Generally, a system for use in a robotic surgical system may be used to determine an attachment state between a tool driver, sterile adapter, and surgical tool of the system. The system may include sensors used to generate attachment data corresponding to the attachment state. The attachment state may be used to control operation of the tool driver and surgical tool. In some variations, one or more of the attachment states may be visually output to an operator using one or more of the tool driver, sterile adapter, and surgical tool. In some variations, the tool driver and surgical tool may include electronic communication devices configured to be in close proximity when the surgical tool is attached to the sterile adapter and tool driver.

Systems and methods for identifying a robot end effector in a processing environment may utilize one or more sensors for digitally recording visual information and providing that information to an industrial workflow. The sensor(s) may be positioned to record at least one image of the robot including the end effector. A processor may determine the identity of the end effector from the recorded image(s) and a library or database stored digital models.

Systems and methods monitor a workspace for safety purposes using sensors distributed about the workspace. The sensors are registered with respect to each other, and this registration is monitored over time. Occluded space as well as occupied space is identified, and this mapping is frequently updated.

Devices, systems, and methods for social behavior of a telepresence robot are disclosed herein. A telepresence robot may include a drive system, a control system, an object detection system, and a social behaviors component. The drive system is configured to move the telepresence robot. The control system is configured to control the drive system to drive the telepresence robot around a work area. The object detection system is configured to detect a human in proximity to the telepresence robot. The social behaviors component is configured to provide instructions to the control system to cause the telepresence robot to operate according to a first set of rules when a presence of one or more humans is not detected and operate according to a second set of rules when the presence of one or more humans is detected.

An example method may include i) detecting a disturbance to a gait of a robot, where the gait includes a swing state and a step down state, the swing state including a target swing trajectory for a foot of the robot, and where the target swing trajectory includes a beginning and an end; and ii) based on the detected disturbance, causing the foot of the robot to enter the step down state before the foot reaches the end of the target swing trajectory.

Systems and methods for determining safe zones in a workspace calculate safe actions in real time based on all sensed relevant objects and on the current state of the machinery (e.g., a robot) in the workspace. Various embodiments forecast, in real time, both the motion of the machinery and the possible motion of a human within the space, and continuously update the forecast as the machinery operates and humans move in the workspace.

RF shielding techniques are employed to prevent wireless signals transmitted from one machine from reaching another machine using the same frequency range. If the machines are spaced closely together, the wireless signals emitted by one machine may be received by the other, thereby causing interference. In one embodiment, one of the machines is placed in a Faraday cage which prevents it from transmitting wireless signals to, and receiving signals from, the other machine. In another embodiment, machines that use different channels are grouped into a first Faraday cage while machines that use the same channels as the machines in the first Faraday cage are placed in a second Faraday cage. In this manner, the machines in the two cages can reuse the same communication channels while being disposed proximate to each other in the shared space.

The present disclosure is applicable to robot technology. A method for robot fall prediction, and a robot are provided. The method includes: searching a weighted value of a center of gravity of the robot corresponding to a posture of the robot, according to a preset first corresponding relationship; correcting an offset of the center of gravity of the robot based on the weighted value of the center of gravity of the robot; correcting an acceleration of the robot based on an offset direction of the center of gravity of the robot; and determining whether the robot will fall based on the corrected offset of the center of gravity, the offset direction of the center of gravity, and the corrected acceleration of the robot. The present disclosure improves the real-time performance and accuracy of the prediction for the fall of a robot through the fusion calculation of various data.

The disclosure relates to a system and/or method to create or otherwise define one or more virtual barriers for confining or controlling an autonomous robotic device substantially within one or more portion of one or more selected working areas, for example, to prohibit entrance of certain areas. The system and/or method may use a set of beacon transmitters that emit time-stamped signals, which are received by one or more robots and used to calculate the robotic device's distance from such beacons.

An adapter which allows an object to be pulled into a chamber after being gripped by a gripper module with a drive, said chamber being formed by an outer shell is provided. The outer shell is designed to at least partly cover the object and is sufficiently large so as to shield the object. The adapter can be understood as a gripper base system to which the gripper module is adapted. The drive pulls the entire gripper module including the object into the gripper base system. The adapter provides a safety gripper system with an object housing for a safe human/robot interaction. The outer shell protects persons from sharp-edged objects which are gripped by the gripper module and which could otherwise lead to an injury of the persons located in the working area.