A dummy tool is used to teach a robot the path the robot will follow to perform work on a workpiece to eliminate the possibility of damaging an actual tool during the training. The dummy tool provides the robot programmer an indication of potential collisions between the tool and the workpiece and other objects in the work cell when path is being taught. The dummy tool can have a detachable input/output device with a graphic user interface (GUI) that can communicate wirelessly with the robot controller. The dummy tool can also have a moveable camera attached thereto to track the relationship of the tool to objects in the work area.

The present invention relates to a robotic system having at least one robotic arm, a control unit for controlling the robotic arm and a robotic arm sensor system, wherein the controller and robotic arm sensor system are designed to respond to predetermined haptic gestures of the user acting on the robotic arm in such a way that the robotic system performs at least one predetermined operation associated with the haptic gesture.

The articulated-arm robot has a robot arm with an arm element movable via a joint and a sensor for continuously measuring a status parameter of the joint. The articulated-arm robot also has an optical signaling device arranged on the robot arm in spatial assignment to the joint and an assessment device for continuously assessing the measured status parameter in a joint-specific manner and for controlling the signaling device on the basis of the assessment result.

The articulated-arm robot has a robot arm with an arm element movable via a joint and a sensor for continuously measuring a status parameter of the joint. The articulated-arm robot also has an optical signaling device arranged on the robot arm in spatial assignment to the joint and an assessment device for continuously assessing the measured status parameter in a joint-specific manner and for controlling the signaling device on the basis of the assessment result.

The systems and methods provide an action recognition and analytics tool for use in manufacturing, health care services, shipping, retailing and other similar contexts. Machine learning action recognition can be utilized to determine cycles, processes, actions, sequences, objects and or the like in one or more sensor streams. The sensor streams can include, but are not limited to, one or more video sensor frames, thermal sensor frames, infrared sensor frames, and or three-dimensional depth frames. The analytics tool can provide for process validation, anomaly detection and in-process quality assurance.

The invention relates to a method for controlling the movements of articulated arms (21, 22, 23) of an industrial robot (2) using a movement setting means (3) to be guided by hand by an operator, the movements of which are provided for generating at least a portion of the movement control data for the industrial robot (2) to be controlled. At least one of a plurality of reference marks (19, 19, 19) is arranged or formed at least on individual articulated arms (21, 22, 23) adjustable by the operator. The movement setting means (3) comprises at least one imaging and/or at least one distance-sensitive sensor (16, 17) which at least one sensor (16, 17) can be set with at least one of the plurality of reference marks (19, 19, 19) into a relative spatial position selected by the operator. During a movement of the movement setting means (3) at least the articulated arm (21, 22, 23) bearing the respectively selected reference mark (19, 19, 19) follows the movements of the movement setting means by control technology. In addition, a corresponding control system (1) and movement setting means (3) are specified.

An operation information generating apparatus includes: a task data recording unit configured to record, as task data, information regarding an operation of a person from a start to an end of a task; an operation classifying unit configured to divide an overall operation from the start to the end of the task into a plurality of partial operations; and an operation combining unit configured to select a best partial operation for each partial operation from a plurality of samples of the task data for the same task, and generates data of an optimum operation of the entire task by combining the selected best partial operations.

An operation information generating apparatus includes: a task data recording unit configured to record, as task data, information regarding an operation of a person from a start to an end of a task; an operation classifying unit configured to divide an overall operation from the start to the end of the task into a plurality of partial operations; and an operation combining unit configured to select a best partial operation for each partial operation from a plurality of samples of the task data for the same task, and generates data of an optimum operation of the entire task by combining the selected best partial operations.

Method for programming a force to be applied by a working end of a robot, along at least part of a preprogrammed path of the working end, the method comprising the steps of:moving the working end of the robot over the said at least part of the preprogrammed path, the driving of the robot being feedback-controlled in order the keep the working end in position without a force setpoint,at least at one position during the movement, having an operator apply to the working end a force which is the opposite of that which is to be applied during the task and which has an intensity proportionate to that which is to be applied during the task,determining the force that is to he applied cluing the task from the resistive force exerted by the robot in order to keep the working end on the path,storing in memory the three thus determined in relation to the position of the working end while the opposing force is being applied.

A robot and method for controlling an industrial robot, which has a first robot arm, a second robot arm, a joint defining a kinematic pair between the first and second robot arms, an actuator for generating relative movement between the first and second robot arms, and a robot controller for controlling the movements of the actuator. The method includes the steps of: determining a presence of a first torque indication at the actuator to be interpreted as a first command to the robot controller; repeatedly obtaining an external torque value (.sub.ext) to obtain an external torque behavior; comparing the external torque behavior with the first torque indication; and executing a robot function corresponding to the first command upon detecting that the external torque behavior corresponds to the first torque indication. The obtained external torque behavior depends on a reference torque value (.sub.ref) obtained from a dynamic model of the robot.