A machine tool is provided which can execute various works while suppressing increase in cost or size. The machine tool includes a tool spindle device which is a movable member which can move with respect to a mounting surface of the machine tool, and one or more serial-manipulator-type robots attached on the tool spindle device, which can move with the tool spindle device, and which have two or more degrees of freedom, and the robot includes two or more end effectors provided at positions different from each other with one or more joints therebetween.

The present disclosure provides a prosthetic thumb. The prosthetic thumb employs a specialized thumb rotating rack for matched mounting of the prosthetic thumb; the thumb rotating rack is connected between the thumb front support and the thumb back support through the coaxially arranged thumb front supporting shaft and thumb back supporting shaft; and the lead connected with the motor in the prosthetic thumb passes through the lead through hole through the thumb rotating rack open slot and no longer passes through a side face as in the prior art, so that when the thumb rotating rack is rotated due to opposite palm and side palm operation of the prosthetic thumb, the lead is not pulled and bent due to the rotation of the thumb rotating rack, and the service life of the lead is prolonged.

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 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.

Compliant end effectors, robots that include compliant end effectors, and methods of utilizing the same. The robots include a robotic arm and the compliant end effector. The compliant end effector includes a base, a jaw fixedly coupled to the base, a part-engaging surface, and a pivot structure. The pivot structure extends between the part-engaging surface and the jaw and is configured to permit limited rotation of the part-engaging surface relative to the jaw about a single pivot axis. The methods include locating an apparatus with a vision system of the robot, locating a part with the vision system, gripping the part with the compliant end effector, positioning the part relative to the apparatus, and operatively attaching the part to the apparatus. The positioning includes deliberately contacting a toe end of a flange of the part with the apparatus prior to contacting a heel end of the flange with the apparatus.

Telerobotic, telesurgical, and surgical robotic devices, systems, and methods selectively calibrate end effector jaws by bringing the jaw elements into engagement with each other. Commanded torque signals may bring the end effector elements into engagement while monitoring the resulting position of a drive system, optionally using a second derivative of the torque/position relationship so as to identify an end effector engagement position. Calibration can allow the end effector engagement position to correspond to a nominal closed position of an input handle by compensating for wear on the end effector, the end effector drive system, then manipulator, the manipulator drive system, the manipulator/end effector interfacing, and manufacturing tolerances.

Medical instrument (60, 160, 260, 360) comprising at least one first, second and third joint member (71, 72, 73), at least two pairs of tendons (90, 190, 191, 192) connected with the same joint member and adapted to move said third member (73) with respect to said second member (72), pulling it; and wherein each of said joint member (71, 72, 73) comprises a main structural body comprising in a single piece one or more convex contact surfaces (40, 80, 86, 140, 180), all said convex contact surfaces (40, 80, 86, 140, 180) defining with their prolongations thereof at least partially a single convex volume for each joint member; and wherein the main portion of each tendon is in contact with said jointed device (70, 170, 270) only on said convex contact surfaces; and wherein at least two tendons of said at least two pairs of tendons (90, 190, 191, 192) are in contact with a same convex contact surface.

An electronic device can include a motor that rotates a shaft that is coupled to a gear. A belt or a chain can be placed in contract with the gear and other rotational devices. For optimum performance, the chain or chain should be adjusted to an optimum tension. The tension can be adjusted by moving the motor and securing the motor in a position the provided the optimum tension. Alternatively, the motor can be in a fixed rigid position and an idler pulley in contact with the belt or chain can be positioned to provide the optimum tension.

Method comprising: designing a gear in a software-based computer-aided manner in order to obtain a function-oriented geometry, using a software-based computer-aided method for ascertaining a theoretically producible gear geometry corresponding to or an approximation of the function-oriented geometry), providing production data representing the theoretically producible geometry, machining a gear using the production data in a CNC-controlled processing machine, measuring the gear to obtain an actual data set of the gear, carrying out a comparison of the actual data set with the production data in order to ascertain at least one correction variable, using the correction variable in order to ascertain corrected production data from the production data or carry out a machining correction in the processing machine, and post-machining the gear using the machining correction or using the corrected production data in order to machine at least one additional gear in the processing machine.

A gripping device for handling sample containers is presented. The gripping device comprises a number of fingers having non-gripping surfaces adapted to reduce adhesion between the non-gripping surfaces and labels. A sample container processing system comprising such a gripping device is also presented.