A processing method of producing a processed object by processing a material, the processed object including an opening to outside and a hollow space of a predetermined shape and in communication with the opening, includes forming the hollow space in the material by performing ablation by projecting a laser from a region to be processed on a surface of the material corresponding to the opening along a region to be processed corresponding to the hollow space.

A method includes receiving, from an imaging device associated with a robotic apparatus, an image signal including an object of interest represented in the image signal; receiving, by the robotic apparatus from an external agent, a task indication related to the object of interest, the task indication representative of a task to be performed by the robotic apparatus with respect to the object of interest; and responsive to receipt of the task indication: detecting salient features of the object of interest within the image; storing, by the robotic apparatus, a task context, the task context comprising data pertaining to the salient features and data pertaining to the task indication; and commencing, by the robotic apparatus, the task with respect to the object of interest.

A device capable of acquiring a deviation of a working position of a tool with respect to a target position of a workpiece with higher accuracy in accordance with actual work. A device for acquiring a deviation amount of a working position of a tool with respect to a target position when a work is performed on a workpiece with respect to the target position by the tool, the tool being moved by a movement machine, the device including: a camera arranged in a predetermined positional relationship with respect to the tool and configured to image the target position at a first time point when the tool performs an operation for the work; and a deviation amount acquisition section configured to acquire a deviation amount between the working position and the target position at the first time point, based on a position of the target position in image data imaged by the camera and information indicating a position of the working position in the image data.

A cooking appliance includes a housing, and a cooking element disposed in the housing and configured to generate energy for cooking food, and a controller coupled to the cooking element and configured to communicate a control signal to selectively actuate a residential heating, ventilation and/or air conditioning (HVAC) system and/or non-cooking device in connection with cooking food with the cooking element.

The present invention relates to a method for interactively providing waypoints to a mobile robot for use in the marking of a geometric figure on a ground surface comprising the steps of: i) Selecting a control function accepting manual positioning of a mobile robot at two or more target locations on a ground surface; ii) Positioning the mobile robot in proximity to a first target location to be marked on a surface, and directing a position determining device of the mobile device to said first target location to be marked; iii) instructing the mobile robot to store the first target location as a first waypoint; iv) Repeating steps ii)-iii) to obtain at least a second waypoint; v) Selecting a control function accepting manual selection of a geometric figure for being marked on said ground surface; vi) instructing the mobile robot to compute the best hi for the selected geometric figure on the surface based on the two or more waypoints; vii) Instructing the mobile robot to compute waypoint coordinates of the geometric figure for being marked from the fitted position of said geometric figure; and viii.a) Instructing the mobile robot to store the computed waypoint coordinates of the geometric figure; or viii.b) Instructing the mobile robot to mark the geometric figure on the surface.

A method may include projecting, onto a surface within a computer numerically controlled machine, a structured light having a known property. One or more sensors may generate an image of the structured light projected on the surface within the computer numerically controlled machine. One or more characteristics of the surface may be determined by comparing a property of the structured light shown in the image to the known property of the structured light. Examples of characteristics include a size, a distance to the surface, a height, a thickness, an angle of the surface, edges, surface properties, jigs, fiducial alignment markers, patterns encoding data, and visual designs on the surface of the material that are intended for reproductions. A surface map indicating the characteristics of the surface at various locations may be generated to enable, for example, a calibration, alignment, and/or optimization of the computer numerically controlled machine.

The invention described herein generally pertains to a system and method for evaluating one or more conditions or preliminary weld condition related to a welding system and/or method that utilizes a welding sequence to perform two or more welds with respective welding schedules. In an embodiment, an operator registration is provided that verifies the operator and identifies welding sequences to which the operator is authorized to perform. In another embodiment, one or more fixture locations are monitored to determine whether a workpiece is accurately configured prior to a welding operation. In still another embodiment, locations on a workpiece can be displayed to assist an operator in performing two or more welds utilizing a welding sequence. Moreover, a wireless system communications a data signal to a welding work cell in which such data is used to identify a welding sequence.

A teaching device for teaching a motion of a robot, including an image projector which projects an image on a projection surface in a working space of the robot; an indicator position detector which detects a position of an indicator on the projection surface; an image generator which generates or updates the image based on the position of the indicator that is detected by the indicator position detector; and a processor which calculates a teaching point for teaching a motion of the robot based on the position of the indicator.

A bending machine with a work area image capture apparatus has a machine frame, a longitudinally extended, fixed machine table, and a longitudinally extended press beam moved by a drive relative to the frame and guided therein. The longitudinal expanse and the press beam movement direction define a working plane establishing a front working and manipulation space and a rear machine space. An image capture apparatus above the machine table in the machine space has a capture region oriented toward the machine space and is connected with a display configured to represent the captured image of the capture region. The capture apparatus is connected with the display by an image processing processor having a coordinate transformation module configured the captured image perspective. The coordinate transformation module is connected with a wireless position determination system configured to determine the machine operator position in the working and manipulation space.

A manufacturing assistance apparatus includes a display, an imaging device, a completion determining unit, and a display controller. The display is configured to display operation information that is related to any of operation processes of a workpiece. The imaging device is configured to perform imaging of the workpiece, and output image data obtained by the imaging. The completion determining unit is configured to determine whether current one of the operation processes is completed, on a basis of the image data outputted from the imaging device. The display controller is configured to cause, when the current one of the operation processes is determined by the completion determining unit as being completed, the display to display the operation information that is related to subsequent one of the operation processes.