A space-saving floating joint including a locking mechanism that locks a swing of a movable base with respect to a fixed base is provided. A floating joint includes: a fixed base; a movable base; a floating mechanism that floatingly supports the movable base swingably with respect to the fixed base; and a locking mechanism that fixes the movable base in a state of not being swingable with respect to the fixed base. The floating mechanism includes a spherical bearing having a spherical surface, and a spherical washer part that supports the spherical surface slidably. The locking mechanism is provided in an inner part of the spherical bearing.

A sensing manipulator of an articulated arm is disclosed. The sensing manipulator includes a compliant section and a movement detection system provided along a first direction of the compliant section such that movement of the compliant section along both the first direction and at least one direction transverse to said first direction, are detectable by the movement detection system.

A laser machining head has at least one channel in a welding nozzle, through which welding filler material is deposited. At least one of the following features i) to iv) is implemented: i) a wire-shaped welding filler material is supplied through the channel into the laser beam via a drive motor. An electric current in the drive motor is measured, and the feed movement of the filler material is influenced by the measured current; ii) a strain gauge is attached to a housing or the welding nozzle, where by the strain gauge a termination of the machining process is initiated when a measurement signal value is reached; iii) a termination of the machining process is initiated by a contact arrangement on the housing; and/or iv) an electronic camera is used to monitor the supply of welding filler material, and the feed movement of at least one filler material is influenced.

A method and apparatus for performing an operation on a workpiece using a multi-axis compliant end-effector for attachment to a robotic device. The end-effector is positioned at a nominal location of a workpiece feature on which the operation is to be performed. The end-effector is passively aligned with the workpiece feature by contacting the end-effector with the workpiece feature. The operation is performed on the workpiece feature in response to aligning the end effector with the workpiece feature.

A sensing manipulator of an articulated arm is disclosed. The sensing manipulator includes a compliant section and a movement detection system provided along a first direction of the compliant section such that movement of the compliant section along both the first direction and at least one direction transverse to said first direction, are detectable by the movement detection system.

A surgical system includes methods and systems for damping vibrations. The damping of these vibrations can increase the precision of surgery performed using the surgical system. The surgical system can include one or several moveable set-up linkages. A damper can be connected with one or several of the set-up linkages. The damper can be a passive damper and can mitigate a vibration arising in one or more of the set-up linkages. The damper can additionally prevent a vibration arising in one of the linkages from affecting another of the set-up linkages.

A passive compliance gripper includes a passive compliance part, a displacement measuring element and a gripper mount. A first end of the passive compliance part is fixed, and a second end of the passive compliance part is configured to be transformed. The displacement measuring element is equipped to the passive compliance part, and measures displacement due to transformation of the passive compliance part. The gripper mount is connected to the second end of the passive compliance part, and has a gripper part gripping a component.

Methods, systems, devices, and apparatuses that support techniques for material hand-off using a double-acting kinematic mount are described. A kinematic mount may be mounted between a flange of a robotic manipulator and with a tool for retrieval and placement of an object. The kinematic mount may include a first sub-component and a second sub-component, where a floating structure of the first sub-component may be coupled with a plate of the second sub-component by a preloading force (e.g., via one or more springs, magnets). The kinematic mount may be configured such that the floating structure may be decoupled from the plate of the second sub-component when a force greater than the preloading force is applied to a bottom plate of the first sub-component. The first sub-component may move independently of the second sub-component while decoupled, allowing the tool to align to the object during retrieval and placement.

An apparatus for surface finishing includes a robot and an end effector. The end effector includes a compliance wrist having an axis of movement and coupled to the robot and a grinder tool coupled to the compliance wrist. The robot is configured to controllably position the end effector in three-dimensional space. The compliance wrist is configured to bias the grinder tool to a biased position relative to the robot and enable the grinder tool to move relative to the robot in response to an external force acting upon the grinder tool.

A bistable component, including: a ribbon comprising (i) a first extension arm having a proximal portion and a distal portion, (ii) a second extension arm having a proximal portion and a distal portion, and (iii) a central segment connecting the proximal portion of the first extension arm and the proximal portion of the second extension arm, the distal portion of the first extension arm being joined to the distal portion of the second extension arm at a joint, the bistable component being reversibly convertible between a stable stressed first state and a stable stressed second state, the central segment having (i) a first curvature state corresponding to the bistable component being in the stable stressed first state and (ii) a second curvature state corresponding to the bistable component being in the stable stressed second state.