A handling apparatus has an arm having a joint; a holding portion attached to the arm and configured to hold an object; a sensor configured to detect a plurality of the objects; and a control apparatus configured to control the arm and the holding portion, wherein the control apparatus is configured to calculate an ease of holding the object by the holding portion as a score based on information acquired by the sensor with respect to each object and each holding method, select the object to hold and the holding method according to the score, and calculate a position for holding the selected object and an orientation of the arm.

A surgical robotic system for identifying the triggering of a condition in the system, the system comprising: a first robot arm; a controller; and a first wiring arrangement configured to provide an electrical connection between the first robot arm and the controller, the first wiring arrangement comprising: a first electrical coupling comprising circuitry configured to generate a selective electrical disconnect; a second electrical coupling; a first sensor configured to measure a first electrical output from the first electrical coupling; and a second sensor configured to measure a second electrical output from the second electrical coupling; wherein the controller is configured to detect the triggering of the condition by comparing the first electrical output and the second electrical output.

A safety apparatus and method for monitoring the position of a servo joint in a servo joint driving system are introduced. The safety apparatus includes modules for measuring powerline signals to determine a servo motor position and/or speed safely. By analyzing the synchronization between the motor and powerline signals, loss of synchronization, unexpected resistance experienced by the motor, and other fault conditions are detected so that power can be cut from the servo motor for safety. The safety apparatus and method achieve a functional safety position and/or speed generating and monitoring and reduce reliance on expensive position sensors and encoders. Robots utilizing the safety apparatus and a method of its use are also disclosed.

A method is provided for running a collision protection system for a medical operating device, which has a patient bed for a patient to be operated on, an image recording device having at least one movable image recording component for recording image data of the patient during the operation, and an assistance robot having a movable assistance component which during the operation is situated at least temporarily inside the patient and/or is coupled in terms of movement to an instrument situated inside the patient. In the method, an item of criticality information is determined which describes the criticality of possible collisions of components of the operating device and/or movements of the patient with regard to the interaction of the assistance robot with the patient. Depending upon the criticality information, when a criticality criterion indicating a raised criticality, (e.g., a criticality exceeding a threshold value), is met, a safe mode of operation of the collision protection system is activated, which meets higher safety requirements than a normal mode of operation.

A robot system can include a main body; a manipulator installed on the main body; a sensor configured to detect an object approaching a restricted region including the manipulator; a camera configured to monitor the restricted region and the object approaching the restricted region; a storage configured to store a material for an operation of the manipulator, the storage including an inlet for receiving the material; a remaining amount sensor configured to detect an amount of the material remaining in the storage; and a controller configured to change the restricted region based on at least one of a result of detection of the remaining amount sensor and image information of the camera, and in response to the sensor detecting that the object is within the restricted region, stop manipulation of the manipulator.

A robot may perform emergency stopping. The robot includes: a driving device configured to perform movement of the robot; a stop switch configured to output a stop switch signal; a controller configured to output a stop signal; and a stop circuit configured to output a first control signal and a second control signal for stopping the driving device. The stop circuit may output the first control signal and the second control signal in response to the stop signal and the stop switch signal.

The invention relates to a robot controller controlling a robot arm, the robot controller is configured to maintain the robot arm in a static posture when only gravity is acting on the robot arm and allow change in posture of the robot arm when an external force different from gravity is applied to the robot arm. The free-drive mode of operation is activatable by a user establishing a free-drive activation signal to the robot controller, which then is configured to: —monitor a value of at least one joint sensor parameter; —compare the value of the joint sensor parameter to a maintain free-drive joint sensor parameter threshold value; —maintain the robot arm in said free-drive mode of operation for a predetermined maintain free-drive period of time, and —leave the free-drive mode of operation if the value of the joint sensor parameter docs not exceed the maintain free-drive joint sensor parameter threshold value within the maintain free-drive period of time.

An arm-type assistance device includes a pillar, a first support portion, a first arm, a second support portion, a second arm, a third arm, an operating unit, and a cargo holding unit. The first arm includes a first member, a first air cylinder, and a second member. The first support portion, the first member, the second support portion, and the second member form a parallel linkage. The parallel linkage is assisted by the first air cylinder. The arm-type assistance device further includes a controller that is configured to control pressure of first air cylinder. The third arm includes a second air cylinder. The controller controls pressure of the second air cylinder. A dimension in an axial direction of the second arm is greater than a dimension in an axial direction of the first arm.

An equipment control system includes a control unit. The control unit is configured to control equipment based on an authority. The authority is set for each of a plurality of individuals and a relative positional relationship. The relative positional relationship is a relative positional relationship between the equipment and each of the plurality of individuals.

In one aspect, there is provided a computer-implemented method that includes receiving a request to generate workcell data representing physical dimensions of a workcell having a physical robot arm, executing a calibration program that causes the physical robot arm to move within the workcell and record locations within the workcell at which the robot arm made contact with an object, generating, from the locations within the workcell at which one or more sensors of the robot arm recorded a resistance above a threshold, a representation of physical boundaries in the workcell, obtaining an initial virtual representation of the workcell, and updating the initial virtual representation of the workcell according to the representation of physical boundaries generated from executing the calibration program.