In a remote control robot system including a plurality of slave arms, slave arm has a plurality of control modes of an automatic mode in which slave arm is operated based on a task program, a manual mode in which slave arm is operated based on an operator's operation received by a master device, and correctable automatic mode in which slave arm is operated based on task program while operation is sequentially corrected by the operator's operation received by master device. Operation sequence information includes an automatic part in which slave arm performs a work in the automatic mode, and a selected part in which slave arm performs a work in one selected from plurality of control modes, and the selected parts do not overlap with each other in time among the plurality of slave arms. Based on the operation sequence information, the plurality of slave arms are operated.

A robot system which includes a manipulator, slave arm, an output device, a storage device and a control device. Control device is configured, after a given first process, to output to the output device an inquiry of asking which operating mode among three operating modes of an automatic operation mode, manual operation mode, and hybrid operation mode the slave arm is to be operated in a second process, and execute first operation processing in which, when selected information for instructing the operating mode selected from the three operating modes is inputted, the selected information is stored in the storage device, and second operation processing in which, when the number of times that first selected information is stored in the storage device becomes equal to or more than a first threshold number of times, the selected operating mode is outputted to the output device after the first process is ended.

Robot system includes robot main body including robot arm, end effector attached to robot arm, and force sensing device detecting force applied to end effector's tip end, actual reaction-force information generator generating force-sensing information according to force detected by force sensing device, and output force-sensing information as actual reaction-force information, virtual reaction-force information generator outputting force component detected by force sensing device, that has a magnitude proportional to time differentiation value, as virtual reaction-force information, adder configured to output information obtained by adding actual reaction-force information outputted from actual reaction-force information generator to virtual reaction-force information outputted from virtual reaction-force information generator, as synthetic reaction-force information, operating device outputting, when operator is made to sense a force according to synthetic reaction-force information outputted from adder and operator operates, operating information according to operation, and motion controller controlling robot main body's operation according to operating information outputted from operating device.

A robot system includes a robot main body, memory part configured to store information for causing robot main body to perform given operation, as saved operational information, motion controller configured to control operation of robot main body by using saved operational information as automatic operational information for causing robot main body to operate, and an operation correcting device configured to generate, by being operated, manipulating information for correcting operation of robot main body during operation. Motion controller controls robot main body to perform an operation corrected from operation related to automatic operational information in response to a reception of the manipulating information while robot main body is operating by using automatic operational information. Memory part is configured to be storable of corrected operational information for causing robot main body to perform corrected operation as saved operational information, when robot main body performs corrected operation.

A robot system is provided, which includes a robot body including, robot arm and an end effector attached to robot arm, and operating device, having operating part and configured to output, when operating part is operated, operational information according to operation, a motion controller configured to control operation of robot body according to the operational information outputted from the operating device, a velocity detector configured to detect a velocity at a tip end of the end effector, a virtual reaction-force information generating module configured to output force information containing a first force component having a positive correlation to the velocity at the tip end of the end effector, as virtual reaction-force information, and a force applying device configured to give a force to the operating part in order to make an operator perceive a force according to the virtual reaction-force information outputted from the virtual reaction-force information generating module.

According to some embodiments, a tactile information estimation apparatus may include one or more memories and one or more processors. The one or more processors are configured to input at least first visual information of an object acquired by a visual sensor to a model. The model is generated based on visual information and tactile information linked to the visual information. The one or more processors are configured to extract, based on the model, a feature amount relating to tactile information of the object.

Robot system which includes a master device configured to receive an operating instruction from an operator, slave arm, storage device configured to store operating sequence information that defines processing carried out by slave arm, and control device configured to control operation of slave arm. Control device includes a receiver configured to receive an input signal, motion controller configured to determine whether operating mode of slave arm is to be automatic, manual or correctable automatic mode and control operation of slave arm in determined operating mode, and continuation determinator configured to determine whether continuation of automatic mode is permitted. In a process at which slave arm is scheduled to operate in automatic mode, after motion controller suspends operation of slave arm in automatic mode at a given step of process, continuation determinator determines whether continuation of automatic mode is permitted based on input signal received by receiver when operation is suspended.

A robot main body having a robotic arm, a remote control device which includes a robotic arm operational instruction input part installed outside of a working area and by which an operational instruction for the robotic arm is inputted, and a contactless action detecting part configured to detect a contactless action including at least one given operating condition parameter change instructing action by an operator, a control device communicably connected to the remote control device and configured to control operation of the robot main body.

An apparatus for handling microelectronic devices comprises a pick arm having a pick surface configured for receiving a microelectronic device thereon, drives for moving the pick arm and reorienting the pick surface in the X, Y and Z planes and about a horizontal rotational axis and a vertical rotational axis, and a sensor device carried by the pick arm and configured to detect at least one of at least one magnitude of force and at least one location of force applied between the pick surface and a structure contacted by the pick surface or a structure and a microelectronic device carried on the pick surface.

In one embodiment, a neuromorphic robot includes a curved outer housing that forms a continuous curved outer surface, a plurality of trackball touch sensors provided on and extending across the continuous curved outer surface in an array, each trackball sensor being configured to detect a direction and velocity a sweeping stroke of a user, and a plurality of lights, one light being collocated with each trackball touch sensor and being configured to illuminate when its collocated trackball touch sensor is stroked by the user, wherein the robot is configured to interpret the sweeping stroke of the user sensed with the plurality of trackball touch sensors and to provide immediate visual feedback to the user at the locations of the touched trackball touch sensors.