A method is disclosed of changing a tool on a programmable motion device. The method includes the steps of moving an attachment portion of an end effector of the programmable motion device in a continuous motion; while the attachment portion of the end effector moves in the continuous motion, engaging one of: the attachment portion of the end effector with the tool, or the tool attached to the attachment portion of the end effector with an exchange system, and continuing to move the attachment portion of the end effector in the continuous motion to change a connection status of the attachment portion of the end effector while the attachment portion of the end effector moves in the continuous motion.

A programmable motion system is disclosed that includes a dynamic end effector system. The dynamic end effector system includes a plurality of acquisition units that are provided at an exchange station within an area accessible by the programmable motion device, and a coupling system for coupling any of the plurality of acquisition units to an end effector of the programmable motion device such that any of the acquisition units may be automatically selected from the exchange station and used by the programmable motion device without requiring any activation or actuation by the exchange station and without requiring any intervention by a human.

After completion of a preceding painting in a preceding painting area, by an action of a preceding painting robot, a painting object (object to be painted) is caused to be held together with a holder by a transfer section near two painting areas. In succession, with maintaining connection between the painting object and the holder, connection between an arm leading end portion of the preceding painting robot and the holder is released. Thereafter, by an action of a subsequent painting robot, an arm leading end portion of the subsequent painting robot with keeping its connection to the painting object is connected to the holder held to the transfer section. With this, in the course of transfer of the painting object between the painting robots for displacing the painting object relative to a spraying means, a relative positional relation between the arm leading portions of the painting robots and the painting object can be maintained same.

A robotic end effector quick change coupling apparatus employs a drive motor assembly having a center drive interface. A coupling component having a magnetic element extends from the drive motor assembly concentric with the center drive interface. An end effector tool has a drive connection adapted to removably receive the center drive interface. A mating coupling component having a mating magnetic element extends from the end effector tool concentric with the drive connection. The magnetic element and mating magnetic element are separably engaged by mutual magnetic attraction to couple the end effector to the drive motor assembly.

A robotic tool changer in which the coupling mechanism is actuated using magnetic force is provided. In one exemplary embodiment, a robotic tool changer may include a tool unit operatively connected to a robotic tool and a master unit operative to connect to a robotic arm. The master unit may include a housing and a piston. The piston may be disposed at least partially within the housing and configured to place the master unit in one of a coupled state and a decoupled state. Further, the master unit may be operative to assume the coupled state or the decoupled state in response to altering an orientation of magnetic fields to provide a first magnetic force that moves the piston to the coupled state or provide a second magnetic force that moves the piston to the decoupled state.

Methods and systems for installing a plug into an aperture of an article are provided, such as drain hole in an electrocoated vehicle floor pan. A robot system used herein includes a robot and a tool, where the tool includes a plug reservoir, a sensor, and an actuator. The sensor is configured to detect the aperture of the article and the actuator is configured to place one of the plugs from the plug reservoir into the aperture. The robot system can include a tool change nest, where the plug reservoir can be received with the tool change nest and the removed from a remainder of the tool. Quick change of plug reservoirs using the present technology improves operation speed and use of one or more tool change nests can reload and/or reconfigure the robot system for plugging various apertures with minimized input or interaction.

Devices, Systems, and Methods for detecting a 3-dimensional position of an object, and surgical automation involving the same. The surgical robot system may include a robot having a robot base, a robot arm coupled to the robot base, and an end-effector coupled to the robot arm. The end-effector, surgical instruments, the patient, and/or other objects to be tracked include active and/or passive tracking markers. Cameras, such as stereophotogrammetric infrared cameras, are able to detect the tracking markers, and the robot determines a 3-dimensional position of the object from the tracking markers.

Embodiments of the present invention provide a magnetically retained replaceable contact plate assembly. The magnetically retained replaceable contact plate assembly includes a contact chuck interface. The contact chuck is configured to physically mate with a device under test (DUT). The magnetically retained replaceable contact plate assembly also includes a DUT layout unit interface (DLU). The DLU is configured to couple to multiple magnetically retained replaceable contact plate assemblies and to a semiconductor handler unit. The DLU is configured to move DUTs within a test environment, and the magnetically retained replaceable contact plate assembly is configured to magnetically attach to said DLU.

Methods, systems, devices, and apparatuses that support techniques for material hand-off using a double-acting kinematic mount are described. A kinematic mount may be mounted between a flange of a robotic manipulator and with a tool for retrieval and placement of an object. The kinematic mount may include a first sub-component and a second sub-component, where a floating structure of the first sub-component may be coupled with a plate of the second sub-component by a preloading force (e.g., via one or more springs, magnets). The kinematic mount may be configured such that the floating structure may be decoupled from the plate of the second sub-component when a force greater than the preloading force is applied to a bottom plate of the first sub-component. The first sub-component may move independently of the second sub-component while decoupled, allowing the tool to align to the object during retrieval and placement.

Devices, systems, and methods for automatically exchanging a first end-effector on a robot arm with a second end-effector housed in a docking station. The first end-effector has a clamp that either engages or disengages the robot arm based upon an application of force of the robot arm onto the end-effector. The clamp has a spring loaded clip that disengages the first end-effector to allow the robot arm to move away from the released first end-effector. The robot arm is configured to automatically move to a port of a docking station housing the desired second end-effector using magnetic coils on the robot arm and the docking station to guide the robot arm.