A picking apparatus in an embodiment includes: a gripper, an arm, a detector, and a control unit. The gripper picks and grips an object to be conveyed. The arm moves the gripper and causes the gripper to convey the object to be conveyed. The detector is attached to the arm and senses a force applied to the gripper. The control unit controls an operation of the gripper and the arm. The control unit includes a calculator and a subtractor. The calculator calculates a gravitational force and an inertial force applied to the gripper when the gripper grips and moves the object to be conveyed using an arithmetic expression including a coefficient determined in accordance with a mass of the object to be conveyed. The subtractor subtracts the gravitational force and the inertial force calculated by the calculator from a force applied to the gripper sensed by the detector.

A self-learning robot, according to one embodiment of the present invention, comprises: a data receiving unit for sensing video data or audio data relating to an object located within a predetermined range; a data recognition unit for matching data received from the data receiving unit and data included in a database in the self-learning robot; a result output unit for outputting a matching result from the data recognition unit; a recognition result verifying unit for determining the accuracy of the matching result; a server communication unit for transmitting data received from the data receiving unit to a server, when the accuracy of the matching result determined by the recognition result verifying unit is lower than a predetermined level; and an action command unit for causing the self-learning robot to perform a pre-set object response action, when the accuracy of the matching result determined by the recognition result verifying unit is at least the predetermined level.

A method for controlling the motion of one or more collaborative robots is described, the collaborative robots being mounted on a fixed or movable base, equipped with one or more terminal members, and with a motion controller, the method including the following iterative steps: —determining the position coordinates of the robots, and the position coordinates of one or more human operators collaborating with the robot; —determining a set of productivity indices associated with relative directions of motion of the terminal member of the robot, the productivity indices being indicative of the speed at which the robot can move in each of the directions without having to slow down or stop because of the presence of the operator; —supplying the controller of the robot with the data of the set of productivity indices associated with the relative directions of motion of the terminal member of the robot, so that the controller can determine the directions of motion of the terminal member of the robot based on the higher values of the productivity index.

A robotic system comprises two robots and a control unit. Each robot has a base and an arm extending from the base to an attachment for an instrument. Each arm comprises a plurality of joints whereby the configuration of the arm can be altered. Each robot comprises a driver for each joint configured to drive the joint to move, and position and torque sensors. The control unit controls the drivers in dependence on inputs from the sensors. The control unit: determines the gravitational torques on the joints of the arms of the robots in the arm configurations indicated from the inputs from the position sensors; from the inputs from the torque sensors and the determined gravitational torques, determines residual torques on the joints of the arms of the robots in the indicated arm configurations; calculate a candidate force for each arm which when applied to that arm would cause the determined residual torques; and determines a collision if a candidate force on the arm of the first robot balances an opposing candidate force on the arm of the second robot.

Some embodiments are directed to a surgical robotic system for use in a surgical procedure, including a surgical arm having a movable arm part for mounting of a surgical instrument having at least one degree-of-freedom to enable longitudinal movement of the surgical instrument towards a surgical target. Some other embodiments are directed to a human machine interface for receiving positioning commands from a human operator for controlling the longitudinal movement of the surgical instrument, and an actuator configured for actuating the movable arm part to effect the longitudinal movement of the surgical instrument, and controlled by a processor in accordance with the positioning commands and a virtual bound. The virtual bound establishes a transition in the control of the longitudinal movement of the surgical instrument in a direction towards the surgical target. The virtual bound is determined, during use of the surgical robotic system, based on the positioning commands.

Sensors of a control system transmit detected cyclical actual states of a technical industrial process to a common central unit via a first protected connection of a first open communication network once within a specified time window. The central unit transmits cyclical control signals commensurate with the actual states to multiple actuators via a second protected connection of a second open communication network once within the specified time window. Each sensor supplies the actual state detected by the sensor to the first open communication network within a respective transmitter-side sub-region within the time window. The central unit receives the transmitted actual states within a respective corresponding receiver-side sub-region within the time window. The transmitter-side sub-regions of the sensors are specified such that the receiver-side sub-regions are disjointed from one another.

A robot includes a camera, a wireless interface, a propulsion system, a memory device, and a processor. The processor is configured to control the propulsion system to navigate the robot proximate a gaming device, initiate, using the wireless interface, a connection with the gaming device, request a data exchange with the gaming device, and receive, via the wireless interface and using a wireless communications protocol, data from the gaming device.

A robot is described. The robot includes a propulsion system, a wireless interface, a memory device, and a processor configured to execute instructions stored in the memory device. The instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to determine, based upon a communication received at the wireless interface, to perform a celebration associated with a trigger event that has occurred on a casino floor and in response to determining to perform the celebration, control the propulsion system to cause the robot to perform at least a portion of the celebration.

A robot includes a propulsion system configured to move the robot within an operations venue, a wireless interface configured to communicatively connect the robot with a wireless network, a touchscreen display device, a contactless reader device, a memory device, a processor. The processor is configured to receive, from a robot management system (RMS) and via the wireless interface, a relocation request identifying a service location within the operations venue and at which the robot is to provide a service, control the propulsion system to navigate the robot to the service location in response to receiving the relocation request, receive, from a user, an authorization request to add funds to a digital wallet of the user, and transmit, via the wireless interface, an authorization request message to a funds transfer data center associated with the user, the authorization request message configured to request adding the funds to the digital wallet of the user.

A robot management system (RMS) includes a plurality of service robots deployed within an operations venue that includes a plurality of gaming devices, an operator terminal presenting a graphical user interface (GUI) to an operator, and a robot management system server (RMS server) configured in networked communication with the plurality of service robots. The RMS server is configured to: identify location data for the service robots; create an interactive overlay map of the operations venue that includes a static map of the operations venue, overlay data showing the location data of the plurality of service robots over the static map, and an interactive icon for each service robot of the plurality of service robots; display, via the GUI, the overlay map; receive a first input indicating a selection of a first interactive icon associated with a first service robot; and display current status information associated with the first service robot.