A robotic system assembly comprises a robotic manipulator including an actuator assembly and a surgical instrument having a base body mountable to the actuator assembly. The base includes a first control input and a second control input, wherein the first and second control inputs are positioned on different sides of the base. The actuator assembly is moveable between open and closed positions to facilitate removal and replacement of surgical instruments. When in the closed positions, drive elements of the actuator assembly are positioned to drive the first and second control inputs of the surgical instrument to cause end effector movement or actuation.

A control method for a piezoelectric drive device having a vibrating portion including a piezoelectric element and a transmitting portion, synthesizing longitudinal vibration and flexural vibration by energization to the piezoelectric element to vibrate the vibrating portion and make elliptic motion of the transmitting portion, and moving a driven member by the elliptic motion of the transmitting portion, includes controlling a movement amount of the driven member by changing amplitude of the longitudinal vibration with amplitude of the flexural vibration kept constant.

A control method for a piezoelectric drive device having a vibrating portion including a piezoelectric element and a transmitting portion, synthesizing longitudinal vibration and flexural vibration by energization to the piezoelectric element to vibrate the vibrating portion and make elliptic motion of the transmitting portion, and moving a driven member by the elliptic motion of the transmitting portion, includes controlling a movement amount of the driven member by changing amplitude of the longitudinal vibration with amplitude of the flexural vibration kept constant.

A robot includes a first link having a first longitudinal axis operatively coupled to a second link having a second longitudinal axis such that rotation of the first link relative to the second link alternatively performs the following effects: elongation of the first link; pivoting of the first longitudinal axis relative to the second longitudinal axis; and rotation of the first longitudinal axis relative to the second longitudinal axis.

A fully autonomous mobile robot is provided that transports items from one area to another. The mobile robot includes a variety of mechanisms that capture an item from a first surface and moves the item within the confines of the mobile robot. The item can then be transported to another surface either within the confines of the mobile robot or to another location.

A robot includes a base, a first body provided above the base, a first gearing configured to rotate the first body about the base, a second body provided above the first body, a second gearing configured to tilt the second body about a tilting axis, an interface installed in at least one of the first body and the second body, a first gear mounted on the second body and tilted together with the second body, and a damper mounted on the first body. The damper includes a damping gear engaged with the first gear, and the first gear is tilted along an outer circumference of the damping gear.

An industrial robot comprises a modular robot arm having a plurality of arm modules, where a rotation transfer device for optical signal transmission is provided in an arm module or between a first and a second arm module. The rotation transfer device comprises an optomechanical rotation interface having a first interface side and a second interface side, which face each other and are substantially rotationally symmetrical and complementary. The first and second interface sides are configured to rotate relative to each other. The first and second interface sides are mechanically mounted with respect to each other, with a radial plain bearing on one interface side and a slide bearing shell complementary thereto on the other interface side. A gap is formed between the first and second interface sides, in the axial direction of the rotation transfer device, across which the optical signal transmission takes place.

In accordance with an embodiment, the invention provides an end effector for use with a programmable motion device. The end effector includes a pair of mutually opposing surfaces, at least one of the pair of mutually opposing surfaces being movable with respect to an end effector support structure for supporting the at least one of the pair of mutually opposing surfaces.

A power transmission system for driving a robot joint includes a driving part including a first driving unit and a second driving unit, a first force transmission part including a first sheath formed to have a predetermined length, flexibility, and a hollow shape and a first wire which is inserted into the first sheath and of which one end is fixed to a joint of a robot and the other end is connected to the first driving unit, and a second force transmission part including a second sheath formed to have a predetermined length, flexibility, and a hollow shape and a second wire which is inserted into the second sheath and of which one end is fixed to the joint of the robot and the other end is connected to the second driving unit.

A manipulator module (100) comprising: a first housing segment (102) configured to be connected to a manipulator; a second housing segment (104) rotatably coupled to a distal end of the first housing segment (102) such that the second housing segment (104) can rotate about a longitudinal axis relative to the first housing segment (102); a linear actuator (118), wherein a distal end of the linear actuator (118) is configured to be coupled to an end effector; a first electric motor (110) arranged to drive the linear actuator (118) to actuate the end effector; a second electric motor (112) arranged to rotatably drive the second housing segment (104) relative to the first housing segment (102); wherein the linear actuator (118) is arranged to extend from the first housing segment (102) and through the second housing segment (104).