Robotic arms and surgical robotic systems incorporating such arms are described. A robotic arm includes a roll joint connected to a prismatic link by a pitch joint and a tool drive connected to the prismatic link by another pitch joint. The prismatic link includes several prismatic sublinks that are connected by a prismatic joint. A surgical tool supported by the tool drive can insert into a patient along an insertion axis through a remote center of motion of the robotic arm. Movement of the robotic arm can be controlled to telescopically move the prismatic sublinks relative to each other by the prismatic joint while maintaining the remote center of motion fixed. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.

In a wire-driven continuum robot, in accordance with a profile of a first bending angle regarding a bending angle of a follow-up bending section that corresponds to a forward movement of a continuum robot, and is set in accordance with an input first target bending angle of a distal bending section, a bending angle of the following-up bending section is controlled to reach the first target bending angle. Before a movement amount of a forward movement reaches a first movement amount, the control is performed as follows. More specifically, a profile of a second bending angle that is different from the profile of the first bending angle is set, and by a further forward movement of the continuum robot, a bending angle of the following-up bending section reaches the second target bending angle in accordance with the profile of the second bending angle.

In a wire-driven continuum robot, in accordance with a profile of a first bending angle regarding a bending angle of a follow-up bending section that corresponds to a forward movement of a continuum robot, and is set in accordance with an input first target bending angle of a distal bending section, a bending angle of the following-up bending section is controlled to reach the first target bending angle. Before a movement amount of a forward movement reaches a first movement amount, the control is performed as follows. More specifically, a profile of a second bending angle that is different from the profile of the first bending angle is set, and by a further forward movement of the continuum robot, a bending angle of the following-up bending section reaches the second target bending angle in accordance with the profile of the second bending angle.

A machine tool includes a headstock that holds a workpiece, a tool post that is movable in a first axis direction parallel to a workpiece rotation axis and in a second axis direction orthogonal to the first axis and holds a tool, an in-machine robot, an opening for communicating the inside and the outside of a working chamber, and a door that opens and closes the opening. The robot includes a root joint fixed in the working chamber and a link unit positioned on a distal end side of the root joint. The root joint is a linear-motion joint extendable in a direction orthogonal to the workpiece rotation axis, and is a linear-motion joint extendable between the length for causing the entire link unit to be positioned inside the working chamber and the length for causing the entire link unit to be positioned outside the working chamber.

An object separator may include a substrate, a fluid channel supported by the substrate, a pair of electrodes along the fluid channel to form a dielectrophoretic force to interact with an object entrained in a fluid, and an inertial pump supported by the substrate and positioned within the fluid channel to move the fluid along the fluid channel.

An object separator may include a substrate, a fluid channel supported by the substrate, a pair of electrodes along the fluid channel to form a dielectrophoretic force to interact with an object entrained in a fluid, and an inertial pump supported by the substrate and positioned within the fluid channel to move the fluid along the fluid channel.

Extension tools and methods of inserting extension tools within components are provided. For example, an extension tool has a proximal end and a distal end and comprises a plurality of sequentially arranged links moveable relative to one another and a support member defining the distal end and including a first wheel disposed at the distal end and a second wheel spaced apart from the first wheel. Additionally, or alternatively, an extension tool may comprise a plurality of windows defined in the plurality of sequentially arranged links. The windows are defined periodically along the plurality of sequentially arranged links such that a periodicity of the widows corresponds to a periodicity of a plurality of features of the component.

Extension tools and methods of inserting extension tools within components are provided. For example, an extension tool has a proximal end and a distal end and comprises a plurality of sequentially arranged links moveable relative to one another and a support member defining the distal end and including a first wheel disposed at the distal end and a second wheel spaced apart from the first wheel. Additionally, or alternatively, an extension tool may comprise a plurality of windows defined in the plurality of sequentially arranged links. The windows are defined periodically along the plurality of sequentially arranged links such that a periodicity of the widows corresponds to a periodicity of a plurality of features of the component.

A robot manipulator including limbs moveable via bearings controlled by actuators; sensors to capture a bearing position and a bearing torque/bearing force; a first sensor to capture a force screw W; a housing downstream of the first sensor; a second sensor to capture a user force applied to the housing and/or a user torque; a computing unit to determine, using a dynamics model of the robot manipulator and based on particular bearing torque/bearing force, the force screw W, and the user force and/or the user torque, a first force and/or a first torque to shift the limbs and a second force and/or a second torque to apply to an external object via an effector, wherein the dynamics model includes at least gravitational forces and inertial forces based on the bearing position; and a storage unit to store the first and/or the second force, and/or the first and/or the second torque.

An in-vacuum twin-arm robot transports substrates in a vacuum space. The in-vacuum twin-arm robot includes a base arm, a first arm, a second arm, a first hand, and a second hand. The base arm can move vertically and can rotate. The first arm can rotate with respect to the base arm. The second arm can rotate with respect to the base arm. The first hand rotates with respect to the first arm and holds and transports the substrate. The second hand rotates with respect to the second arm and holds and transports the substrate. The first arm and the second arm are rotatably mounted on a leading end of the base arm via a joint shaft formed hollow. An angle of the first hand with respect to the first arm and an angle of the second hand with respect to the second arm can be changed independently of each other.