A robot includes a rail system, a body structure coupled to the rail system, a first arm coupled to a first side of the body structure, one or more first arm actuators providing the first arm with multiple degrees of freedom, a second arm coupled to a second side of the body structure, one or more second arm actuators providing the second arm with multiple degrees of freedom, a lift actuator operable to move the body structure along the rail system, and a tilt structure coupled to the body structure. The first arm actuators and the second arm actuators are operable to wrap the first arm and the second arm around an object and hold the object against the body structure. The tilt structure is operable to tilt the body structure. The lift actuator is operable to move the body structure such that the object is lifted.

Robots for lifting objects are disclosed. In one embodiment, a robot includes a rail system, a body structure coupled to the rail system, a first arm coupled to a first side of the body structure, one or more first arm actuators providing the first arm with multiple degrees of freedom, a second arm coupled to a second side of the body structure, one or more second arm actuators providing the second arm with multiple degrees of freedom, and a lift actuator operable to move the body structure along the rail system. The one or more first arm actuators and the one or more second arm actuators are operable to wrap the first arm and the second arm around an object and hold the object against the body structure. The lift actuator is operable to move the body structure such that the object is lifted on the rail system.

Structures and sensor assemblies having engagement structures for securing a compliant substrate assembly are disclosed. In one embodiment, a sensor assembly includes a compliant substrate assembly having a base layer, and a deformable layer heat-sealed to the base layer such that the base layer and the deformable layer define at least one inflatable chamber. The sensor assembly further includes a first member proximate to a first edge of the compliant substrate assembly, a second member proximate to a second edge of the compliant substrate assembly, wherein the second edge is opposite the first edge, and at least one pressure sensor fluidly coupled to the at least one inflatable chamber and operable to produce a signal indicative of a pressure within the at least one inflatable chamber.

A weight sensor comprises a sensing system including a target piece and a sensing element, configured to provide changes of a magnetic field, being generated by motion of the target piece. The sensing element senses these changes and provides a signal representative of the position of the target piece. An integrated circuit with processing means can process signals from the sensing element. The flexible piece receives a force stimulus, so that upon exerting a force on the flexible piece by a product due to the weight of said product, the displacement of the target piece with respect to sensing elements can be sensed.

A touch sensing device includes: a first sensing coil having conductivity; a second sensing coil having conductivity; a substrate having a space accommodating either one or both of the first sensing coil and the second sensing coil, wherein at least a portion of the substrate is disposed between the first sensing coil and the second sensing coil; and an elastic member configured to be compressed as external pressure is applied and the substrate descends.

A torque measuring device includes: a magnetostrictive sensor having a ring-shaped holder arranged around a magnetostrictively affected section of a rotating shaft, a detecting section embedded in the holder and that changing a voltage according to a change in magnetic permeability of the magnetostrictively affected section; and a sensor-side engaging section; and a fixed member having a fixed-side engaging section, the fixed member not rotating even during operation. One of the sensor-side engaging portion and the fixed-side engaging section is a convex section and the other is a concave section. With the sensor-side engaging section and the fixed-side engaging section engaged with a concave-convex engagement, shifting of the position of the magnetostrictive sensor in the direction of rotation and the radial direction with respect to the substrate is prevented.

A multiplexed inductive tactile sensor for measuring location and force of contact with an external object includes sense and drive electronics and an array of sensels, each having a drive coil inductively coupled with a sense coil. The array has rows and columns of sensels. Drive coils in each column are electrically connected in series and driven by an AC constant current source through an analog demultiplexer. All sense coils in each row are electrically connected in series and the induced AC voltage across the row is fed to an AC amplifier through an analog multiplexer. The amplified AC voltage is then fed to the amplitude demodulator to generate a DC signal that is dependent on the inductive coupling factor between drive coil and sense coil of a sensel that is selected by being the intersection of the active current drive column and sense row. A first deformable conductive shield layer may be disposed adjacent to a first compressible dielectric layer disposed on first side of a PCB. A second conductive shield layer and a second dielectric layer may be disposed in a similar manner on a second side of the PCB. The controller electronics are configured to measure the induced AC voltage change due to a change in inductive coupling factor between drive coil and sense coil of a selected sensel in response to an external object imparting local mechanical compression onto the first conductive shield layer and the first compressible dielectric layer.

Techniques for directing light from a movable stage in an additive fabrication device are provided. According to some aspects, the movable stage may include a parabolic mirror onto which light may be directed at various different incident angles to produce light along different positions along an axis. In some cases, this axis may be perpendicular to a direction of motion of the movable stage.

Techniques for force sensing in additive fabrication are provided. According to some aspects, an additive fabrication device may include a force sensor configured to measure a force applied to a build platform during fabrication. A length of time taken for a layer of material to separate from a surface other than the build platform to which it is adhered may be determined based on measurements from the force sensor. Subsequent additive fabrication operations, such as subsequent motion of the build platform, may be adapted based on the determined length of time.

The present disclosure discloses a safety pipe loop and method for strain monitoring of mountainous pipelines. The safety pipe loop may include a plurality of magnetic test detectors and a protective shell for protecting the plurality of magnetic test detectors. The number of the plurality of magnetic test detectors may be set to 4n, n is an integer number greater than or equal to 1. An angle between any two adjacent detectors of the plurality of magnetic test detectors may be 180°/2n. At least two of the plurality of magnetic test detectors may be connected in parallel through a data transmission line and output data through a data transmission interface. An outer layer of the protective shell may include non-magnetic hard alloy, and an inner layer of the protective shell may include non-metallic materials.