An instrument drive unit for use in a robotic surgical system includes a carriage configured to be coupled to a robotic arm, a plurality of drive shafts rotationally supported in the carriage and configured to interface with a corresponding driven member of an electromechanical surgical instrument, a plurality of drive gears fixed to a corresponding drive shaft, a plurality of motors, and a plurality of motor gears operably coupled to a corresponding motor. Each motor gear is configured to rotate a corresponding drive gear in response to an activation of a corresponding motor to actuate a function of the electromechanical surgical instrument.

A class of robots specifically adapted to climb periodic lattices. These “relative robots” are designed for a specific lattice structure and use the regularity of the structure to simplify path planning, align with minimal feedback, and reduce the number of degrees of freedom (DOF) required to locomote. These robots can perform vital inspection and repair tasks within the structure that larger truss construction robots cannot perform without modifying the structure. A particular embodiment is a robot designed to traverse a cubooctahedral (CubOct) cellular solids lattice using only two motions: climbing and turning.

A workpiece manipulation system to provide high-precision manipulation of a workpiece by an aircraft. The workpiece manipulation system comprises a lifting mechanism to couple with the aircraft, an end-effector, and a processor. The lifting mechanism includes one or more joint actuators to extend or retract the lifting mechanism relative to the aircraft. The end-effector includes an end-effector actuator to control an operation of the end-effector to manipulate the workpiece. The processor is communicatively coupled with the aircraft processor and configured to control operation of the end-effector actuator and the one or more joint actuators. In operation, the processor provides feedback to the aircraft.

A robotic gripping device is provided. The device includes a finger having a worm gear coupled to its base end. The device also includes an actuator having a motor and a shaft, wherein the shaft is configured to rotate a worm coupled to the worm gear, and the actuator is mounted on a carriage such that the actuator is configured to slide along an axis. The device also includes a spring having first and second ends, wherein the first end is coupled to the motor and the second end is fixed. Further, the actuator is configured to (i) rotate the shaft relative to the motor by a first amount to move the finger toward an object, and (ii) when the finger is in contact with the object and is prevented from further movement, further rotate the shaft relative to the motor to slide the actuator along the axis.

Various exemplary methods, systems, and devices for causing end effector motion with a robotic surgical system are provided. In general, a surgical tool can be configured to releasably and removably couple to a robotic surgical system. The robotic surgical system can include two motors configured to provide torque to the surgical tool to drive one single function of the surgical tool. In at least some embodiments, at least one of the two motors configured to cooperate with another motor to drive the single function of the surgical tool can be configured to drive a second function of the surgical tool.

An unmanned ground vehicle includes a main body, a drive system supported by the main body, and a manipulator arm pivotally coupled to the main body. The drive system comprising right and left driven track assemblies mounted on right and left sides of the main body. The manipulator arm includes a gripper, a wrist motor configured for rotating the gripper, and an inline camera in a palm of the gripper. The inline camera is mechanically configured to remain stationary with respect to the manipulator arm while the wrist motor rotates the gripper.

A method is provided that includes controlling a robotic gripping device to cause a plurality of digits of the robotic gripping device to move towards each other in an attempt to grasp an object. The method also includes receiving, from at least one non-contact sensor on the robotic gripping device, first sensor data indicative of a region between the plurality of digits of the robotic gripping device. The method further includes receiving, from the at least one non-contact sensor on the robotic gripping device, second sensor data indicative of the region between the plurality of digits of the robotic gripping device, where the second sensor data is based on a different sensing modality than the first sensor data. The method additionally includes determining, using an object-in-hand classifier that takes as input the first sensor data and the second sensor data, a result of the attempt to grasp the object.

A refuse vehicle includes a chassis, multiple tractive elements, a reach assembly, and a lift assembly. The multiple tractive elements are coupled with the chassis and configured to support the refuse vehicle. The reach assembly is coupled with the refuse vehicle. The lift assembly is coupled with the reach assembly. The lift assembly includes a track and a fully-electric grabber assembly. The track includes a straight portion and a curved portion. The fully-electric grabber assembly can ascend or descend the track and includes a carriage, a first grabber arm, a second grabber arm, and an electric motor. The carriage is configured to movably couple with the track. The first grabber arm and the second grabber arm are pivotally coupled with the carriage at opposite ends of the carriage. The electric motor is configured to drive the first grabber arm and the second grabber arm to rotate relative to the carriage.

The invention discloses an automatic-sensing transfer device based on an edge-tracing alignment algorithm, which is characterized by comprising a device body, a rotating device, a lifting device, a stretchable device, a sensing device, a gripping device and a control device. The rotating device, the stretchable device, the lifting device, the sensing device, the gripping device and the control device are all arranged on the device body. The control device is connected to the rotating device, the stretchable device, the lifting device, the gripping device and the sensing device. Accurate positioning of the gripping device can be realized through the transfer device, so that the production efficiency is improved.

Various embodiments of a bio-inspired robot operable for detecting crack and corrosion defects in tubular structures are disclosed herein.