The present invention relates to an apparatus for programming robots based on a novel passive pointing device including fiducial markers which enables interaction with one or more cameras through a computer implemented method. By taking advantage of a camera integral to the robot, the computer implemented method and the pointing device enable a tracking mechanism that during robot programming makes possible to change the position of the robot in real time in order to maintain substantially constant the relative pose between the on-board camera and the pointing device
In this way, the human operator can advantageously set the poses of the robot tool by means of demonstration i.e., by placing the pointer in the desired position and orientation during execution of the computer implemented method.
In the preferred embodiment, the apparatus includes a passive pointer (i.e. without electronic unit to detect the pose) and a camera mounted on the robot’s wrist.
Thanks to the tracking mechanism, the programming apparatus and method achieves higher precision than known systems and larger working-space. The precision is advantageously adjustable according to needs
