of said fingers and having a first 15 magnetization direction so as to sense said object when it lies outside the region between said fingers, and a reentrant-loop magnetic second sensor (RMM-2) incorporated in another (30) of said fingers and having a second magetization direction different from said 20 first direction so as to sense said object when it lies within said region. 3. A robot according to claim 2 wherein said first and second magnetization directions are essentially perpendicular to one another. 25 4. A robot according to claim 2 wherein said hand further includes a palm portion (33) which connects said fingers to one another, and a reentrant-loop magnetic third sensor (RMM-3) 30 located in said palm portion. 5. A robot according to claim 4 wherein said third sensor has a third magnetization direction which is essentially mutually perpendicular to said first and second directions. 3 . 5 6. A robot according to claim 2 wherein said hand further includes a palm portion (61) which connects said - 10 - fingers to one another, a pair (60, 62) of third and fourth reentrant- loop magnetic sensors in said palm portion, said third and fourth sensors having co-planar magnetization directions oriented essentially perpendicular, to one another, and a magnet (64) having its direction of magnetization oriented at approximately 45" to each of said co-planar directions. 7. A robot according to claim 6 wherein said magnet is an electromagnet. 8. A robot according to any one of claims 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 wherein each of said reentrant-loop magnetic sensors includes a wire (10) comprising reentrant-loop magnetic material, a coil (12)- wrapped around said wire, and means (14) for generating a magnetic field in said wire so that, when said object is in the proximity thereof, electrical pulses are generated in said coil. 9. A robot according to claim 8 wherein said generating means comprises a magnet located proximate said" wire. 10. A robot according to claim 8 wherein said generating means comprises means (22) for causing a current to flow in said coil. 11. A robot according to claim 8 further including an electronic processor (22) responsive to said electrical pulses for controlling the handling of said object.

Inventors: BENI GERARDO, HACKWOOD SUSAN, HORNAK LAWRENCE ANTHONY, BENI, GERARDO, HACKWOOD, SUSAN, HORNAK, LAWRENCE, ANTHONY
Applicants: AMERICAN TELEPHONE & TELEGRAPH, AMERICAN TELEPHONE & TELEGRAPH COMPANY
Application year: 1984
Main classification: B25J15
IPC codes: B25J13, B25J15, B25J19