A robotic gripper for grasping a target object includes a linear actuator and a gripping assembly. The gripping assembly is coupled to the linear actuator and includes a plurality of fingers that are positioned to selectively grasp and release the target object. The linear actuator includes an air cylinder and a linearly movable rod that reciprocates within the air cylinder between a retracted position and an extended position. The gripping assembly includes a finger holder and a finger closer. The fingers are affixed to the finger holder and extend from the finger holder through openings formed in the finger closer. The finger closer is coupled to the linearly movable rod which reciprocatingly drives the finger closer over the fingers to adjust the fingers between a first position in which the fingers grasp the target object and a second position in which the fingers release the target object.

In one embodiment, an storage module has first and second guide rails that are spaced from one another along a lateral direction. Each guiderail has an upper track and a lower track spaced from one another along a vertical direction, and first and second connecting tracks that connect the upper track to the lower track at first and second ends, respectively. A plurality of inventory carriers that are supported between the guiderails and are arranged end-to-end along the upper and lower tracks. A drivetrain drives the carriers to translate along the upper and lower tracks at a first speed, and drives the carriers to translate along the connecting tracks at a second speed, faster than the first speed. Increasing the speed of the carriers at the connecting tracks can prevent the carriers from colliding with one another when transitioning between the upper track and the lower track.

Exemplary embodiments relate to soft robotic gripper systems suited to grasping target objects in cluttered environments. Some embodiments provide extension rods, hinges, and/or rails that allow a soft robotic actuator to be extended towards or away from a robotic base and/or other actuators. Accordingly, a gripper including the actuator may be reconfigured into a size and/or shape that allows for improved access to the cluttered environment. Further embodiments relate to soft robotic gripper systems for supporting grasped objects during high acceleration movements using vacuum, gripper, and/or bellows devices. Still further embodiments relate to specialized grippers for manipulating food items.

Provided is an article conveyance processing system in which article(s) are efficiently taken out from a mobile cart and/or article(s) are placed on a mobile cart even when various types of mobile carts are used. Using the cart coordinate system obtained such that the horizontal, vertical and depth axes of the cart coordinate system substantially coincide with the horizontal, vertical and depth directions of the mobile cart, respectively, the article conveyance processing system performs the control of moving the robot hand and the attitude control of the robot hand; thus, the article conveyance processing system can efficiently take out an article from a mobile cart and/or place an article on a mobile cart regardless of in what orientation a wide variety of mobile carts are placed.

A robotic arm according to various implementations includes: a tool driver configured to hold a surgical tool; a first section comprising a first end coupled to a base, a second end distal from first end; a first link that includes a motor configured to rotate at least a portion of the first section around a pitch axis; a second link coupled to the first link, the second link including a motor configured to rotate at least a portion of the first section around a roll axis; and a second section comprising: a first end coupled to the second end of the first section, a second end distal from the first end, a first link that includes a motor configured to rotate at least a portion of the second section around a roll axis, a second link coupled to the first link.

A robot includes a base, a robot arm provided to be turnable around a turning axis with respect to the base, and an encoder including a mark configured to turn around the turning axis according to the turning of the robot arm and an imaging element configured to image the mark, the encoder detecting a state of the turning of the robot arm using a signal output from the imaging element. The encoder includes a telecentric optical system disposed between the imaging element and the mark.

A robot includes a first arm rotatable around a first axis and a second arm having an extending direction. The first arm includes a first base and a first extending portion. The first base includes a first through hole passing through the first arm along the first axis. The first extending portion extends from the first base along the first axis. The second arm includes a second base and a second extending portion. The second base includes a connection portion connected to the first extending portion such that the second arm is rotatable around a second axis that is substantially orthogonal to the first axis. The second base includes a second through hole passing through the second arm along the extending direction. The second extending portion is provided opposite to the connection portion in the extending direction and extends from the second base along the extending direction,

A machining apparatus includes a robot including a first arm portion, a second arm portion, a tip portion, a second actuator swinging the first arm portion around a second axis, a third actuator swinging the second arm portion around a third axis, a seventh actuator adjusting a distance between the second axis and the third axis, and an end effector provided to a tip portion and applying machining to a workpiece. The robot is positioned such that a movable range of a tip portion of the first arm portion or a base end portion of the second arm portion interferes with the workpiece when the first arm portion is rotated around the second axis, where the distance is made longest, in a state where the robot exactly faces the workpiece.

A substrate transport empiric arm droop mapping apparatus for a substrate transport system of a processing tool, the mapping apparatus including a frame, an interface disposed on the frame forming datum features representative of a substrate transport space in the processing tool defined by the substrate transport system, a substrate transport arm, that is articulated and has a substrate holder, mounted to the frame in a predetermined relation to at least one of the datum features, and a registration system disposed with respect to the substrate transport arm and at least one datum feature so that the registration system registers, in an arm droop distance register, empiric arm droop distance, due to arm droop changes, between a first arm position and a second arm position different than the first arm position and in which the substrate holder is moved in the transport space along at least one axis of motion.

An apparatus includes a platform configured to traverse a stationary base along a motion path; a drive coupled to the platform; and a movable arm assembly. The movable arm assembly includes a pivoting base connected to the drive, first and second linkages connected to the pivoting base, each linkage having links connected via rotary joints and each link having at least one end-effector. The platform is configured to traverse the stationary base along a motion path in two opposing directions and the drive and the movable arm assembly are configured to cause independent and simultaneous movement and transfer of substrates from at least one of a first substrate holding area, a second substrate holding area, a third substrate holding area, or a fourth substrate holding area into or from a respective substrate workstation.