A joint actuator of a robot includes a casing, a driving device, a driving shaft, a reducer, and a sensor. The driving device is disposed in the casing. The driving shaft is disposed in the casing and connected to the driving device, and the driving device is adapted to drive the driving shaft to rotate. The reducer is disposed in the casing and includes a power input component and a power output component. The power input component and the power output component are sleeved around the driving shaft, and the power input component is connected between the driving shaft and the power output component. The sensor is disposed on the power input component or the casing.

The present invention aims at providing a cover structure of a tactile sensor and a tactile sensor that can secure sufficient adhesion between a sensor body and a covering layer without providing an adhesive layer and have no possibility of causing a sensor to make detection error due to the covering layer formed thereon. A cover structure of a tactile sensor according to the present invention includes a sensor body 2 and a covering layer 3 made of elastic body molded on the sensor body 2. The covering layer 3 includes at least two layers of an outer layer 32 disposed as the outermost layer and an inner layer 31 disposed to come in contact with the sensor body 2 and having a higher adhesiveness and a lower hardness than those of the outer layer 32, and is integrally molded with the sensor body 2 by the cast molding. It is preferable that the sensor body 2 be disposed on the top surface of the base 4, the covering layer 3 cover over the sensor body 2 and the base 4, and the inner layer 31 do not cover the bottom surface of the base 4.

Dynamically adjustable EDA measurement device may include: a dynamically formable base comprising a soft robotics material, wherein the dynamically formable base comprises a formable surface configured to be dynamically formed in response to input signals; and an EDA sensing layer affixed to the formable surface of the dynamically formable base, the EDA sensing layer comprising a plurality of electrodes arranged on a flexible substrate and configured to be connected to a power supply; wherein, in response to input signals, the formable surface of the dynamically formable base and the EDA sensing layer affixed thereto are reformed into a desired contour.

An automated device, in particular a robot, comprises: a movable structure; actuator means, for causing displacements of the movable structure; a control system, which includes a control unit and is able to control the actuator means; and a sensorized covering, which covers at least part of the movable structure and integrates sensor means that include at least one of contact sensor means and proximity sensor means.

The sensorized covering comprises a plurality of covering modules, each having a respective load-bearing structure of a predefined shape associated to which is at least one layer of elastically yielding material. The plurality of covering modules comprises one or more sensorized covering modules, which include respective sensor means. The load-bearing structure of at least some of the covering modules has electrical connector means associated thereto, for enabling separable electrical connection of at least two different covering modules that are adjacent to one another.

A sensorized covering, prearranged for covering at least part of a movable structure of an automated device. The sensorized covering is useful for sensing an actual impact or anticipating an imminent impact to the automated device. The sensorized covering includes one or more covering modules wherein each covering module may include contact sensors and/or proximity sensors, a loading bearing structure and/or controls. The individual sensorized modules may be independently connected or controlled, or connected together and collectively controlled. Examples of the automated device my include a movable robots or an automated guided vehicles (AGVs).

Embodiments described herein generally relate to an apparatus and method of performing a robot calibration process within a substrate processing system. In one embodiment, a calibration device is used to calibrate a robot having an end effector. The calibration device includes a body, a first side and a second side opposite to the first side. The calibration device further includes a sensor disposed on the second side of the body. In some embodiments, the sensor covers the entire second side of the body. In this configuration, because the sensor covers the entire second side of the body of the calibration device, the calibration device can be utilized to sense the contact between the sensor and various differently configured chamber components found in different types of processing chambers or stations disposed within a processing system during a calibration process performed in each of the different processing chambers or stations.

A control system, method and computer program product cooperate to assist control for an autonomous robot. An interface receives recognition information from an autonomous robot, said recognition information including candidate target objects to interact with the autonomous robot. A display control unit causes a display image to be displayed on a display of candidate target objects, wherein at least two of the candidate target objects are displayed with an associated indication of a target object score.

A manual work station, in particular a manual work station for manufacturing and/or a manual work station for packaging, comprising a work area accessible to a worker, the manual work station having at least one robotic arm, the manual work station having a safety device, which is designed in such a way that the robotic arm cooperates in a contact-free manner with the worker in the work area. The invention furthermore relates to a control unit for controlling the sequencing of a manual work station.

A tactile fur sensing system and a method of operating thereof allow early detection of an impending contact with an object. A plurality of filaments or threads are positioned on a zone or area of a surface of robotic device in a cost-effective manner. One or more sensors are configured to detect electrical resistance and/or displacement of the plurality of filaments or threads. A processor determines that there is contact with an object based on the detected electrical resistance and/or displacement. The detection of electrical resistance can be based on adjustable baseline values and/or adjustable threshold values. A plurality of nubs may alternatively or in addition be positioned on a surface area. Each nub has an outer cast or protection layer defining a cavity therein. At least a portion of a sensor for detecting resistance and/or displacement is positioned within the cavity of the nub.

An electromechanical sensor and a method of sensing an object or a tactile input using the sensor. The sensor includes: a base provided with a magnetic sensor arranged to detect a change in magnetic flux at the position of the magnetic sensor; a flexible film adjacent to the magnetic sensor; and a magnetic element provided on the flexible film; wherein the magnetic element is arranged to move relative to the magnetic sensor when the flexible film is reversibly deformed by an external force applied to the flexible film.