A substrate processing apparatus including a frame, a first SCARA arm connected to the frame, including an end effector, configured to extend and retract along a first radial axis; a second SCARA arm connected to the frame, including an end effector, configured to extend and retract along a second radial axis, the SCARA arms having a common shoulder axis of rotation; and a drive section coupled to the SCARA arms is configured to independently extend each SCARA arm along a respective radial axis and rotate each SCARA arm about the common shoulder axis of rotation where the first radial axis is angled relative to the second radial axis and the end effector of a respective arm is aligned with a respective radial axis, wherein each end effector is configured to hold at least one substrate and the end effectors are located on a common transfer plane.

One variation of a method for manipulating a multi-link robotic arm includes: accessing a virtual model of the target object; extracting an object feature representing the target object from the virtual model; at the robotic arm, scanning a field of view of an optical sensor for the object feature, the optical sensor arranged on a distal end of the robotic arm proximal an end effector; in response to detecting the object feature in the field of view of the optical sensor, calculating a physical offset between the target object and the end effector based on a position of the object feature in the field of view of the optical sensor and a known offset between the optical sensor and the end effector; and driving a set of actuators in the robotic arm to reduce the physical offset.

A workpiece manipulation system is disclosed. The workpiece manipulation system is configured to provide high-precision manipulation of a workpiece by an aircraft. The workpiece manipulation system comprises a lifting mechanism to couple with the aircraft, an end-effector, and a processor. The lifting mechanism includes one or more joint actuators to extend or retract the lifting mechanism relative to the aircraft. The end-effector includes an end-effector actuator to control an operation of the end-effector to manipulate the workpiece. The processor is communicatively coupled with an aircraft processor and configured to control operation of the end-effector actuator and the one or more joint actuators.

An assembly of a robot includes a first member, a second member rotatably connected to the first member to construct a robot joint structure, a driving assembly arranged within the first member, a speed reducer assembly to rotatably connect the first member to the second member, and a belt drive assembly connected to the driving assembly and the speed reducer assembly. The belt drive assembly is used to transmit rotary motion from the driving assembly to the speed reducer assembly, thereby rotating the first member with respect to the second member.

A method and device for the control and regulation of actuators of a robot, taking environmental contacts into consideration, wherein the robot comprises at least two parts, which are connected by an articulated joint drivable by an actuator. The method comprises: by way of a sensor system, ascertaining and storing a time-dependent variable, as a function of the time, of one or more external contact forces and/or of one or more external moments on the parts, providing a condition for the variable, classifying the feature vector based on predefined categories, which each indicate a contact type between one of the parts or the articulated joint and an object in a surrounding environment, which are each imparted by corresponding external contact forces and/or external contact moments, to generate a classification result, and open-loop and/or closed-loop control of the actuator as a function of the classification result.

A robotic surgical system including a control system that controls the movement of a robotic arm coupled to a tool assembly having an end effector is described. The control system can also assist with controlling either the articulation or rotation of the end effector. Furthermore, the control system can detect and monitor one or more properties (e.g., articulation, rotation, etc.), which can be used by the control system to determine one or more appropriate movement parameters of either the robotic arm (e.g., velocity of movement) or the tool assembly coupled to the robotic arm (e.g., rotational speed of the end effector). The control system can detect any number of characteristics related to the end effector and use such information to control a variety of movement parameters associated with either the robotic arm or the tool assembly.

The control system includes a first controller, a second controller, and a third controller. The third controller includes a first communication module, a second communication module, and a control processing module configured to output a first operation command for operating the first controlled object to the first controller via the first communication module, configured to output a second operation command for operating the second controlled object to the second controller via the second communication module, configured to switch a mode between a normal control mode and a synchronous control mode, and configured to output, to the second controller via the second communication module, a command to decrease the second gain during at least part of a period of the synchronous control mode as compared with the normal control mode.

A medical observation apparatus includes: an imaging unit; a support unit including arms, a first joint that connects two of the arms and relatively rotates the two arms about a first rotation axis in accordance with given power, a second joint that connects two of the arms and relatively rotates the two arms about a second rotation axis in accordance with given power, a first motor that gives the power to the first joint, and a second motor that gives the power to the second joint; and a controller configured to control a rotational speed of the first motor in accordance with a first speed profile until the rotational speed reaches a predetermined operational speed, and control, until the rotational speed reaches the predetermined operational speed, a rotational speed of the second motor in accordance with a second speed profile that is different from the first speed profile.

Devices, systems, and methods for reconfiguring a surgical manipulator by moving the manipulator within a null-space of a kinematic Jacobian of the manipulator arm. In one aspect, in response to receiving a reconfiguration command, the system drives a first set of joints and calculates velocities of the plurality of joints to be within a null-space. The joints are driven according to the reconfiguration command and the calculated movement so as to maintain a desired state of the end effector or a remote center about which an instrument shaft pivots. In another aspect, the joints are also driven according to a calculated end effector or remote center displacing velocities within a null-perpendicular-space of the Jacobian so as to effect the desired reconfiguration concurrently with a desired movement of the end effector or remote center.

A medical instrument may include multiple joint members and at least two pairs of tendons connected with the joint members and adapted to move at least one of the joint members relative to at least one other joint member. Each joint member may include a main structural body that may be a single piece and includes at least one convex contact surface. A main portion of each tendon contacts the medical instrument only on the convex contact surfaces.