In accordance with various aspects and embodiments of the invention, a system and method are provided for manipulation and movement of objects. In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the system includes a robotic arm that grabs and manipulates objects along a collision-free path. The objects can be in a randomly arranged pile or in an orderly arranged location. In accordance with various aspects and embodiments of the invention, the objects are moved from an orderly location to a storage location.

In accordance with various aspects and embodiments of the invention, a system and method are provided for manipulation and movement of objects. In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the system includes a robotic arm that grabs and manipulates objects along a collision-free path. The objects can be in a randomly arranged pile or in an orderly arranged location. In accordance with various aspects and embodiments of the invention, the objects are moved from an orderly location to a storage location.

A gripping device for gripping a workpiece. The gripping device includes at least one gripping element configured for contacting the workpiece, at least one articulating finger jaw, and a mounting block connecting the shaft of the at least one gripping element to the at least one articulating finger jaw. The mounting block includes an articulation stop having a first stopping surface and a second stopping surface. The gripping device further includes a stopping member connected to the shaft. The stopping member is configured for contacting one of the first stopping surface and the second stopping surface to limit a rotation of the shaft relative to the mounting block. The stopping member is in the form of one of a pin and a fastener.

A gripping device for the gripping, holding and guiding of in particular bottle-like containers includes at least one gripper arm pair of a first gripper arm as well as a second gripper arm of complementary form to the first gripper arm, wherein the gripper arms each include a respective base body and gripping section; at least one spring for closing the gripper arm pair from an open position into a gripping position as well as at least one cam for opening the gripper arm pair from the gripping position into the open position. The at least one spring or the at least one cam is thereby arranged on the gripping device so as to be replaceable.

Techniques for fingertip design are disclosed that leverage how most grasp contacts can share a few classes of local geometries. In order to maximize the contact areas for achieving more robust grasps, contact primitives, which represent a set of contacts of similar local geometries, are identified. A uniform cost algorithm, which can be formulated as a decision making process in a tree structure, can be utilized to cluster a set of example grasp contacts into a finite set of one or more contact primitives. Fingertips can be designed by optimization to match the local geometry of each contact primitive, and then fingertips can be 3D printed using soft materials to compensate for optimization residuals. For novel objects, an approach to generate grasp contacts that match the fingertip geometries while together forming stable grasps can be utilized.

A compliance mechanism for a pick and place robotic system comprising: a motion device, an end effector coupled to the motion device, wherein the end effector comprises a sheath structure, a rod, wherein the compliance mechanism is configured to: when the distal end of the rod is in not contact with an object, causing the distal end of the rod to move responsive to movement of the motion device, and when the distal end of the rod is in contact with an object and the motion device moves toward the object, causing the distal end of the rod to remain stationary by causing the sheath structure to move along a longitudinal direction of the rod.

A clamp device for retaining a container in a container-handling apparatus, for example for retaining a drinks container in a container-handling apparatus of a bottling plant, includes two clamp arms which can be moved relative to one another, wherein at least one clamp arm has an interchangeable clamp jaw with a retaining portion for retaining the container which is to be retained, wherein the clamp jaw has a latching element for undergoing a form fit with a recess formed in the associated clamp arm. A clamp jaw and a container-handling apparatus are also described.

A tool stocker for holding a tool is equipped with a stocker-inclining member that inclines the tool stocker and also equipped with a mechanism that adjusts an attaching/detaching position at which an interchangeable tool is attached to and detached from a robot arm. The attaching/detaching position can be adjusted by using the tool stocker so as to fit moving paths of the robot arm appropriately.

Provided are a system, method(s), and apparatus for automatically harvesting mushrooms from a mushroom bed. The system, in one implementation, may be referred to herein as an “automated harvester”, having at least an apparatus/frame/body/structure for supporting and positioning the harvester on a mushroom bed, a vision system for scanning and identifying mushrooms in the mushroom bed, a picking system for harvesting the mushrooms from the bed, and a control system for directing the picking system according to data acquired by the vision system. Various other components, sub-systems, and connected systems may also be integrated into or coupled to the automated harvester.

A modular gripper has a body with a trident section and cylindrical section. A powering assembly is positioned in the cylindrical section. A pair of oppositing jaws is pivotally secured between a center wall and a pair of side wall, respectively, of the trident section. The piston rod moves a cam assembly on the center wall. The cam assembly passes through a body having a trident section and cylindrical section. The trident section comprises a trident structure that includes, at one end, a pair of side walls along with a center wall. The cylindrical section includes a fluid driven powering assembly. A pair of opposing jaw member are pivotally secured to the trident portion about separate pivot pins. A cam assembly is operatively connected to a piston rod of the fluid driven powering assembly. The cam assembly extends laterally outward with respect to a cylinder bore axis to receive a cam bush that engages with a through slot on each of the pair of opposing jaw members. The jaws rotate with respect to one another in response to fluid power in the cylindrical section. A pair of side plate members, each slide plate member has an elongated blind slot that receives an end of the cam assembly, the ends travel in the blind slot. Cam slots in the pair of opposing jaws, via a cam bushing.