An example device includes an inner element, an outer surrounding element, and a plurality of connecting flexural elements coupled between the inner element and the outer surrounding element. The inner element has a plurality of reflective surface areas that are configured to reflect light to a sensor. The outer surrounding element surrounds the inner element. The plurality of connecting flexural elements allow the inner element to move relative to the outer surrounding element.

A vacuum cleaner includes link mechanisms that connect a bumper to be movable in a relatively horizontal direction with respect to a case main body. A coil spring energizes the bumper in a direction separated from the case main body. Obstacle sensors are arranged at positions facing the bumper in the case main body, and detect an obstacle by detecting movement of the bumper, due to contact with the obstacle, in at least one of a direction opposite to an energizing direction of the coil spring and a direction crossing such a direction. A controller controls the drive of a driving wheel based on detection of the obstacle by the obstacle sensor to allow the main body case to travel autonomously. The vacuum cleaner can detect an obstacle brought into contact with the bumper in a wide range with a simple configuration.

Systems and methods for transferring a micro device or an array of micro devices to or from a substrate are disclosed. In an embodiment, a remote center robot allows on-the-fly alignment between a micro pick up array and a target substrate. The remote center robot may include a plurality of symmetric linkages that move independently and share a remote rotational center. In an embodiment, the remote rotational center may be positioned at a surface of the micro pick up array to prevent damage to the array of micro devices during transfer.

A continuum robot having at least two independently manipulatable bendable section for advancing the robot through a passage, without contacting fragile elements within the passage, wherein the robot incorporates control algorithms that enable the continuum robot to operate and advance into the passage, as well as the systems and procedures associated with the continuum robot and said functionality.

A robot main body driving mechanism; a robot main body including a hollow flexible shaft, a joint portion including a bending joint and a proximal end continuous with a distal end of the flexible shaft, the bending joint receiving driving force of the robot main body driving mechanism to perform a bending operation, an end effector provided at a distal end of the joint portion, and a driving force transmission mechanism connecting the bending joint and the robot main body driving mechanism and configured to transmit the driving force of the robot main body driving mechanism to the bending joint; and a rotation driving mechanism configured to rotate the robot main body around an axis of a proximal end of the flexible shaft.

An elastomer robot comprises a flexible internal structure comprising a first flexible material, wherein the internal structure is tunable, and a flexible external structure comprising a second flexible material, attached to the internal structure, including an aperture configured to accept a fluid, wherein the external structure is tunable. Methods of use and production are also disclosed.

An information processing apparatus including a controller that controls, based on a detected state of the apparatus, outputting of sound that is performed by the apparatus, wherein the controller sequentially changes, according to an amount of change in the state, a mode of outputting a synthetic sound that can be output by the apparatus in a normal state is provided. Furthermore, an information processing method including, by a processor, based on a detected state of an apparatus, controlling outputting of sound that is performed by the apparatus, wherein the controlling includes, according to an amount of change in the state, sequentially changing a mode of outputting a synthetic sound that can be output by the apparatus in a normal state is provided.

An electrically-actuated artificial muscle fiber with bidirectional linear strain and a preparation method thereof are provided. The artificial muscle fiber includes a fiber matrix, electrode layers and insulating layers. The artificial muscle fiber takes the fiber matrix as a skeleton, upper and lower layers of the fiber matrix are covered with one electrode layer respectively, and one insulating layer is covered on a surface of each of electrode layers. A helical fiber body is formed by winding. Finally, the artificial muscle fiber is formed through packaging, where metal wires are taken as leads and respectively connected to upper and lower layers of electrodes.

A system includes an inspection robot having a plurality of input sensors, the plurality of input sensors distributed horizontally relative to an inspection surface and configured to provide inspection data of the inspection surface at selected horizontal positions; a controller, comprising: a position definition circuit structured to determine an inspection robot position of the inspection robot on the inspection surface; a data positioning circuit structured to interpret the inspection data, and to correlate the inspection data to the inspection robot position on the inspection surface; and wherein the data positioning circuit is further structured to determine position informed inspection data in response to the correlating of the inspection data with the inspection robot position.

A system including an inspection robot having a plurality of sensors, a further sensor, and a controller. The controller having circuitry to receive inspection data with a first resolution from the plurality of sensors, determine a characteristic on the inspection surface based on the inspection data, and provide an inspection operation adjustment in response to the characteristic, wherein the inspection operation adjustment includes a change from the first resolution to a second resolution. The change from the first resolution to the second resolution includes enabling the further sensor where the further sensor is at least one of: horizontally distributed with or vertically displaced from the plurality of sensors relative to a travel path of the plurality of sensors, and at least one of: offset in alignment from the travel path of the plurality of sensors, or operated out of phase with the plurality of sensors.