Surgical tools that include a mechanisms for transmitting torque through an angle are disclosed. A surgical tool includes an instrument shaft, a drive shaft, an end effector, a driven shaft, and a coupling member. The instrument shaft is elongated along an instrument shaft axis. The drive shaft is mounted to the instrument shaft for rotation about a drive shaft axis. The end effector is coupled with the instrument shaft so that an orientation of the end effector can be varied relative to the instrument shaft. The driven shaft is coupled with the end effector to articulate a feature of the end effector via rotation of the driven shaft relative to the end effector. The coupling member couples the drive shaft with the driven shaft so that a rate of rotation of the drive shaft and a rate of rotation of the driven shaft about a driven shaft axis are equal.

A mechanical arm assembly including a bendable arm. In some embodiments, the bendable arm includes a body including a plurality of links and a plurality of joints movably coupling the plurality of links; and a plurality of wires including one or more control wires. For example, the body encloses at least a portion of each of the plurality of wires and defines a plurality of openings with each wire in the plurality of wires extending through at least one respective opening of the plurality of openings. The one or more control wires may be moveably positioned within at least a portion of the body enclosing the one or more control wires. In some embodiments, each control wire terminates at a corresponding link. For example, a first control wire terminates at a first link and a second control wire terminates at a second link of the plurality of links.

Exemplary embodiments relate to user-assisted robotic control systems, user interfaces for remote control of robotic systems, vision systems in robotic control systems, and modular grippers for use by robotic systems. The systems, methods, apparatuses and computer-readable media instructions described interact with and control robotic systems, in particular pick and place systems using soft robotic actuators to grasp, move and release target objects.

An apparatus having a drive unit having a first drive axis rotatable about a first axis of rotation and a second drive axis rotatable about a second axis of rotation, the second drive axis being coaxial with and partially within the first drive axis and axially rotatable within the first drive axis. A robot arm has an upper arm connected to the drive unit at the first drive axis, a forearm coupled to the upper arm, the forearm being coupled to the upper arm at a first rotary joint and rotatable about the first rotary joint, the first rotary joint being actuatable by a first band arrangement coupled to the second drive axis, and an end effector coupled to the forearm.

A method for constructing a robotic arm includes positioning a wire in a formation zone for the robotic arm; and forming a body of the robotic arm in the formation zone around the wire such that the body of the robotic arm encloses at least a portion of the wire.

Exemplary embodiments relate to user-assisted robotic control systems, user interfaces for remote control of robotic systems, vision systems in robotic control systems, and modular grippers for use by robotic systems. The systems, methods, apparatuses and computer-readable media instructions described interact with and control robotic systems, in particular pick and place systems using soft robotic actuators to grasp, move and release target objects.

Exemplary embodiments relate to user-assisted robotic control systems, user interfaces for remote control of robotic systems, vision systems in robotic control systems, and modular grippers for use by robotic systems. Systems, methods, apparatuses and computer-readable media instructions are disclosed for interactions with and control of robotic systems, in particular, pick and place systems using soft robotic actuators to grasp, move and release target objects.

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.

A rotary axis module includes: an input shaft connected to a drive motor; an output shaft, an output shaft flange connected to the output shaft; parallel gears coupled to the output shaft flange; at least two double gears; and a transfer gear that transmits the power of the drive motor to the double gears. The at least two double gears and the transfer gear are disposed so as to surround the output shaft.

Surgical tools having a two degree-of-freedom wrist, wrist articulation by linked tension members, mechanisms for transmitting torque through an angle, and minimally invasive surgical tools incorporating these features are disclosed. An elongate intermediate wrist member is pivotally coupled with a distal end of an instrument shaft so as to rotate about a first axis transverse to the shaft, and an end effector body is pivotally coupled with the intermediate member so as to rotate about a second axis that is transverse to the first axis. Linked tension members interact with attachment features to articulate the wrist. A torque-transmitting mechanism includes a coupling member, coupling pins, a drive shaft, and a driven shaft. The drive shaft is coupled with the driven shaft so as to control the relative orientations of the drive shaft, the coupling member, and the driven shaft.