Robotic arms and surgical robotic systems incorporating such arms are described. A robotic arm includes a roll joint connected to a prismatic link by a pitch joint and a tool drive connected to the prismatic link by another pitch joint. The prismatic link includes several prismatic sublinks that are connected by a prismatic joint. A surgical tool supported by the tool drive can insert into a patient along an insertion axis through a remote center of motion of the robotic arm. Movement of the robotic arm can be controlled to telescopically move the prismatic sublinks relative to each other by the prismatic joint while maintaining the remote center of motion fixed. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.

The present application discloses a robotic stack pusher system, and a method and a computer system for controlling the robotic stack pusher system. The robotic stack pusher system includes an actuation device and a plurality of pusher structures that are substantially planar. At least one of the plurality of pusher structures is nested within one or more other pusher structures of the plurality of pusher structures. The actuation device is the actuation device is operatively coupled to at least one of the plurality of pusher structures. The actuation device is configured to actuate a position of the plurality of pusher structures between a retracted state and an extended state in response to a control signal. Actuation of the actuation device causes the one of the plurality of structures that is nested to extend telescopically with sufficient force and to controllably push a payload

An example robot includes inks comprising a first link and a second link, together with joints among the links. A joint between the first link and the second link is configured to enable relative movement between the first link and the second link. An end effector is connected in series with one of the joints. A hose assembly is connected to the end effector. The hose assembly includes a hose having a first end for making connection to a vacuum source and a second end for making connection to the end effector. An elasticity of the hose assembly is greater along the length of the hose assembly than along the cross-section of the hose assembly.

A modular telescopic rotation arm by motor control includes a fastening element, a first knuckle module, a first flange, a telescopic module, an outer sleeve module and an inner sleeve module. The first knuckle module is disposed in one end of the fastening element. One end of the first flange is connected to one end of the first knuckle module. The telescopic module is partially disposed in the fastening element. The telescopic module includes a second knuckle module. The second knuckle module is disposed in the fastening element. The outer sleeve module is connected to the first flange, and the telescopic module is partially surrounded by the outer sleeve module. The inner sleeve module is surrounded by the outer sleeve module.

Provided herein is an energy delivery system for transporting electrical energy from an electrical energy generation facility to an electrical energy consumption facility via rail. The energy delivery system can comprise a train comprising at least one rail car loaded with at least one battery system. The at least one battery system can comprise an energy transfer interface for wirelessly receiving energy from the energy generation facility when the train is located at the energy generation facility for charging batteries of the battery system and for wirelessly transferring energy stored by the battery system to the energy consumption facility when the train is located at the energy consumption facility.

In one example there is disclosed, an apparatus (10) for vacuum cleaning a tank (11). The apparatus (10) includes a main body (12) coupled to a working arm (14) and a plurality of support legs (16) coupled to the main body (12). The main body (12) includes a main conduit (40) extending lengthwise therethrough and a common central actuator (32) fitted about by the main conduit (40). The working arm (14) includes a vacuum conduit (50) in fluid communication with the main conduit (40). The plurality of support legs (16) are operatively coupled to the common central actuator (32) so as to be simultaneously moveable at least between a collapsed condition so as to fit through an opening 18 of the tank 11, and an extended condition in which the plurality of support legs (16) are moved relatively outwardly so as to be telescopically extendable within the tank (11) to engage a side wall (20) of the tank to support the main body (12). Other examples of the apparatus, a system and related methods are also disclosed.

Some aspects of the present disclosure relate to systems and methods for polymer-based extrusion. Some non-limiting embodiments provide for extrusion of a liquid photopolymerizable monomer in a channel/die with the aid of a lubricating component, such as poly(dimethylsiloxane)-graft-poly(ethylene oxide) grafted copolymer (PDMS-PEO), and driven by fluid pressure (e.g., a fluid pump). Other aspects of the present disclosure relate to growing soft robots. Some non-limiting embodiments provide a novel class of robots which grow in an environment by growing at their tip (or robot head) by using the self-lubricated photopolymerization extrusion techniques of the present disclosure. Emulating biological tip growth, this process is facilitated by converting an internal monomer fluid into the solid body of the growing robot through polymerization.

Some aspects of the present disclosure relate to systems and methods for polymer-based extrusion. Some non-limiting embodiments provide for extrusion of a liquid photopolymerizable monomer in a channel/die with the aid of a lubricating component, such as poly(dimethylsiloxane)-graft-poly(ethylene oxide) grafted copolymer (PDMS-PEO), and driven by fluid pressure (e.g., a fluid pump). Other aspects of the present disclosure relate to growing soft robots. Some non-limiting embodiments provide a novel class of robots which grow in an environment by growing at their tip (or robot head) by using the self-lubricated photopolymerization extrusion techniques of the present disclosure. Emulating biological tip growth, this process is facilitated by converting an internal monomer fluid into the solid body of the growing robot through polymerization.

An automated construction robot system includes: a mobile base assembly configured to be displaceable within the work area; a head assembly configured to process a work surface; an arm assembly configured to moveably-couple the head assembly and the mobile base assembly and controllably-displace the head assembly with respect to the work surface; a machine vision system configured to scan a target area and generate target area information; and a computational system configured to: process the target area information to identify a surface defect, generate one or more remedial instructions based, at least in part, upon the surface defect identified, and manipulate one or more of the mobile base assembly, the head assembly and the arm assembly based, at least in part, upon the one or more remedial instructions.

An automated construction robot system includes: a mobile base assembly configured to be displaceable within the work area; a head assembly configured to process a work surface; an arm assembly configured to moveably-couple the head assembly and the mobile base assembly and controllably-displace the head assembly with respect to the work surface; a machine vision system configured to scan a target area and generate target area information; and a computational system configured to: process the target area information to identify a surface defect, generate one or more remedial instructions based, at least in part, upon the surface defect identified, and manipulate one or more of the mobile base assembly, the head assembly and the arm assembly based, at least in part, upon the one or more remedial instructions.