Exemplary embodiments relate to applications for soft robotic actuators in the manufacturing, packaging, and food preparation industries, among others. Methods and systems are disclosed for packaging target objects using soft robotic actuators, for moving and positioning target objects and/or receptacles, and/or for diverting or sorting objects. By using soft robotic actuators to perform the fixing, positioning, and/or diverting, objects of different sizes and configurations may be manipulated on the same processing line, without the need to reconfigure the line or install new hardware when a new object is received.

A cover for an automated robot includes elastic sheets that are adhered to each other in a geometry. The geometry is configured to allow the elastic sheets to expand and contract while the automated robot moves within its range of motion. The elastic sheets are attached to the automated robot by elasticity of the elastic sheets. A first group of the elastic sheets forms an elastic collar configured to grip the automated robot at a distal end and a proximal end of the cover in a non-breakable manner such that during operation of the robot, the elastic sheets hold their elasticity and integrity without breaking.

A poultry defeathering apparatus comprising a compression plate with a central aperture operationally associated with a hub drive shaft of a feather plucking machine, wherein the compression plate is secured to the hub drive shaft, a finger plate operationally associated with the hub drive shaft and the compression plate, the finger plate includes a central aperture, an annular abutment ring operationally associated with the central aperture, a plurality of finger apertures surrounding the central aperture, a plurality of fingers secured to the finger plate by insertion through the finger plate, with the body extending through a finger aperture, wherein the hub drive shaft is secured to the finger plate and wherein the oversized base of each finger is compressed between the compression plate and the finger plate and a mounting bolt secured on the finger plate within the mounting hole of the hub drive shaft.

A robotic kitchen assistant for frying includes a robotic arm, a fryer basket, and a robotic arm adapter assembly allowing the robotic arm to pick up and manipulate the fryer basket. The robotic arm adapter includes opposing gripping members to engage the fryer basket. A utensil adapter assembly is mounted to the handle of the fryer basket, and the opposing gripper members are actuated to capture a three-dimensional (3D) feature of the utensil adapter assembly. The robotic arm adapter assembly can include an agitator mechanism to shake the fryer basket or another utensil as desired. Related methods are also described.

An articulated robot comprises an arm which changes a direction at a joint, and a tube coupling to which a wire body is connected and which is attached to the arm. The arm includes a frame which has a hollow interior. The frame has a concave part which is depressed toward the interior. The tube coupling is arranged inside the concave part.

A farm system comprising a plurality of smart tags which are each configured to be worn by an animal, a transmitter and receiver unit for wireless communication with the smart tag, one control unit which is communicatively connected to the transmitter and receiver unit and a farm unit which can be controlled by the control unit. Each smart tag comprises at least one sensor and is configured for wirelessly transmitting information obtained by one of the sensors to the transmitter and receiver unit, wherein the transmitter and receiver unit is configured for supplying the received information to the control unit and wherein the control unit is configured for processing the received information and, at least on the basis of this processed information, controlling at least a farm unit and/or generating a report signal for indicating to a user of the system that an activity is to be carried out.

Execution restrictions on tasks based on a state of a multifunction robot or the like are satisfied, and furthermore, the execution efficiency of the entirety of an operation is also enhanced. An information processing device includes a determination unit (35) configured to determine an execution order of a plurality of tasks including an operation for a target object, based on a transition of a state of an operation tool used in each of the tasks.

An ushering method, an electronic device and a storage medium, related to the fields of short-distance positioning, geomagnetic positioning, computer vision positioning, map navigation, intelligent robots, ushering and the like, are provided. The method includes: in response to an ushering request initiated by a user, parsing a target dining position from the ushering request; creating a navigation route from a current position to the target dining position, wherein the navigation route comprises a first traveling route created in a case where an assistant robot is provided, or a second traveling route created by the user based on an ushering client; and performing ushering processing according to the navigation route, to usher the user to the target dining position. Manpower and material resource wastes are avoided, and convenient ushering for dining is implemented.

The present application firstly discloses a cooking system including a second cooking apparatus and a first cooking apparatus, which is used to deep fry or boil a food or food ingredients. A semi-cooked food is produced in the first cooking apparatus and is used as an ingredient in the second cooking apparatus. The cooking apparatuses work together to produce a cooked food.

The present application firstly discloses a cooking system comprising two cooking apparatuses, each capable of producing a cooked food from food or food ingredient(s). The first cooking apparatus comprises a plurality of microwave ovens which can be moved by an intermittent motion mechanism or a transport system. The second cooking apparatus comprises a cookware and a motion mechanism to move the cookware to dispense a cooked food to a food container. A semi-cooked food is produced by a microwave oven of the first cooking apparatus and is used as an ingredient in the second cooking apparatus to produce cooked food.