A hermetically sealed multi-axis articulated arm apparatus for use within a sealable isolator chamber comprises a rotational shaft that passes through an opening in the chamber, a sealing member disposed within the chamber for sealing the shaft to an inner surface of the chamber, a plurality of interconnected hermetically sealed arm segments, operably attached to the linear motion shaft; an end effector operably attached to a terminal arm segment among the plurality of arm segments, and at least one fully enclosed drive system for driving and controlling the shaft and the plurality of arm segments. The linear motion shaft may have a sealing member in the form of a bellows. The materials for the parts of the apparatus exposed to the atmosphere of the chamber are compatible with an aseptic and cleanable environment and the surfaces of the arm segments are shaped to avoid pooling of contaminants.

A nanoscale positioning apparatus with a large stroke and multiple degrees of freedom and a control method thereof are provided. The nanoscale positioning apparatus includes a base, a plurality of parallel branch chain mechanisms and a working table. Each of the parallel branch chain mechanisms includes an electric cylinder, a micro-motion drive mechanism, a laser interferometer, a grating measuring device, a self-locking upper hinge and a self-locking lower hinge. The top of the base is connected to one end of the electric cylinder through the self-locking lower hinge. The other end of the electric cylinder is connected to one end of the micro-motion drive mechanism. The other end of the micro-motion drive mechanism is connected to the bottom of the working table through the self-locking upper hinge. The positioning apparatus has multiple degrees of freedom, and realizes multi-degree-of-freedom arbitrary position adjustment of the working table through parallel branch chain mechanisms.

A modular multi-hinge retractable rigid-flexible coupling space manipulator based on origami structure includes a plurality of folding units and a manipulator base. The modular design idea is adopted for the manipulator, which is formed by combining multiple folding units. the driving motors installed on each folding unit drive the folding units to stretch out, draw back and fold over, so that the manipulator can stretch out and draw back flexibly and bend in any direction to complete the work tasks in a variety of complex environments. For the manipulator, the flexible materials are added to the links of the folding units, and deformation can be effectively compensated, the mechanism is simplified, and impact is relieved. The torsional spring is additionally arranged in the folding units to play a supporting role, so that the manipulator can be placed in forward or in inverted direction to match with various bases. The angle sensor is fixedly connected to the rotating pair formed by the chassis and the folding unit, and the rotating speed of the manipulator is monitored to avoid large impact or damage.

Static tendon attachments for motile tensile truss appliances are described which are simultaneously economic and support full undiminished service lifespans. These attachments impose compliant tendon bending over a substantial curvature, wherein the bending of a tendon follows an in-plane changing direction aligned to a tendon paired non-static pulley or sheave attachment. Attachments for trusses which have platforms which move extensively in three dimensions are described which have only a single rotating axis. Attachments for trusses which have platforms which move linearly, or in a plane, are described which have no moving parts other than the tendon itself. Attachments are presented for trussed platforms having 6 Degrees Of Freedom (6DOF), such as those useful for house 3D cement printers. Alternate attachments are presented for trussed platforms constrained to planar motion such as drop plotters, and in linear movement trusses such as semiconductor FOUP hoists, anti-sway cranes, and elevators.

A hermetically sealed multi-axis articulated arm apparatus for use within a sealable isolator chamber comprises a rotational shaft that passes through an opening in the chamber, a sealing member disposed within the chamber for sealing the shaft to an inner surface of the chamber, a plurality of interconnected hermetically sealed arm segments, operably attached to the linear motion shaft; an end effector operably attached to a terminal arm segment among the plurality of arm segments, and at least one fully enclosed drive system for driving and controlling the shaft and the plurality of arm segments. The linear motion shaft may have a sealing member in the form of a bellows. The materials for the parts of the apparatus exposed to the atmosphere of the chamber are compatible with an aseptic and cleanable environment and the surfaces of the arm segments are shaped to avoid pooling of contaminants.

The parallel robotics system is disclosed. The parallel robotics system includes a base, a plurality of first active joints each moving independently from each other in a first direction in the base, a plurality of second active joints connected to the first active joints, respectively, and each moving independently from each other in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and a truss structure connected to the plurality of second active joints and moving depending on a movement of each of the plurality of first active joints and a movement of each of the plurality of second active joints.

Examples of a motion system are disclosed. The motion system comprises a plurality of Stewart platform based actuators connected one to each another forming a desired modular configuration. Each of the plurality of actuators is controlled by a central controller that is configured to independently control the plurality actuators and adjust in real time their position, orientation and motion trajectory. The plurality of actuators are arranged in the desired configuration, shape and size to provide motion system that can mimic a natural motion/gait of human or animal body.

The invention relates to an assembly for the positioning and position detection of a deformable load-bearing plate, having a driving parallel kinematics system with a plurality of drive legs, wherein the load-bearing plate forms a constituent part of the driving parallel kinematics system or is fixed rigidly on a platform thereof, a reference parallel kinematics system with a substantially deformation-free reference plate which is formed by the platform of the reference parallel kinematics system or is fixed rigidly thereto and which is positioned underneath the load-bearing plate, and a plurality of reference legs, a sensor assembly which comprises a plurality of leg length measurement devices arranged in the reference legs and also a plurality of distance sensors arranged on the reference plate for point-wise or region-wise detection of the distance of the reference plate from the load-bearing plate, and a position-calculating unit which is connected at the input side to the leg length measurement devices and to the distance sensors and which processes the output signals of the leg length measurement devices and distance sensors to give a position map of the load-bearing plate.

Examples of a motion system are disclosed. The motion system comprises a plurality of Stewart platform based actuators connected one to each another forming a desired modular configuration. Each of the plurality of actuators is controlled by a central controller that is configured to independently control the plurality actuators and adjust in real time their position, orientation and motion trajectory. The plurality of actuators are arranged in the desired configuration, shape and size to provide motion system that can mimic a natural motion/gait of human or animal body.

A robot for capturing image frames of subjects in response to a request includes a base, a robot head, a camera, a vertical positioning mechanism, and a control system. The base has a transport mechanism for controllably positioning the robot along a lateral surface. The vertical positioning mechanism couples the robot head to the base and adjusts a vertical distance between the robot head and the support surface. The control system controls image capture of the camera, the transport mechanism, and the vertical positioning mechanism.