A method includes arranging, on a robot, a set of suctions cups on an actuator of the robot to allow for removable engagement of the set of suction cups to a container surface. The method further includes initiating movement of the actuator to cause the robot to (1) engage the set of suction cups to the container surface, generating a pressure within at least a subset of the set of suction cups; (2) detect the pressure within the subset of the set of suction cups; (3) connect the subset of the set of suction cups to a set of vacuum pumps to generate a vacuum, resulting in a grip on the container; and (4) move the container on to a platform of the robot to prepare the container for delivery.

A whisker sensor includes an upper circuit board, a lower circuit board, a flexible whisker, and a magnet. The magnet is fixed to the flexible whisker through a central through hole, and the location of the magnet changes with the swinging of the whisker; the upper and lower circuit boards are identical in shape and size, and are connected through an upright column. A circular hole is formed at the center of the upper circuit board, four Hall sensors are symmetrically distributed on the edge of the circular hole, and the displacement of the whisker in X and Y directions can be obtained by detecting the change in magnetic field generated by the change in location of the magnet; a contact sensor is mounted on the lower circuit board, and is connected to the whisker through a connecting piece, to detect displacement of the whisker in the Z direction.

Provided are a system and method for estimating the center of gravity of a walking rehabilitation robot, the system being provided with: a sensor module for estimating the point of the center of gravity, and provided with: a sensor unit mounted on a footplate to sense the pressure when a person walks; output means for outputting a voltage value corresponding to preset conditions according to a pressure signal sensed by the sensor module; and estimating means for calculating an angle value corresponding to the voltage value outputted by the output means, and estimating the center of gravity, wherein a body center can be estimated by obtaining an accurate detection using a small-sized system that has a relatively low-cost sensor module installed therein.

A visuo-haptic sensor is presented which uses a deformable, passive material that is mounted in view of a camera. When objects interact with the sensor the deformable material is compressed, causing a change in the shape thereof. The change of shape is detected and evaluated by an image processor that is operatively connected to the camera. The camera may also observe the vicinity of the manipulator to measure ego-motion and motion of close-by objects. The visuo-haptic sensor may be attached to a mobile platform, a robotic manipulator or to any other machine which needs to acquire haptic information about the environment.

A parallel manipulator with six degrees of freedom may include a base that attaches to a unmanned aerial vehicle and a movable gripper element that may be positioned below the UAV. The positioning of the gripper element my reduce impact of the center of gravity of the attached UAV. The gripper element may include a geometric shape that complements objects routinely used in high-throughput screening (HTS) laboratories, such as microplates. The parallel manipulator and gripper element may be used to quickly, safely, and securely move objects in HTS laboratories and/or the like.

Example methods and devices for touch-down detection for a robotic device are described herein. In an example embodiment, a computing system may receive a force signal due to a force experienced at a limb of a robotic device. The system may receive an output signal from a sensor of the end component of the limb. Responsive to the received signals, the system may determine whether the force signal satisfies a first threshold and determine whether the output signal satisfies a second threshold. Based on at least one of the force signal satisfying the first threshold or the output signal satisfying the second threshold, the system of the robotic device may provide a touch-down output indicating touch-down of the end component of the limb with a portion of an environment.

A system for non-destructive evaluation of an object uses a spherical coordinate system to control two robotic arms. In some examples, the system includes a radiation source coupled to one robotic arm, a radiation detector coupled to the other robotic arm; and a control unit configured to determine, based on input, a first position located on a first surface of a first sphere within the spherical coordinate system; determine, based on the input, a second position located on a second surface of a second sphere within the spherical coordinate system, wherein the second position is located opposite a midpoint of the spherical coordinate system from the first position; and control a motion of the source robotic arm and the detector robotic arm such that the radiation source and the radiation detector move to different ones of the first position and the second position.

A drilling rig having a lift arm, which may be an auxiliary lift arm provided in addition to a primary lifting cable system of the drilling rig. The lift arm may be configured to hoist and/or manipulate drill collar, drill pipe, or other drilling pipe or conduit. The lift arm may be coupled to a mast of the drilling rig and may have a cantilevered boom extending therefrom. The boom may be configured to pivot between alignment, or near alignment, with well center and a racking board. The lift arm may additionally have a pipe engaging element coupled to the boom. The pipe engaging element may be configured to couple to stands or lengths of drilling pipe. The pipe engaging element may be raised and lowered together with or relative to the boom via a lift line controllable via a hydraulic cylinder, winch, or other suitable mechanism for withdrawing and releasing the line.

An information processing device (10) includes a sensing section (140) that senses a pressure variation of a fluid filling a deformable filled section (130) that is provided to a portion of a leg of a mobile body (100) that is in either a contact state or a non-contact state at which portion the leg contacts an external environment, and a determining section (150) that determines a state of the leg of the mobile body (100) on the basis of the pressure variation of the fluid sensed by the sensing section (140).

An apparatus such as a robot capable of performing goal oriented tasks may include one or more touch sensors to receive touch perception feedback on the location of objects and structures within an environment. A fusion engine may be configured to combine touch perception data with other types of sensor data such as data received from an image or distance sensor. The apparatus may combine distance sensor data with touch sensor data using inference models such as Bayesian inference. The touch sensor may be mounted onto an adjustable arm of a robot. The apparatus may use the data it has received from both a touch sensor and distance sensor to build a map of its environment and perform goal oriented tasks such as cleaning or moving objects.