A control device comprises a first interface, a second interface, a processor, and a third interface. A first interface is configured to acquire a captured image of an article. A second interface is configured to transmit and receive data to and from an input/output device. A processor is configured to cause the input/output device to display an article image based on the captured image, receive an input of a position and an angle of a grip portion model of a grip portion that grips the article from the input/output device through the second interface, display the grip portion model on the article image, and generate a gripping plan. A third interface configured to transmit the gripping plan to a control unit of a gripping device including the grip portion.

A method of controlling airflow along sheet edges on a vacuum transport assembly including a platen including one or more holes arranged in rows in a cross process direction, and a belt displaceable with respect to the platen in a process direction, the method including enabling airflow through the one or more holes, receiving information related to one or more sheets of a print job, based on the information, disabling airflow through the one or more holes at an inboard edge of the one or more sheets, based on the information, disabling airflow through the one or more holes at a lead edge of the one or more sheets, and based on the information, disabling airflow through the one or more holes at a trail edge of the one or more sheets.

Robotic systems with griping mechanisms, and related systems and methods are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, the robotic system includes a robotic arm and an end-of-arm tool coupled to the robotic arm. The end-of-arm tool can include a housing, a vacuum-gripping component, and a clamping component. The vacuum-gripping component can be operably coupled to a lower surface of the housing to apply a suction force to an upper surface of a target object. The clamping component can include first and second clamping elements. The first clamping element projects at least partially beneath the lower surface of the housing and is movable along a lateral axis to engage a first side surface of the target object. Similarly, the second clamping element projects at least partially beneath the lower surface of the frame and is movable along the lateral axis to engage with a second side surface of the target object.

An apparatus for picking up and positioning an item includes a vacuum assembly capable of applying a suction force to the item. The apparatus further includes an item engaging plate positioned adjacent the vacuum assembly in a first position for engaging with and picking the item. The engaging plate is moveable to a second position by one or more actuators that reduce a suction force experienced at the engaging plate to deposit or place the item. The one or more fans may additionally be controlled to limit a suction force generated during a disengagement operation where the item is being deposited or placed.

A manipulator including a shaft driven by a first motor, a rotatable unit, a linear slider, and a gripper is provided. The rotatable unit is coupled to the shaft, wherein the rotatable unit rotates with rotation of the shaft. The linear slider disposed on a first surface of the rotatable unit configured to slide from an initial position proximate to an outer edge of the rotatable unit to intermediate positions and to a final position proximate to a center of the rotatable unit. The gripper coupled to the linear slider to facilitate movement of the gripper along a first plane defined by the first surface of the rotatable unit.

The present disclosure relates generally to a container tray for harvesting a plurality of commercially cultivated button-type mushrooms. The present disclosure discusses a mushroom harvesting container tray that cannot only be used for temporarily storing the harvested (picked) mushrooms during the harvesting (picking) process, but the tray can also effectively store and retain the untrimmed mushrooms in place during trimming such that the mushroom stems may be trimmed while being housed in the tray, thereby substantially increasing the efficiency of harvesting mushrooms. For example, the tray holds the mushroom steady while a blade or other cutting mechanism simultaneously trims a plurality of mushroom stems. The present disclosure also relates to a sorting device that determines whether the mushrooms are acceptable and removes the acceptable mushrooms from the tray after the stems have been cut and simultaneously sorts the acceptable mushrooms according to their respective size, shape, color, weight and/or other feature, while also separating or rejecting the unacceptable mushrooms.

Aspects described herein include an end effector capable of prehending items using impactive and astrictive forces. The end effector includes an interface system having a deformable mounting plate and a pliable body member attached to the mounting plate. The end effector further includes a linkage system between a plurality of actuators and the interface system. The linkage system connects to lateral portions of the mounting plate.

Method and apparatus for training a machine learning model for controlling a robotic picking device having a suction device end effector. A robotic control operation and a candidate contact point for holding a first item using a suction device of a robotic picking arm are determined, by processing information describing the first item as an input to a machine learning model. A seal quality metric is estimated for the candidate contact point, based on a predicted deformed n-dimensional shape of the suction device and a n-dimensional shape associated with the first item. One or more weights within the machine learning model are refined based on the estimated seal quality metric.

Various example embodiments described herein relates, to an item manipulation system that can include a control system and an end effector. The end effector can include a tube defining a channel between a first end and a second end. The tube can include, a flexible suction cup that can be disposed within the channel of the tube. In some examples, the flexible suction cup can engage a surface of the item based on suction force generated through the flexible suction cup. The end effector also includes a linear actuator that can be mechanically coupled to the flexible suction cup. The end effector can be configured to: extend, the flexible suction cup towards the second end of the channel to position at least a portion of the flexible suction cup outside the tube and retract, the flexible suction cup within the channel to position the flexible suction cup within the tube.

An apparatus for picking up and positioning an item includes a vacuum assembly capable of applying a suction force to the item. The apparatus further includes an item engaging plate positioned adjacent the vacuum assembly in a first position for engaging with and picking the item. The engaging plate is moveable to a second position by one or more actuators that reduce a suction force experienced at the engaging plate to deposit or place the item. The one or more fans may additionally be controlled to limit a suction force generated during a disengagement operation where the item is being deposited or placed.