Provided are a system, method(s), and apparatus for automatically harvesting mushrooms from a mushroom bed. The system, in one implementation, may be referred to herein as an automated harvester, having at least an apparatus/frame/body/structure for supporting and positioning the harvester on a mushroom bed, a vision system for scanning and identifying mushrooms in the mushroom bed, a picking system for harvesting the mushrooms from the bed, and a control system for directing the picking system according to data acquired by the vision system. Various other components, sub-systems, and connected systems may also be integrated into or coupled to the automated harvester.

A palm-type mechanical gripper with variable-position and rotatable fingers and a dual-drive crank-slider parallel mechanism is provided with a crank-slider mechanism on the left side, which is an active driving structure and is driven by two stepping motors to respectively generate angular displacement of cranks and to change lengths of connecting rods, and a crank-slider mechanism on the right side, which is a driven mechanism and is driven at a constant speed by a pair of gears. The mechanical gripper is provided with three plate spring fingers, wherein two fingers are respectively installed on the connecting rods on left and right sides, and under the cooperative effect of the two stepping motors, the eccentricities of the cranks, the positions and angles of the two fingers respectively on the two connecting rods and the position of the other fixed finger can be changed through manual adjustment.

In one embodiment, a robotic end effector configured to mount to a robotic manipulator includes gripping elements configured to grasp objects, a drive mechanism configured to open and close the gripping elements, and a central controller configured to control operation of the drive mechanism and the gripper elements, the central controller hosting a control program that enables control of the end effector independent of the robotic manipulator.

A capacitive or resistive tactile sensor having a conductive membrane, a flexible dielectric or weakly conductive sheet and a substrate having electrodes, and a method of manufacturing thereof. The flexible sheet has a first surface and an opposite second surface, the first surface and the second surface are uniformly distanced when at rest. The first surface is adapted to contact one of the conductive membrane or the substrate. The second surface is adapted to contact another one of the conductive membrane or the substrate. The body defines between the first and second surfaces, at a predetermined region, a plurality of laser ablated uniform cavities that are evenly distributed and operatively identical in order to provide a known compression index at the predetermined region of the flexible sheet. The substrate has uniformly distributed static pressure sensing electrodes and at least one uniformly spread dynamic pressure sensing electrode, which is located between the static pressure sensing electrodes, and is used for measuring a voltage or a current variation with the conductive membrane according to the deformation of the flexible sheet.

A robotic surgical instrument includes a housing, a shaft assembly extending distally from the housing, and an end effector assembly. The shaft assembly has a proximal segment coupled to the housing, a clevis supporting the end effector assembly, and at least one articulating link pivotably coupled to and interconnecting the proximal segment and the clevis such that the end effector assembly is configured to articulate relative to the proximal segment via the at least one articulating link in at least two directions.

A gripper apparatus including a gripper frame and a gripper beak; an actuation mechanism for actuating the gripper beak; a clamping force generator biased to exert a clamping force on the gripper beak; a transmission mechanism including an input member that is vertically displaceable with respect to the gripper frame, wherein the transmission mechanism engages the actuation mechanism such that a high position of the input member corresponds to a closed position of the gripper beak while a downward displacement of the input member corresponds to a transition of the gripper beak to an open position; a vertically displaceable carrier coupling device that in a lower rest position presses down on the input member; and a latch mechanism, preferably of alternate push-push type, for holding the gripper beak in its open position.

A system for performing a subterranean operation that can include a plurality of tools, and a gripper conveying means configured to connect with any one of the plurality of tools and perform a first operation on a rig. The system can also include tools with an encapsulated chamber having electronic components contained therein with the tools in compliance with an explosion-exposed (EX) certification.

A gripping device with linear actuation for a robotic arm for seizing and gripping Petri dishes and other light items. The gripping device has a support and first and second gripping arms slidably retained relative to the support by guide rods. A motorized drive mechanism actuates the gripping arms through an operating member that acts only on the first gripping arm. Through an interconnection mechanism, movement of the first gripping arm actuates a simultaneous and dependent opposite movement of the second gripping arm so that the gripping arms are movable between a slack position and a clamping position. The operating member acts on the first gripping arm through a resiliently compressible member, the distortion of which is measured to provide a clamping limitation mechanism.

A method of automatically orienting symmetric and asymmetric produce items, such as apples for example, is provided. Individual items of produce are manipulated by a programmable manipulator within the view of one or more depth imaging cameras. Digital three dimensional characterizations of the surface of the produce items are generated by the depth imaging camera or cameras and are utilized by a computer connected to the depth imaging camera or cameras to locate the stem and blossom of each produce item. Asymmetric produce items, such as apples with dropped shoulders as well as symmetric produce items can be properly oriented and processed automatically.

A low-friction medical device is provided having roller-assisted tension members and a friction-reducing curved guide path. The device includes a first link, a second link, and a tension member. A proximal end portion of the first link is coupled to an instrument shaft. A proximal end portion of the second link is rotatably coupled to a distal end portion of first link about a first axis. The second link defines a curved guide path and a cable extends from the first link through the curved guide path to a distal end of the second link and couples with a tool member. A roller having a roller surface is coupled to the second link such that the roller surface is aligned with a portion of the curved path and contacts the cable therein. The curved guide surface has a small fleet angle.