A method and apparatus for controlling an industrial robot relative to an intuitive motion coordinate system. The current 3D position of a touch-screen teach pendant relative to the robot is sensed, and an operator-centric frame of reference is developed relative to the robot-centric frame of reference. A simulacra of the robot is generated, oriented so as to correspond with an operator view of the robot from the current position of the controller, and displayed on the pendant. A motion-control construction, generated and displayed on the pendant, is adapted to receive jog commands from the operator indicative of a respective incremental movement of the simulacra in the operator-centric frame of reference. Each jog command is transformed from the operator-centric frame of reference to the robot-centric frame of reference, and the robot moved in accordance with the transformed jog command. Movement of the pendant relative to the robot is sensed and, in response, the displayed simulacra is reoriented to correspond to the new position of the pendant relative to the robot as viewed by the operator.

An apparatus including at least one drive; a first robot arm having a first upper arm, a first forearm and a first end effector. The first upper arm is connected to the at least one drive at a first axis of rotation. A second robot arm has a second upper arm, a second forearm and a second end effector. The second upper arm is connected to the at least one drive at a second axis of rotation which is spaced from the first axis of rotation. The first and second robot arms are configured to locate the end effectors in first retracted positions for stacking substrates located on the end effectors at least partially one above the another. The first and second robot arms are configured to extend the end effectors from the first retracted positions in a first direction along parallel first paths located at least partially directly one above the other. The first and second robot arms are configured to extend the end effectors in at least one second direction along second paths spaced from one another which are not located above one another. The first upper arm and the first forearm have different effective lengths. The second upper arm and the second forearm have different effective lengths.

A solar panel dispensing device comprising a hopper and a robotic arm. The hopper includes a base and a frame defining an interior volume and being configured to contain solar panels therein supported in an upright position. The robotic arm is moveable about the hopper in one or more degrees of freedom. The robotic arm includes a solar panel end effector operable to acquire a lead solar panel oriented in the upright orientation. The solar panel end effector includes an interfacing orientation and a release orientation; The robotic arm further includes an arm actuator operable to move the robotic arm and the solar panel end effector between the interfacing orientation and the release orientation. The interfacing orientation and the release orientation of the solar panel end effector correspond respectively to the solar panel being in the upright orientation, and the solar panel being in a presentation orientation.

Example implementations may relate to methods and systems to prevent damage in robots. In particular, a robotic system may include a particular component that is moveable along one or more degrees of freedom (DOFs) each providing a respective range of motion (ROM) of the particular component. This robotic system may detect movement of the particular component along a particular DOF and may responsively determine mechanical feedback characteristics that define, for each of one or more positions of the particular component along the respective ROM provided by the particular DOF, a force to be provided by at least one actuator coupled to the particular component. So during the movement, the robotic system may determine a particular position of the particular component along the respective ROM and, based on the particular position, the robotic system may direct an actuator to provide a force in accordance with the determined mechanical feedback characteristics.

A mobile robot for responding to computer system issues travels to and interacts with a specific computer system in a data center based on a command from a central control system. The mobile robot can collect environmental data from a location proximate to a specific computer system, communicatively couple to a specific computer system via engaging a communication connector with an interface of the specific computer system, collect data from a specific computer system via the coupling to the specific computer system, establish a remote communication link between the specific computer system and a remote computer system, and send the collected data to a remote computer system or process the collected data. The mobile robot can manipulate one or more manipulable arms to remove a component part from a specific computer system and install a replacement component part in a specific computer system.

A transport apparatus including a drive; a first arm connected to the drive, where the first arm includes a first link, a second link and an end effector connected in series with the drive, where the first link and the second link have different effective lengths; and a system for limiting rotation of the end effector relative to the second link to provide substantially only straight movement of the end effector relative to the drive when the first arm is extended or retracted.

A transport apparatus including a drive; a first arm connected to the drive, where the first arm includes a first link, a second link and an end effector connected in series with the drive, where the first link and the second link have different effective lengths; and a system for limiting rotation of the end effector relative to the second link to provide substantially only straight movement of the end effector relative to the drive when the first arm is extended or retracted.

A robot shakes automatically adjusting device includes a parameter optimizing part configured to newly set any one of a plurality of control parameters to a control parameter setter when a shakes evaluation value is above a given threshold, and optimize a combination of the plurality of control parameters by causing the control parameter setter, a robot control part, a shakes acquiring part, and a determining part to repeat the new setting of the control parameters, a linear movement of an end effector, an acquisition of the shakes, and a determination, respectively, until the shakes evaluation value becomes below the given threshold.

A tool welding system is disclosed that includes a table that heats a tool. A multi-axis robot includes a welding head that is moved relative to the table in response to a command. A controller is in communication with the robot and generates the command in response to welding parameters. The weld parameters are based upon a difference between an initial tool shape and a desired tool shape. The difference between the initial tool shape and the desired tool shape corresponds to a desired weld shape. The desired weld shape is adjusted based upon initial tool shape variations, which includes thermal growth of the tool. The tool is welded to provide the desired weld shape to achieve a desired tool shape.

Implementations generally relate to storage systems. In one implementation, a system includes a plurality of storage libraries that store a plurality of removable media units. The system also includes a plurality of head units for reading and writing to one or more of the removable media units. The system also includes a plurality of robots that transfer one or more of the removable media units between one or more of the storage libraries and one or more of the head units. The system also includes enabling one or more of the robots to recover a set of data from two or more of the removable media units if a failure occurs in association with at least one of the other removable media units.