A mirror replacement device includes a gripping mechanism to grip a segment mirror, a fine drive mechanism to change a position and a posture of the gripping mechanism, a lift mechanism for the segment mirror, a first detector to detect a relative position and a relative posture between a comparison object and a target object, a second detector to detect a bend of the fine drive mechanism, and a mirror replacement controller to replace the segment mirror based on detection signals output from the above-mentioned detectors. The controller determines whether the first detector can successfully perform a measurement. When it is determined that the measurement can be successfully performed, the control is performed based on the detection signal output from the first detector. When it is determined that the measurement cannot be successfully performed, the control is performed based on the detection signal output from the second detector.

A parallel-series connection walking robot and a construction method thereof. The parallel-series connection walking robot mainly comprises leg mechanisms A and B; one leg mechanism A is a parallel-series connection leg mechanism (3); the other leg mechanism B is a parallel-series connection leg mechanism (3) or a foot parallel-connection mechanism (1); and the parallel-series connection leg mechanism (3) is formed of a thigh mechanism (3.2) and a foot parallel-connection mechanism (3.1) through serial connection. The two leg mechanisms have a combination of a specific DOF; upper portions of the two leg mechanisms are fixedly connected together; all members are comprised by and intersected with each other, but have independent activity spaces, respectively; and projections of the triangles formed by toes of the two leg mechanisms on a horizontal plane overlap with each other. During an advancing process, the robot can stably walk in any direction without left-right gravity center adjustment; and the robot also has the advantages of less kinematic pairs, lower robot body height, strong bearing capacity, steering flexibility, strong obstacle crossing ability and climbing up and down ability.

A link actuation device includes a proximal-end-side link hub, a distal-end-side link hub, three or more link mechanisms each coupling the link hubs such that a posture of the distal-end-side link hub can be changed relative to the proximal-end-side link hub. Each link mechanism includes a proximal-side end link member, a proximal-side intermediate link member, a distal-side intermediate link member, and a distal-side end link member. Actuators for arbitrarily changing the posture and a distance from the distal-end-side link hub to the proximal-end-side link hub are provided to three or more link mechanisms of the three or more link mechanisms. A control unit calculates a rotation angle of the proximal-side end link member according to a targeted posture of the distal-end-side link hub and a targeted distance between the centers of the spherical links, and controls the respective actuators so as to attain the calculated rotation angle.

A multi-motion-platform parallel robot, comprising an original parallel mechanism; and a plurality of N.sub.1 derivative parallel mechanisms, wherein: each of the parallel mechanisms possesses N.sub.2 degrees-of-freedom (DOFs) and shares an identical set of DOF properties; N.sub.1 is an integer greater than 1; N.sub.2 is one of 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6; the original parallel mechanism includes an original base platform, an original movable platform and a plurality of N.sub.2 original chains; the plurality of original chains connect the original base platform and the original movable platform; each of the original chains includes a plurality of generalized kinematic pairs interconnected in series; the derivative parallel mechanism includes a derivative base platform, a derivative movable platform and a plurality of (N.sub.2N.sub.1) derivative chains; and the plurality of derivative chains connect the derivative base platform and the derivative movable platform.

A configurable parallel medical robot (30) employs a plurality of unassembled serial robot modules (40). Each serial robot module (40) includes a serial articulated robotic arm (50) and a serial end-effector (60). Each serial end-effector (60) includes a coaxial coupler (61), and the coaxial couplers are configured to coaxially couple two or more serial end-effectors (60) to form a coaxial end-effector (63) based on a plurality of configurations of the configurable parallel medical robot, each configuration including a different number of assembled serial robot modules (40). A parallel medical robotic system (20) employs a configuration controller (80) for determining a configuration of the configurable parallel medical robot (30) to robotically guide a medical tool (10) within a medical procedural space. The configuration controller (80) may further determine a mounting and/or a pose of the configuration of the parallel medical robot (30) within the medical procedural space.

A method determines a wrapping configuration of a film wrapped around products to form a palletized load to be moved along a path. The method includes using a defined wrapping configuration, measuring physical quantities acting on the load as a result of movements and/or stresses when the load is moved along different test paths, obtaining a path as a suitable composition of base elementary path stretches, obtaining physical quantities acting on the load along the path as physical quantities associated to the base elementary path stretches, positioning the load on a motion platform, operating the motion platform based on the physical quantities to simulate movements and/or stresses acting on the load moved along the path, checking if the load has remained stable and/or compact, modifying the wrapping configuration if the load did not remain stable and/or compact, and repeating the steps.

In one aspect, a device for providing propulsion in water is provided by the present disclosure. The device includes a parallel mechanism including at least five rigid bars and at least five joints, each joint being positioned between two of the rigid bars and configured to allow movement of the at least five rigid bars, a first servo motor coupled to a first rigid bar included in the at least five rigid bars, a second servo motor coupled to a second rigid bar included in the at least five rigid bars, and a controller coupled to the first servo motor and the second servo motor and configured to actuate the first servo motor and the second servo motor according to a predetermined pattern.

The invention includes a method and a handling system for manipulating and/or for handling piece goods (2) moved one after another in at least one row (1, 1a, 1b) in a transport direction (TR) on a horizontal conveying device (6). In each work cycle, seizing at least one transported piece good (2) from the at least one row (1, 1a, 1b) by at least one handling device (10); spatially separating it from the row (1, 1a, 1b); and bringing it into a specified relative target position and/or target alignment relative to subsequent piece goods (2). After a failure event with an at least a temporary standstill of the horizontal conveying device (6) and/or of the handling device (10), the handling device (10) is initialized, and, after the failure has been remedied, the horizontal conveying device (6) automatically restarts and continues the previously interrupted process.

A joint cover is removably attached to a joint of a robot including first and second joint members, and a spherical bearing coupling the first and second joint members, wherein the bearing includes a ball shank including a shaft part fixed to the first joint member and including a bail part at one end of the shaft part, and a holder fixed to an end of the second joint member and including a ball receiver configured to enclose and support the ball part, the joint cover includes a body made of an elastic material and configured to cover the holder and the end of the second joint member, and the body includes two through-holes respectively allowing for insertion of the shaft part and the second joint member, and the joint cover includes a slit configured to open and close and to make the two through-holes continuous with each other.

A manipulator system having a positioner having a primary rail, a first coupling linkage, and a second coupling linkage. The first coupling linkage couples the primary rail to a base and positions the primary rail along a first plane. The system has another positioner having a secondary rail, a third coupling linkage, and a fourth coupling linkage. The third coupling linkage couples the secondary rail to the base and positions the secondary rail along a second plane which is parallel to the first plane. A common link couples to the primary and secondary rails via linkages. Each of the second and fourth coupling linkages includes a joint for linear motion along the respective rail, and a revolute joint for relative pivoting between the respective rail and the common link. A position and orientation of the common link are adjustable by the joints and revolute joints.