A robot apparatus determines a reactive force of a wire member by a sensor, used for the transmission of a driving signal between the robot apparatus and a joint (or end effector). The robot apparatus includes: a plurality of links which constitute a robot arm; rotational joints which connect each of the links to each other; a motor which drives each of the rotational joints; and a cable as a wire member, which is arranged along each link and transmits a driving signal at least to a driving source. A controlling apparatus drives and controls the motor which drives the rotational joints, based on a value of a reactive force, which a cable reactive force measuring unit outputs, which measures the reactive force to be applied to a joint portion when the cable is deformed.

A minimally invasive medical system comprises a manipulator having a plurality of joints, each of the plurality of joints including a torque and/or force sensor. The manipulator includes an effector configured to receive a surgical instrument. The system comprises a programmable computing device programmed for moving the surgical instrument while estimating surgical forces applied to the patient by the surgical instrument using torque and/or force measurements from the plurality of torque and/or force sensors located at the joints.

An object of the present invention is to sense forces from a fine external force to a large external force with high precision, and enable high-precision control. A multi-joint robot arm has a first sensor arranged in an end portion, and second sensors arranged in joints, respectively. The first sensor and the second sensor have different detectable ranges from each other for a detectable force. A controlling apparatus selects which sensing result of a sensor should be used between sensing results of the first sensor 131 and the second sensor, and controls a robot arm by using the selected sensing result of the sensor.

A medical observation apparatus (10) includes an imaging section (140), an arm section (110), and a control section (210). The imaging section (140) captures an observation target. The arm section (110) includes multiple links and joint sections (130) that join the links to each other, and supports the imaging section (140). The control section (210) controls a torque that drives the joint sections (130). When a surgeon imparts an external force to the arm section (110) or the imaging section (140), a torque (external torque) due to the external force acts on the joint sections (130). When a torque detection section (134) of the joint sections (130) detects the external torque, the control section (210) outputs a torque command value () such that a joint driving section (131) produces a torque in the same direction as the external torque. The torque command value () includes a component that cancels out a torque that a cable (495) twisted inside the joint sections (130) produces due to a restoring force. As a result, the surgeon is able to rotate the joint sections (130) as intended by imparting just a small external torque to the joint sections (130).

A robot system includes a robot that includes one or more joints, and a determination unit that is connected to the robot. The joints each include a motor, a speed reduction mechanism that reduces a speed of revolution of the motor; and a torque sensor capable of measuring an output torque of the speed reduction mechanism. The speed reduction mechanism includes a plurality of speed-reduction elements each of which reduces the speed of revolution of the motor at a predetermined reduction ratio. The determination unit calculates time-series data about an input torque to the speed reduction mechanism, and determines the speed reduction mechanism that has a problem, on the basis of time-series data about the number of revolutions of the motor, the calculated time-series data about the input torque, time-series data about the output torque measured by the torque sensor, and the reduction ratio of each of the speed-reduction elements.

In one aspect, there is provided a computer-implemented method that includes receiving a request to generate workcell data representing physical dimensions of a workcell having a physical robot arm, executing a calibration program that causes the physical robot arm to move within the workcell and record locations within the workcell at which the robot arm made contact with an object, generating, from the locations within the workcell at which one or more sensors of the robot arm recorded a resistance above a threshold, a representation of physical boundaries in the workcell, obtaining an initial virtual representation of the workcell, and updating the initial virtual representation of the workcell according to the representation of physical boundaries generated from executing the calibration program.

Certain aspects relate to systems and techniques for detection of undesirable forces on one or more surgical robotic arms. In one aspect, there is provided a system including a robotic arm, including: two linkages, a joint, a torque sensor, and an instrument device manipulator (IDM). The system may further include a processor configured to measure a first torque value at the joint based on an output of the torque sensor and determine a second torque value at the joint based on a position of the robotic arm. The second torque value may be indicative of a gravitational component of the torque between the two linkages. The processor may be further configured to determine a force at the IDM based a difference between the first and second torque values and determine whether the robotic arm has collided with an object or misaligned based on the force at the IDM.

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method and a controller of controlling a robot. The method comprising detecting a pattern of a series of external forces applied on a portion of at least one arm link of the robot; comparing the pattern with a predetermined pattern associated with the portion; and in accordance with a determination that the detected pattern matches the predetermined pattern, controlling the robot to perform an action corresponding to the predetermined pattern. By introducing a pattern of a series of external forces applied on a robot to control the robot, the control of the robot can be done more intuitively. In this way, some intermediate steps such as conversion of view angle and instructions required to use the HMI-based methods are omitted, thereby improving efficiency or reliability of the robot.

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.

A robot includes a robot arm, a force sensor, and a control unit configured to control the operation of the robot art. The control unit initializes the force sensor while the robot arm is moving at uniform speed. It is preferable that the control unit initializes the force sensor while the robot arm is moving at the uniform speed and the amplitude of a detection value of the force sensor is smaller than a threshold.