A 6-axis positioning system, comprising a base, a movable unit and six variable-length actuators, one end of each actuator being connected to the base and the other end of each actuator being connected to the movable unit. At least one additional variable-length component is provided, one end of which is connected to the base and the other end of which is connected to the movable unit. The 6-axis positioning system can be releasably locked at least in certain positions of the movable unit by means of this additional component. The additional component has a releasable locking brake, and the variable-length component is designed such that its length can be varied passively by means of the movement of the six driven actuators.

A robot arm comprising a first arm segment and a second arm segment coupled to each other by a first revolute joint having a first rotation axis and a second revolute joint having a second rotation axis non-parallel to the first rotation axis, and a joint mechanism for articulating the first arm segment relative to the second arm segment about the first and second rotation axes, the joint mechanism comprising: a first driven gear disposed about an axle coincident with the first rotation axis, the axle being fast with a first arm segment of the robot arm; a second driven gear disposed about the second rotation axis and fast with a second arm segment of the robot arm and fast with the first driven gear about the first rotation axis; a first drive gear configured to drive the first driven gear to rotate about the axle, the first drive gear being arranged to engage the first driven gear; a second drive gear for driving the second driven gear to rotate about the second rotation axis; and an intermediary gear arrangement arranged to engage the second drive gear and the second driven gear and being disposed about the first rotation axis, whereby rotation of the intermediary gear arrangement relative to the first arm segment about the first rotation axis can be driven.

Disclosed herein are systems and methods directed to an industrial robot that can perform mobile manipulation (e.g., dexterous mobile manipulation). A robotic arm may be capable of precise control when reaching into tight spaces, may be robust to impacts and collisions, and/or may limit the mass of the robotic arm to reduce the load on the battery and increase runtime. A robotic arm may include differently configured proximal joints and/or distal joints. Proximal joints may be designed to promote modularity and may include separate functional units, such as modular actuators, encoder, bearings, and/or clutches. Distal joints may be designed to promote integration and may include offset actuators to enable a through-bore for the internal routing of vacuum, power, and signal connections.

A quaternion joint includes a first member, a second member rotatably connected to the first member through links, a plurality of first pulleys provided on the end face of the first member so that the first pulleys are able to swing, a plurality of second pulleys provided on the end face of the second member facing the end face of the first members so that the second pulleys correspond to the first pulleys and so that the second pulleys are able to swing, and a plurality of wires hung between the first pulleys and the second pulleys corresponding to the first pulleys. A rotation shaft of the first pulley is offset from a rotation shaft of the second pulley corresponding to the first pulley in a state in which the rotation shaft of the first pulley is rotated around a direction in which the wire is extended.

A robotic device includes one or more joints to position an end effector in a plurality of degrees of freedom. A navigation system tracks an actual position of the end effector. One or more controllers identify a condition wherein the actual position of the end effector contacts a virtual constraint. An anticipated movement of the end effector is evaluated from the actual position to a home position of the end effector. The one or more controllers detect an anticipated collision between the end effector and the virtual constraint and compute a target position of the end effector that evades the anticipated collision. The target position is spaced from the actual position and also contacts the virtual constraint. The one or more joints are controlled to slide the end effector from the actual position to target position along the virtual constraint.

[Object] To reduce output of a motor of a support arm device. [Solution] A support arm device includes: a first drive part configured to be fixed to a base part and cause a first drive shaft to perform shaft rotation; a second drive part configured to be fixed to the base part and cause a second drive shaft to perform shaft rotation; and an arm part including at least one parallel link and configured to support a predetermined tool. The arm part is caused to change an attitude to cause the predetermined tool to perform a predetermined rotational motion by the first drive part and the second drive part being driven.

A work device is configured to perform a work with use of an end effector and have six degrees of freedom. The work device including: a linear motion unit obtained by combining three linear motion actuators, to have three degrees of freedom; and a rotation unit obtained by combining a plurality of rotation mechanisms each having one or more degrees of rotational freedom, to have three degrees of freedom. A base portion of the linear motion unit is fixed to a mount. A base portion of the rotation unit is fixed to an output portion of the linear motion unit. The end effector is mounted to an output portion of the rotation unit.

A linear extension and retraction mechanism includes a plurality of flat-plate shaped first pieces that are connected to each other, and a plurality of second pieces having a cross-sectional U-shaped groove frame shape that are connected to each other. A leading first piece of the plurality of first pieces and a leading second piece of the plurality of second pieces are joined by a head section. The first and second pieces become linearly rigid when the first pieces are joined to an upper part of the second pieces, and the first and second pieces return to a bent state when separated from each other. Protrusion sections that protrude inward are extended in the width direction in a bottom plate of each second piece. Corners of edge parts of the protrusion sections are chamfered.

A robotic arm according to various implementations includes: a tool driver configured to hold a surgical tool; a first section comprising a first end coupled to a base, a second end distal from first end; a first link that includes a motor configured to rotate at least a portion of the first section around a pitch axis; a second link coupled to the first link, the second link including a motor configured to rotate at least a portion of the first section around a roll axis; and a second section comprising: a first end coupled to the second end of the first section, a second end distal from the first end, a first link that includes a motor configured to rotate at least a portion of the second section around a roll axis, a second link coupled to the first link.

A robot includes elbows connecting forearms rotatably to upper arms with two rotational degrees of freedom. The elbow includes: an elbow joint connecting the forearm and the upper arm with two rotational degrees of freedom; an elbow drive main link; an elbow drive auxiliary link; a forearm-side main link attaching unit attached with one end of the elbow drive main link with two rotational degrees of freedom, and provided in the forearm; an elbow-drive-main-link-side auxiliary link attaching unit attached with one end of the elbow drive auxiliary link with two rotational degrees of freedom, and provided on the elbow drive main link; and two linear actuators for moving two upper-arm-side link attaching units each attached with the other end of either the elbow drive main link or the elbow drive auxiliary link with two rotational degrees of freedom, and provided so as to be movable along the upper arm.