Methods of performing a plurality of operations within a region of a part utilizing an end effector of a robot and robots that perform the methods are disclosed herein. The methods include collecting a spatial representation of the part and aligning a predetermined raster scan pattern for movement of the end effector relative to the part with the spatial representation of the part. The methods also include defining a plurality of normality vectors for the part at a plurality of predetermined operation locations for operation of the end effector. The methods further include moving the end effector relative to the part and along the predetermined raster scan pattern. The methods also include orienting the end effector such that an operation device of the end effector faces toward each operation location along a corresponding normality vector and executing a corresponding operation of the plurality of operations with the operation device.

Methods and systems for training a robotic manipulator. The system may include one or more sensor devices and a robotic manipulator for executing an item grasping strategy to grasp an item. The system may further evaluate the item grasping strategy to determine whether the strategy was successful.

A load scanning apparatus for taking physical measurements from a load. The load scanning apparatus has a scanning robot including a plurality of sensors arranged in an array spanning substantially across at least one load dimension in a first direction. The array of sensors moves together in a second direction, in a scanning plane. The plurality of sensors are configured to take images of the load from the scanning plane, and are configured to capture distance information about the distance of said load from the scanning plane.

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.

An autonomous solar module installation platform can be used for solar module installation onto a solar tracker. The autonomous solar module installation platform can include an autonomous ground vehicle and a robotic arm for the solar module installation onto the solar tracker. The autonomous ground vehicle can autonomously drive itself to the solar tracker using a global positioning system and align itself with the solar tracker using at least a vision system in order to place one or more solar modules onto the solar tracker.

A method includes receiving sensor data of an environment about a robot and generating a plurality of waypoints and a plurality of edges each connecting a pair of the waypoints. The method includes receiving a target destination for the robot to navigate to and determining a route specification based on waypoints and corresponding edges for the robot to follow for navigating the robot to the target destination selected from waypoints and edges previously generated. For each waypoint, the method includes generating a goal region encompassing the corresponding waypoint and generating at least one constraint region encompassing a goal region. The at least one constraint region establishes boundaries for the robot to remain within while traversing toward the target destination. The method includes navigating the robot to the target destination by traversing the robot through each goal region while maintaining the robot within the at least one constraint region.

A robot that transfers a substrate includes an arm, a hand, a substrate detector, and a substrate shape abnormality examiner. The hand is installed to the arm and holds and transfers the substrate. The substrate detector detects absence or presence of the substrate in a non-contact manner. The substrate shape abnormality examiner examines the substrate for a shape abnormality based on a height detected by the substrate detector at which the substrate is located when it is not held by the hand.

A robot system controller and control method that implement sophisticated cooperation among units is provided. The controller may include: a data acquisition unit adapted to acquire first data including information about the handling object and the shelf before storing or retrieving the handling object in/from the shelf; a data storage unit; and a robot control unit adapted to select and transport the shelf to an access position before storing or retrieving the handling object in/from the shelf, create or acquire a control sequence for storing or retrieving the handling object in/from the shelf, instruct the transport robot to execute a task of transporting the shelf to the access position, and instruct the handling robot to execute a task of storing or retrieving the handling object in/from the shelf.

A clamping jaw of a connecting terminal includes a rotary cylinder assembly configured for achieving different swing angles for clamping different types of connecting terminals. The rotary cylinder assembly includes a rotating shaft for providing a driving force through rotating cylinder and an initial state limit part. A first state limit part is configured to position the rotating cylinder in a first rotation angle and a second state limit part has a working and non-working position. When the second state limit part is in the working position, it is configured to position the rotating cylinder in a second rotation angle. When the second state limit part is in the non-working position, it is configured to position the rotating cylinder in the first rotation angle. The second rotation angle is smaller than the first rotation angle.

A robot that transfers a substrate includes an arm, a hand, a substrate orientation acquirer, a hand orientation adjuster, and a control unit. The hand is installed to the arm and holds and transfers the substrate. The substrate orientation acquirer acquires information about an orientation of a to-be-transferred substrate, which is the substrate to be transferred. The hand orientation adjuster adjusts an orientation of the hand with respect to the to-be-transferred substrate. The control unit controls operations of the arm, the hand, and the hand orientation adjuster. The control unit adjusts the orientation of the hand performing a taking-out operation on the to-be-transferred substrate by using the hand orientation adjuster based on the information about the orientation of the to-be-transferred substrate.