A force detecting device includes a first member configuring a part of a driving device that performs at least one of generation and transmission of a driving force, a second member, and a piezoelectric element disposed between the first member and the second member and configured to output a signal according to an external force.

The preferred field of application of the present invention concerns the control of the ambulation of the self-moving platforms, suitable to move in environments which are not necessarily known. In particular it is disclosed a technical solution that allows at the same time the manual control of the movements of such self-moving platforms (with good precision of control) and the management of the possible accidental collisions. This solution provides that the self-moving robotized platform is covered, at least partially and in its lateral surfaces with a particular coverage that acts simultaneously as a pressure sensor and as a shock-absorbing layer. They are therefore indicated some essential characteristics that make possible the definition of a set of manual intuitive commands, which are suitable to control the ambulation of such a platform. The system conceived in this way, in addition to ensuring a limitation of the damage in cases of collision, allows an operator to move a platform, irrespective of its weight, just by exerting slight thrusts in the desired directions; It will be also possible to give commands for movements along curved trajectories, or to impart rotations to the same platform.

A robot system which includes a manipulator, slave arm, an output device, a storage device and a control device. Control device is configured, after a given first process, to output to the output device an inquiry of asking which operating mode among three operating modes of an automatic operation mode, manual operation mode, and hybrid operation mode the slave arm is to be operated in a second process, and execute first operation processing in which, when selected information for instructing the operating mode selected from the three operating modes is inputted, the selected information is stored in the storage device, and second operation processing in which, when the number of times that first selected information is stored in the storage device becomes equal to or more than a first threshold number of times, the selected operating mode is outputted to the output device after the first process is ended.

An articulated-arm robot and a method for machining a workpiece by means of the articulated-arm robot includes a base; a working head holder; several lever arms, which are arranged between the base and the working head holder, the lever arms being coupled to one another by means of revolute joints; a working head which is arranged on the working head holder, the working head comprising a working spindle which is arranged in a spindle housing and is mounted in the spindle housing at least at a first bearing point and a second bearing point. At least one sensor for sensing a radial force is formed at each of the first bearing point and the second bearing point. At least one sensor for sensing an axial force is formed at least one of the two bearing points.

Robot system includes robot main body including robot arm, end effector attached to robot arm, and force sensing device detecting force applied to end effector's tip end, actual reaction-force information generator generating force-sensing information according to force detected by force sensing device, and output force-sensing information as actual reaction-force information, virtual reaction-force information generator outputting force component detected by force sensing device, that has a magnitude proportional to time differentiation value, as virtual reaction-force information, adder configured to output information obtained by adding actual reaction-force information outputted from actual reaction-force information generator to virtual reaction-force information outputted from virtual reaction-force information generator, as synthetic reaction-force information, operating device outputting, when operator is made to sense a force according to synthetic reaction-force information outputted from adder and operator operates, operating information according to operation, and motion controller controlling robot main body's operation according to operating information outputted from operating device.

A robot system includes a robot main body, memory part configured to store information for causing robot main body to perform given operation, as saved operational information, motion controller configured to control operation of robot main body by using saved operational information as automatic operational information for causing robot main body to operate, and an operation correcting device configured to generate, by being operated, manipulating information for correcting operation of robot main body during operation. Motion controller controls robot main body to perform an operation corrected from operation related to automatic operational information in response to a reception of the manipulating information while robot main body is operating by using automatic operational information. Memory part is configured to be storable of corrected operational information for causing robot main body to perform corrected operation as saved operational information, when robot main body performs corrected operation.

A robot system is provided, which includes a robot body including, robot arm and an end effector attached to robot arm, and operating device, having operating part and configured to output, when operating part is operated, operational information according to operation, a motion controller configured to control operation of robot body according to the operational information outputted from the operating device, a velocity detector configured to detect a velocity at a tip end of the end effector, a virtual reaction-force information generating module configured to output force information containing a first force component having a positive correlation to the velocity at the tip end of the end effector, as virtual reaction-force information, and a force applying device configured to give a force to the operating part in order to make an operator perceive a force according to the virtual reaction-force information outputted from the virtual reaction-force information generating module.

A force detecting device having a first axis and a second axis orthogonal to each other, the first axis being a force detection axis, the force detecting device including a laminated body formed by laminating a first electrode, a first quartz plate, a second electrode, a second quartz plate, a third electrode, a third quartz plate, a fourth electrode, a fourth quartz plate, and a fifth electrode in this order and a force detection circuit configured to detect a force in a direction of the first axis based on an electric charge output from the second electrode and an electric charge output from the fourth electrode.

A force detector includes a first substrate, a second substrate, a circuit board provided between the first substrate and the second substrate, and an element mounted on the circuit board and outputting a signal in response to an external force, wherein a hole is formed in the circuit board at a location where the element is placed, and a first convex part inserted into the hole and protruding toward the element is provided on the first substrate. Further, the element is placed within a periphery of the first convex part as seen from a direction perpendicular to the first substrate.

A force detection apparatus includes a first member, a second member placed to be opposed to the first member, a sensor device placed between the first member and the second member and including a force detection element having at a piezoelectric element that outputs a signal according to an external force, and a pressurization bolt provided in an outer periphery of the sensor device in a plan view as seen from a direction in which the first member and the second member overlap and pressurizing the sensor device, wherein the first member has a groove which is between the sensor device and the pressurization bolt in the plan view.