Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to, for example, a linear manipulator for a programmable stage installation. In one embodiment, the linear manipulator includes a body having an internal longitudinal channel extending parallel to an axis between two channel points, a power conductor positioned inside the channel, a drag band extending parallel to the axis, a motor that drives the drag band, and a wagon. The body further including a longitudinal opening extending between the two channel points, and a pair of rails connected to the body and extending parallel to the axis. The wagon including a pair of rail grippers for slidably engaging the pair of rails, a band connector connected to the drag band, and a power connector. The wagon attaches to equipment to be displaced along the linear manipulator and the power connector connects the equipment with the power conductor.

A robot has a body, a hydraulic control system physically coupled to the body, and a hydraulically-actuated component physically coupled to the body. The hydraulically-actuated component is hydraulically coupled to the hydraulic control system by a hydraulic hose. The hydraulic hose has a length, at least a portion of which extends from a first end to a second end, and a diameter, wherein the diameter of the hydraulic hose at both the first end and the second end is a first diameter, and wherein the at least a portion of the length includes a tapered section in which the diameter of the hydraulic hose decreases, continuously and monotonically, to a second diameter, the second diameter being less than the first diameter. The body includes a restricted region through which the hydraulic hose passes in traversing a path between the hydraulic control system and the hydraulically-actuated component.

A robot includes a robot torso, a robot arm, a main controller, and a plurality of bundles of cables; wherein a plurality of shoulder effectors are configured to drive the robot arm to move are disposed on the robot torso, a plurality of arm effectors that are relatively movable are disposed in sequence on the robot arm, and the main controller is disposed on the robot torso and configured to control a corresponding effector to operate, such that the robot arm has a plurality of degrees of freedom; any adjacent two of the main controller, the plurality of shoulder effectors, and the plurality of arm effectors are electrically connected by a cable bundle, each of the plurality of bundles of cables is disposed on an outer surface of the shoulder effector or the arm effector which the bundle of cables travels through.

A rotary module includes a first outer tube, a first member in which a function of the channel is maintained when a first outer tube rotates relative to a first inner tube, the channel coupling an outside of the first outer tube and an inside of the first inner tube, and a second member in which electrical coupling between the first terminal provided on an inner circumference surface of a second outer tube and the second terminal provided on an outer circumference surface of a second inner tube is maintained when the second outer tube rotates relative to the second inner tube, wherein the first outer tube and the second outer tube are fixed, the first inner tube and the second inner tube are fixed, and the first member and the second member are arranged along the same axis as each other.

A joint structure for a robot includes a first link and a second link, rotatably coupled to each other through a joint part. The joint part has a first rotary member so that an axial center thereof is oriented in a first direction and connected to the first link, and a pair of the second rotary members so that axial centers thereof are oriented in a second direction. A first linear-motion actuator is connected at a base-end part thereof to the second link and connected at a tip-end part thereof to the second rotary member. A second linear-motion actuator is connected at a base-end part thereof to the second link and connected at a tip-end part thereof to the second rotary member. The first rotary member is pivoted relatively to the second rotary members by pivoting the second rotary members.

A collision-detection device for a gripper system of a handling device, with at least two gripping jaws arranged on a flange plate, detects collisions between the gripper system and an object. The device includes a safety device configured to lock the collision-detection device to the gripper system and/or dampen the collision-detection device with the gripper system. The safety device is configured to receive from the flange a change in force and/or a change in torque generated by contact between the gripping jaws and the object. The device further includes a sensor configured to detect a change in distance which exceeds a predetermined permissible change in distance between the flange plate and a reference, the change in distance resulting from the at least one of the change in force and the change in torque.

An inspection robot, and methods and a controller thereof are disclosed. An inspection robot may include an inspection chassis including a plurality of inspection sensors and coupled to at least one drive module to drive the robot over an inspection surface. The inspection robot may also include a controller including an inspection data circuit to interpret inspection base data, an inspection processing circuit to determine refined inspection data, and an inspection configuration circuit to determine an inspection response value in response to the refined inspection data. The controller may further include an inspection response circuit to, in response to the inspection response value, provide an inspection command value while the inspection robot is interrogating the inspection surface.

An exoskeleton system comprising: one or more actuator units that comprise a fluidic actuator; an exoskeleton device; one or more cables, the one or more cables comprising a first cable extending from the exoskeleton device to a first actuator unit of the one or more actuator units; and a retractable cable assembly coupled to the first cable, with the retractable cable assembly configured to pull the first cable to reduce slack in the first cable.

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 robotic system for fueling or charging a vehicle having a vehicle connector, the robotic system including a robotic arm having a plurality of sequentially arranged articulated links and at least one group of operating cables extending from a proximal end of the arm to terminate at a control link, for controlling the position of that link, the cables each having a path comprising a passage in each successive more proximal link for closely receiving the cable, a flexible conduit operably connected with the robotic arm for delivering a fluid or an electrical current, respectively, to a vehicle, the conduit being connected to a source at a first end and a delivery connector at a second end, and a control system for operating the robotic arm and the hose or cable, wherein the control system directs the robotic arm to engage the vehicle connector with the delivery connector and, upon engagement of the vehicle connector and delivery connector, the control system relaxes the robotic arm to an under-constrained condition.