An autonomous ground vehicle for agricultural plant and soil management operations. According to some embodiments, autonomous ground vehicle includes: a camera unit configured to generate images of agricultural ground soil and plant organisms, a first mechanical arm having an end effector comprising a hoe portion and an electrode portion, a second mechanical arm having an end effector comprising an electrode portion, a high voltage booster electrically connected to the electrode portions, an electronic memory storage medium comprising computer-executable instructions; one or more processors in electronic communication with the electronic memory storage medium, configured to execute the computer-executable instructions stored in an electronic memory storage medium for implementing a plant species control management operation comprising electrical control and mechanical control options.

A mounting and demounting control system is used for installing a radioactive source in nuclear logging instruments. In this system, a tail end of a truss manipulator is fixedly provided with a worktable through a bolt, a left side of an upper surface of the worktable is provided with a source capsule mounting and demounting manipulator, a right side is provided with a compression screw mounting and demounting manipulator, and the upper surface of the worktable close to the inner side of the two manipulators is respectively provided with opposed photoelectric sensors through bolts; four corners of the truss manipulator are fixed to a support through bolts, a beam is fixed between two legs at the front side of the support through bolts; and a positioning device is placed near the front of the support, and an upper part of positioning device is fixedly provided with an instrument.

A wirelessly powered and controlled robotic apparatus enabling performance of tasks within a three-dimensional space includes a rail, a robotic unit, and a tool. The rail comprises negative and second paths to carry an electrical current. The robotic unit comprises a microcontroller having a drive motor and a transceiver engaged thereto and is engaged to and electrically coupled to the rail. A transfer unit is engaged to both the drive motor and the rail and thus can translate rotation of the drive motor to a force to motivate the robotic unit along the rail. The microcontroller selectively actuates the transfer unit to move the robotic unit along the rail to a location. The transceiver receives commands wirelessly from a control unit and transmits data thereto. The tool is engaged to the robotic unit and can perform a task at, or proximate to, the location.

Systems and methods of clearing clogs in nibs used for vacuum retrieval of dispensable units are described. For example, a system may include a container having a side surface, a base, and a protrusion. To facilitate dislodging debris from the nib, the nib may be positioned into contact with a protrusion in a volume at least partially defined by the side surface and the base. Further, or instead, because the contact between the nib and the protrusion occurs within the volume, the systems and methods of the present disclosure may increase the likelihood of collecting debris that has been removed from the nib.

In an article transfer facility, a drive portion includes a first Z-axis drive portion to move a holding portion in a Z direction, a first X-axis drive portion configured to move the holding portion in an X direction, a first Y-axis drive portion configured to move the holding portion in a Y direction, and a second X-axis drive portion configured to move a placement portion in the X direction. A control portion executes first control in which an article at a first position is placed on the placement portion, and second control in which the article placed on the placement portion is arranged at a second position. In the first control, the drive portion is controlled such that the holding portion picks up the article at the first position and moves to a position on an upper side of the placement portion, and thereafter releases the article to place the article on the placement portion.

A working unit includes a tool rotation mechanism, a first turning mechanism turning the tool rotation mechanism about a first axis, and a second turning mechanism turning the tool rotation mechanism and the first turning mechanism about a second axis perpendicular to the first axis. The first turning mechanism includes a motor having a stator connected to the second turning mechanism and a hollow shaft-shaped rotor arranged inside the stator in such a manner that the rotor is capable of rotating about the first axis, and a second rotating body including one arm portion coupled to one end portion of the rotor, the other arm portion coupled to the other end portion of the rotor, and an arm coupling portion that couples the arm portions to each other. The tool rotation mechanism is provided on the second rotating body.

An automated manufacturing system that is flexible and scalable based on the needs of a manufacturing facility is provided. The manufacturing system includes one or more modular manufacturing units that are connected in series via a transport system. The modular manufacturing unit includes a base frame including a plurality of support members that are coupled to one or more feet; a main frame mounted on the base frame; a pair of opposed gantry support arms mounted on the main frame in a transverse direction, each gantry support arm including a rail; at least one gantry assembly slidably mounted across the rails of the gantry support arms in a longitudinal direction, each gantry assembly configured for performing a selected function or operation; and a transport system for conveying a device part through the modular manufacturing unit along the longitudinal direction for processing.

A method for operating an automated food making apparatus having a motor, actuator arm, and an apparatus. The apparatus may be a paddle with flexible fins. The method rotates the paddle with a pin-shaft mechanism to dispense an ingredient placed in a canister, controls the motor automatically based on weight sensor readings, and locates a position of the actuator arm with position sensors. The same motor dispenses ingredients from a plurality of canisters. The method may have a plurality of paddle rotation and weight measurement steps until a target weight is reached. The plurality of paddle rotation steps may be unidirectional or bidirectional paddle rotation. The paddle may be rotated according to one or more paddle rotation algorithms, an error recovery algorithm, or different algorithms based on the amounts of ingredients remaining in the canister. The paddle may be rocked until the target weight is achieved.

Provided are a system, method(s), and apparatus for automatically harvesting mushrooms from a mushroom bed. The system, in one implementation, may be referred to herein as an “automated harvester”, having at least an apparatus/frame/body/structure for supporting and positioning the harvester on a mushroom bed, a vision system for scanning and identifying mushrooms in the mushroom bed, a picking system for harvesting the mushrooms from the bed, and a control system for directing the picking system according to data acquired by the vision system. Various other components, sub-systems, and connected systems may also be integrated into or coupled to the automated harvester.

A part assembling system of an automation line includes: a station frame in which a part assembling tool is installed and that includes at least one mounting part; at least one positioner mounted on the at least one mounting part; a part conveying pallet including at least one positioning pin coupled to the at least one positioner; and a moving carriage that transports the part conveying pallet to a predetermined position on a floor of a process work area.