An operating device for a handling device, with a gripping section and a coupling for a gripping device, with at least a part of the coupling being at or in the gripping section, so that it is rotatable about an axis of rotation, with a reading device for reading out an information carrier with coded data being placed on the side of the griping section facing the coupling, where the reading device is designed to read out an information carrier of a gripping device coupled to the coupling regardless of the rotational position of the coupling.

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.

Robots capable of accommodating dynamic replacement of end effectors load and run software that allows the end effector to be operated without change to the main control program. The driver may be dynamically linked and run during program execution when the corresponding end effector is detected. Typically, the robot controller will store a library of drivers, and load the appropriate driver when a new end effector is detected.

The present invention relates to a robotic arm with a tool interface (16) comprising an electronically controllable tool attachment for affixing a tool to the interface.

In various embodiments, a tool plate configured to receive a robotic end effector is removably matable with a robot appendage via a quick-release mechanism.

Robotic manipulator arm has an end portion to which one or more end effector appliances can be operably mounted for performing one or more manipulator arm operations. A control system has access to a plurality of different end effector appliance parameter sets which are respectively associated with the plurality of different end effector appliances. A user interface facilitates identification to the control system of one or more of the different end effector appliances which are installed on the manipulator arm. The control system is responsive to the identification to modify a control algorithm.

Robotic manipulator arm has an end portion to which one or more end effector appliances can be operably mounted for performing one or more manipulator arm operations. A control system has access to a plurality of different end effector appliance parameter sets which are respectively associated with the plurality of different end effector appliances. A user interface facilitates identification to the control system of one or more of the different end effector appliances which are installed on the manipulator arm. The control system is responsive to the identification to modify a control algorithm.

Robots capable of accommodating dynamic replacement of end effectors load and run software that allows the end effector to be operated without change to the main control program. The driver may be dynamically linked and run during program execution when the corresponding end effector is detected. Typically, the robot controller will store a library of drivers, and load the appropriate driver when a new end effector is detected.

Robots capable of accommodating dynamic replacement of end effectors load and run software that allows the end effector to be operated without change to the main control program. The driver may be dynamically linked and run during program execution when the corresponding end effector is detected. Typically, the robot controller will store a library of drivers, and load the appropriate driver when a new end effector is detected.

A handling system having at least one vacuum generator and an associated vacuum handling device connected to and operable via the vacuum generator. The vacuum handling device is provided with an individually assigned recognition unit including a memory device in which operating data for the vacuum handling device is storable and can be read out. Each vacuum generator has a respective sub-control unit adapted to control the vacuum generator depending on data transmitted from the recognition unit. The memory device of the recognition unit can be read out directly from the sub-control unit.