A system comprises a medical instrument including a rotatable capstan. The rotatable capstan includes a first coupling feature and a drive system including a rotatable drive element. The rotatable drive element includes a second coupling feature. The first and second coupling features have an aligned engagement configuration in which rotation of the rotatable drive element induces rotation of the rotatable capstan and a non-aligned engagement configuration in which rotation of the rotatable drive element does not induce rotation of the rotatable capstan.

Various embodiments for a continuum manipulator are described for use in robotic surgical systems or other desired applications. The continuum manipulator includes an extensible continuum manipulator (ECM) body comprising a plurality of subsegments serially connected to one another. Adjacent ones of the subsegments are coupled by rack-and-pinion transmission sets that are configured to propagate subsegment motion to downstream ones of the subsegments. A multi-chain flexible parallel mechanism is provided in each of the subsegments that is configured to generate a desired spatial bending and extension mobility for each of the subsegments.

Provided is a bending structure and a joint function part, capable of ensuring sufficient flexibility and rigidity in an axial direction. The bending structure is provided with an outer coiled part formed of a wire wound in a coiled shape and an inner coiled part formed of a wire wound in a coiled shape and arranged in the outer coiled part, wherein the outer coiled part has a plurality of gaps to distance adjacent coils, and coils of the inner coiled part are provided so as to correspond to the gaps of the outer coiled part and fit between the adjacent coils while being in contact with the adjacent coils of the outer coiled part.

A robot and a method of capturing an image applied to the robot, an electronic device for implementing the method of capturing the image, and a computer-readable storage medium are provided. The robot includes: a robot body; a workbench; a telescopic structure having one end pivotally connected to the robot body and the other end connected to the workbench; a driving mechanism arranged on the robot body and configured to drive the telescopic structure to extend, retract and/or move relative to the robot body; and an image capture device arranged on the workbench. The telescopic structure is configured to allow the image capture device to capture an image of a target object from different angles with the extension, retraction and/or movement of the telescopic structure.

A rotation position detector includes a motor having a drive shaft extending along a first axis, a drive-side pulley that is connected to the drive shaft, a holder that holds a treatment tool to be inserted into a patient during surgery, the holder rotating in association with the drive-side pulley, a driven-side pulley that rotates around the first axis, a diameter of the drive-side pulley being smaller than a diameter of the driven-side pulley, a transmission belt that transmits a rotational drive of the drive-side pulley to the driven-side pulley, a rotary encoder that is provided on the first axis and detects a rotation angle of the driven-side pulley, and a controller that calculates a rotation position of the holder based on the rotation angle and based a pulley ratio of the drive-side pulley to the driven-side pulley, and controls the motor based on the rotation position.

A harmonic reducer includes a shaft having a first through hole extending from a first end to a second end of the shaft; a wave generator arranged on the shaft and being rotatable along with the shaft; a flexible spline arranged around the wave generator; a circular spline arranged around the flexible spline; a first flange coupled to the shaft via a first bearing and coupled to the flexible spline; and a second flange coupled to the shaft via a second bearing and coupled to the circular spline. One of the flanges is arranged near to the first end of the shaft. A cavity is provided between the one of the flanges and the first end of the shaft, such that it is in fluid communication with an external environment via the first through hole.

A pulley and a structure having the pulley connected with a driven unit are provided. The pulley includes a wheel portion and a lug portion. The wheel portion includes two circular end surfaces opposing each other and a side surface connecting the two end surfaces. The side surface includes a main arc face and a branch arc face. The branch arc face has a head end connected to the main arc face and a tail end configured to connect a strap. The branch arc face has a width in an axial direction of the wheel portion smaller than a width of the main arc face. The lug portion is fixed to the wheel portion, disposed at a position adjacent to the branch arc face along the width of the main arc face and extends to protrude beyond the branch arc face in a radial direction of the wheel portion.

A strap connector, a robotic arm and a robot are provided. The strap connector includes a core, a strap and a pulley. The core includes a belly portion and a neck portion fixed to the belly portion. The neck portion has a width tapering in a direction away from the belly portion. The pulley defines a core chamber in which the core is received, the core chamber is accessible through an opening. The strap is connected to the core and extending out of the core chamber through the opening. The core chamber has two inner side walls opposing each other and extending from the opening. The neck portion is disposed closer to the opening than the belly portion. The two inner walls of the core chamber clamp the neck portion and the strap when the strap is tensioned.

An end-effector system is disclosed for use with a programmable motion device. The end-effector system includes an arm attachment portion for attachment to an arm of the programmable motion device, an end-effector attachment portion for attachment to an end-effector for grasping objects, a rotational shaft portion for rotational attachment to the arm attachment portion, said rotational shaft portion being coupled to the end-effector attachment portion at a distal end thereof, and a motor system providing rotation of the rotational shaft portion as well as the end-effector attachment portion with respect to the arm attachment portion.

A method of manufacturing an electrode assembly includes positioning a layer stack comprising an electrode positioned between an electrode insulator and a support polymer in a vacuum bag, removing air from the vacuum bag thereby vacuum coupling the electrode to the electrode insulator, and removing the layer stack from the vacuum bag, where upon removal of the layer stack from the vacuum bag, the electrode remains vacuum coupled to the electrode insulator and the electrode insulator is in direct contact with the electrode, thereby forming an electrode assembly.