Operating a Mobile Robot

Abstract

A method of operating a mobile robot includes grasping a feature of a door of a doorway with an end effector of a manipulator arm mounted on the robot and driving the robot while grasping the door feature to move the door to an open position. The method also includes driving the robot to maneuver the robot to contact the door and chock the door in the open position, releasing the door feature from the end effector after chocking the door, and driving the robot through the doorway.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of operating a mobile robot, the method comprising:
 grasping a feature of a door of a doorway with an end effector of a manipulator arm mounted on the robot;   driving the robot while grasping the door feature to move the door to an open position;   driving the robot to maneuver the robot to contact the door and chock the door in the open position;   releasing the door feature from the end effector after chocking the door; and   driving the robot through the doorway.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the manipulator arm includes a passive or active pan degree of freedom to maintain contact between the end effector and the door feature. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising driving the robot holonomically to maneuver a body of the robot to contact the door and chock the door in the open position, the robot comprising a holonomic drive system having one or more drive elements configured to maneuver the robot omni-directionally. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising releasing the end effector from the door feature and retracting the manipulator arm away from the door to smoothly pass through the doorway while maintaining continuous contact between the door and the robot body. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 driving holonomically through the doorway of the door while continuing to grasp the door feature with the end effector; and   releasing the door feature after passing through the doorway.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the door comprises a self-closing door. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the door feature comprises a doorknob or handle. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising disengaging the door feature from the doorway using the end effector of the manipulator arm before driving the robot to move the door to the open position. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising altering a height of the manipulator arm to disengage the door feature. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising altering a length of the manipulator arm while passing through the doorway. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 sensing a person near the doorway;   holding the door in the open position to allow the person to pass through the doorway;   detecting when the person has passed through the doorway; and   releasing the door feature after detection of the person having passed through the doorway.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 receiving three-dimensional volumetric point cloud image data of a scene including the doorway; and   determining a presence of the person using the three-dimensional volumetric point cloud image data.   
     
     
         13 . A robot comprising:
 a robot body;   a holonomic drive system supporting the robot body;   a manipulator arm mounted on the robot body and having an end effector, and   a controller in communication with the drive system and the manipulator arm, the controller commanding:
 the manipulator arm to grasp a feature of a door of a doorway with the end effector; 
 the drive system to drive the robot while grasping the door feature with the end effector to move the door to an open position and maneuver the robot body to contact the door and chock the door in the open position; 
 the manipulator arm to release the door feature from the end effector after chocking the door, and 
 the drive system to drive the robot through the doorway. 
   
     
     
         14 . The robot of  claim 13 , wherein the manipulator arm includes a passive or active pan degree of freedom to maintain contact between the end effector and the door feature. 
     
     
         15 . The robot of  claim 13 , wherein the drive system comprises a holonomic drive system having one or more drive elements configured to maneuver the robot omni-directionally, the controller commanding the drive system to holonomically maneuver the robot body to contact the door and chock the door in the open position. 
     
     
         16 . The robot of  claim 15 , wherein the controller commands the manipulator to release the end effector from the door feature and retract away from the door to smoothly pass through the doorway while maintaining continuous contact between the door and the robot body. 
     
     
         17 . The robot of  claim 13 , wherein the drive system comprises a holonomic drive system having one or more drive elements configured to maneuver the robot omni-directionally, the controller:
 commanding the drive system to holonomically maneuver the robot body through the doorway while the end effector grasps the door feature; and   commanding the manipulator arm to release the door feature after passing through the doorway.   
     
     
         18 . The robot of  claim 13 , wherein the door comprises a self-closing door. 
     
     
         19 . The robot of  claim 13 , wherein the door feature comprises a doorknob or handle. 
     
     
         20 . The robot of  claim 13 , wherein the controller commands the manipulator arm to disengage the door feature from the doorway using the end effector before commanding the drive system to drive the robot to move the door to the open position. 
     
     
         21 . The robot of  claim 20 , wherein the robot body has an adjustable height, the controller commanding the robot body to alter a height of the manipulator arm to disengage the door feature. 
     
     
         22 . The robot of  claim 13 , wherein the controller commands the manipulator arm to alter a length of the manipulator arm while passing through the doorway. 
     
     
         23 . The robot of  claim 13 , further comprising a proximity sensor disposed on the robot body and in communication with the controller, the controller:
 determining a presence of a person near the doorway using proximity data received from the proximity sensor,   commanding the manipulator arm to hold the door in the open position to allow the person to pass through the doorway;   determining when the person has passed through the doorway using proximity data received from the proximity sensor, and   commanding the manipulator arm to release the door feature after determining that the person has passed through the doorway.   
     
     
         24 . The robot of  claim 23 , wherein the proximity sensor comprises a three-dimensional volumetric point cloud imaging sensor and the controller determines the presence of a person near the doorway using three-dimensional volumetric point cloud image data of a scene including the doorway received from the three-dimensional volumetric point cloud imaging sensor.