The present disclosure provides a stair climbing gait planning method and an apparatus and a robot using the same. The method includes: obtaining first visual measurement data through a visual sensor of the robot; converting the first visual measurement data to second visual measurement data; and performing a staged gait planning on a process of the robot to climb the staircase based on the second visual measurement data. Through the method, the visual measurement data is used as a reference to perform the staged gait planning on the process of the robot to climb the staircase, which greatly improves the adaptability of the robot in the complex scene of stair climbing.

A robot system includes a manipulating force detector configured to detect a manipulating force given to an operation end by an operator, a reaction-force detector configured to detect a reaction force given to a work end or a workpiece held by the work end, a system controller configured to generate an operating command of a master arm and generate an operating command of a slave arm based on the manipulating force and the reaction force, a master-side control part configured to control the master arm, and a slave-side control part configured to control the slave arm. The system controller has an exaggerated expresser configured to exaggeratedly present an operating feel to the operator who operates the operation end in a reaction-force sudden change state that is a state in which the reaction force changes rapidly with time.

A robot system includes a manipulating force detector configured to detect a manipulating force given to an operation end by an operator, a reaction-force detector configured to detect a reaction force given to a work end or a workpiece held by the work end, a system controller configured to generate an operating command of a master arm and generate an operating command of a slave arm based on the manipulating force and the reaction force, a master-side control part configured to control the master arm, and a slave-side control part configured to control the slave arm. The system controller has an exaggerated expresser configured to exaggeratedly present an operating feel to the operator who operates the operation end in a reaction-force sudden change state that is a state in which the reaction force changes rapidly with time.

This invention comprises a device for measuring root pulling force (RPF) in a plant. The RPF device comprises a plant grasping mechanism, as well as a force measurement sensor. In certain embodiments, the device is automatic, so that the “hand of man” is not required to exert force on the plant while the root pulling force of the plant is being measured. Also disclosed is a root pulling force motion mechanism, which brings the RPF device into proximity of a plant to be measured. Further disclosed is a method for measuring root pulling force of a plant.

A picking system is configured to pick items from, and put items into, storage containers. The picking system includes a picking station. The picking station includes: a picking system controller configured to receive product orders from a warehouse management system; at least one container contents handling position; a camera configured to produce an image of contents of a storage container; an image processing system in communication with the camera for processing the image produced by the camera in order to identify a position of a specific item in the storage container, and a robotic picking device. The image processing system is further in communication with a picking system controller and is adapted to inform the picking system controller of the position of the specific item. The robotic picking device is in communication with the picking system controller and is configured to, under guidance from the picking system controller, to pick said specific item from said position in the storage container. The camera and the robotic picking device are arranged to operate, at any one instance, on different containers such that the camera is producing an image and the image processing system is processing the produced image of the contents of a storage container in a first product order while the robotic picking device is handling a second storage container on the basis of an earlier image that has been produced by the camera and processed by the image processing system.

According to one embodiment, a processing system sets a detector to a prescribed position. The detector includes a plurality of detection elements arranged along a first direction and a second direction. The second direction crosses the first direction. The processing system causes the detector to perform a probe of a weld portion of a joined body. The probe includes a transmission of an ultrasonic wave and a detection of a reflected wave. The processing system calculates a center position of the weld portion in a first plane along the first and second directions based on intensity data. The intensity data is of an intensity of the reflected wave obtained by the probe. The processing system performs a position adjustment of moving the detector along the first plane to reduce a distance between the center position and a position of the detector in the first plane.

A robot includes a base, at least one roller bearing having an inner hub supported to the base and an outer hub rotated about the inner hub, a spacer contacting the outer hub, a spin body to which the spacer is attached, and a spin mechanism coupled to the spin body to rotate the spin body. The spacer separates the spin body from the roller bearing between the spin body and the roller bearing. A surface hardness of the spacer is greater than a surface hardness of the spin body.

A target object setting unit sets a position of a target object in a work object. A feature point recognizer detects feature points of a work object from a captured image obtained by an image capturing apparatus, the image including the work object and a holdable object. A first position calculator calculates a position of the target object in a coordinate system of the image capturing apparatus based on the feature points. A second position calculator calculates a position of the holdable object in the coordinate system of the image capturing apparatus based on the captured image. A control signal generator converts the positions of the target object and the holdable object in the coordinate system of the image capturing apparatus, into positions in a coordinate system of the robot arm apparatus, and outputs a first control signal to the robot arm apparatus based on the converted positions of the target object and the holdable object, for moving the holdable object to the position of the target object.

A robot according to the present disclosure comprises: a microphone; a camera disposed to face a predetermined direction; and a processor configured to: inactivate driving of the camera and activate driving of the microphone, if a driving mode of the robot is set to a user monitoring mode; acquire a sound signal through the microphone; activate the driving of the camera based on an event estimated from the acquired sound signal; confirm the event from the image acquired through the camera; and control at least one constituent included in the robot to perform an operation based on the confirmed event.

A robot system comprising movable parts, a casing element, a force limiting sensor, a joint position sensor, and one or more processors, wherein the casing element comprises a vibration actuator. Multiple embodiments are introduced for the implementation of the casing element include haptic warning and proximity sensing. Furthermore, means to use the casing element to guide the robot and generate haptic effect by the vibration actuator to assist the user in a human-robot collaboration and/or guiding function are also disclosed.