A robust, automated alignment concept for robotics

A video-based pose sensor is presented that overcomes some of the common problems with typical robotic pose sensors. The Targeting and Reflective Alignment Concept (TRAC) sensor operates using the optics of reflection. TRAC is a robust sensor capable of both continuous and discrete pose sensing in the presence of a class of disturbance inputs (extraneous lighting). Key features of the sensor are its high sensitivity to orientation error, its decoupled handling of orientation and translation (without calibration transformations), and its ability to provide intuitive feedback to a human operator for tele-operation. The sensor has been shown successful at target tracking with a PUMA manipulator in the laboratory and in automatic positioning of NASA-JSC´s Manipulator Development Facility (MDF) telemanipulator arm used for shuttle astronaut training