In some embodiments, correcting an alignment error between an end effector of a tool associated with a slave and a master actuator associated with a master in a robotic system involves receiving at the master, master actuator orientation signals (R.sub.MCURR) representing the orientation of the master actuator relative to a master reference frame and generating end effector orientation signals (R.sub.EENEW) representing the end effector orientation relative to a slave reference frame, producing control signals based on the end effector orientation signals, receiving an enablement signal for selectively enabling the control signals to be transmitted from the master to the slave, responsive to a transition of the enablement signal from not active state to active state, computing the master-slave misalignment signals (R.sub.) as a difference between the master actuator orientation signals (R.sub.MCURR) and the end effector orientation signals (R.sub.EENEW), and adjusting the master-slave misalignment signals (R.sub.) to reduce the alignment difference.

A robot system includes a robot, a control circuit, a first wireless circuit, a second wireless circuit, and a teaching circuit. The first wireless circuit is connected to the control circuit. The teaching circuit is connected to the second wireless circuit to control the robot via the second wireless circuit, the first wireless circuit and the control circuit. The second wireless circuit is configured to transmit a control signal to the first wireless circuit with a first wireless communication scheme using frequency hopping, the robot being configured to be driven or not to be driven according to the control signal, and transmit an information signal to the first wireless circuit with a second wireless communication scheme in which a signal is transmitted in a case where a wireless resource is determined to be available, the information signal relating to driving of the robot.

A surgical robot for performing minimally invasive surgery (e.g. in the eye) is provided. A cannula connection is positioned at a fixed surgical arm part and aligned with a movable surgical arm part movable with respect to the fixed surgical arm part. A surgical instrument can be mounted at the movable part. The surgical instrument can pass through the cannula connection. Reference arm(s) and manipulation arm(s) connect a base element with the fixed surgical arm part. The base element could have a surgical operating table attachment part to movably attach to a surgical operating table and rotating parts movably attached to the surgical operating table attachment part.

A surgical tray efficiency system comprising a vertical rack assembly for holding and displaying a plurality of surgical instrument trays, a sterile barrier covering the vertical rack assembly and including tray location identifiers, and a standardization software platform including a customizable interactive planogram is described. The customizable interactive planogram software helps operating room staff arrange the instrument trays on the vertical rack assembly according to a predetermined customizable location ID, and create/load/access information related to the surgical procedure/trays/instruments before, during, and after the surgery.

A system for operating a robotic arm, comprises a controller and a robotic arm. The controller accesses an image of the rear of dairy livestock located in a stall of a rotary milking platform and, in conjunction with the stall of the rotary milking platform in which a dairy livestock is located moving into an area adjacent a robotic arm, determines whether a milking cluster is attached to the dairy livestock based at least in part upon the image. The robotic arm is communicatively coupled to the controller and extends between the legs of the dairy livestock if the controller determines that the milking cluster is not attached to the dairy livestock. The robotic arm does not extend between the legs of the dairy livestock if the controller determines that the milking cluster is attached to the dairy livestock.

A method for applying disinfectant to the teats of a dairy livestock includes determining that a stall of a rotary milking platform housing a dairy livestock is located adjacent to a track that has a carriage carrying a robotic arm. The method continues by communicating a first signal that causes operation of a first actuator such that the carriage moves along the track in relation to the rotary milking platform and independent of any physical coupling between the carriage and the rotary milking platform and in a direction corresponding to a direction of rotation of the rotary milking platform. The method concludes by communicating one or more additional signals that causes operation of one or more actuators of the robotic arm such that at least a portion of the robotic arm extends between the hind legs of a dairy livestock.

Example embodiments may relate to methods and systems for selecting a grasp point on an object. In particular, a robotic manipulator may identify characteristics of a physical object within a physical environment. Based on the identified characteristics, the robotic manipulator may determine potential grasp points on the physical object corresponding to points at which a gripper attached to the robotic manipulator is operable to grip the physical object. Subsequently, the robotic manipulator may determine a motion path for the gripper to follow in order to move the physical object to a drop-off location for the physical object and then select a grasp point, from the potential grasp points, based on the determined motion path. After selecting the grasp point, the robotic manipulator may grip the physical object at the selected grasp point with the gripper and move the physical object through the determined motion path to the drop-off location.

A surgical tray efficiency system comprising a vertical rack assembly for holding and displaying a plurality of surgical instrument trays, a sterile barrier covering the vertical rack assembly and including tray location identifiers, and a standardization software platform including a customizable interactive planogram is described. The customizable interactive planogram software helps operating room staff arrange the instrument trays on the vertical rack assembly according to a predetermined customizable location ID, and create/load/access information related to the surgical procedure/trays/instruments before, during, and after the surgery.

A dynamic multi-objective task allocation system within robotic networks that assigns tasks in real-time as they are detected, the system including a sensing device that detects a trigger event, the trigger event being associated with a task to be performed, and transmits a broadcast signal to a designated robotic network, the robotic network including one or more robots, the broadcast signal including information associated with the task to be performed, the trigger event, the task to be performed, and a location where the task is to be performed; and a distribution robot that receives broadcast signal from the sensing device, assigns itself a self-score associated with performing the task, transmits, to one or more receiving robots within the robotic network, a request for submission of an assessment score of each one of the one or more robots, and determines which robot is assigned to perform the task.

The present disclosure provides a general purpose operating system (GPROS) that shows particular usefulness in the robotics and automation fields. The operating system provides individual services and the combination and interconnections of such services using built-in service extensions, built-in completely configurable generic services, and ways to plug in additional service extensions to yield a comprehensive and cohesive framework for developing, configuring, assembling, constructing, deploying, and managing robotics and/or automation applications. The disclosure includes GPROS extensions and features directed to use as an autonomous vehicle operating system. The vehicle controlled by appropriate versions of the GPROS can include unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) applications such as a driverless or self-driving car. The vehicle can likewise or instead include an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) such as a helicopter or drone. In cases, the vehicle can include an unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV), such as a submarine or other submersible.