Systems and methods for estimating deformation and field of contact forces are described. A method includes generating a reference configuration including reference points in space. The reference configuration corresponds to an initial shape of a membrane prior to contact with the manipuland. The method further includes receiving raw data from a TOF device. The raw data includes points in space measured by the TOF device and indicating deformation of the membrane due to contact with the manipuland. The method further includes determining deformation of the membrane that best approximates a current configuration in a least squares sense while satisfying a discrete physical model enforced as a linear constraint that corresponds to a linearized physical model of the deformation that is discretized with an FEM, linearizing the relationship, and estimating deformation and field of contact forces by solving a least squares formulation with physical constraints cast as a sparse quadratic program.

An industrial robot system including a first robot. The first robot includes a first manipulator with a base and a tool movable in relation to the base about a plurality of axes, and a first primary controller having a primary robot functionality, the primary robot functionality including control of manipulator motion. The industrial robot system further includes a plurality of secondary controllers, each having a secondary robot functionality, wherein the primary robot functionality is different from all of the secondary robot functionalities, and wherein an overall robot functionality is defined by the primary robot functionality and one or more secondary robot functionalities.

Provided is an operation command generation device, which is configured to generate an operation command, which is a collection of jobs to fee performed by a process system of at least a robot, based on a protocol chart of at least a plurality of process symbols, the operation command generation device circuitry includes: a job generation unit configured to generate, based on the protocol chart, a job; apriority instruction unit configured to instruct a priority condition for determining a job execution order; and an execution order determination unit configured to determine an execution order of the jobs based on the priority instructed by the priority instruction unit by using a first condition about repeatedly execution of the jobs according to the number of the containers and a second condition about execution order of the jobs according to the arrangement of the process symbols in the protocol chart.

A method performed by a network node for handling one or more operations in a communications network comprising a plurality of computing devices performing one or more tasks. The network node obtains initial parameters relating to the plurality of computing devices, environment and the communications network; and generates a plan by taking one or more operation goals involving the plurality of computing devices into account as well as the obtained initial parameters, wherein the generated plan relates to operation of the plurality of computing devices. The network node further computes a number of back-up plans, wherein the number of back-up plans are taking one or more events into account wherein the one or more events relate to operation of the plurality of computing devices; and executes one or more operations using the generated plan, and in case the one or more events occur, using a computed back-up plan.

A robot system including a plurality of robots, controllers that respectively control the robots, hands attached to wrist ends of the robots and configured to hold and release a workpiece, and a sensor configured to detect that the workpiece is being held by the hands of the robots. The controllers are interconnected and configured to exchange signals so that the robots operate in coordination in response to an operation command that includes a coordination command, and prohibit operation of each of the robots based on an operation command that lacks a coordination command in a state in which the sensor detects the workpiece being held.

An end effector, coupleable to a robot, for delivering a material to a surface, comprises a material applicator assembly, comprising a central shaft and an applicator co-rotatably coupled to the central shaft and configured to apply the material to the surface. The end effector also comprises a material supply carrier, comprising a base and a supply of the material coupled to the base. The material from the supply is feedable to the applicator. The end effector further comprises an actuator that rotatably couples the material supply carrier with the material applicator assembly. The actuator is operable to rotate the material supply carrier relative to the material applicator assembly.

A cable-mounted object, such as a camera, is movable using one or more robotic cable mounts. The robotic cable mounts have a head which support a first portion of the cable. The head is movable in three-dimensional space, such as linearly along three orthogonal axis (or combinations thereof). Changes in the position of the head of the robotic mount change the position of the cable, thus changing the position of the cable-mounted object. In one embodiment, two ends of cable may be connected to first and second robotic cable mounts, or an object might be mounted to multiple cables, each of which is connected to a different robotic mount.

A method for operating a multi-agent system including multiple robots. Each robot cyclically carries out the following: starting from an instantaneous system state, ascertaining possible options, the options defining actions via which a transition from an instantaneous system state to a subsequent system state may be achieved; for each possible option, ascertaining action costs for carrying out an action indicated by the option; carrying out an auction, the action cost values ascertained for each option being taken into account by each of the other robots; and executing an action that corresponds to one of the options as a function of all cost values ascertained or received for the option in question, the action costs for an option taking into account an empirical parameter that is a function of costs for past actions, which have already been carried out and which are associated with the option, of the multiple robots.

A method of planning works for robots includes creating a work plan for a plurality of robots, each having a work tool, sharing at at least one station a work to a plurality of work parts of the workpiece. The method includes the steps of calculating a distribution of the work parts to the robots, calculating, as a robot operation, a work order of the work parts and a moving path of the work tool for each of the robots based on the calculated work distribution, and calculating a disposed location of each of the robots with respect to the workpiece and a station where the robot is disposed so that an inter-robot interference does not occur during execution of the calculated robot operation.

A simulation apparatus includes: a robot model arranging unit that arranges a robot model on a virtual space; a configuration information storage unit that stores configuration information of a robot system; a transport device arrangement position calculating unit that calculates a transport device arrangement position based on a follow-up operation reference coordinate system related to a follow-up operation of a robot, included in the configuration information; and a detection unit arrangement position calculating unit that calculates a detection unit arrangement position based on the follow-up operation reference coordinate system.