A method for determining an orientation or installation of a robot relative to a direction of gravity for at least one installation location of the robot, and for horizontal alignment or alignment relative to the direction of gravity of a robot includes creating a model wherein joint forces are identified in at least one calibration pose. The robot is then into a new installation location and the joint forces of the robot are identified in at least one measuring pose. Based on the identified joint forces and the model of the robot, the orientation, i.e. the orientation or the installation, of the robot relative to the direction of gravity is determined. The orientation of the robot is corrected by tilting the robot base such that the identified joint forces do not deviate from the forces defined in the model.

In some aspects, a control algorithm is provided for manipulating a pair of articulation arms configured to control an articulation angle of an end effector of a robotic surgical instrument. Other aspects of the present disclosure focus on the robotic arm system, including the pair of articulation arms coupled to the end effector and guided by independent motors controlled by a control circuit. Each of the articulation arms are designed to exert antagonistic forces competing against each other that are apportioned according to a ratio specified in the control algorithm. The ratio of the antagonistic forces may be used to determine the articulation angle of the head or end effector of the robotic surgical arm.

A system for controlling a surgical robotic tool having an end effector driven by actuators through antagonistic cables is disclosed. The control system may include a position controller and a grip force controller. The position controller may be configured to receive an input signal to control the position of the end effector and generate a first command to drive the actuators to move the end effector. The grip force controller may be configured to receive another input to control the force exerted by jaws of the end effector and generate a second command. The first command and the second command may be combined to generate a composite command that is provided to the actuators to drive motion of the end effector. A third current or position command may be generated by a slack controller to prevent cable slack.

A control system (10) according to the present invention includes a robot arm (11) provided in a manner capable of moving in a given space, a motor (14) for operating the robot arm (11), a torque adjustment device (16) for operating in a manner capable of adjusting a transmitted torque that is transmitted from the motor (14) to the robot arm (11), and a control device (19) for performing operation control of the robot arm (11). The robot arm (11) is provided with a gravity-compensating mechanism (12) for cancelling an effect of gravity due to the robot arm (11), and the control device (19) commands adjustment of the transmitted torque at the torque adjustment device (16), without taking into account the effect of the gravity of the robot arm (11).

There is provided a robot hand that grips and positions a work with a certain gripping force, and that rapidly conveys the work to execute assembling after gripping the work.

Telerobotic, telesurgical, and/or surgical robotic devices, systems, and methods employ surgical robotic linkages that may have more degrees of freedom than an associated surgical end effector in space. A processor can calculate a tool motion that includes pivoting of the tool about an aperture site. Linkages movable along a range of configurations for a given end effector position may be driven toward configurations which inhibit collisions. Refined robotic linkages and methods for their use are also provided.

Telerobotic, telesurgical, and/or surgical robotic devices, systems, and methods employ surgical robotic linkages that may have more degrees of freedom than an associated surgical end effector in space. A processor can calculate a tool motion that includes pivoting of the tool about an aperture site. Linkages movable along a range of configurations for a given end effector position may be driven toward configurations which inhibit collisions. Refined robotic linkages and methods for their use are also provided.

A robot control apparatus that controls a robot including a manipulator, a force detector provided in the manipulator, and an actuator that drives the manipulator based on a target position, includes a display control unit that displays a motion position of the manipulator derived based on a target force and an output of the force detector and the target position on a screen.

A drive unit 10A is configured to exert a driving force on an environment 50 in accordance with a target driving force command ?.sub.d, and includes a parameter storage device 30A, a force measuring instrument 35, an admittance model calculation device 31A, and a position control and driving device 33A. The parameter storage device 30A has stored therein dynamics parameters of first and second virtual objects affected by a virtual interactive force ?.sub.R. The force measuring instrument 35 is configured to output a measurement result for the driving force as a measured driving force value ?.sub.s. The admittance model calculation device 31A is configured to calculate and output a displacement of the first virtual object. The displacement is obtained by calculations based on the stored dynamics parameters, the target driving force command ?.sub.d, and the measured driving force value ?.sub.s. The position control and driving device 33A is configured to operate in accordance with a target position command. The force measuring instrument 35 is disposed between the position control and driving device 33A and the environment 50. The target position command corresponds to the first virtual object's displacement outputted by the admittance model calculation device 31A. The drive unit 10A achieves advantages of both high and low backdrivability.

A robot system includes a robot device for supplying a workpiece to a machine tool, a hand attached to a distal end of an arm of the robot device, a force sensor for detecting an external force applied to the hand, and a robot control device for controlling the robot device. The robot control device includes an operation control unit for controlling the robot device to correct the position and posture of the hand with respect to the machine tool, based on an output of the force sensor, and a storage unit to store data relating to the corrected position and posture of the hand.