Apparatus and methods for adaptively retooling robots include programmable adapters for detachably connecting at least one robotic peripheral to a robot, providing peripheral information associated with the robotic peripheral, and causing the robot to adaptively reconfigure based on the peripheral information.

The robot controller includes: a memory configured to store a first value representing a position of a first movable member detected by a first position detector when a first tool including the first movable member and the first position detector is detached from a robot or when the first movable member moves to a predetermined position; and a processor configured to execute a predetermined process in accordance with a difference between the first value stored in the memory and a second value representing a position of a second movable member detected by a second position detector when a second tool including the second movable member and the second position detector is attached to the robot or when the second movable member moves to the predetermined position after the second tool is attached to the robot.

A system for performing minimally invasive surgery includes a holding arm, a holding arm interface, an actuation unit detachably disposed on the holding arm interface, and an endoscopic sheath assembly disposed on the holding arm interface opposite the actuation unit. The actuation unit includes a component bay configured to receive a camera, lens and first and second removable and disposable cartridges. Each cartridge includes a concentric tube array extending therefrom, each array including at least one guide tube and a surgical tool disposed inside the guide tube. Numerous safety and communication features are disposed on the various components of the system to ensure failsafe operation and to prevent damage to equipment or harm to patients.

An end effector control system that controls a plurality of end effectors connectable to a robot arm, the end effector control system including: an image acquisition unit that acquires an image of an end effector connected to the robot arm among the plurality of end effectors; an identification information acquisition unit that acquires identification information that identifies the end effector; a control unit that controls the end effector; and a memory having control information including a target position of each of the plurality of end effectors. The control unit acquires the identification information from the identification information acquisition unit, determines a target position of the end effector in accordance with the identification information and the control information, and controls the end effector to be located at the target position based on the image acquired by the image acquisition unit.

An abnormality determination apparatus of the present invention acquires state data from work equipment provided with an attaching part to which a plural kinds of work parts are attached in a replaceable manner, identifies the kind of a work part attached to the attaching part, sets, corresponding to the identified kind of the work part, abnormality determination data for determining an abnormality of the work equipment, acquires, from among state data acquired from the work equipment, state data of a time when the identified kind of the work part was being attached, and compares the acquired state data with the set abnormality determination data to determine an abnormality of the work equipment.

The systems and devices disclosed herein can permit a sterile adapter or manipulator interface to detect at least one attribute, parameter, and/or position of a tool attached to the instrument device manipulator. A sterile adapter can be coupled to the manipulator interface and include a magnet that is movable relative to the manipulator interface for permitting detection of the tool. Additionally, the present disclosure also relates to methods of preparing and using a medical robotic system.

Provided are a tool exchange device and a tool exchange system that enable management of a coupling state according to a tool to be fixed. A tool exchange device including a male member to be detachably attached to an apparatus side and a female member to be detachably attached to a tool side includes: a proximity sensor provided in the male member; and a target provided in the female member, the target corresponding to the proximity sensor, and the target is provided in the female member in such a manner that a distance between the target and the proximity sensor in a state in which the male member and the female member are coupled together is adjustable.

A safety control apparatus (100) for a tool changing device of a robotic arm is described, said apparatus being configured to allow the decoupling or the coupling between robotic arm (5) and tool (6) safely. The safety control apparatus comprises: a first module (101) associated with the robotic arm, a second module (102) associated with the tool, means (103) associated with a tool parking station (30) adapted to prevent or allow the creation of said safety signal in said second module, said second module being configured to wirelessly transmit said at least one safety signal to the first module, said first module being configured to allow the decoupling or the coupling between robotic arm and tool in response to the reception of said at least one safety signal. [FIG. 1]

A robotic arm assembly is described that incorporates a distributed control arrangement. The robotic arm assembly includes a host computer, a set of robotic arm segments, and a set of actuators, each actuator being interposed between adjacent pairs of the set of robotic arm segments to affect a relative movement between the adjacent pairs of the set of robotic arm segments. The robotic arm assembly further includes an end effector controller configured with a first interface configured to support a first communication link between the end effector controller and the host computer, and a second interface, separate from the first interface. The robotic arm assembly furthermore includes an end effector adapter configured to provide a high speed data interface between the end effector controller and an end effector.

To reduce the working hours of a user in an operation and improve an operation rate in an industrial network system. A communication setting change part is provided which automatically changes, in a timing of an end effector replacement, the communication setting in a communication part according to the communication information that corresponds to an end effector.