General Electric Company
UTILIZING OPTICAL DATA TO CONTROL OPERATION OF A SNAKE-ARM ROBOT

Abstract:

The present disclosure is related to methods and systems for controlling a snake-arm robot. The method includes receiving real-time image data associated with an operating environment or a location of a workpiece from optical sensor(s) mounted on a robot head of the robot; receiving input data describing a desired pose of the robot head; computing and translating a desired displacement of the robot head; computing a position of each of the links of the snake-arm robot to follow motion of the robot head, a current position of each the links, and data required to move joints connecting the links to move the robot to the desired pose; generating movement instructions; and transmitting the movement instructions to a drive motor associated with an introduction device or controllers associated with servo-motors operably connected to joints connecting the links of the snake-arm causing the robot head to move to the desired pose.