Systems and methods are provided for supporting an arm of a user while using a tool that include a harness configured to be worn on a body of a user; an arm support pivotally coupled to the harness for supporting a user's arm; and a tool mount on a free end of the arm support for receiving a tool such that the tool is manipulatable by a hand of user's arm supported by the arm support. One or more compensation elements may be coupled to the arm support and/or the tool mount for at least partially offsetting a gravitational force acting on the user's arm and/or the tool received on the tool mount.

A method of automatically conveying an object, using a suspending moving device and a robot having an arm configured to hold the object, the suspending moving device including a suspender and a moving mechanism configured to move the suspender, and the suspender including a coupler configured to be coupled to the object and a suspending member configured to suspend the coupler, is provided. The method includes a step for locating the coupler of the suspender at a given first position, a step for locating the object at a given second position, a step for causing the robot to hold the coupler located at the first position and coupling the held coupler to the object located at the second position, and a step for causing the suspending moving device to move, by the moving mechanism, the object coupled to the coupler together with the suspender.

An artificial foot and ankle joint consists of a curved leaf spring foot member having a heel extremity and a toe extremity, and a flexible elastic ankle member that connects the foot member for rotation at the ankle joint. An actuator motor applies torque to the ankle joint to orient the foot when it is not in contact with the support surface and to store energy in a catapult spring that is released along with the energy stored in the leaf spring to propel the wearer forward. A ribbon clutch prevents the foot member from rotating in one direction beyond a predetermined limit position. A controllable damper is employed to lock the ankle joint or to absorb mechanical energy as needed. The controller and sensing mechanisms control both the actuator motor and the controllable damper at different times during the walking cycle for level walking, stair ascent, and stair descent.

A powered ankle-foot prosthesis, capable of providing human-like power at terminal stance that increase amputees metabolic walking economy compared to a conventional passive-elastic prosthesis. The powered prosthesis comprises a unidirectional spring, configured in parallel with a force-controllable actuator with series elasticity. The prosthesis is controlled to deliver the high mechanical power and net positive work observed in normal human walking.

A suspended automation system includes a rail array secured to a ceiling. A gantry moves in an X-Y plane defined by the rail array with a drive mechanism. A controller with a human user interface allows for selective movement of the gantry to transport, and in some instances store or manipulate articles. A motorized rotating platform and one or more of a robotic arm, a camera, or a counter-balance are added to the platform to facilitate storage and manipulation, as well as actions in the area below the ceiling. A rail array in some embodiments is equipped with storage modules located above the rail array that can take a variety of shapes, sizes, and configurations for storage of an article, including a stack. A related process of article movement can be accomplished by the suspended automation system. Another related process is overhead storage and selective delivery of an article.

A system for counterbalancing a weight force of an object is provided. The object is fastenable to a traction cable, wherein the traction cable is guided in or on a cantilever in the direction of a back structure of the system, wherein a second end of the cantilever can be accommodated by a back structure, and the system can be carried by a user of the system via the back structure. The system is characterized by an electronic module which includes an apparatus for winding up the traction cable and a motor for driving the apparatus for winding up the traction cable, wherein the system is configured to determine a counterforce for the weight force of the object and to transmit same to the object. It is particularly preferred for the purposes of the invention that a control device of the system is configured to adjust a counterforce with respect to the weight force of the object. The system can preferably be configured to create a force balance between the weight force of the object on the one hand and the counterforce on the other hand. An electronic module for counterbalancing a weight force of an object, and to a kit which includes such an electronic module, a traction cable, and at least one deflection pulley. With the invention, the weight force of an object, which can be fastened to a traction cable of a counterbalancing system, can be compensated for particularly well and in a way that is easy on the back.

Methods, apparatus, and computer readable media applicable to robots, such as balancing robots. Some implementations are directed to determining multiple measures of a property of a robot for a given time and determining a final measure of the property of the robot for the given time based on the multiple measures. One or more control commands may be generated based on the final measure of the property and provided to one or more actuators of the robot.

A mobile robot is provided to follow a trajectory and adopt a behavior which can be defined by movements of articulated limbs of the robot. The mobile robot is equipped with a processor which is configured, based on instructions defining a motion of the mobile robot and instructions defining a behavior of the mobile robot, to calculate a target trajectory of a center of mass of the mobile robot; calculate, based on the target trajectory of the center of mass of the mobile robot and dynamic constraints of the mobile robot, a predicted trajectory of the center of mass of the mobile robot over a time horizon, and calculate, based on the predicted trajectory of the center of mass of the mobile robot and the instructions defining a behavior of the mobile robot, predicted movements of articulated limbs.

A humanoid robot includes: a body portion; a head portion; a left arm and a right arm that have ends connected to the left and right at an upper portion of the body portion; a left foot and a right foot that have ends connected to the left and right at a lower portion of the body portion; and a left running unit and a right running unit provided to the other ends of the left foot and the right foot. The left running unit has a left drive wheel on a front side of an advancing direction and a left follower wheel on a rear side in the advancing direction, the right running unit has a right drive wheel on a front side of the advancing direction, and a right follower wheel on a rear side in the advancing direction.

A robot system and a method for driving a robot capable of moving the position of the center of gravity of the robot while minimizing the increase in the footprint thereof are provided. A robot system according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes a robot. The robot includes a movable moving part, an upper body part disposed above the moving part, and a driving mechanism for tilting the upper body part and moving a lower end of the upper body part in a direction in which the upper body part is tilted.