Motion and Vision Control Combine to become Visual Servoing

Traditionally motion control and vision control systems are separate beasts doing different jobs. But recent developments have worked to combine these two technologies into a single unit.

Traditional motion robots are often preprogrammed arms that carry out a wide range of tasks such as the placing of components to the cutting of shapes from sheet metal. But now with the aid of cameras they can be used to carry out tasks that require a great level of precision.

This new trend, which involves using one or more cameras to watch the robotic arm and (if using a second camera) the holding plate, is called “visual servoing”. Through the use of cameras the robot can calculate the degree of movement and adjustment that’s required. The best way to see this in practice is with this video, where the robot uses its camera to automatically track the ball. The use of real-time video cameras on robots improves accuracy, making it ideal for the attaching of tiny components to small devices and performing tasks that are too delicate for human workers.

This is great if you’re really into industrial automation, but if you just want see what this can do for “toys” then it’s the more human type of robot that is more fun. Nao is just one of the many humanoid robots that engineers have been working on labs around the world. In this demonstration video Nao uses its camera “eyes” to locate, track and manipulate objects and in this one he writes a word.

Despite having been around for nearly 20 years, visual servoing is still in its infancy and the future has yet to be realised, but in time the technology will come to fruition and it will speed up and improve the accuracy of manufacturing and service robots.