Provided are methods and apparatus for environment-adaptive robotic disinfecting. In an example, provided is a method that can include (i) creating, from digital images, a map of a structure; (ii) identifying a location of a robot in the structure; (iii) segmenting, using a machine learning-based classifying algorithm trained based on object affordance information, the digital images to identify potentially contaminated surfaces within the structure; (iv) creating a map of potentially contaminated surfaces within the structure; (v) calculating a trajectory of movement of the robot to move the robot to a location of a potentially contaminated surface in the potentially contaminated surfaces; and (vi) moving the robot along the trajectory of movement to position a directional decontaminant source adjacent to the potentially contaminated surface. Other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.

A method of spicing together and joining ends of a first member and a second member includes the steps of: arranging the ends of the first member and the second member in side-by-side manner; placing a coupling sleeve over the ends of the first member and the second member; and using a portable, hot-swaged coupling device to heat and crimp the coupling sleeve about the ends of the first and second member, thereby joining the ends of the first and second members.

A laundry sorting and evaluation system includes a housing having an opening and defining a laundry path. First and second platforms are positioned within the housing, each operably connected to a motor. First and second cameras are respectively associated with the platforms and are configured to acquire at images of an item of laundry on each of the first and second platforms. A controller is configured to receive the images and produce an evaluation of a condition of the item of laundry based upon the received images.

The invention discloses a fully automatic intelligent rubber tapping robot, which comprises a moving platform and a rubber tapping robot arm. The rubber cutting mechanical arm is installed on the moving platform. tapping robot arm is installed on the moving platform. The tapping robot arm is specially designed for rubber cutting operation, the end of the tapping robot arm is equipped with an end actuator, which is composed of a tree-hugging fixed device and a sliding rubber tapping device. The invention can carry out the rubber cutting operation independently without manual intervention, which greatly reducing the manual input, and obviously improving the rubber cutting efficiency and time economy conversion efficiency. The movable system can work alone in a whole rubber forest with a large working area and reduces the average input cost per tree. The technical indexes of the rubber tree, such as cutting depth, cutting skin consumption and cutting smoothness, all meet the requirements of traditional rubber cutting technology and have good popularization and application value.

A locator of a surgical port of a surgical robot system, the surgical robot system comprising an instrument attached to a robot arm, the instrument having an instrument shaft able to pass through the surgical port to a surgical site, the locator comprising: an interface configured to couple to the surgical port; a mechanism configured to permit relative linear and/or rotational motion of the interface and the instrument shaft; and a controller comprising a processor operable to estimate the position of a part of the robot arm, the controller configured to control the mechanism in dependence on the estimated position of the part of the robot arm such that as the robot arm retracts the instrument from the patient, the locator moves the port away from the robot arm and provides a reaction force to keep the port in place.

A wiring harness assembly cell includes an automation zone housing a robot for performing automated assembly operations on a series of wiring harness assembly boards. A plurality of wiring harness assembly stations is located about the automation zone, each including one or more wiring harness assembly boards holding the wiring harnesses. Manual operator zones are located outside the automation zone that are associated with the wiring harness assembly stations. The wiring harness assembly stations are reconfigurable between a first configuration in which a first wiring harness assembly board faces the manual operator zone such that it is accessible to a manual operator, and a second configuration in which it faces the automation zone such that it is accessible to the robot. The robot is moved within the automation zone between a plurality of assembly locations where it accesses and operates on the respectively the plurality of wiring harness assembly stations.

A tool for manufacturing of a reinforcement bar structure, wherein the tool comprises a main body, a jaw arrangement, a tying device and an arrangement configured for moving the jaw arrangement between a gripping state and a tying state. A system for manufacturing a reinforcement bar structure, wherein the system comprises a supply of reinforcement bar material, a bending apparatus, a holding apparatus and a group of robots wherein at least one robot of the group of robots is equipped with the tool for manufacturing a reinforcement bar structure. A method for transporting and attaching a reinforcement bar during manufacturing of a reinforcement bar structure using a tool comprising a main body, the method comprising gripping a reinforcement bar, tying together the reinforcement bar with another reinforcement bar by looping a wire around the reinforcement bars, tightening the wire around the reinforcement bars, forming a knot, and cutting the wire.

A box folding structure for folding a box is disclosed. The box folding structure includes a curved folding member and an erect folding member. The curved folding member can include a curved surface, a retaining surface, and a first inclined folding surface. The curved surface can be used to fold dust flaps of a box. The retaining surface can be adjacent to the curved surface and can be used for folding a first outer flap of the box. The first inclined folding surface can be defined on a portion of the curved folding member that is adjacent to the curved surface and can be used for folding a second outer flap of the box. The erect folding member can be laterally offset from the curved folding member and can include a second inclined folding surface opposite the first inclined folding surface for folding a second outer flap of the box.

A subsea manipulator for a remotely operated underwater vehicle (ROV) that includes at least one linear, oil-filled electric actuator to control a motion of the manipulator in a subsea environment is disclosed. The remotely operated underwater manipulator includes an electric actuator for each axis of motion of the manipulator, and an end effector that includes a rotational joint and a tool motor for controlling a tool affixed to the end effector. A method for changing the tool of the manipulator in a subsea environment is disclosed.

A foam article, such as a cushioning element for an article of footwear, apparel or sporting equipment is provided that comprises a foam component, such as a midsole, having a number of beneficial physical characteristics. The cushioning element is a low-density foamed component with a surface skin that encases the remaining foam volume. The cushioning element has a number of foam volumes, arranged to achieve a more consistent foam component. Additionally, the cushioning element includes a series of concentric ridges extending radially outwardly from injection gate vestige locations, and a number of striation bands near the perimeter of the cushioning element. The location of the gate vestiges can be beneficially arranged to produce intersecting flow boundaries that are located away from key strain areas of the cushioning element. The cushioning element is more environmentally-friendly, requiring less energy to produce while still providing acceptable energy return and low density.