A deflection element (10) for robot arms has two arm braces that are pivotally mounted on a joint mechanism. In order to create a universally useable deflection element, the two arm braces (12) are each mounted on a support structure (20) of the joint mechanism by means of an arm joint (18), and the two arms braces (12) are coupled to a connecting element (22) between the two arm joints (18), said connecting element (22) being movable relative to the support structure (20); furthermore, at least one actuating element (50; 51), which moves the connecting element (22) and thus pivots the arm braces (12) between the end positions thereof, is arranged between the support structure (20) and the connecting element (22).

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 remote control vehicle includes a vehicle body and an acoustic vibration detection device. The vehicle body includes a protection cover. The acoustic vibration detection device is located at a side of the protection cover away from an external surface of the protection cover and configured to detect acoustic vibration generated when the protection cover is hit by an external object. The acoustic vibration detection device includes a housing body, a damping assembly, and an acoustic sensor. The housing body includes a chamber. The acoustic sensor includes a microphone arranged in the chamber through the damping assembly.

Various examples are provided related to end effectors for use in, e.g., automation of sewing robots. In one example, among others, a compliant perimeter end effector includes a mounting bracket having a contact mounting flange, a plurality of compliant material contact elements coupled about a perimeter of the contact mounting flange. The mounting bracket can couple to a manipulator including, e.g., an industrial robot or other manipulation assembly. The compliant material contact elements can include a contact interface that can engage with a piece of material. The compliant material contact elements can precisely transfer material on a workspace with surface irregularities while equally distributing force to the material.

Disclosed is a gripper including a pair of main bodies each having an internal space and spaced apart from each other, a pair of openings provided at ends of the pair of main bodies, a pair of moving bodies protruding from the ends of the pair of main bodies through the openings, a pair of inner bodies fixed in the internal space of the pair of main bodies, and a pair of springs configured to be compressed between the inner body and the moving body.

A gripper (100) with radial clamping, provided for a timepiece component, including a plurality of jaws (1) distributed about an axis (D), which defines a direction of insertion and/or of extraction for the timepiece component, and connected to a support (2) of the gripper, each jaw including a bearing surface (10) arranged to ensure a radial contact, relative to the axis, with a counter surface of the component and to be able to apply on this counter surface a radial clamping force, at least one the jaw being radially movable, in relation to the axis, and having an essentially radial travel in relation to the axis (D). Each mobile jaw is connected to the support by a radial elastic return means (3) that extends in a general plane (P) perpendicular to the axis and that is preferably arranged between the mobile jaw and the axis (D).

A system includes an apparatus for performing an inspection on an inspection surface with an inspection robot, the apparatus comprising: a controller configured to: interpret inspection data comprising sensed information from a location on an inspection surface; determine a feature of interest is present at the location of the inspection surface in response to the inspection data, and in response to determining the feature of interest is present at the location of the inspection surface, capture image information from the location on the inspection surface, and correlate the captured image information with the inspection data corresponding to the location of the inspection surface.

Apparatus for providing an interactive inspection map are disclosed. An example apparatus for providing an interactive inspection map of an inspection surface may include an inspection visualization circuit to provide an inspection map to a user device in response to inspection data provided by a plurality of sensors operationally coupled to an inspection robot traversing the inspection surface, wherein the inspection map corresponds to at least a portion of the inspection surface. The apparatus may further include a user interaction circuit to interpret a user focus value from the user device, and an action request circuit to determine an action in response to the user focus value. The inspection visualization circuit may further update the inspection map in response to the determined action.

Controllers for inspection robots traversing an obstacle are disclosed. An example controller may include an obstacle sensory data circuit to interpret obstacle sensory data provided by an obstacle sensor of an inspection robot, an obstacle processing circuit to determine refined obstacle data, and an obstacle notification circuit to generate and provide obstacle notification data to a user interface device. The example controller may further include a user interface circuit to interpret a user request value from the user interface device, and to determine an obstacle response command value in response to the user request value; and an obstacle configuration circuit to provide the obstacle response command value to the inspection robot during the interrogating of the inspection surface.

Aspects described herein include an end effector capable of prehending items using impactive and astrictive forces. The end effector includes an interface system having a deformable mounting plate and a pliable body member attached to the mounting plate. The end effector further includes a linkage system between a plurality of actuators and the interface system. The linkage system connects to lateral portions of the mounting plate.