The present invention provides a handheld robot for orthopedic surgery and a control method thereof. The handheld robot of the present invention includes a main body, a grip, a kinematic mechanism, a tool connector, a tool, a force sensor and a positioning unit. The handheld robot of the present invention combines the position/orientation information of the tool acquired by the positioning unit with the force/torque information acquired by the force sensor, and utilizes the combined information to adjust the position of the tool so as to keep the tool within the range/path of a predetermined operation plan. In this way, the precision of the orthopedic surgery can be enhanced, and the error occurred during the surgery can be minimized.

A coordinate positioning machine that includes: a structure moveable within a working volume of the machine, a hexapod metrology arrangement for measuring the position of the structure within the working volume, and a non-hexapod drive arrangement for moving the structure around the working volume. Also, a coordinate positioning machine including a structure moveable within a working volume of the machine, a drive arrangement for moving the structure around the working volume in fewer than six degrees of freedom, and a metrology arrangement for measuring the position of the structure within the working volume in more degrees of freedom than the drive arrangement.

A coordinate positioning machine that includes: a structure moveable within a working volume of the machine, a hexapod metrology arrangement for measuring the position of the structure within the working volume, and a non-hexapod drive arrangement for moving the structure around the working volume. Also, a coordinate positioning machine including a structure moveable within a working volume of the machine, a drive arrangement for moving the structure around the working volume in fewer than six degrees of freedom, and a metrology arrangement for measuring the position of the structure within the working volume in more degrees of freedom than the drive arrangement.

In the link operating device, a distal-end-side link hub is connected to a proximal-end-side link hub so as to be changeable in position relative thereto via at least three link mechanisms. Each link mechanism includes a proximal-side end link member, a distal-side end link member, and a center link member. Position-controlling actuators and speed reduction mechanisms are provided to two or more of the link mechanisms. The proximal-side end link member includes a bent portion and a pair of rotational connection bodies disposed at one end of the bent portion. The speed reduction mechanism is disposed between the pair of rotational connection bodies, and includes an output shaft fixed to one of the rotational connection bodies, and an input shaft rotatably supported by the other one of the rotational connection bodies.

A three-degree-of-freedom parallel mechanism with curved sliding pairs includes a fixed platform, a moving platform, and three curved branches disposed between the fixed platform and the moving platform. Each of the curved branches includes a first curved link and a second curved link that share a common arc center. One end of the first curved link is connected to fixed platform by a rotational pair. One end of the second curved link is disposed in a cavity at another end of the first curved link. The second curved link is operative to perform a reciprocating motion along a tangent of an arc of the first curved link. Another end of the second curved link is connected to the moving platform by a ball joint. The axes of the three rotational pairs of the three curved branches coincide with each other and are perpendicular to the fixed platform. In the three-degree-of-freedom parallel mechanism with curved sliding pairs, the moving platform of the parallel mechanism is rotatable around the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis of a three-dimensional coordinate system taking the arc center of the three curved branches as the origin, where the rotation of the moving platform about the Z axis is decoupled from the rotation in the other two orientations.

In a link actuating device, a distal end side link hub is coupled to a proximal end side link hub via three or more link mechanisms. A posture control drive source configured to arbitrarily change the posture of the distal end side link hub is provided to each of two or more link mechanisms. The link actuating device includes a storage unit configured to store therein an operating position of the posture control drive source when the distal end side link hub is in a defined posture. In each of the two or more link mechanisms, a positioning portion is provided to at least one of the proximal side end link member, the distal side end link member, and the intermediate link member. A positioning member configured to position the distal end side link hub in the defined posture is dismountably mounted between a plurality of the positioning portions.

A device that makes it possible to make the movements of moving platforms safer and relates more particularly to a linear actuator that can be used in a hexapod positioner supporting a load is provided. The actuator is actuated by electric control and comprises at least one hydraulic damper positioned on the actuator such that the forces generated by damping in the event of extreme breakdown are experienced only by the load and are distributed such as to limit force and acceleration peaks.

A hand held robotic system that remains stiff so long as it is operating within allowed limits, but which become actively controlled once the operator exceeds those limits. The system thus corrects deviations by more than a predetermined amount of the operator's hand motions, so that the tool remains in the allowed region even when the operator's hand deviates from the planned trajectory. The pose and path of the robotic operating head is ascertained by means of a navigation or tracking system, or by means of a proximity device to measure the closeness of the operating head to a damage sensitive feature. As the tool deviates from its predetermined path or pose, or comes too close to the hazardous area, the robot control acts to move the tool back to its predetermined pose or path, or away from the hazardous region, independently of user's hand movement.

A parallel type integrated actuator is proposed. The actuator includes: a driving unit composed of a first motor, a second motor, a third motor, and a fourth motor; a first shaft, a second shaft, and a third shaft, each shaft being inserted into each other through a hollow structure and forming a co-axis, each shaft being capable of rotating relative to each other in an inserted state, and each shaft having the other end part thereof extending outside the driving unit; an distal end part disposed outside the driving unit and on which an actuator is mounted; a first link part, a second link part, and a third link part allowing the distal end part to rotate in pitching, yawing, and rolling directions; and a universal link part connecting the fourth rotor, which is a rotor of the fourth motor, and the distal end part to each other.

A hand held robotic system that remains stiff so long as it is operating within allowed limits, but which become actively controlled once the operator exceeds those limits. The system thus corrects deviations by more than a predetermined amount of the operator's hand motions, so that the tool remains in the allowed region even when the operator's hand deviates from the planned trajectory. The pose and path of the robotic operating head is ascertained by means of a navigation or tracking system, or by means of a proximity device to measure the closeness of the operating head to a damage sensitive feature. As the tool deviates from its predetermined path or pose, or comes too close to the hazardous area, the robot control acts to move the tool back to its predetermined pose or path, or away from the hazardous region, independently of user's hand movement.