The present invention relates to devices and methods for controlled motion of a tool. In one embodiment, the device can support a tool needed to perform an activity requiring a highly-precise, stable motion, while also accommodating a person's hand for the purposes of moving the tool. In another embodiment, the device of the present invention allows for rotational motion of a tool independently of the directive motion of the tool. In yet another embodiment, the present invention relates to the design of a force transducer useful in a cooperative robot. The device and methods of the present invention are particularly useful for microsurgery or other tasks that are typically performed using cooperative robotics.

This control device is able to prevent the position displacement of a workpiece supported by a workpiece moving device. The control device includes a workpiece moving device controller configured to control the workpiece moving device wherein a time constant corresponding to a time period from a commencement to an termination of acceleration and deceleration of the workpiece moving device is longer for causing the robot and the workpiece moving device to perform an operation other than the workpiece processing operation, compared with the time constant for performing a workpiece processing operation in which the robot and the workpiece moving device perform work on the workpiece in cooperation with each other.

The control system includes a first controller, a second controller, and a third controller. The third controller includes a first communication module, a second communication module, and a control processing module configured to output a first operation command for operating the first controlled object to the first controller via the first communication module, configured to output a second operation command for operating the second controlled object to the second controller via the second communication module, configured to switch a mode between a normal control mode and a synchronous control mode, and configured to output, to the second controller via the second communication module, a command to decrease the second gain during at least part of a period of the synchronous control mode as compared with the normal control mode.

A method for the surface treatment of an article (2) by means of a robotic device (3) comprising a robotic arm (5) and a spraying head (4) fitted on the robotic arm (5); the method comprises a learning step, during which the operator moves the spraying head (4) by means of a handling device (9) and the movements made by the spraying head (4) are stored by a storage unit (8); and a reproduction step, which is subsequent to the learning step and during which the robotic arm (5) is operated so that the spraying head (4) repeats the movements stored by the storage unit (8).

This observation device includes a command output unit that rotates a rotating body and stops a moving body; a first acquisition unit that acquires the rotation angle of the rotating body; a second acquisition unit that acquires the positional deviation of the moving body; and a display control unit that displays, on a display unit, the current rotation angle and a graph showing the correspondence relationship between the rotation angle and the positional deviation, said relationship being corrected on the basis of a first angle difference between a prescribed operation position and an operation position.

This observation device includes a command output unit that rotates a rotation part and stops a moving body; a first acquisition unit that acquires the rotation angle of the rotation part; a second acquisition unit that acquires the positional deviation of the moving body; a correction unit that corrects the rotation angle on the basis of an angle difference; a second storage control unit that establishes a correspondence between the rotation angle and the positional deviation; and a display control unit that displays, on a display unit, a graph indicating the correspondence between the rotation angle and the positional deviation.

A method for controlling a velocity of a conveyance path of a system including an industrial robot, a first conveyance path configured to transfer items within a working area (b2) of the robot with a velocity v.sub.1, and a second conveyance path configured to transfer empty places within the working area (b2) of the robot with a velocity v.sub.2. The method includes: obtaining position data for a plurality of items and for a plurality of empty places; creating one or more pairs including one of the empty places of the plurality of empty places and a respective item of the plurality of items; calculating, for one of the one or more pairs, a time t.sub.As for the empty place of the one pair and a time t.sub.Bk for the item of the one pair to reach a border of the working area (b2) based on position data for the one pair and the velocities v.sub.1 and v.sub.2; and controlling the velocity v.sub.2 of the second conveyance path based on a difference between the time t.sub.As and a time (t.sub.Bk+t), where t is a predetermined time difference.

The present invention relates to devices and methods for controlled motion of a tool. In one embodiment, the device can support a tool needed to perform an activity requiring a highly-precise, stable motion, while also accommodating a person's hand for the purposes of moving the tool. In another embodiment, the device of the present invention allows for rotational motion of a tool independently of the directive motion of the tool. In yet another embodiment, the present invention relates to the design of a force transducer useful in a cooperative robot. The device and methods of the present invention are particularly useful for microsurgery or other tasks that are typically performed using cooperative robotics.

An image inspection device which inspects the inspection target by images includes: an imaging part, which images the inspection target; a changing part, which makes the location of the inspection target with respect to the imaging part periodically and relatively change; and a control part, which makes the imaging part image the inspection target so as to acquire a plurality of images having different imaging conditions at a plurality of timings which is periodically repeated due to the relative changes and at which the inspection target is in a predefined location with respect to the imaging part.

The present invention relates to devices and methods for controlled motion of a tool. In one embodiment, the device can support a tool needed to perform an activity requiring a highly-precise, stable motion, while also accommodating a person's hand for the purposes of moving the tool. In another embodiment, the device of the present invention allows for rotational motion of a tool independently of the directive motion of the tool. In yet another embodiment, the present invention relates to the design of a force transducer useful in a cooperative robot. The device and methods of the present invention are particularly useful for microsurgery or other tasks that are typically performed using cooperative robotics.