Controllers for inspection robots traversing an obstacle are described. In an embodiment a controller may include an obstacle sensory data circuit to interpret obstacle sensory data provided by an obstacle sensor of an inspection robot, an obstacle processing circuit to determine refined obstacle data, and an obstacle notification circuit to generate and provide obstacle notification data to a user interface device. The controller may further include a user interface circuit to interpret a user request value from the user interface device, and to determine an obstacle response command value in response to the user request value; and an obstacle configuration circuit to provide the obstacle response command value to the inspection robot during the interrogating of the inspection surface.

A robotic system comprising: a joint coupling a linkage to an additional linkage; and at least one cable; wherein the joint includes a motor having a shaft, a strain wave gear having a flexible member coupled to a circular spline, a conduit, and a bearing; wherein the motor is configured to rotate the shaft in a first direction and the strain wave gear is configured to rotate a rotatable member, the rotatable member including one of the flexible member or the circular spline; wherein the conduit is configured to rotate in response to rotation of the rotatable member; wherein the at least one cable passes through both the bearing and into the additional linkage but does not pass through either of the strain wave gear or the motor.

A system includes an inspection robot having a plurality of input sensors, the plurality of input sensors distributed horizontally relative to an inspection surface and configured to provide inspection data of the inspection surface at selected horizontal positions; a controller, comprising: a position definition circuit structured to determine an inspection robot position of the inspection robot on the inspection surface; a data positioning circuit structured to interpret the inspection data, and to correlate the inspection data to the inspection robot position on the inspection surface; and wherein the data positioning circuit is further structured to determine position informed inspection data in response to the correlating of the inspection data with the inspection robot position.

A cable guide device of an articulated robot is disclosed. The disclosed cable guide device can comprise: a base; at least one rotary arm rotatably coupled to the base in an articulated form; at least one cable passing through the base so as to be connected to the rotary arms; a cable guide block coupled to a driving unit within the base; a sliding groove formed on the outer peripheral surface of the cable guide block; and a cable friction reducing device member which is coupled to a portion of the cable accommodated in the base and which rotates along the sliding groove together with the portion of the cable according to the rotation of the rotary arms.

A system and related methods for operating a robotic system with a routing mechanism is disclosed herein. The routing mechanism may surround external components that extend across a link and connect to an end effector. The routing mechanism may include guides, brackets, or a combination thereof configured to maintain the external components along a predetermined path relative to the link, the end effector, one or more corresponding joints, or a combination thereof during movement of the link and/or the end effector.

Apparatus for providing an interactive inspection map are disclosed. An example apparatus for providing an interactive inspection map of an inspection surface may include an inspection visualization circuit to provide an inspection map to a user device in response to inspection data provided by a plurality of sensors operationally coupled to an inspection robot traversing the inspection surface, wherein the inspection map corresponds to at least a portion of the inspection surface. The apparatus may further include a user interaction circuit to interpret a user focus value from the user device, and an action request circuit to determine an action in response to the user focus value. The inspection visualization circuit may further update the inspection map in response to the determined action.

A rotor for an electric machine having posts extending partially or completely between end irons. Each end iron is formed of a single piece of magnetic material with the posts extending from it, including the other end iron where the posts extend completely between them. Magnets are arranged between the posts with poles facing the posts to concentrate flux. In order to prevent too much of the flux from being drawn into flux paths through the end irons, the total magnetic flux is made to exceed a saturation flux of at least a portion of the flux path. This may be achieved by using interdigitated posts extending only partially between the end irons to provide gaps in the flux path, by providing flux resistors in the end irons to reduce a saturation flux below the total flux, or by using high aspect ratio magnets or posts so that the magnetic flux exceeds a saturation flux of the posts or end irons.

An electric motor has a first carrier having an array of electromagnetic elements and a second carrier having electromagnetic elements defining magnetic poles. The first and second carriers each define an axis. An airgap is formed between the first and second carriers when in an operational position. An inner thrust bearing connects the first and second carriers and is arranged to allow relative rotary motion of the carriers. An outer thrust bearing connects the first and second carriers and is arranged to allow relative rotary motion of the carriers. The electromagnetic elements of each of the first and second carriers are arranged radially inward of the outer thrust bearing and radially outward of the inner thrust bearing. The inner thrust bearing and the outer thrust bearing are arranged to maintain the airgap against a magnetic attraction of the electromagnetic elements of the first and second carriers.

The arm structure of a robot includes a first motor and a second motor attached to an arm member, a first bearing attached to the arm member, an arm member supported on the arm member by the first bearing, a first gear rotating together with the first bearing, a first motor transmission gear transmitting rotation force of the first motor to the first gear, a second bearing attached to the arm member and having a center axis perpendicular to a center axis of the first bearing, a rotary member supported on the arm member by the second bearing and rotatable relative to the arm member, a second gear attached to the rotary member, and a second motor transmission gear transmitting rotation force of the second motor to the second gear to make the rotary member rotate.

The arm structure of a robot includes a first motor and a second motor attached to an arm member, a first bearing attached to the arm member, an arm member supported on the arm member by the first bearing, a first gear rotating together with the first bearing, a first motor transmission gear transmitting rotation force of the first motor to the first gear, a second bearing attached to the arm member and having a center axis perpendicular to a center axis of the first bearing, a rotary member supported on the arm member by the second bearing and rotatable relative to the arm member, a second gear attached to the rotary member, and a second motor transmission gear transmitting rotation force of the second motor to the second gear to make the rotary member rotate.