A substrate processing apparatus according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes a substrate processing unit, a substrate transfer unit, a first detection unit, a second detection unit, and a third detection unit. The substrate processing unit holds and processes a substrate. The substrate transfer unit has a rotational axis and carries the substrate in the substrate processing unit. The first detection unit detects a position of the substrate transfer unit relative to the substrate processing unit in a direction of travel thereof when the substrate is carried in the substrate processing unit in the direction of travel. The second detection unit detects a position of the substrate transfer unit relative to the substrate processing unit in a direction that is perpendicular to the direction of travel. The third detection unit detects an inclination of the rotational axis of the substrate transfer unit relative to the substrate processing unit.

A robotic kitchen assistant for frying includes a robotic arm, a fryer basket, and a robotic arm adapter assembly allowing the robotic arm to pick up and manipulate the fryer basket. The robotic arm adapter includes opposing gripping members to engage the fryer basket. A utensil adapter assembly is mounted to the handle of the fryer basket, and the opposing gripper members are actuated to capture a three-dimensional (3D) feature of the utensil adapter assembly. The robotic arm adapter assembly can include an agitator mechanism to shake the fryer basket or another utensil as desired. Related methods are also described.

A gripper for a picking device for storing small piece goods and a method for operating a picking device having a gripper are provided. The gripper simplifies dispensing and includes a drop table extending in first and second horizontal directions, and has at least one end portion having a dispensing end face, wherein the drop table and the end portion define an upper support surface. A transport device for moving small piece goods is arranged above the drop table and sensor device(s) are arranged in the at least one end portion having detection regions associated therewith, the sensor device being arranged along a vertical axis in such a way that the detection regions cover a vertically extending space in front of the dispensing end face.

A rail-mounted intelligent inspection robot includes a robot body and a guide rail, the robot body being hung on the guide rail and moving along the guide rail. One side of the guide rail facing the robot body is affixed with a plurality of barcodes, and the translation mechanism is provided with a barcode reader. A control module and a translation motor are disposed within the control platform. The lifting mechanism is connected to the control platform and the detection platform, and an intelligent holder is disposed below the detection platform. The rail-mounted inspection robot of the present invention may perform continuous inspection operations, and may meet the 7*24 hours of uninterrupted work through the power supply of the sliding contact wire. The recognized dial data is more accurate, and the read information may be transmitted to the background and processed in time.

A part manufacturing system and a method of manufacturing are provided. The system includes one or more part-moving robots, each having an end effector that grips a part. An operation robot performs an operation on the part while the part-moving robot holds the part. A fixed vision system is located apart from the robots and has at least one fixed vision sensor that senses an absolute location of the part and/or the end effector and generates a fixed vision signal representative of the absolute location. A controller collects the fixed vision signal and compares the absolute location with a predetermined desired location of the part and/or the end effector. The controller sends a repositioning signal to the part-moving robot if the absolute location varies from the predetermined desired location by at least a predetermined threshold, and the part-moving robot is configured to move the part upon receiving the repositioning signal.

An apparatus such as a robot capable of performing goal oriented tasks may include one or more touch sensors to receive touch perception feedback on the location of objects and structures within an environment. A fusion engine may be configured to combine touch perception data with other types of sensor data such as data received from an image or distance sensor. The apparatus may combine distance sensor data with touch sensor data using inference models such as Bayesian inference. The touch sensor may be mounted onto an adjustable arm of a robot. The apparatus may use the data it has received from both a touch sensor and distance sensor to build a map of its environment and perform goal oriented tasks such as cleaning or moving objects.

An apparatus for measuring a thread includes a holder for detachably holding a tube having a thread formed at an end of the tube. A first optical measuring section having an optical sensor is attached to a manipulator in order to move the measuring section relative to the tube. The optical measuring section is adjustably tiltable about a first adjusting axis relative to a thread axis of the thread. A second optical measuring section having a second optical sensor is arranged at the manipulator, wherein the optical measuring sections collectively form a measuring channel to provide simultaneous measurement of opposite sides of the thread of the tube.

A method for terrain and constraint planning a step plan includes receiving, at data processing hardware of a robot, image data of an environment about the robot from at least one image sensor. The robot includes a body and legs. The method also includes generating, by the data processing hardware, a body-obstacle map, a ground height map, and a step-obstacle map based on the image data and generating, by the data processing hardware, a body path for movement of the body of the robot while maneuvering in the environment based on the body-obstacle map. The method also includes generating, by the data processing hardware, a step path for the legs of the robot while maneuvering in the environment based on the body path, the body-obstacle map, the ground height map, and the step-obstacle map.

A robot arm mechanism has a plurality of link sections. The plurality of link sections are connected by a plurality of joints. Each of the link sections is provided with a plurality of photoelectric sensors. The photoelectric sensor is constituted of a light projecting section and a light receiving section. The light projecting section is installed at one end of the link section. The light receiving section is installed at the other end of the link section. On an outside of the link section, an optical path reaching the light receiving section from the light projecting section is positioned. Approach of a worker to the link section can be detected by the optical path of any of the photoelectric sensors being cut off.

A method for operating a transport robot includes receiving image data representative of a group of objects. One or more target objects are identified in the group based on the received image data. Addressable vacuum regions are selected based on the identified one or more target objects. The transport robot is command to cause the selected addressable vacuum regions to hold and transport the identified one or more target objects. The transport robot includes a multi-gripper assembly having an array of addressable vacuum regions each configured to independently provide a vacuum. A vision sensor device can capture the image data, which is representative of the target objects adjacent to or held by the multi-gripper assembly.