Articulating devices and processes for obtaining photographic images with the articulating device generally include providing the articulating device with a directional light reference for use in photographically obtaining an accurate rendition of a subject being photographed. In this manner, an incidental light reference at the subject location is provided prior to capturing an image of the subject.

A method of planning a swing trajectory for a leg of a robot includes receiving an initial position of a leg of the robot, an initial velocity of the leg, a touchdown location, and a touchdown target time. The method also includes determining a difference between the initial position and the touchdown location and separating the difference between the initial position and the touchdown location into a horizontal motion component and a vertical motion component. The method also includes selecting a horizontal motion policy and a vertical motion policy to satisfy the motion components. Each policy produces a respective trajectory as a function of the initial position, the initial velocity, the touchdown location, and the touchdown target time. The method also includes executing the selected policies to swing the leg of the robot from the initial position to the touchdown location at the touchdown target time.

Provided is an apparatus capable of transporting a rotor from a first location to a second location, including: a holding device for engaging with a portion of the rotor at the first location so as to hold the rotor relative to the apparatus; a position determination device for determining the position of at least one component part of the rotor relative to another component part of the rotor or another body; a positioning device for positioning or repositioning said at least one component part of the rotor relative to another component part of the rotor or another body; and a movement device for moving the rotor from the first location to the second location. Also described is a method of loading a rotor into a balancing machine.

A robot control device that controls a robot including a motor, the robot control device comprising: a power converter that is connected to the motor by a power line and converts supplied power to power to be supplied to the motor; a brake that brakes the motor by short-circuiting the power lines, and an inductance element that is provided on the power line and positioned closer to the power converter side than a connection point between the brake and the power line.

A method for operating a robot includes executing program instructions to determine that a robotic control program being executed on a robotic controller to operate the robot has been stopped; executing program instructions to determine whether a cause of the stoppage is a motion supervision error; executing program instructions to request a new target object from a vision system; and executing program instructions to resume normal robotic operation using the robotic control program.

A first device is mounted on a robot, and signals are transmitted between the first device and at least one second device placed at a certain physical location. Based on the signals, one or more positions in a coordinate system of the robot are determined. For this purpose, the robot may move the first device so that the signals can be transmitted for different physical locations of the first device.

A pallet building apparatus for automatically building a pallet load of pallet load article units onto a pallet support including a frame defining a pallet building base, at least one articulated robot to transport and place the pallet load article units, a controller to control articulated robot motion and effect therewith a pallet load build, at least one three-dimensional, time of flight, camera to generate three-dimensional imaging of the pallet support and pallet load build, wherein the controller registers, from the three-dimensional camera, real time three-dimensional imaging data embodying different corresponding three-dimensional images of the pallet support and pallet load build, to determine, in real time, from the corresponding real time three-dimensional imaging data, a pallet support variance or article unit variance and generate in real time an articulated robot motion signal, the articulated robot motion signal being generated real time so as to be performed real time by the at least one articulated robot between placement of at least one pallet load article unit and a serially consecutive pallet load article unit enabling substantially continuous building of the pallet load build.

A solution for pre-screening an object for further processing is provided. A pre-screening component can acquire image data of the object and process the image data to identify reference target(s) corresponding to the object, which are visible in the image data. Additionally, the pre-screening component can identify, using the reference target(s), the location of one or more components of the object. The pre-screening component can provide pre-screening data for use in further processing the object, which includes data corresponding to the set of reference targets and the location of the at least one component. A reference target can be, for example, an easily identifiable feature of the object and the component can be relevant for performing an operation on the object.

The blood bank comprises a cooled storage area with a plurality of stationary storage racks. Further, it comprises a buffer storage, which holds a number of movable storage racks. A robot is provided for moving blood products between the stationary storage racks and the movable storage racks. A product access door is arranged close to the buffer storage for manual access to the blood products within the movable storage racks.

Method for programming a force to be applied by a working end of a robot, along at least part of a preprogrammed path of the working end, the method comprising the steps of:moving the working end of the robot over the said at least part of the preprogrammed path, the driving of the robot being feedback-controlled in order the keep the working end in position without a force setpoint,at least at one position during the movement, having an operator apply to the working end a force which is the opposite of that which is to be applied during the task and which has an intensity proportionate to that which is to be applied during the task,determining the force that is to he applied cluing the task from the resistive force exerted by the robot in order to keep the working end on the path,storing in memory the three thus determined in relation to the position of the working end while the opposing force is being applied.