An electric motor has a first carrier having an array of electromagnetic elements and a second carrier having electromagnetic elements defining magnetic poles. The first and second carriers each define an axis. An airgap is formed between the first and second carriers when in an operational position. An inner thrust bearing connects the first and second carriers and is arranged to allow relative rotary motion of the carriers. An outer thrust bearing connects the first and second carriers and is arranged to allow relative rotary motion of the carriers. The electromagnetic elements of each of the first and second carriers are arranged radially inward of the outer thrust bearing and radially outward of the inner thrust bearing. The inner thrust bearing and the outer thrust bearing are arranged to maintain the airgap against a magnetic attraction of the electromagnetic elements of the first and second carriers.

A robot hand includes: a first link; a first fixed pulley and a second fixed pulley, respectively provided at a proximal end pivot part of the first link and rotatable around a first axis; a second link, supported at an intermediate pivot part by the first link to be rotatable around a second axis; a lever link, supported by the proximal end pivot part of the first link to be rotatable around the first axis; a lever pulley, supported by the lever link; a hanging cable, hung on the first fixed pulley, the lever pulley, and the second fixed pulley; a conversion mechanism, connecting the lever link and the second link, and converting rotation of the lever link into rotation of the second link; and a second link driving mechanism, rotating the lever link around the first axis by pulling the hanging cable.

A surgical tool having a compact design is disclosed. The tool has a first set of prongs disposed along a first axis, a second set of prongs disposed along a second axis different from the first, and an asymmetric gear set. The gear set includes a rotatable first drive gear disposed on one of the first set of prongs and a rotatable first actuator gear disposed on one of the second set of prongs. The first drive gear is configured to drive the first actuator gear, forming a first gear pair. The gear set also includes a rotatable second drive gear disposed on one of the first set of prongs and a rotatable second actuator gear disposed on one of the second set of prongs. The second drive gear is configured to drive the second actuator gear, forming a second gear pair. The first gear pair and the second gear pair have different diameters.

The present disclosure relates to a surgical device including a body portion and an end effector. The body portion defines a longitudinal axis. The end effector is disposed adjacent a distal end of the body portion and includes first and second jaw members. At least one jaw member is pivotable with respect to the other jaw member between open and approximated positions along a first plane. Each jaw member is independently movable with respect to the other jaw member between a first position where the jaw members are aligned with the longitudinal axis and a second position where at least one jaw member is disposed at an angle with respect to the longitudinal axis and with respect to the first plane.

The embodiments described herein can be used in a variety of grasping, cutting, and manipulating operations. In some embodiments, an apparatus includes a shaft, a tool member, and a flexure. The shaft has a distal end portion and a proximal end portion, and defines a longitudinal axis. The distal end portion includes a ground portion. The tool member has an engagement portion and an actuation portion. The engagement portion is disposed distally from the actuation portion, and can exert an engagement force on a target structure. The actuation portion receives an actuation force. The flexure has a first end portion coupled to the ground portion of the shaft, and a second end portion coupled to the tool member. The flexure is configured to deform elastically when the actuation force is exerted on the actuation portion of the tool member such that the tool member rotates relative to the shaft.

A robotic hand is provided including a main body defining the body of the robotic hand and a longitudinal axis; a finger hinged to the main body; an attachment defining the attachment surface for attaching to an external member; and a hinge defining a mutual rotation axis between the attachment and main body so as to vary the angle between the longitudinal axis and the normal to the attachment surface.

A clutch system is provided. The clutch system includes an outer unit having a surface defining an aperture in the outer unit; an inner unit disposed in the aperture, wherein a shape of the inner unit matches a shape of the aperture; a low melting point material disposed in the aperture between the inner unit and the surface of the outer unit; a heating element; a temperature sensor; and a processor in electronic communication with the heating element and the temperature sensor. The processor is configured to control the heating element thereby changing the low melting point material between a soft state and a rigid state.

A soft gripper including tentacles, each tentacle includes lower and upper members connected by a connector. Each member includes guide discs, and each guide disc includes a ring with passthrough holes, and a spacer located in a donut hole of the ring with passthrough holes, the passthrough holes collectively define cable pathways. The connector includes a center thru-hole and transfer channels. Cables have proximal ends attached to actuators and extend through apertures of a baseplate located at a proximal end of the lower member. A set of lower cables extend through the lower ring passthrough holes to couple to a distal lower guide disc. A set of upper cables extend through the lower spacer passthrough holes, through the transfer channels to the upper ring passthrough holes to couple to a distal upper guide ring, and an end cap is attached to the distal end of the upper member.

Embodiments relate to a wearable robot hand device removable from a hand structure, including: at least one of first and second exglove modules as one or more exglove modules attached to the hand structure, the first exglove module being attached to a surface of the hand structure and the second exglove module being attached onto a exglove of the first exglove module.

A robotic surgical instrument comprising a shaft, an articulation attached to the distal end of the shaft, and a driving mechanism at the proximal end of the shaft. The articulation comprises a plurality of joints for articulating an end effector, the plurality of joints driveable by at least first and second pairs of driving elements. The driving mechanism comprises a pulley arrangement and a pulley drive. The pulley arrangement comprises first and second pulleys attached together such that their separation is fixed, wherein the first pair of driving elements is constrained to move around the first pulley, and the second pair of driving elements is constrained to move around the second pulley. The pulley drive is configured to linearly displace the pulley arrangement, such that a linear displacement in one direction away from the distal end of the shaft causes the first pair of driving elements to be tensioned and the second pair of driving elements to be de-tensioned, and a linear displacement in an opposing direction towards the distal end of the shaft causes the second pair of driving elements to be tensioned and the first pair of driving elements to be de-tensioned.