There is provided an apparatus for applying a braking force to a brake disc using a brake pad. The apparatus comprises a lever configured to rotate about a first fulcrum, and a pressing member attached to said lever and for urging a brake pad against a brake disc. A component is arranged and configured to ensure that said pressing member has a circular translational movement upon rotation of said lever, and a rotatable input member is configured to rotate a first member. In use, rotation of said first member causes movement of an actuating member along an first axis (A), and said axial movement of said actuating member causes said lever to rotate about said first fulcrum for applying a braking force to said brake disc.

A master robotic system for translating a force at a slave robotic system to the master robotic system comprises a plurality of master brake joints rotatably coupling a plurality of robotic links. Each master brake joint corresponds to a respective slave joint of a slave robotic system. Each master brake joint comprises a first braking component (e.g., sheet disk(s)) coupled to a first robotic link and a second braking component (e.g., sheet disk(s)) coupled to a second robotic link, and an actuator operable to act upon the first braking component and the second braking component, to generate a braking force between the first braking component and the second braking component, in response to a control signal corresponding to a sensed force sensed by the slave robotic system. The actuator can comprise a bi-directional actuator, or a cam, piezoelectric, dielectric, or hydraulic actuator, each having minimal power requirements to maximize the braking force of the master brake joint.

A master robotic system for translating a force at a slave robotic system to the master robotic system comprises a plurality of master brake joints rotatably coupling a plurality of robotic links. Each master brake joint corresponds to a respective slave joint of a slave robotic system. Each master brake joint comprises a first braking component (e.g., sheet disk(s)) coupled to a first robotic link and a second braking component (e.g., sheet disk(s)) coupled to a second robotic link, and an actuator operable to act upon the first braking component and the second braking component, to generate a braking force between the first braking component and the second braking component, in response to a control signal corresponding to a sensed force sensed by the slave robotic system. The actuator can comprise a bi-directional actuator, or a cam, piezoelectric, dielectric, or hydraulic actuator, each having minimal power requirements to maximize the braking force of the master brake joint.

There is provided an apparatus for applying a braking force to a brake disc using a brake pad. The apparatus comprises a lever configured to rotate about a first fulcrum, and a pressing member attached to said lever and for urging a brake pad against a brake disc. A component is arranged and configured to ensure that said pressing member has a circular translational movement upon rotation of said lever, and a rotatable input member is configured to rotate a first member. In use, rotation of said first member causes movement of an actuating member along an first axis (A), and said axial movement of said actuating member causes said lever to rotate about said first fulcrum for applying a braking force to said brake disc.