The device, dubbed FuseBot, is equipped with probabilistic thinking and is programmed to detect the likely position and orientation of the objects buried beneath the pile.
A new robotic device created by MIT researchers can find any thing buried beneath a pile and rescue it.The system can recover the target item without it needing to be tagged as long as some of the other items in the pile have RFID tags.
According to the research report, the device, known as FuseBot, is programmed with probabilistic reasoning that enables it to detect the likely placement and orientation of things under the pile.
FuseBot employs RF signals in addition to reasoning to get rid of obstructions and extract the desired object.
With FuseBot, a robotic arm retrieves an untagged target object from a jumbled pile using an attached video camera and RF antenna.In order to produce a 3D model of the surroundings, the system scans the pile with its camera.
It simultaneously transmits signals to find RFID tags from its antenna.According to the research paper, these radio waves may travel through the majority of solid objects, including cardboard, wood, and plastic, enabling the robot to “see” deeply within the pile.
The robot is aware of the target item’s size and shape, and the algorithm suggests possible spots for it.The system then selects which item to take from the pile and locates the desired thing by focusing on the pile of objects and the locations of RFID tags.
The research team conducted tests with actual robotic arms on a variety of domestic goods, including apparel, plush animals, and office equipment.The number of RFID-tagged items in each pile and the size of the piles were modified.
When compared to comparable robotic systems that rely solely on vision, FuseBot extracts the target object successfully 95% of the time.
It accomplished this with 40% fewer moves and discovered 50% more concealed things than other robots systems.
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