A surgical manipulator linkage assembly may comprise a linkage arm that includes a first pulley and a second pulley. Each of the first pulley and the second pulley comprise a first drive track and a second drive track. The first drive track and the second drive track are substantially co-planar, and the first drive track extends at least partially around the second drive track. The linkage arm also includes a first drive member section extending between the first drive tracks of the first pulley and the second pulley. The linkage arm also includes a second drive member section extending between the second drive tracks of the first pulley and the second pulley. The first drive member section is wound around the first pulley in a first tensile direction and the second drive member section is wound around the first pulley in a opposite second tensile direction.

A medical instrument comprises a shaft, a movable component coupled to the shaft, a first actuation element coupled to the instrument shaft, a second actuation element coupled to the movable component, and a transmission assembly movably coupled to the instrument shaft. The transmission assembly comprises: a first drive member comprising a drum which is rotatable to drive translation of the instrument shaft relative to the transmission assembly by actuating the first and second actuation elements which are wound around the drum; a second drive member comprising a first rotatable drive shaft which is rotatable to actuate the second actuation element; and a third drive member comprising a second rotatable drive shaft and a bearing coupled to the second rotatable drive shaft. The second actuation element is routed over the bearing between the rotatable drum and the first rotatable drive shaft.

Robot includes two arms, a body, a vehicle portion, and a body position changing mechanism. Body position changing mechanism includes an elevation angle changing mechanism that supports body such that an elevation angle with respect to a vehicle portion reference plane is changeable, and an azimuth angle changing mechanism that supports elevation angle changing mechanism. Elevation angle changing mechanism includes a moving portion that is moved along a straight line parallel to the vehicle portion reference plane, a first link that includes a lower end connected to moving portion rotatably, extends in a direction forming an elevation angle with the vehicle portion reference plane, and supports body, a second link that includes an upper end connected to first link rotatably, and a link lower end support portion to which a lower end of second link is connected rotatably.

A surgical tool includes an elongate shaft, an end effector arranged at a distal end of the shaft and including opposing jaws, and an articulable wrist interposing the end effector and the shaft and comprising a plurality of articulation links arranged in series along a longitudinal length of the wrist. A closure redirect mechanism includes first and second rigid links arranged proximal to the wrist, first and second transfer mechanisms pivotably mounted to the first and second rigid links, respectively, first and second transfer links interposing the end effector and the wrist, and first and second tension members extending distally from the first and second transfer mechanisms, respectively, and being secured to the first and second transfer links, respectively. Moving the first rigid link relative to the second rigid link, and vice versa, causes the first and second transfer links to correspondingly move and thereby open or close the jaws.

A robot includes: links, connected in series to a base via joints; actuators, driving the joints to relatively displace a corresponding pair of links connected to each other; control devices, distributedly arranged in the base and the links and controlling the actuators; a communication cable, comprising an optical fiber connecting the control devices to each other and transmitting information; and light amount measurement devices, measuring the amount of light of an optical signal transmitted to the control devices via the communication cable. Each control device monitors the amount of light measured by the light amount measurement device corresponding thereto, and determines a state of the communication cable corresponding thereto based on the amount of light.

A system and method for a compliant four-bar linkage mechanism for a robotic finger that includes: a monolithic bone structure comprised of a compliant joint region and an input link segment and a coupler link segment, wherein the input link segment and the coupler link segment are connected through the compliant joint; an output link; a ground structure; wherein the monolithic bone structure, output link, and ground structure are connected through a set of joints in a configuration of a compliant four-bar linkage mechanism which comprises: the output link on a first end and the coupler link segment connected through an output joint, the output link on a second end connected to a ground joint on the ground structure, and the monolithic bone structure connected to an input joint connected to the ground structure; and an actuation input coupled to the input joint.

A method in accordance with at least some embodiments of the present technology includes moving a robot toward a shelf carrying a tote. The method further includes nonprehensilely tilting the tote and nonprehensilely pulling the tote toward a body of the robot. The tilting and pulling occur while the tote is in contact with the shelf and while exerting a first compressive force on the tote via contact between opposing arms of the robot and respective side portions of the tote spaced apart from one another along a width of the tote. Next, the method includes repositioning the arms and prehensilely lifting the tote from the shelf while exerting a second, greater compressive force on the tote via contact between the arms and the respective side portions of the tote. Finally, the method includes carrying the tote away from the shelf via legged locomotion.

A system, method, and apparatus for a robot system that manipulates the surface of an object effect programmed manipulation goals such as reaching specific locations on the surface of the object, displacing the surface of the object, applying a predetermined force and torque to the surface of the object, dynamically changing the contact point between the robot and the object, and applying force to structures below the surface of the object. The system and method determine the state of the object through a sensing method that includes, without limitation: torque and force measurement, visible light sensors, range and depth sensors, ultrasound sensors, thermographic sensors, and worktable force measurement.

A robot system and a method for driving a robot capable of moving the position of the center of gravity of the robot while minimizing the increase in the footprint thereof are provided. A robot system according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes a robot. The robot includes a movable moving part, an upper body part disposed above the moving part, and a driving mechanism for tilting the upper body part and moving a lower end of the upper body part in a direction in which the upper body part is tilted.

A leg-augmented wheel assembly includes a wheel, a plurality of leg members, each leg member of the plurality of leg members comprising a first end connected to the wheel, and a plurality of links, each link comprising a first end connected to one leg member of the plurality of leg members and a second end connected to each other second end of the plurality of links.