A device for harvesting mushrooms from a mushroom bed involves a robotic arm configured to interchangeably deploy one of a plurality of different suction grippers, each of the suction grippers having a suction cup having a size and shape profile appropriate for gripping a cap of a mushroom, the cap having a size and shape profile within a predetermined range. A vacuum source in fluid communication with the suction gripper supplies negative air pressure to the suction gripper for retaining a cap of the mushroom to be harvested in the suction cup. A control circuit in electronic communication with the suction gripper and the vacuum source is configured to automatically adjust the negative air pressure in the suction gripper in response to harvesting requirements during a mushroom harvesting process. A few standard mushroom shapes have been identified, which permits suction cup designs that maximize contact between the suction cups and the mushroom caps, which permits minimizing the strength of the vacuum needed to harvest the mushrooms.

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.

A handling kit or system for a flexible liquid bag having a fluid outlet tube to be moved by a moving device and to be cut and welded to a fluid inlet tube of a container by a tube cutting and welding device may include a housing to accept the flexible liquid bag and limit pressure change within the flexible liquid bag in the housing.

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 cleaning system is provided. The cleaning system includes a robot cleaner and a station. The robot cleaner includes a pad fixing part on which a cleaning pad is detachably mounted, a lifter to lift a part of the robot cleaner at which the pad fixing part is positioned, and a pad detacher to detach the cleaning pad mounted on the pad fixing part. The station includes a pad storage box in which a cleaning pad that is to be provided to the robot cleaner is stored, a pad coupling part on which a cleaning pad that is to be coupled to the robot cleaner is rested, and a pad supplier to supply the cleaning pad stored in the pad storage box to the pad coupling part.

A robot (10) including a robot arm (12), a robot hand (14) provided to a distal end of the robot arm (12), a finger part (15) provided to the robot hand (14), and a claw part (18). The finger part (15) includes a first mounting/demounting part (16) provided to a distal end of the finger part (15) and capable of mounting and demounting a claw part (18) so that the claw part (18) has a moveable range in a mounted state of the claw part (18). The claw part (18) includes a second mounting/demounting part (20) corresponding to the first mounting/demounting part (16) and capable of mounting and demounting to the distal end of the finger part (15), with the claw part (18) able to grip a workpiece (90) by an opening/closing action of the finger part (15) in a mounted state to the distal end of the finger part (15).

Provided is a device, comprising: a barrier configured to impeded or prevent particles shed by a robot in a first volume of space from entering a second volume of space in which the robot manipulates a workpiece; and a robot having three or more degrees of freedom, the robot comprising: a first portion disposed on a first side of the barrier in the first volume, the first portion comprising an actuator of the robot, the actuator being configured to drive movement of the robot to manipulate the workpiece; and a second portion disposed on a second side of the barrier in the second volume, the second portion comprising an end-effector of the robot by which the robot makes contact with the workpiece.

A system for robotic manipulation of objects having various shapes and sizes. The system includes a robot having an end effector, and an independent tag. The independent tag may have an object attachment interface to grasp an object, and an end effector attachment interface to mechanically interface with the end effector. Upon actuation of the robot, the end effector may move the object via the independent tag. A corresponding method is also disclosed and claimed herein.

A robotic transport system including a drive section connected to a frame, an articulated arm operably coupled to the drive section providing the articulated arm with arm motion in at least one axis of motion moving at least a portion of the articulated arm in a collaborative space, corresponding to the frame, from a first location to another different location in the collaborative space, the articulated arm having an end effector with a workpiece grip having workpiece engagement members engaging and holding a workpiece during workpiece transport, by the arm motion in the at least one axis of motion, wherein at least one of the workpiece engagement members is frangible compliant, having a frangible compliant coupling between a distal portion of the at least one of the workpiece engagement members and a base portion of the end effector from which the at least one of the workpiece engagement members depends.

An end effector of the industrial robot has an end effector base portion connected to a robot arm, a first object holding mechanism provided to the end effector base portion so as to hold a first type of object to be handled, a second object holding unit for holding a second type of object to be handled, and a unit holding mechanism provided to the end effector base portion so as to releasably hold the second object holding unit. The second object holding unit which is held by the unit holding mechanism is driven by the first object holding mechanism. The end effector is capable of considerably enlarging a range of kind and size of an object which can be handled while suppressing increase of manufacturing cost and decline in credibility and increase in changing hand installation space accompanying complication of the configuration.