Devices, systems, and methods for providing a desired movement of one or more joints of a manipulator arm having a plurality of joints with redundant degrees of freedom while effecting commanded movement of a distal end effector of the manipulator. Methods include defining a constraint, such as a network of paths, within a joint space defined by the one or more joints and determining a movement of the plurality of joints within a null-space to track the constraints with the one or more joints. Methods may further include calculating a reconfiguration movement of the joints and modifying the constraints to coincide with a reconfigured position of the one or more joints. Various configurations for devices and systems utilizing such methods are provided herein.

Devices, systems, and methods for providing commanded movement of an end effector of a manipulator concurrent with a desired movement of one or more joints of the manipulator according to one or more consolidated null-space objectives. The null-space objectives may include a joint state combination, relative joint states, range of joint states, joint state profile, kinetic energy, clutching movements, collision avoidance movements, singularity avoidance movements, pose or pitch preference, desired manipulator configurations, commanded reconfiguration of the manipulator, and anisotropic emphasis of the joints. Methods include calculating multiple null-space movements according to different null-space objectives, determining an attribute for each and consolidating the null-space movements with a null-space manager using various approaches. The approaches may include applying weighting, scaling, saturation levels, priority, master velocity limiting, saturated limited integration and various combinations thereof.

A robot includes a first arm rotatable around a first axis, a second arm connected to the first arm at a second axis which is parallel to the first axis and around which the second arm is rotatable, a third arm connected to the second arm at a third axis which is parallel to the first axis and around which the third arm is rotatable, a distal-end swingable portion rotatably connected to the third arm, a distal end rotatably connected to the distal-end swingable portion, a fourth actuator configured to rotate the distal-end swingable portion and including a first motor having a first motor rotation axis, and a fifth actuator configured to rotate the distal end and including a second motor having a second motor rotation axis that is parallel to the first motor rotation axis.

A horizontal articulated robot including a base; one or more arms, attached to the base so as to be capable of rotating horizontally; a ball screw spline shaft that is disposed at an end of the one or more arms and that supports a workpiece at one end of the ball screw spline shaft; a ball screw nut through which the ball screw spline shaft passes and which is driven; and two ball spline nuts configured to support the ball screw spline shaft passing through the ball spline nuts, respectively, on both sides of the ball screw nut interposed therebetween in a longitudinal axis direction. At least one of the ball spline nuts drives the ball screw spline shaft about the longitudinal axis with respect to the arms.

Provided is a horizontal articulated robot including a base, a first arm provided above the base so as to be capable of rotating about a first axis, a first driving part configured to cause the first arm to rotate with respect to the base, a second arm attached so as to be capable of rotating about a second axis, and a second driving part configured to cause the second arm to rotate with respect to the first arm. The first driving part includes a first motor and a first reduction gear that are arranged in series along the first axis. The second driving part includes a second motor and a second reduction gear which are arranged in series along the second axis. A lower surface of the second reduction gear is disposed at a position lower than an upper surface of the first reduction gear.

A microplate handling apparatus comprising: a base; and a robotic arm mounted on the base; wherein the base has at least one attachment mechanism for attaching a microplate storage device to the base; and wherein the base has at least one instrument alignment mechanism for defining a positional relationship between the robotic arm and an instrument. By providing for attachment of one or more microplate storage devices and one or more instruments to the base, the positional relationships between the robot and the microplate handling/storing devices (i.e. the microplate storage devices and the instruments) can be well-defined without having to secure any of the components (base, microplate storage devices or instruments) to a bench. The whole system can simply sit on top of a bench without any risk of relative movement between the various parts of the system. Instead the whole system is connected together and can be moved as one unit.

Devices, systems, and methods for reconfiguring a surgical manipulator by moving the manipulator within a null-space of a kinematic Jacobian of the manipulator arm. In one aspect, in response to receiving a reconfiguration command, the system drives a first set of joints and calculates velocities of the plurality of joints to be within a null-space. The joints are driven according to the reconfiguration command and the calculated movement so as to maintain a desired state of the end effector or a remote center about which an instrument shaft pivots. In another aspect, the joints are also driven according to a calculated end effector or remote center displacing velocities within a null-perpendicular-space of the Jacobian so as to effect the desired reconfiguration concurrently with a desired movement of the end effector or remote center.

Devices, systems, and methods for providing commanded movement of an end effector of a manipulator concurrent with a desired movement of one or more joints of the manipulator according to one or more consolidated null-space objectives. The null-space objectives may include a joint state combination, relative joint states, range of joint states, joint state profile, kinetic energy, clutching movements, collision avoidance movements, singularity avoidance movements, pose or pitch preference, desired manipulator configurations, commanded reconfiguration of the manipulator, and anisotropic emphasis of the joints. Methods include calculating multiple null-space movements according to different null-space objectives, determining an attribute for each and consolidating the null-space movements with a null-space manager using various approaches. The approaches may include applying weighting, scaling, saturation levels, priority, master velocity limiting, saturated limited integration and various combinations thereof.

A robotic arm including a parallel spherical five-bar linkage with a remote center of spherical rotation. The robotic arm movably supports an endoscopic camera. Two outboard links are pivotally coupled together. At least one of the two outboard links supports the endoscopic camera. Two inboard links are respectively pivotally coupled to the two outboard links such that the two inboard links are able to cross over one another. The two inboard links moveably support the two outboard links. A ground link is pivotally coupled to the two inboard links. The ground link moveably supports the two inboard links.

Devices, systems, and methods for positioning an end effector or remote center of a manipulator arm by floating a first set of joints within a null-perpendicular joint velocity sub-space and providing a desired state or movement of a proximal portion of a manipulator arm concurrent with end effector positioning by driving a second set of joints within a null-space orthogonal to the null-perpendicular space. Methods include floating a first set of joints within a null-perpendicular space to allow manual positioning of one or both of a remote center or end effector position within a work space and driving a second set of joints according to an auxiliary movement calculated within a null-space according to a desired state or movement of the manipulator arm during the floating of the joints. Various configurations for devices and systems utilizing such methods are provided herein.