A robot gripper, including at least two gripper fingers of a grasper assembly configured to perform grasping motions via actuation of independent cable ends of a plurality of cables, and configured to move toward or away from each other to perform the grasping motion. Wherein each gripper finger is actuated by a pair of cables, a cable of the pair slides in a flexible sheath when actuated by a motor, moving the gripper finger in an opposite direction of an other cable of the pair also in a flexible sheath, providing equal motions of each cable in the pair in opposite directions. A motor assembly including the motors is mounted at a location separate from the grasper assembly with the flexible sheathing extending between the assemblies. Such that the separate assembly mounting arrangement provides an improved ratio between a gripping force of the grippers versus the robot-lifted mass of the grasper assembly.

Provided is a robotic hand which includes a palm, a plurality of phalanges adapted to reproduce a plurality of fingers, and an actuating mechanism. The actuating mechanism may include a first pulley located at each hinge and bound to the first element, second pulleys located at each of the hinges and bound to the second element, a single cable running in all of the pulleys and a motor adapted to act on the cable by controlling the rotation of the phalanges.

An actuator (1) is described having a first part (4), a second part (2), and a body portion (3) between the first and second parts, wherein the body portion includes at least one chamber (14) configured to be pressurised and the body portion has a longitudinal axis; and a plurality of cables (6,7,8,9), wherein each of the plurality of cables is arranged in a respective at least partial spiral with respect to the longitudinal axis of the body portion (3); and wherein the plurality of cables are arranged such that the application of a selected force to at least one of the cables causes a desired movement of the first part relative to the second part.

A finger mechanism includes a base portion and a plurality of finger portions supported by the base portion, wherein each of the finger portions includes a first bone member, a second bone member rotatably coupled to one end portion of the first bone member, and a pair of third bone members each being rotatably coupled to another end portion of the first bone member and the base portion, and forming a parallel link mechanism between the first bone member and the base portion.

An electric machine comprising a first carrier having an array of electromagnetic elements and a second carrier having electromagnetic elements defining magnetic poles, the second carrier being arranged to move relative to the first carrier. An airgap is provided between the first carrier and the second carrier. The electromagnetic elements of the first carrier include posts, with slots between the posts, one or more electric conductors in each slot, the posts of the first carrier having a post height in mm. The first carrier and the second carrier together define a size of the electric machine. The magnetic poles having a pole pitch in mm. The size of the motor, pole pitch and post height are selected to fall within a region in a space defined by size, pole pitch and post height that provides a benefit in terms of force or torque per weight per excitation level.

A rotor for an electric machine having posts extending partially or completely between end irons. Each end iron is formed of a single piece of magnetic material with the posts extending from it, including the other end iron where the posts extend completely between them. Magnets are arranged between the posts with poles facing the posts to concentrate flux. In order to prevent too much of the flux from being drawn into flux paths through the end irons, the total magnetic flux is made to exceed a saturation flux of at least a portion of the flux path. This may be achieved by using interdigitated posts extending only partially between the end irons to provide gaps in the flux path, by providing flux resistors in the end irons to reduce a saturation flux below the total flux, or by using high aspect ratio magnets or posts so that the magnetic flux exceeds a saturation flux of the posts or end irons.

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 compact lightweight robotic end-effector has a large range of possible applied force. The end-effector includes one or more underactuated appendages, where each appendage is driven by a single motor connected to a driving cable wound throughout the appendage. The driving cable may be a flat cable or a cable with another non-circular cross section. The driving cable may be wrapped through a series of pulleys and/or bearings within the appendage to reduce frictional losses. The design of the pulley path may allow a desired mechanical response by the appendage, and the mechanical response may be optimized for a grasping process.

The embodiments described herein can be used in a variety of grasping, cutting, and manipulating operations. In some embodiments, an apparatus includes a first joint member, a second joint member, and a flexure. The first joint member includes a first connection portion and a contact surface. The second joint member including a second connection portion. A first end portion of the flexure is coupled to the first connection portion, and a second end portion of the flexure is coupled to the second connection portion. The flexure is configured to deform elastically when the first joint member and the second joint member move from a first configuration to a second configuration. When in the first configuration, the central portion of the flexure is spaced apart from the contact portion. When in the second configuration, the central portion of the flexure contacting the contact portion.

A finger of a robotic hand includes a phalanx portion including two phalanxes rotatably coupled to each other, one of the two phalanxes being rotatable about a rotation axis with respect to the other one of the two phalanxes; and a stopper structure including a first stopper member connected to the one of the two phalanxes and a second stopper member connected to the other one of the two phalanxes. The first stopper member extends around the rotation axis, and a circumferential space is defined between the first stopper member and the second stopper member and allowing the first stopper member to rotate together with the one of the two phalanxes in a predetermined range.