On-Policy Pixel-Level Grasping Across the Gap Between Simulation and Reality

Grasp detection in cluttered scenes is a very challenging task for robots. Generating synthetic grasping data is a popular way to train and test grasp methods, as is Dex-net and GraspNet; yet, these methods generate training grasps on 3D synthetic object models, but evaluate at images or point clouds with different distributions, which reduces performance on real scenes due to sparse grasp labels and covariate shift. To solve existing problems, we propose a novel on-policy grasp detection method, which can train and test on the same distribution with dense pixel-level grasp labels generated on RGB-D images. A Parallel-Depth Grasp Generation (PDG-Generation) method is proposed to generate a parallel depth image through a new imaging model of projecting points in parallel; then this method generates multiple candidate grasps for each pixel and obtains robust grasps through flatness detection, force-closure metric and collision detection. Then, a large comprehensive Pixel-Level Grasp Pose Dataset (PLGP-Dataset) is constructed and released; distinguished with previous datasets with off-policy data and sparse grasp samples, this dataset is the first pixel-level grasp dataset, with the on-policy distribution where grasps are generated based on depth images. Lastly, we build and test a series of pixel-level grasp detection networks with a data augmentation process for imbalance training, which learn grasp poses in a decoupled manner on the input RGB-D images. Extensive experiments show that our on-policy grasp method can largely overcome the gap between simulation and reality, and achieves the state-of-the-art performance. Code and data are provided at https://github.com/liuchunsense/PLGP-Dataset

Grasping unknown objects in clutter by superquadric representation

© 20xx IEEE. Personal use of this material is permitted. Permission from IEEE must be obtained for all other uses, in any current or future media, including reprinting/republishing this material for advertising or promotional purposes, creating new collective works, for resale or redistribution to servers or lists, or reuse of any copyrighted component of this work in other works.In this paper, a quick and efficient method is presented for grasping unknown objects in clutter. The grasping method relies on real-time superquadric (SQ) representation of partial view objects and incomplete object modelling, well suited for unknown symmetric objects in cluttered scenarios which is followed by optimized antipodal grasping. The incomplete object models are processed through a mirroring algorithm that assumes symmetry to first create an approximate complete model and then fit for SQ representation. The grasping algorithm is designed for maximum force balance and stability, taking advantage of the quick retrieval of dimension and surface curvature information from the SQ parameters. The pose of the SQs with respect to the direction of gravity is calculated and used together with the parameters of the SQs and specification of the gripper, to select the best direction of approach and contact points. The SQ fitting method has been tested on custom datasets containing objects in isolation as well as in clutter. The grasping algorithm is evaluated on a PR2 robot and real time results are presented. Initial results indicate that though the method is based on simplistic shape information, it outperforms other learning based grasping algorithms that also work in clutter in terms of time-efficiency and accuracy.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

Multi-View Picking: Next-best-view Reaching for Improved Grasping in Clutter

Camera viewpoint selection is an important aspect of visual grasp detection, especially in clutter where many occlusions are present. Where other approaches use a static camera position or fixed data collection routines, our Multi-View Picking (MVP) controller uses an active perception approach to choose informative viewpoints based directly on a distribution of grasp pose estimates in real time, reducing uncertainty in the grasp poses caused by clutter and occlusions. In trials of grasping 20 objects from clutter, our MVP controller achieves 80% grasp success, outperforming a single-viewpoint grasp detector by 12%. We also show that our approach is both more accurate and more efficient than approaches which consider multiple fixed viewpoints.Comment: ICRA 2019 Video: https://youtu.be/Vn3vSPKlaEk Code: https://github.com/dougsm/mvp_gras

Autonomous Sweet Pepper Harvesting for Protected Cropping Systems

In this letter, we present a new robotic harvester (Harvey) that can autonomously harvest sweet pepper in protected cropping environments. Our approach combines effective vision algorithms with a novel end-effector design to enable successful harvesting of sweet peppers. Initial field trials in protected cropping environments, with two cultivar, demonstrate the efficacy of this approach achieving a 46% success rate for unmodified crop, and 58% for modified crop. Furthermore, for the more favourable cultivar we were also able to detach 90% of sweet peppers, indicating that improvements in the grasping success rate would result in greatly improved harvesting performance