A position estimation method capable of quickly estimating a position of an end of a cylindrical object. A holding-robot controller includes a correction control amount computation part configured to output a correction control amount of a position and a posture of a holding tool so as to reduce the chuck width. The position estimation method includes: a step of causing a pair of clamping claws to approach each other in a reference position and a reference posture to temporarily hold an engine damper; a step of correcting the position and the posture of the holding tool using a correction control amount; a step of causing the pair of clamping claws to approach each other in the position and the posture after the position/posture correction step to temporarily re-hold the engine damper; and an end position estimation step of estimating end position coordinates of the engine damper.

Embodiments of positioning systems and methods are disclosed herein. Embodiments of such positioning systems may include a hierarchy of positioning systems. Each of the positioning systems in the hierarchy may be adapted to move each positioning system lower in the hierarchy along with one or more end-effectors. A control system may control the positioning systems of the hierarchy using a control method comprising a coarse step, a refinement step, or an adaptive step.

A hand includes a hand body in which a predetermined first reference axis is defined, a gripper in which a predetermined second reference axis is defined and which grips a workpiece, and a coupler that couples the gripper to the hand body. The coupler includes at least one of a decentering supporter that supports the gripper such that the second reference axis is capable of being decentered with respect to the first reference axis, or a tilt supporter that supports the gripper such that the second reference axis is capable of being tilted with respect to the first reference axis.

Systems and methods for transferring a micro device from a carrier substrate are disclosed. In an embodiment, a mass transfer tool manipulator assembly allows active alignment between an array of electrostatic transfer heads on a micro pick up array and an array of micro devices on a carrier substrate. Displacement of a compliant element of the mass transfer tool manipulator assembly may be sensed to control alignment between the array of electrostatic transfer heads and the array of micro devices.

A robotic surgical assembly includes a support, one macro-positioning arm, connected to the support and having a plurality of degrees of freedom. The macro-positioning arm includes a support member, at least two micro-positioning devices, each having a plurality of motorized degrees of freedom, connected in cascade to the support member of the macro-positioning arm, and at least two medical instruments. Each instrument is connected in cascade to each of the micro-positioning device and includes a jointed device having a plurality of motorized degrees of freedom including a plurality of rotational joints. Each of the at least two medical instruments has a shaft, suitable for distancing the jointed device from the micro-positioning devices by a predetermined distance in a shaft direction.

A device for automated removal of workpieces arranged in a container has a detector device, for the purpose of detecting the workpiece, and a picker, which can be moved via a robot arm having at least six axes, for picking and removing the workpieces from the container. The device also has controller for evaluating the data of the detector device, for path planning, and for controlling the robot arm and the picker. The robot arm has a picker arm element, with at least two further axes of movement, for moving the picker.

A robotic surgical assembly (100) includes a support (104), one macro-positioning arm (30), connected to the support (104) and having a plurality of degrees of freedom. The macro-positioning arm (30) includes a support member (38), at least two micro-positioning devices (41, 141, 241, 341), each having a plurality of motorized degrees of freedom, connected in cascade to the support member (38) of the macro-positioning arm (30), and at least two medical instruments (60, 160, 260, 360). Each instrument is connected in cascade to each of the micro-positioning device and includes a jointed device (70, 170, 270) having a plurality of motorized degrees of freedom including a plurality of rotational joints. Each of the at least two medical instruments (60, 160, 260, 360) has a shaft (65), suitable for distancing the jointed device from the micro-positioning devices by a predetermined distance in a shaft direction (X-X).

A robotic surgical assembly includes a support, one macro-positioning arm, connected to the support and having a plurality of degrees of freedom. The macro-positioning arm includes a support member, at least two micro-positioning devices, each having a plurality of motorized degrees of freedom, connected in cascade to the support member of the macro-positioning arm, and at least two medical instruments. Each instrument is connected in cascade to each of the micro-positioning devices and includes a jointed device having a plurality of motorized degrees of freedom including a plurality of rotational joints. Each of the at least two medical instruments has a shaft, suitable for distancing the jointed device from the micro-positioning devices by a predetermined distance in a shaft direction (X-X).

Embodiments of positioning systems and methods are disclosed herein. Embodiments of such positioning systems may include a hierarchy of positioning systems. Each of the positioning systems in the hierarchy may be adapted to move each positioning system lower in the hierarchy along with one or more end-effectors. A control system may control the positioning systems of the hierarchy using a control method comprising a coarse step, a refinement step, or an adaptive step.

A multi-axis robot includes: a robot main body including a head and a movement mechanism that three-dimensionally moves the head; and a work tool attached to the head. The work tool includes: a first link pivotally supported on the head; a second link pivotally supported on a distal end of the first link; a first change mechanism that changes an angle of the first link to a central axis of the head; and a second change mechanism that changes an angle of the second link to the first link.