Waveguides, such as light guides, made entirely of elastomeric material or with indents on an outer surface are disclosed. These improved waveguides can be used in scissors, soft robotics, or displays. For example, the waveguides can be used in a strain sensor, a curvature sensor, or a force sensor. In an instance, the waveguide can be used in a hand prosthetic. Sensors that use the disclosed waveguides and methods of manufacturing waveguides also are disclosed.

A dual mounted end-effector system mounted on a motive robot arm for preparing an object surface is described. The system includes a first tool configured to contact and prepare the object surface and a second tool configured to contact and prepare the object surface. The system also includes a force control. The force control is configured to align, in a first state, with the first tool in position to contact and prepare the object surface and, in a second state, with the second tool in a position to contact and prepare the object surface.

An object of the present invention is to provide a technique for a gripping system having an arm mechanism and a hand mechanism attached to the arm mechanism, by which an operation of the arm mechanism can be stopped as soon as the hand mechanism contacts an object. In the gripping system according to the present invention, the hand mechanism is provided with a contact detection unit for detecting that a predetermined site of the hand mechanism has come into contact with the object. The hand mechanism is also provided with a signal transmission unit that is electrically connected to an arm control device. The signal transmission unit transmits a command signal to stop the operation of the arm mechanism directly to the arm control device at the point where the contact detection unit detects that the predetermined site of the hand mechanism has come into contact with the object.

Emergency stop pressure sensors 17 are installed on both side surfaces of a movable link 11 of a robot arm 14 of an assembly robot. When a worker S unintentionally walks in a swing range Ra of the robot arm 14 and contacts the emergency stop pressure sensor 17, a detection signal is transmitted to a control unit 19, and the control unit 19 shuts power transmission to a driving source swinging the robot arm. The emergency stop pressure sensor 17 has a first electrode and a second electrode constituting a pair of electrodes and an intermediate layer formed of rubber or a rubber composition, which is disposed between the pair of electrodes, the intermediate layer generating power upon deformation caused by contact with a contacted body (the worker). A side of the intermediate layer in a laminate direction undergoes surface modification treatment and/or inactivation treatment. With this treatment, the one side and the other side of the intermediate layer have different degrees of deformation to the same deformation adding force.

A system for calibrating a deformable sensor is provided. The system includes a deformable sensor including a housing, a deformable membrane coupled to an upper portion of the housing, and an enclosure defined by the housing and the deformable member; an imaging sensor configured to capture an image of the deformable membrane of the deformable sensor; and a controller. The enclosure is configured to be filled with a medium. The controller is configured to: receive the image of the deformable membrane of the deformable sensor; determine whether a contour of the deformable membrane in the image of the deformable membrane of the deformable sensor corresponds to a predetermined contour; and adjust a volume of the medium in the enclosure of the deformable sensor in response to the determination that the contour of the deformable membrane is different from the predetermined contour.

A device and a method for performing control to change a flexible virtual bumper for maintaining a space between a mobile object and an obstacle to be equal to or larger than a predetermined distance are enabled. A data processing unit that executes control to change the flexible virtual bumper for maintaining the space between the mobile object and the obstacle to be equal to or larger than the predetermined distance, and a drive unit that drives the mobile object in such a way that no obstacle enters the flexible virtual bumper are included. The data processing unit executes control to change the flexible virtual bumper at least either in size or shape. For each one of a plurality of travel route candidates for the mobile object, the data processing unit executes a simulation of changing the bumper size in such a way that no obstacle enters the flexible virtual bumper, and selects a safe travel route.

An example system comprising a pressure sensor array, a proximity sensor comprising circuitry to sense an object approaching the pressure sensor array based on a change in a resonance frequency of the proximity sensor, and a controller to receive from the proximity sensor the sensed change in the resonance frequency and designate the pressure sensor array as active responsive to the sensed resonance frequency being below a threshold or inactive responsive to the sensed resonance frequency being above the threshold, wherein a data transmission rate of the active pressure sensor array is greater than a data transmission rate of the inactive pressure sensor array.

A surgical robot includes: a plurality of manipulator arms; a platform to which the plurality of manipulator arms are coupled; a positioner configured to change the position and posture of the platform; a controller configured to control the positioner; and a user interface. The user interface includes: first manipulation tools each configured to receive an input of manipulation which selects one of a plurality of operating modes for changing the position and posture of the platform; and a single second manipulation tool configured to receive an input of manipulation information regarding the position and posture. The controller generates a command regarding the position and posture of the platform based on the acquired manipulation information and the selected operating mode and operates the positioner based on the generated command.

A characteristic estimation system, comprising circuitry configured to, cause a robot hand configured to grip an object to operate based on operation information defining an operation of the robot hand, acquire a physical quantity at a time when the robot hand grips the object, and estimate a characteristic of the object based on the physical quantity.

A surgical robot includes: a plurality of manipulator arms; a platform to which the plurality of manipulator arms are coupled; a positioner configured to change the position and posture of the platform; a controller configured to control the positioner; and a user interface. The user interface includes: first manipulation tools each configured to receive an input of manipulation which selects one of a plurality of operating modes for changing the position and posture of the platform; and a single second manipulation tool configured to receive an input of manipulation information regarding the position and posture. The controller generates a command regarding the position and posture of the platform based on the acquired manipulation information and the selected operating mode and operates the positioner based on the generated command.