According to one embodiment, a light source includes a plurality of light-emitting elements each including one or more surface-emitting lasers; and a plurality of detecting elements located on a same substrate as the light-emitting elements. The detecting elements individually detect quantities of output light of the light-emitting elements.

A vacuum-based end effector for engaging parcels includes a base plate, one or more vacuum cups of a first type, and one or more vacuum cups of a second type. Each vacuum cup of the vacuum-based end effector is configured to be placed in fluid communication with a vacuum source to provide the vacuum cup with a suction force which can be used to engage and grasp parcels. Each vacuum cup includes a bellows defining a pathway for a flow of air and a lip connected to the bellows. Each lip of the one or more vacuum cups of the first type comprises a foam lip, and each lip of the one or more vacuum cups of the second type comprises an elastomeric lip. The vacuum-based end effector can be combined with a robot to provide an improved system for engaging parcels.

A desktop horizontal joint robot, including: a lift apparatus and a fixation apparatus. The lift apparatus includes: a base, a casing supported on the base, a slider seat liftably arranged within the casing, and a lift driving mechanism configured to move the slider seat. The fixation apparatus includes: a fixation seat in fixed connection with the slider seat, a first rotational shaft rotatably supported at the fixation seat, and a first shaft driving assembly configured to rotate the first rotational shaft. An optical length encoder is arranged within the casing and configured to detect a linear displacement of the slider seat. The fixation apparatus further include a first optical angle encoder configured to detect a rotation angle of the first rotational shaft. The desktop horizontal joint robot features non-wear, high reliability, and long service life.

A substrate conveying robot has a robot arm including an end effector having a substrate holding unit holding a substrate, arm drive unit for driving the robot arm, an elevating drive unit for elevatingly driving the end effector, a robot control unit controlling the arm drive unit, the elevating drive unit, and the substrate holding unit, and a substrate detection unit having a substrate detection unit which detects a vertical position of the substrate and elevates coordinately with an elevating operation of the end effector. By this configuration, a vertical position of a substrate to be conveyed is detected with high accuracy so that a robot operation can be controlled based on the detection result.

Provided is a movable robot. The movable robot includes a main body provided with a traveling part; at least one through-hole defined in a top surface of the main body, at least one module guide configured to guide an installation position of a service disposed above the main body, and guide supporter rotatably supporting the module guide inside main body. The module guide may rotate between a first position within the main body and a position protruding upward from the main body through the through-hole.

A robot control system includes: a mobile robot that controls movement of an object; an estimation unit that estimates a position of the object based on detection information of the object acquired by first sensors installed on base portions of the mobile robot; and a control unit that controls an end effector of the mobile robot. The control unit moves the end effector to the position estimated by the estimation unit, and controls the movement of the object using the end effector when a distance between the object and the second sensor acquired by the second sensor is equal to or less than a distance threshold value.

A robotic cleaner may include a body, an optical receiver, the optical receiver being configured to detect an optical signal generated by an external device, and an optical pattern generator configured to emit light according to an optical pattern that extends at least partially around the body, wherein, when the optical pattern intersects an obstacle, at least a portion of the light incident on the obstacle is reflected towards the optical receiver, the optical receiver being configured to detect the reflected light.

A proximity sensing autonomous robotic system and apparatus is provided. The robot includes one or more vision modules for viewing the environment for depth perception, object detection, object avoidance and temperature detection of objects. A proximity sensing skin is laminated on one or more parts of the robot. The proximity sensing skin includes a plurality of proximity sensors and mechanical stress sensors for collision avoidance, speed control and deceleration of motion near detected objects, and touch recognition. The proximity sensing skin may include conductive pads for contacting different materials in a composite part to inhibit galvanic corrosion. The robot includes an end effector to which different tools may be attached for performing different tasks. The end effector includes a mounting interface with connections for supplying power and hydraulic/pneumatic control of the tool. All wiring to the sensors and vision modules are routed internally within the robot.

Inspection robots with swappable drive modules are described. An example inspect robot may include a first removeable interface plate on the side of a robot chassis. The first removable interface plate may couple a first drive module to an electronic board, within the chassis, where the electronic board includes a drive module interface circuit communicatively coupled to the first drive module. The example inspect robot may also include a second removeable interface plate on a side of a robot chassis. The second removable interface plate may couple a second drive module to an electronic board, within the chassis, where the electronic board includes a drive module interface circuit communicatively coupled to the second drive module.

A mobile robot apparatus is provided. The mobile robot apparatus includes: a body; a first wheel disposed at a first side surface of the body; a second wheel disposed at a second side surface of the body opposite to the first side surface; a first drive device configured to provide a driving force to each of the first wheel and the second wheel; a second drive device configured to move the body in a vertical direction relative to at least one of a first center axis of the first wheel and a second center axis of the second wheel; and a processor configured to control the second drive device to move the body to contact a surface on which the mobile robot apparatus is disposed, or move the body away from the surface on which the mobile robot apparatus is disposed.