A robot joint module and a wireless power supply apparatus, system, and method therefor. The apparatus includes: a wireless power receiver arranged at a connecting end of a current robot joint module and adapted to receive electrical power from a previous robot joint module of the current robot joint module; and a wireless power transmitter arranged at an output end of the current robot joint module and adapted to transmit the electrical power to a next robot joint module of the current robot joint module. By receiving electrical power from a previous robot joint module in a wireless power supply mode and sending the electrical power to a next robot joint module in a wireless power supply mode, the electrical power can be transferred between a plurality of robot joint modules, without arranging any power cable. The cost of and difficulty in arranging power cables can be reduced, and cable breakage caused by winding of the power cables can also be avoided, thereby implementing infinite continuous rotation of joints.

A robotic arm assembly is described that incorporates a distributed control arrangement. The robotic arm assembly includes a host computer, a set of robotic arm segments, and a set of actuators, each actuator being interposed between adjacent pairs of the set of robotic arm segments to affect a relative movement between the adjacent pairs of the set of robotic arm segments. The robotic arm assembly further includes an end effector controller configured with a first interface configured to support a first communication link between the end effector controller and the host computer, and a second interface, separate from the first interface. The robotic arm assembly furthermore includes an end effector adapter configured to provide a high speed data interface between the end effector controller and an end effector.

A system and method for handling a dish, comprising: inserting a tapered finger between said dish which is stacked together with another dish; gripping said dish using an end effector having at least two fingers, wherein the distance of separation between said two fingers is configurable; moving said end effector to a plurality of locations using a first rotary arm connected to a second rotary arm, wherein said second rotary arm is connected to said end effector, and said first and second rotary arms rotate about axes that are parallel to each other; moving said first rotary arm at two or more heights using a height arm connected to said first rotary arm, whereby said robot can pick up, hold and drop off said dish.

A series elastic actuator includes a first body, a motor, a pulley, a second body, a wire, a first adjuster, a second adjuster, a first spring, and a second spring. The wire is curved around a seat portion of the pulley, a first extending portion of the wire and the first adjuster are elastically supported with respect to the second body by the first spring, and the second extending portion of the wire and the second adjuster are elastically supported with respect to the second body by the second spring. When an external load is applied to the second body and relative rotation is generated between the pulley and the second body, a moment arm by the load is constant and the external load can be measured on the basis of the measured relative rotation angle and the spring constants of the first spring and the second spring.

The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, a fluid actuator including a housing defining a first chamber having a first cavity and a first open end, a first piston assembly including a tubular first piston defining a second chamber having a second cavity and a second open end, disposed in said first housing for reciprocal movement in the first chamber through the first open end, wherein a first seal, the first cavity, and the first piston define a first pressure chamber, and a second piston assembly having an second piston disposed in said first piston assembly for reciprocal movement in the second chamber through the second open end, wherein a second seal, the second cavity, and the second piston define a second pressure chamber, and a first portion of the second piston contacts a first end effector.

A robot may include a base; a base link connected to the base; an arm link coupled to the base link; an arm connected to the arm link; a hand connected to the arm; a storage; and a controller. The base link and arm link move so that a center of a coupling shaft of the arm link and the arm moves in a line. When the robot is within a predetermined range of a latest coordinate, the robot moves to the return-to-origin position in a direction from the transfer direction, otherwise the controller calculates the transfer path based on past teaching, and determines if there is a path close to the latest coordinate. If there is path, the controller determines whether the hand section is outside of a safe area, and if so, pulls the hand to a safe area and then moves the robot to the return-to-origin position.

A robotic handling apparatus includes a first arm member configured to pivot about a first pivot axis and a first drive unit configured to bring the first arm member into motion about the first pivot axis. A second arm member is configured to pivot about a second pivot axis, the second arm member being connected to the first arm member and having a distal end portion. A second drive unit is configured to bring the second arm member into motion about the second pivot axis. A third arm member is configured to pivot about a third pivot axis. A carrier unit is connected to the distal end portion of the second arm member and the distal end of the third arm member to define a distance.

A robot arm includes a distal end unit having a gripping part and a first supporting part that supports the gripping part, a first drive unit that, with an axis along a direction in which the gripping part and the first supporting part are arranged as a first axis, pivots the gripping part about a first pivot axis along the first axis relative to the first supporting part, a second supporting part that supports the first supporting part, and a second drive unit that, with an axis orthogonal to the first axis as a second axis, pivots the distal end unit about a second pivot axis along the second axis relative to the second supporting part, wherein the first drive unit includes a piezoelectric motor, and the second pivot axis crosses the distal end unit.

The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, a rotary actuator that includes a housing defining an arcuate chamber comprising a cavity, a rotor arm configured for rotary movement, an arcuate-shaped first piston disposed in said housing for reciprocal movement in the arcuate chamber, where a seal, the cavity, and the piston define a pressure chamber that includes part or all of the arcuate chamber, and a portion of the piston contacts the rotor arm, and a rotor assembly rotatably surrounding said housing and having a rotary output tube about the axis, wherein the rotor arm extends radially outward to the rotary output tube and the rotor arm is coupled to the rotary output tube.

The present invention relates to a method and system for optimizing the joint hinge point position of a hydraulic tandem mechanism based on lightweight. The method comprises: determining rotational load characteristics of each joint in the hydraulic tandem mechanism using dynamics simulation software based on said end load characteristics and said structural parameters of the tandem mechanism; establishing a fixed coordinate system between two adjacent rods in each joint and a joint global coordinate system, and determining the relationship between hinge point coordinates, joint rotation angle and joint drive force arm of each joint; calculating linear load characteristics of each joint according to said rotational load characteristics and said joint drive force arm to calculate hydraulic cylinder structural parameters and hydraulic oil source flow rate for each joint; determining a lightweight index for the joint hinge point position of the hydraulic tandem mechanism according to said hydraulic cylinder structural parameters and said hydraulic oil source flow rate; solving the coordinates of each joint hinge point of the tandem mechanism corresponding to the minimum of said lightweight index, using said lightweight index as a fitness function, so that the overall weight of the tandem mechanism is minimized.