Disclosed herein is a variable-stiffness floating spring mechanism. The variable-stiffness floating spring mechanism can change its stiffness without changing an energy stored by a spring. The variable-stiffness floating spring mechanism can amplify an output of a human user. The variable-stiffness floating spring mechanism can enable augmentation of physical performance beyond the physical capabilities of the human user.

Implementations relate to a counterbalance mechanism including a force transformation mechanism that provides a drive ratio. In some implementations, a counterbalance apparatus includes a spring, a first tension element, a second tension element, a force transformation mechanism coupled to the spring by the first tension element and coupled to the second tension element, and a plurality of counterbalance pulleys coupled to the second tension element. At least one of the counterbalance pulleys is coupled to a load that is moveable with reference to a mechanical ground, and a force provided by the spring is modified in magnitude by the force transformation mechanism and is applied to the load via the second tension element. The force transformation mechanism includes a plurality of elements and the modification of the force is based on a drive ratio of the elements of the force transformation mechanism.

There are provided methods in a healthcare monitoring system for anonymous communication of patient data associated with a patient between at least one electronic user device, using a respective client application implemented in the electronic user device, and a host server, using a host application implemented in the host server, via a wireless network. Embodiments of the method further enables identification of the patient associated with the anonymous patient data in a secure manner. There is further provided corresponding systems, computer programs and non-volatile data carriers containing the computer programs.

A labeling device includes: a robot having articulated arms with arm sections that are articulated: together, to a robot base, and to a platform of a label pickup device. The pickup device has a base plate and a plunger. The plunger has a fixed portion mounted to the base plate and is not displaceable relative to the base plate in a longitudinal direction, has a portion that is movable in the fixed portion in the longitudinal direction toward the base plate to a retracted position, and has an end configured to pick up a label. A pressure regulator of the plunger breaks a negative pressure in the plunger. The plunger's fixed portion covers an opening of its movable portion in a gas-tight manner by of the when the movable portion in an extended position and which is not covered when in the retracted position.

[Object] To make it possible to perform gravity compensation with a more compact and lightweight configuration. [Solution] There is provided a medical support arm apparatus including: an arm section including multiple joint sections, and configured such that a medical tool is provided on a front end; an actuator at least provided in a compensated joint section that is a target of gravity compensation among the joint sections, and including a torque sensor that detects a torque acting on the compensated joint section; and a gravity compensation mechanism that imparts to the compensated joint section a compensating torque in a direction that cancels out a load torque due to a self-weight of the arm section acting on the compensated joint section.

This elastic unit is provided with: a shaft-like member that extends in one direction and that is connected to a force point acted on by an external force; an enclosure member that has an internal space and that is penetrated by the shaft-like member; a bearing that is provided at a point of contact between the shaft-like member and the enclosure member so that the shaft-like member is movable with respect to the enclosure member; a plate member that is provided inside the internal space of the enclosure member so as to protrude from the shaft-like member; and at least one or more elastic members sandwiched between the enclosure member and the plate member.

A robotic manipulator comprises a plurality of spring compensated joints, each including a four-bar linkage mechanism, a gravity compensating spring, a spring adjustment mechanism, a spring adjustment actuator and an inertial actuator. The gravity compensating spring is coupled between two links of the four-bar linkage mechanism at two different spring attachment points to provide a lifting force opposing a gravitational load force. The spring adjustment mechanism is coupled to alter a position of one of the spring attachment points. The spring adjustment actuator is coupled to move the spring adjustment mechanism to alter the position of the spring attachment point and adjust the amount of lifting force provided by the spring. The inertial actuator is coupled between links of the four-bar linkage mechanism to effectuate rotational movement of the four-bar linkage mechanism and apply an adjustable amount of force to accelerate and manipulate a payload handled by the robotic manipulator.

A telescopic shaft having a first shaft, a second shaft configured to enable a first relative movement in an axial direction between the first and second shafts, and a third shaft configured to enable a second relative movement in the axial direction between the second and third shafts, and a third relative movement in the axial direction between the first and third shafts. The second shaft is located between the first and third shafts. The telescopic shaft is configured to connect a base of a parallel kinematics robot to an end effector of the same for the purpose of transferring torque. By providing the telescopic shaft with more than two shafts with mutual relative movements between the same, an extension factor (the relation between the maximum and minimum lengths of the telescopic shaft) and by that the working area of the parallel kinematics robot can be increased.

A robot gravity balancer includes: a tubular housing whose both ends in the direction of a longitudinal axis are closed by end plates having through-holes; a movable member housed inside the housing so as to be movable in the direction of the longitudinal axis; a compression spring disposed between the movable member and the end plate; and an elongated rod that is capable of being passed through the through-holes of both the end plates, and that is disposed in a state of having one end detachably mounted on the movable member and the other end protruding to the outside of the housing, regardless of which of the through-holes the rod is passed through. The robot gravity balancer is disposed between a first member and a second member of a robot, the second member being provided so as to be swingable around a predetermined swing axis relative to the first member.

Provided is a balancer including: a housing that is attached to one of a first member and a second member that is rotationally driven with respect to the first member about a rotation axis in a robot including the first member and the second member, so as to be rotatable, by means of first bearings, about a first attachment axis parallel to the rotation axis; a rod that has one end attached to an other another one of the first member and the second member so as to be rotatable, by means of a second bearing, about a second attachment axis parallel to the rotation axis; a force generating means that generates a force in a direction in which the rod is drawn into the housing or in a direction in which the rod is pushed out of the housing; and a sensor that detects a positional relationship between the housing and the rod in a direction orthogonal to the first attachment axis and the second attachment axis.