High processing accuracy of a workpiece is maintained even if the workpiece is misaligned. A laser processing apparatus includes: a setting section that sets a pattern area and a distance measurement position on a captured image; a condition setting storage section that stores image information in the pattern area; a position correction section that detects a misalignment of a new workpiece different from a workpiece used to set the pattern area and corrects the distance measurement position on the new workpiece; a distance measurement section that measures a distance based on a light reception position of distance measuring light in a distance measuring light receiving section; and a Z scanner that adjusts a focal position based on a measurement result of the distance measurement section prior to irradiation of the workpiece with laser light.

A system for performing interactions within a physical environment, the system including: a robot having a robot base that undergoes movement relative to the environment and a robot arm mounted to the robot base, the robot arm including an end effector mounted thereon; a communications system including a fieldbus network; a tracking system including a tracking base positioned in the environment and connected to the fieldbus network, and a tracking target mounted to a component of the robot, wherein the tracking base is configured to detect the tracking target to allow a position and/or orientation of the tracking target relative to the tracking base to be determined; and a control system that communicates with the tracking system via the fieldbus network to determine the relative position and/or orientation of the tracking target and controls the robot arm in accordance with the relative position and/or orientation of the tracking target.

An apparatus includes a robotic manipulator with a stationary base, and an end effector actuated by the robotic manipulator, wherein the end effector is adjacent to a workpiece. A scanning laser head unit includes a laser and an optical train configured to move a laser beam over the workpiece. A control unit is configured to move the robotic manipulator such that movement of the end effector tracks movement of the laser beam.

A system includes a moveable element adapted to move relative to a coordinate system defined for a robot, an object detection transceiver unit adapted to be mounted on the moveable element, and a controller. The controller controls the object detection transceiver unit to emit a signal and obtain a return signal for an operational cell of the robot at each of a series of predetermined positions to emulate a transceiver aperture larger than an aperture of the object detection transceiver unit. A location corresponding to a marker present in the operational cell is determined from the return signals. A predetermined operation is carried out where the predetermined operation includes using the determined location to guide movement of the robot.

A tool posture control apparatus includes a robot which supports a tool for performing a predetermined task on a target object, the robot capable of changing posture of the tool; a sensor supported by the robot; and a control device which changes the posture of the tool by controlling the robot, where the sensor measures a distance between the target object and a respective at a plurality of measurement reference positions around the tool, and the control device performs posture control process of controlling the robot in such a way that a measured-distance difference that is a difference between the distances measured by the sensor comes close to a target value.

Provided are a method and a system for a slag thickness detection and a slag-adding prediction. The method includes: acquiring real-time measurement data and real-time auxiliary data of a slag point on a surface of a protective slag layer of a casting mold; calculating a real-time slag thickness value corresponding to the slag point by using the real-time measurement data and the real-time auxiliary data of the slag point; and predicting a location on the surface of the protective slag layer where a slag-adding is to be performed and a slag-adding time when the slag-adding is to be performed based on a change in the real-time slag thickness value corresponding to the slag point by taking a preset slag thickness value as a reference.

A system and method are provided for facilitating hands free and precise movement, translation and repositioning of a movable mechanical apparatus, including an operating room lighting system, mounted to a mechanically-movable base component including, for example, an articulable or articulated robotic-type arm, according to user input pointing commands, including laser or other like pointing commands initiated by a user. The user provides hands free designation of a point of focus with a pointing device. A sensor associated with the movable mechanical apparatus automatically detects the designated point of focus and a processor determines and executes a scheme of movement for moving the movable mechanical apparatus from a current position to a position proximate to the designated point of focus. A collision avoidance scheme is also provided for safety and to alert the user as to the presence of any impediment in the determined scheme of movement.

A tool head posture adjustment method and apparatus, and a readable storage medium are disclosed. Distances to laser points are measured by means of laser distance sensors, and the laser points can construct at least one plane, thereby determining each plane corresponding to a site to be checked; and a comprehensive normal vector of each plane is calculated, and posture parameters of a tool head of a robot are calculated by using a posture expression, thereby adjusting the tool head posture.

A laser processing head emits a laser beam to a workpiece that moves during laser processing and includes: optical path changing members that reflect, toward the workpiece, the laser beam emitted from a laser beam output section; a driver that changes posture of each of the optical path changing members; a control unit that controls the driver; and a memory device that stores target path information indicating a target path of the laser processing, in which the control unit receives information relating to a relative position of the workpiece with respect to the laser processing head, and controls the driver on the basis of the received information relating to the relative position and the target path information to perform the laser processing along the target path.

A system for performing interactions within a physical environment, the system including: a robot having a robot base that undergoes movement relative to the environment and a robot arm mounted to the robot base, the robot arm including an end effector mounted thereon; a communications system including a fieldbus network; a tracking system including a tracking base positioned in the environment and connected to the fieldbus network, and a tracking target mounted to a component of the robot, wherein the tracking base is configured to detect the tracking target to allow a position and/or orientation of the tracking target relative to the tracking base to be determined; and a control system that communicates with the tracking system via the fieldbus network to determine the relative position and/or orientation of the tracking target and controls the robot arm in accordance with the relative position and/or orientation of the tracking target.