A robot system includes: an upper body section including one or more end-effectors; a lower body section including one or more legs; and an intermediate body section coupling the upper and lower body sections. An upper body control system operates at least one of the end-effectors. The intermediate body section experiences a first intermediate body linear force and/or moment based on an end-effector force acting on the at least one end-effector. A lower body control system operates the one or more legs. The one or more legs experience respective surface reaction forces. The intermediate body section experiences a second intermediate body linear force and/or moment based on the surface reaction forces. The lower body control system operates the one or more legs so that the second intermediate body linear force balances the first intermediate linear force and the second intermediate body moment balances the first intermediate body moment.

A robot system includes: an upper body section including one or more end-effectors; a lower body section including one or more legs; and an intermediate body section coupling the upper and lower body sections. An upper body control system operates at least one of the end-effectors. The intermediate body section experiences a first intermediate body linear force and/or moment based on an end-effector force acting on the at least one end-effector. A lower body control system operates the one or more legs. The one or more legs experience respective surface reaction forces. The intermediate body section experiences a second intermediate body linear force and/or moment based on the surface reaction forces. The lower body control system operates the one or more legs so that the second intermediate body linear force balances the first intermediate linear force and the second intermediate body moment balances the first intermediate body moment.

There is provided a planar member having a flat portion that makes contact with the inner circumferential surface of an endless track at a position at a traveling subject side with respect to a virtual straight line that connects a vertex, at the traveling subject side, in the outer circumferential surface of a first pulley and a vertex, at the traveling subject side, in the outer circumferential surface of a second pulley.

There is provided a planar member having a flat portion that makes contact with the inner circumferential surface of an endless track at a position at a traveling subject side with respect to a virtual straight line that connects a vertex, at the traveling subject side, in the outer circumferential surface of a first pulley and a vertex, at the traveling subject side, in the outer circumferential surface of a second pulley.

A two-wheel compact magnetic crawler vehicle for traversing and inspecting surfaces. The crawler comprises a chassis. Two independently actuated magnetic drive wheels are spaced apart in a lateral direction and mounted to the chassis by a hinged joint enabling each wheel to tilt in response to the surface curvature. A probe wheel is provided at the midpoint between the two drive wheels and laterally in line therewith. A spring-assisted probe carrier passively moves the probe wheel vertically relative to the chassis in response to changes in the surface curvature. Additionally, the vehicle includes a probe angle normalization mechanism comprising spring-loaded, vertically moveable, ball casters positioned symmetrically about the probe wheel. The combined utilization of the probe carrier and the caster carrier passively maintain the probe contacting the surface, the chassis level, and the probe normal to the surface irrespective of changes in the surface curvature with vehicle movement.

A two-wheel compact magnetic crawler vehicle for traversing and inspecting surfaces. The crawler comprises a chassis. Two independently actuated magnetic drive wheels are spaced apart in a lateral direction and mounted to the chassis by a hinged joint enabling each wheel to tilt in response to the surface curvature. A probe wheel is provided at the midpoint between the two drive wheels and laterally in line therewith. A spring-assisted probe carrier passively moves the probe wheel vertically relative to the chassis in response to changes in the surface curvature. Additionally, the vehicle includes a probe angle normalization mechanism comprising spring-loaded, vertically moveable, ball casters positioned symmetrically about the probe wheel. The combined utilization of the probe carrier and the caster carrier passively maintain the probe contacting the surface, the chassis level, and the probe normal to the surface irrespective of changes in the surface curvature with vehicle movement.

A robotic device is equipped with four suction cup units, Y-axis actuators and X-axis actuators. As for the planar shape of each suction cup, it has a shape of each quadrangle when a roughly square was divided into four quadrangles of the same shape. The quadrangles are formed provided with two right-angle portions in a diagonal portion. One right angle of the two right-angle portions of each suction cup overlaps with one of the four right angles of the square. Two of the sides that constitute the above right angle of the suction cup overlap with two of the edges that constitute the above right angle of the square. One of the sides that constitute another right angle of the suction cup intersects to an acute angle in one side of the right angle of the square, and another side intersects to an obtuse angle in another side of the right angle of the square.

A system includes an inspection robot having a plurality of input sensors, the plurality of input sensors distributed horizontally relative to an inspection surface and configured to provide inspection data of the inspection surface at selected horizontal positions; a controller, comprising: a position definition circuit structured to determine an inspection robot position of the inspection robot on the inspection surface; a data positioning circuit structured to interpret the inspection data, and to correlate the inspection data to the inspection robot position on the inspection surface; and wherein the data positioning circuit is further structured to determine position informed inspection data in response to the correlating of the inspection data with the inspection robot position.

Embodiments of the present invention relate to a self-propelled device. The self-propelled device includes: a body defining a first space and a second space in communication with the first space, wherein the volume of the second space is less than the volume of the first space and the second space is closer to an edge of the body than the first space; a moving module adjacent to the body; an air extraction module disposed on the body and in communication with the first space; and an air pressure sensor disposed on a side of the second space. The self-propelled device is configured to move on a panel surface.

A robotic obstacle-crossing device mainly includes a wheel body and an obstacle-crossing body, wherein the wheel body includes a wheel part, a first obstacle-crossing part and a second obstacle-crossing part. When the sweeping robot tilts, the plurality of first recessed portions and the plurality of second recessed portions provided on the periphery of the first obstacle-crossing part and the second obstacle-crossing part provide a climbing function. In addition, when the sweeping robot encounters obstacles or steps, the obstacle-crossing body can provide robot the function of the obstacle-crossing or climbing, thereby reducing the number of situations when the sweeping robot is trapped or unable to effectively climb upon encountering an obstacle or a steep road surface.