A medical apparatus for analyzing fluid samples includes an outer casing, a slide loading mechanism disposed within the outer casing for loading fluid analysis slides, a slide ejecting mechanism disposed within the outer casing for ejecting fluid analysis slides, an evaporation cap opening mechanism disposed within the outer casing for opening an evaporation cap, an evaporation cap closing mechanism disposed within the outer casing for closing an evaporation cap, a drawer locking mechanism disposed within the outer casing for locking a drawer associated with the outer casing, a camera disposed within the outer casing, and a robot disposed within the outer casing. The robot is movable in three dimensions and has means for conducting three or more of the following operations: slide loading; slide ejecting; evaporation cap opening; evaporation cap closing; drawer locking; and camera manipulation.

A control system of a power unit in accordance with the present invention corrects a basic command value of an electric motor 2, which has been determined such that the detection value of a driving force to be applied to a rotary member 5 is converged to a desired value, according to a manipulated variable determined by an observer 16. The electric motor 2 is controlled according to a desired control value after the correction. The observer 16 determines the manipulated variable such that the driving force based on the desired control value is brought close to the resultant force of a force indicated by the rotary member 5 and an inertial force.

A simulation apparatus includes: a robot model arranging unit that arranges a robot model on a virtual space; a configuration information storage unit that stores configuration information of a robot system; a transport device arrangement position calculating unit that calculates a transport device arrangement position based on a follow-up operation reference coordinate system related to a follow-up operation of a robot, included in the configuration information; and a detection unit arrangement position calculating unit that calculates a detection unit arrangement position based on the follow-up operation reference coordinate system.

A tactile fur sensing system and a method of operating thereof allow early detection of an impending contact with an object. A plurality of filaments or threads are positioned on a zone or area of a surface of robotic device in a cost-effective manner. One or more sensors are configured to detect electrical resistance and/or displacement of the plurality of filaments or threads. A processor determines that there is contact with an object based on the detected electrical resistance and/or displacement. The detection of electrical resistance can be based on adjustable baseline values and/or adjustable threshold values. A plurality of nubs may alternatively or in addition be positioned on a surface area. Each nub has an outer cast or protection layer defining a cavity therein. At least a portion of a sensor for detecting resistance and/or displacement is positioned within the cavity of the nub.

A surgical system includes an external anchor, an internal anchor and an instrument. The external anchor is adapted to be positioned outside a body. The internal anchor is adapted to be inserted into the body via a single entrance port, positioned inside the body and magnetically coupled with the external anchor. The instrument is adapted to be inserted into the body via the single entrance port and secured to the internal anchor. The instrument includes an end-effector that has multiple degrees of movement via multiple axes.

Disclosed herein are methods and systems for determining a safe path for movement of an object by a robotic system. According to these implementations, the robotic system may determine a safety level for each of a plurality of relative orientations of an object. Each such relative orientation may define a spatial orientation of the object relative to direction of movement of the object. Based on the determined safety levels, the robotic system may then determine, for each of the plurality of relative orientations, a velocity limit for movement of the object with a particular relative orientation. Based at least in part on the determined velocity limits, the robotic system may then determine a path for moving the object from a first location to a second location. As such, the robotic system may move the object from the first location to the second location based on the determined path.

A multi-joint robot using substantially one sensor, capable of performing a proper repositioning motion of an arm of the robot. The controller has a disturbance torque estimating part which estimates a first disturbance torque and a second disturbance torque, by calculating a torque generated by a mass and motion of the robot and subtracting the calculated torque from the first torque and the second torque detected by a torque detecting part. The controller has a repositioning commanding part which generates a motion command for rotating each axis so that the disturbance torque is reduced, when the disturbance torque exceeds a torque threshold. Since the axis is repositioned based on the motion command, a portion of the robot pushed by the operator is repositioned, whereby the operator can easily perform one's work without using a teaching board, etc.

A mechanism-parametric-calibration method for a robotic arm system is provided. The method includes controlling the robotic arm to perform a plurality of actions so that one end of the robotic arm moves toward corresponding predictive positioning-points; determining a predictive relative-displacement between each two of the predictive positioning-points; after the robotic arm performs each of the actions, sensing three-dimensional positioning information of the end of the robotic arm; determining, according to the three-dimensional positioning information, a measured relative-displacement moved by the end of the robotic arm when the robotic arm performs each two of the actions; deriving an equation corresponding to the robotic arm from the predictive relative-displacements and the measured relative-displacements; and utilizing a feasible algorithm to find the solution of the equation.

A robot controller having a function for mitigating damage to a robot when the robot is brought to an emergency stop, and for facilitating restoration of the robot from the emergency stop. The robot controller has a controlling part which controls a motion of a robot based on a predetermined robot program; a first detecting part which detects a predetermined abnormality which does not require the robot to be immediately stopped; a stopping condition judging part which judges as to whether or not a predetermined stopping condition is satisfied when the first detecting part detects the abnormality; and a stopping process executing part which executes a stopping process of the robot when the stopping condition is satisfied, and does not execute the stopping process when the stopping condition is not satisfied.

A method for determining a shape of a lumen in an anatomical structure comprises reading information from a plurality of strain sensors disposed substantially along a length of a flexible medical device when the flexible medical device is positioned in the lumen. When the flexible medical device is positioned in the lumen, the flexible medical device conforms to the shape of the lumen. The method further comprises computationally determining, by a processing system, the shape of the lumen based on the information from the plurality of strain sensors.