The present disclosure relates to protecting fragile members of robots from damage during fall events. In response to detecting a fall event, a fragile member of a robot can be actuated to a defensive configuration to avoid or reduce damage. An actuatable protective member can be actuated to protect a fragile member to avoid or reduce damage to the fragile member. Actuatable protective members can be dedicated protective members, or can be other members of the robot which serve different functionality outside of a fall event but act as a protective member during a fall event.

Waveguides, such as light guides, made entirely of elastomeric material or with indents on an outer surface are disclosed. These improved waveguides can be used in scissors, soft robotics, or displays. For example, the waveguides can be used in a strain sensor, a curvature sensor, or a force sensor. In an instance, the waveguide can be used in a hand prosthetic. Sensors that use the disclosed waveguides and methods of manufacturing waveguides also are disclosed.

An object of the present invention is to provide a technique for a gripping system having an arm mechanism and a hand mechanism attached to the arm mechanism, by which an operation of the arm mechanism can be stopped as soon as the hand mechanism contacts an object. In the gripping system according to the present invention, the hand mechanism is provided with a contact detection unit for detecting that a predetermined site of the hand mechanism has come into contact with the object. The hand mechanism is also provided with a signal transmission unit that is electrically connected to an arm control device. The signal transmission unit transmits a command signal to stop the operation of the arm mechanism directly to the arm control device at the point where the contact detection unit detects that the predetermined site of the hand mechanism has come into contact with the object.

The present invention relates to automatic and high throughput smart, robotic, autonomous or driver operated, self-propelled field crops harvester (SPFCH) device of row crops, characterized by the need of selecting harvesting ripen crop, during relative long period of time. Harvesting is done by one or more modular robotic harvesting arms hanged on modular booms. When harvesting orchards fruits the SPFCH comprise at least one hybrid robotic arms equipped with a grabbing hand aimed to grab one or more fruit of a an adjacent fruits and also cut its connecting stem, and arm transporting mechanism that gently collects the fruits and transport them to the SPFCH main accumulation area. When harvesting cotton, the SPFCH of the invention may further comprise vacuum sucking hoses and at least one ginning unit that gin the seed-cotton during harvesting and accumulate the seeds in a self-container, and the lint by bales processed, on board by self-press.

Techniques for a conformal gripping end effector such as a gripping finger are provided. In an example, a conformal finger mechanism can include a proximal link, a connecting link, a distal link, a finger link coupling and a spring. The proximal link can be coupled via a proximal link pivot to an actuator housing and the connecting link can be coupled to an actuator rod of the actuator and the distal link. The distal link can be coupled to the connecting link and the proximal link. The spring can be coupled to an offset portion of a proximal end of the proximal link.

An apparatus for assisting a finger motion, including a palm support installed to surround a part of a hand-back and a wrist; an extension assist unit secured at a first side thereof to a middle phalanx region of a finger and connected at a second side thereof to the palm support to assist extension of the finger through an elastic force between both ends; and a flexion assist unit comprising a distal phalange support mounted on an end of the finger, and a first flexion wire and a second flexion wire mounted on a part of the finger and assisting flexion of the finger on the basis of tensile force supplied from an outside.

Provided is a robot gripper. The robot gripper comprises: at least two finger units which symmetrically face each other; finger tips which are provided at the terminal ends of the finger units and linked with the operation of the finger units; and a driving unit connected to the finger units so as to operate the finger units. When the finger units are operated, the finger tips pinch-grip an object by moving toward an inner area, which at least two of the finger units form by facing each other, while adapting to conflicts with constraints of the external environment. A force applied to the finger tips in order to enable the pinch grip can act in a direction that raises the object while being applied toward the inner area, or act in a direction lowering the object while being applied toward the inner area.

A robot includes a body, a first robotic arm physically coupled to the body, and a first discrete hydraulic system comprising a first plurality of hydraulic components. The first robotic arm includes a first end effector. The first hydraulic system is operable to control the first end effector. The first plurality of hydraulic components are integrated with the first robotic arm. In some implementations, the robot includes a second robotic arm physically coupled to the body, and a second discrete hydraulic system consisting of a second plurality of hydraulic components. The second robotic arm includes a second end effector. The second hydraulic system is operable to control the second end effector. The second plurality of hydraulic components are integrated with the second robotic arm. The second hydraulic system is hydraulically-isolated from the first hydraulic system.

A robot hand includes a first proximal end finger having a first protrusion at a distal end of the first proximal end finger, a first distal end finger that is connected to the first proximal end finger in a relatively rotatable manner and has a first cutout allowable the first protrusion to pass, a second proximal end finger having a second protrusion at a distal end of the second proximal end finger, a second distal end finger that is connected to the second proximal end finger in a relatively rotatable manner and has a second cutout allowable the second protrusion to pass, an opening and closing drive unit that relatively moves the second proximal end finger with respect to the first proximal end finger, a first rotation drive unit that relatively rotates the first distal end finger with respect to the first proximal end finger, a second rotation drive unit that relatively rotates the second distal end finger with respect to the second proximal end finger, and a controller that actuates the opening and closing drive unit, the first rotation drive unit, and the second rotation drive unit.

A robot control system includes: a mobile robot that controls movement of an object; an estimation unit that estimates a position of the object based on detection information of the object acquired by first sensors installed on base portions of the mobile robot; and a control unit that controls an end effector of the mobile robot. The control unit moves the end effector to the position estimated by the estimation unit, and controls the movement of the object using the end effector when a distance between the object and the second sensor acquired by the second sensor is equal to or less than a distance threshold value.