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.

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.

A triaxial motion device includes first, second and third bases, first and second power sources, and a workpiece positioning member. The first power source is disposed on the first base and has a first driving shaft. The second base is connected with the first driving shaft through a cannular rotary shaft in a way that the second base is rotatable about a first axis. The second power source is disposed on the first base and has a second driving shaft penetrating through the cannular rotary shaft. The third base is connected with the second driving shaft in a way that the third base is rotatable about a second axis perpendicular to the first axis. The workpiece positioning member is disposed on the third base and rotatable about a third axis perpendicular to the second axis. Therefore, the triaxial motion device has small volume and performs highly precise motion.

A robot includes one or more joints. At least the one joint includes: a first joint member and a second joint member disposed so as to be relatively rotatable around a predetermined axis; a reducer that relatively rotatably supports the first and second joint members around the axis on one side in a direction of the axis of the first joint member; and a bearing that supports the first and second joint members relatively rotatably around the axis and relatively movable in a direction along the axis on another side in the direction of the axis of the first joint member, the first and second joint members include respective flange surfaces perpendicular to the axis and facing each other in the direction of the axis, and each of the flange surfaces includes a screw hole or a through hole for closely adhering the flange surfaces by fastening of a bolt.

A joint arrangement includes at least one driven axis for activating a movement of a component of a robot, wherein a first base element (15) receives a first rotary element (16) rotatable about a first axis of rotation (14). The first rotary element (16) receives a second axis of rotation (18) separate from the first axis of rotation (14) and about which a second rotary element (22) is pivotably mounted on the first rotary element (16). The second rotary element (22) has a third axis of rotation (25) separate from the second axis of rotation (18) and about which a second base element (26) is rotatable relative to the second rotary element (22). The first and second axes of rotation (14, 18) have a point of intersection (29) lying outside the joint arrangement (11) and have an axial offset (19) relative to one another.

A cleaner for a cleaning robot cleaning a floor surface while traveling includes a support member, two parallel link mechanisms fixed to both right and left sides of the support member so as to be swingable in an upward-downward direction of the cleaning robot, a first connecting pin interconnecting joint portions of the two parallel link mechanisms, a second connecting pin disposed above the first connecting pin and interconnecting other joint portions of the two parallel link mechanisms, a brush unit attached to the first connecting pin and having a brush grounded to the floor surface, and a lifting and lowering unit lifting and lowering the brush unit by swinging the parallel link mechanism in the upward-downward direction.

A cleaner for a cleaning robot cleaning a floor surface while traveling includes a support member, a brush unit attached to the support member and having a brush grounded to the floor surface, and a flip-up mechanism flipping up the brush such that the brush is directed in a direction perpendicular to an upward-downward direction of the cleaning robot.

The invention relates to a device and a method to assist with the operation of an instrument by means of said device, the device and the method using leverage effects in order to calculate the data relative to any point of an instrument axis, instead of using low-accuracy sensors. Other improvements are also described that allow higher-quality usage performance for the operator, which reduces the risk of errors and simplifies the operations.

A method for moving a manipulator arm. The manipulator arm includes a movable distal portion, a proximal portion coupled to a base, and joints between the distal portion and the base. The method involves calculating a first movement of the joints in accordance with a first objective. The method further involves calculating a second movement of the joints in accordance with a second objective. The first and the second movements are in a null-space of a Jacobian of the manipulator arm. The method also involves determining a combined movement of the joints by combining the first and second movements while limiting an overall magnitude of the combined movement without changing a direction of the combined movement, and/or combining the first and second movements while limiting a magnitude of the combined movement degree-of-freedom by degree-of-freedom. The method further involves driving the joints to effect the combined movement of the joints.

A mechanical teleoperated device for remote manipulation is provided that is primarily intended for use in minimally invasive surgery. The device generally comprises a slave unit having a number of slave links interconnected by a plurality of slave joints, an end-effector connected to the distal end of the slave unit, a master unit having a corresponding number of master links interconnected by a plurality of master joints, and a handle connected to the distal end of the master unit for operating the mechanical teleoperated device. The device further comprises mechanical transmission means arranged to kinematically connect the slave unit with the master unit such that the movement applied on each master joint of the master unit is reproduced by the corresponding slave joint of the slave unit. In addition, the mechanical teleoperated device comprises improved kinematics and an improved arrangement of mechanical constraints, allowing for improved positioning of the device over a patient, increased workspace inside the patient and ease of workflow in an operating room.