A non-conductive retrieval tool with a magnet connected a handle by a linkage assembly. The linkage assembly can be adjustable to maintain an orientation or position based on manipulation of a user, and can be made of a non-conductive material to safely operate in electrical applications. In some embodiments, the tool can include a socket portion near the magnet to apply torque to work pieces.

Manufacturing of a shoe or a portion of a shoe is enhanced by automated placement of shoe parts. For example, a part-recognition system analyzes an image of a shoe part to identify the part and determine a location of the part. Once the part is identified and located, the part can be manipulated in an automated manner.

The present invention concerns an apparatus (100) for transferring a vial (200) from a first station (301) to a second station (302), comprising a stock (101) of vials in said first station, a mobile arm (1) provided with at least three gripping elements (2a-2d) movable between one another in a controlled way at least between a first and a second position, wherein the free ends of at least part of said gripping elements (2a-2d) have a magnet (5), and wherein the area of the polygon (P) having as vertexes said free ends in said first position is smaller than the area of the polygon (P) having as vertexes said free ends in said second position.

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 seat frame assembling unit includes: a setting device and a setting robot. The setting device is driven in a state where side frames, a connecting frame, a pan frame, a member frame and an upper frame are arranged. The setting robot installs the side frames side by side and subsequently installs the connecting frame, the pan frame, the member frame and the upper frame between the side frames. The setting device moves the side frames to positions in which the side frames are to be assembled with the connecting frame, the pan frame, the member frame and the upper frame.

A hub assembly for coupling different grasper assemblies including a soft actuator in various configurations to a mechanical robotic components are described. Further described are soft actuators having various reinforcement. Further described are and soft actuators having electroadhesive pads for improved grip, and/or embedded electromagnets for interacting with complementary surfaces on the object being gripped. Still further described are soft actuators having reinforcement mechanisms for reducing or eliminating bowing in a strain limiting layer, or for reinforcing accordion troughs in the soft actuator body.

A method of separating a blank from a stack of blanks is provided and includes grasping a first blank and moving the first blank away from a plurality of blanks. At least one additional blank from the plurality of blanks is adhered to the first blank to form a sub-stack of blanks and at least one impulse electrically generated force (EGF) is applied to separate the at least one additional blank from the first blank. The first blank may be grasped by a device with a force F1, and the at least one impulse EGF may be less than the force F1. Also, the at least one impulse EGF may be applied to separate the at least one additional blank from the first blank by passing a pulse of current through an EGF generator positioned adjacent the first blank and inducing an EGF within the plurality of blanks.

A non-retrieval tool with a magnet connected a handle by a linkage assembly. The linkage assembly can be adjustable to maintain an orientation or position based on manipulation of a user, and can be made of a non-conductive material to safely operate in electrical applications. In some embodiments, the tool can include a socket portion near the magnet to apply torque to work pieces.

A pipetting system having at least one pipette tip receptacle with a pipette tip arranged therein that extends along a vertical axis and at least one gripper having a mechanical coupling, the gripper is coupled to the at least one pipette tip receptacle with the coupling and at least one grip element. The at least one grip element has at least one substantially vertical portion and at least one substantially horizontal portion and the coupling has a body having a through channel that extends along the vertical axis over the entire length of the coupling and the pipette tip extends along the through channel of the coupling.

A system (10) for loading different conveying tracks (2, 3, 4) of at least one in particular commercial conveyor dishwasher (1, 1′). The system (10) includes a feed conveyor belt (11) for delivering washware (9a, 9b, 9c) to loading regions of the at least one conveyor dishwasher (1, 1′). The system (10) further includes a sorting arrangement for sorting the washware (9a, 9b, 9c) delivered to the loading regions of the at least one conveyor dishwasher (1, 1′) via the feed conveyor belt (11) according to previously defined or definable washware groups. The sorting arrangement is associated with at least one loading arrangement (13a, 13b, 13c) for automatically loading the different conveying tracks of the at least one conveyor dishwasher (1, 1′) with washware (9a, 9b, 9c) of one of the previously defined or definable washware groups.