A robotic system includes a multi-sectional show robot. The multi-sectional show robot includes a primary robot with a controller and one or more sensors. The one or more sensors are configured to acquire feedback indicative of an environment surrounding the primary robot. The multi-sectional show robot also includes a secondary robot configured to removably couple to the primary robot to transition the multi-sectional show robot between a disengaged configuration, in which the primary robot is decoupled from the secondary robot, and an engaged configuration, in which the primary robot is coupled to the secondary robot. The controller is configured to operate the primary robot based on the feedback and a first control scheme with the multi-sectional show robot in the disengaged configuration and to operate the primary robot based on a second control scheme with the multi-sectional show robot in the engaged configuration.

The invention relates to a method for controlling a group of robots, comprising a leading robot (10) and at least one following robot (20, 30), which cooperates with the leading robot and moves in accordance with the leading robot, wherein the absolute velocity (v.sub.10) of the leading robot and/or the absolute velocity (v.sub.20abs) of the following robot is reduced on the basis of a specified limit (v.sub.max) such that a mutual relative velocity (V.sub.20rel) is not exceeded and therefore a safety function is not triggered.

There are disclosed method and system (10) for picking of articles (12), in particular flat-pack articles (12), in accordance with picking orders, wherein the system (10) comprises: a rack (24) extending substantially along longitudinal and height directions (X, Y) of the system (10) and comprising a plurality of storage locations (30) configured to store source pallets (30); a gantry robot (36) including a manipulation unit (37) configured to transfer the articles (16); a packing position (62) configured to buffer a target pallet (34); a plurality of conveyors (38); and a control (74), which is preferably configured to determine, for each of the orders, an order-specific packing pattern for automatically packing, by the gantry robot (36), several of the articles (12) in accordance with the respective order from one or more of the source pallets (30) on a target pallet (34) in the packing position (62); wherein each of the conveyors (38) comprises a receiving position (66), which is positioned within the rack (24) and configured to receive the source pallets (30), as well as a delivering position (58), which is positioned within an action space of the gantry robot (36) and configured to provide, preferably dynamically, the source pallets (30); wherein the gantry robot (36) defines the action space, within which the manipulation unit (37) is movable and which contains the packing position (62) and the delivering positions (58) the conveyor (38); and wherein the control (74) is further configured to cause that such of the source pallets (30) are transported from the storage locations (32) via the receiving positions (66) to the delivering positions (58), which include the articles (12) required for the packing in accordance with the respective packing pattern.

A robot includes: a communication interface, a memory, and a processor configured to: transmit identification information and state information of the robot to an external server; based on receiving, from the external server, first information including identification information, type information and state information of at least one other robot, store the first information in the memory, based on identifying that an error occurred in communication with the external server, determine whether the robot is to operate as a master robot by comparing the type information and the state information of the at least one other device with type information and first state information of the robot; based on the robot operating as the master robot, plan a movement route of the at least one other robot based on task information of the at least one other robot, and transmit he planned movement route to the at least one other robot.

Method and apparatus for working-place backflow of robots, comprising: acquiring current coordinates of robots currently in an idle state in a working place; acquiring all destination coordinates where the robots are going to return; calculating, according to distances and time from the current coordinates to all destination coordinates, target destination coordinates nearest to the current coordinates; controlling the robots to move out of the working place according to backflow paths corresponding to the target destination coordinates, ensuring order departure of the robots; performing, when paths intersect, queuing management on the robots, to determine a crowding point zone; setting, according to pass requests sent by robots in the crowding point zone, scheduling commands respectively for the robots in the crowding point zone; and sending the commands respectively to the robots in the crowding point zone, to make the robots having received the commands pass through the crowding point zone based thereon.

In a robot system including at least two manipulators with a common work area, a method for optimizing a work cycle having the steps of: defining a layout; and dividing the common work area between the at least two manipulators to thereby obtain a work area division. At least one of the previous steps is repeated to thereby obtain a plurality of different combinations of layouts and work area divisions. For each of the plurality of combinations, a cycle time for at least one work cycle is calculated. By calculating cycle times for work cycles on different combinations of layouts and work area divisions, the work area division becomes part of the optimization problem and a better optimized work cycle can be achieved.

An offline teaching device has a calculation unit which calculates a second position of a second tool on a work line which is separated by a predetermined distance from a first position of a first tool on the work line, calculates a workpiece position where the first tool in the first position contacts or adjoins the workpiece, and calculates a workpiece position and posture such that the second tool in the second position contacts or adjoins the workpiece by changing the posture of the workpiece from the workpiece position with respect to the first tool, while maintaining the work posture of the first tool, and has a generation unit which generates a robot teaching position based on the position and posture of the workpiece and the holding position of the workpiece, and generates a program such that the first tool and the second tool pass along the work line.

The invention relates to an operating method for a positioning system 1, in particular for the structural assembly of aircraft, wherein the positioning system 1 comprises a plurality of positioners 2a, 2b, 2c, each of which has at least one manipulator M. The manipulators M grasp a component B and manipulate it in a synchronized manner, while it is jointly grasped by the manipulators M.