A representative machine comprises a non-rigid robotic device having a tool head; and a rigid inertial stiffening system that is part of a tool head and includes a mass to provide precise position of the tool head. The rigid inertial stiffening system achieves high positional precision of the tool head, in the face of large disturbing forces by locally accelerating the mass to counter the disturbing forces.

The present invention concerns a novel leg mechanism for quadrupedal locomotion. This design engages a linkage to couple assembly that only requires a single degree of actuation. The topological arrangement of the system produces a foot trajectory that is well-suited for dynamic gaits including trot-running, bounding, and galloping.

A robot shares a work space with a person, to perform an operation. The robot includes a shock-absorbing member which covers the periphery of at least a base part of a working tool attached to an robot arm, a detector which is provided for the robot arm, to detect an external force input via the shock-absorbing member, and a robot control device which stops the robot when determining, based on information of the detected external force, that the working tool collides with the person. The external force is transmitted from the working tool to the robot arm, and is detected by the detector.

This application describes multi-stage stop devices for robotic arms. During a first stage, rotational motion of a link of a robotic arm compresses a compressible member of the multi-stage stop device to absorb and dissipate at least some of the force generated by the collision. A second stage provides a hard stop the stops any further rotation. The multi-stage stop devices described herein can include a collapsing pin configured to compress a compressible member during the first stage. After the pin has collapsed a rigid sidewall provides a hard stop preventing further rotation during the second stage.

A robotic actuator may include a series elastic actuator (SEA) that includes an elastic element made of a viscoelastic material. The viscoelastic material may have hardness, stiffness, hysteresis, or damping properties suitable for a particular robotic application. The elastic element may include two portions of the viscoelastic material in compression with each other in the SEA. The SEA may include a motor to generate mechanical power, a speed reduction element to amplify motor torque, an encoder to measure deflection of the viscoelastic elastomer due to an applied force, and a transmission mechanism. The transmission mechanism may be connected to the motor using a pulley and may route mechanical power to an output joint. The SEA may be a prismatic SEA or another type of linear actuator. The motor may include a 3D printed liquid cooling jacket that includes removable fluid seals and that is assembled and disassembled using removable screws.

An automated device, in particular a robot, comprises: a movable structure; actuator means, for causing displacements of the movable structure; a control system, which includes a control unit and is able to control the actuator means; and a sensorized covering, which covers at least part of the movable structure and integrates sensor means that include at least one of contact sensor means and proximity sensor means.

The sensorized covering comprises a plurality of covering modules, each having a respective load-bearing structure of a predefined shape associated to which is at least one layer of elastically yielding material. The plurality of covering modules comprises one or more sensorized covering modules, which include respective sensor means. The load-bearing structure of at least some of the covering modules has electrical connector means associated thereto, for enabling separable electrical connection of at least two different covering modules that are adjacent to one another.

A sensorized covering, prearranged for covering at least part of a movable structure of an automated device. The sensorized covering is useful for sensing an actual impact or anticipating an imminent impact to the automated device. The sensorized covering includes one or more covering modules wherein each covering module may include contact sensors and/or proximity sensors, a loading bearing structure and/or controls. The individual sensorized modules may be independently connected or controlled, or connected together and collectively controlled. Examples of the automated device my include a movable robots or an automated guided vehicles (AGVs).

A manual work station, in particular a manual work station for manufacturing and/or a manual work station for packaging, comprising a work area accessible to a worker, the manual work station having at least one robotic arm, the manual work station having a safety device, which is designed in such a way that the robotic arm cooperates in a contact-free manner with the worker in the work area. The invention furthermore relates to a control unit for controlling the sequencing of a manual work station.

A mobile robot that includes a robot body, a drive system having one or more wheels supporting the robot body to maneuver the robot across a floor surface, and a riser having a proximal end and a distal end. The proximal end of the riser disposed on the robot body. The robot also includes a head disposed on the distal end of the riser. The head includes a display and a camera disposed adjacent the display.

There is provided a holding apparatus for a robot including: two or more finger sections disposed opposite to each other so as to face toward a holding center; a work pressing section on which a work abuts when the work is inserted between the finger sections; and a driving unit that moves respective distal ends of the finger sections toward the holding center, wherein each of the finger sections includes a finger section main body formed of at least two plate-like elastic bodies, and a reinforcing member that is disposed along an outer surface of the main body, is joined to a distal end of the main body, and has higher rigidity than the main body, and the reinforcing member is swingably provided around an axis perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the main body, and parallel to a surface of the main body.