An End-Effector - Object Attachment System for Integration with In-Home Robotic Assistants

With a quarter of the population estimated to be 65 or older by 2060, aging in place is an area of interest for Amazon. Lab126 is investigating the ability for robotic assistive technology to make daily life easier as physical abilities decline, such as fine motor skills, mobility, and vision. The Robot Ready Project's goal is to develop an interface-attachment combination for an in-home robot system that makes manipulating a variety of household objects simple and low cost. This interface supports the elderly by making the retrieval of household objects easier despite deteriorating physical ability, promoting the self-sufficiency of elderly individuals who wish to age in place. A robust and scalable attachment system would enable in-home robotic delivery to assist those with limited mobility and dexterity retrieve daily essential items and maintain routine. We determined user and technical requirements defining a successful solution, which includes secure picking and placing of objects, intuitive user interface, robust design for home environments, safe operation around people and pets, and low cost.
We developed a self-aligning mechanism with a threaded screw attachment to fulfill these requirements. The solution consists of an object-side attachment “puck” and a robot-side attachment “forklift”. This design employs a doubly threaded screw, a bottom-mounting design, a hexagonal puck for size-invariant attachment, and spring actuation to meet determined high-priority requirements. A puck is attached to the bottom of objects that attaches to a forklift end-effector mounted on a robotic arm. This design was tested against some of the high-priority engineering requirements to ensure that the user experience was seamless and consistent. After passing tests for attachment, detachment, and bill of material cost, we determined that this prototype and concept is robust enough to enter more robust testing. Future directions for this prototype include adding sensors, cycle testing, and manufacturing at scale.