A robotic medical system can include a motorized arm that is supported by a column of the system. The robotic arm can be operated by rotating a link of the motorized arm by actuating an actuator to drive rotation of a rotary joint. A brake can then be applied to the rotary joint to stop rotation of the link. The arm can also include an arbor that can be actuated to increase a torsional stiffness of the rotary joint.

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.

A method of controlling a robotic arm in a surgical system comprises manually applying a force to a body of the robotic arm. Force information is received from a gesture force sensor on the robotic arm and a controller determines, using the force information, whether the force is a gesture force input. If the force is determined to be a gesture force input, the controller initiates a predetermined system function. The predetermined system function may be a change in operational state, movement between operational modes, or a movement from a first configuration of the arm's joints to a second, predetermined, configuration of the arms joints.

The system can include a set of joints, a controller, and a model engine; and can optionally include a support structure and an end effector. Joints can include: a motor, a transmission mechanism, an input sensor, and an output sensor. The system can enable articulation of the plurality of joints.

The system can include a set of joints, a controller, and a model engine; and can optionally include a support structure and an end effector. Joints can include: a motor, a transmission mechanism, an input sensor, and an output sensor. The system can enable articulation of the plurality of joints.

A joint attachment system for a reconfigurable truss includes a first joint attachment having a first pivot axis and a second joint attachment having a second pivot axis. The first joint attachment and second joint attachment form a concentric spherical joint linkage when attached to a first body member and a second body member, respectively. The first pivot axis of the first joint attachment intersects the second pivot axis of the second joint attachment at a single point X which defines a center of the concentric spherical joint linkage. The concentric spherical joint linkage is configured to allow the addition of one or more joint attachments and body members to the truss node. In addition, the concentric spherical joint linkage is configured to allow the removal of one or more joint attachments and body members from the truss node.

A medical instrument may include multiple joint members and at least two pairs of tendons connected with the joint members and adapted to move at least one of the joint members relative to at least one other joint member. Each joint member may include a main structural body that may be a single piece and includes at least one convex contact surface. A main portion of each tendon contacts the medical instrument only on the convex contact surfaces.

A medical instrument may include multiple joint members and at least two pairs of tendons connected with the joint members and adapted to move at least one of the joint members relative to at least one other joint member. Each joint member may include a main structural body that may be a single piece and includes at least one convex contact surface. A main portion of each tendon contacts the medical instrument only on the convex contact surfaces.

The present disclosure is related to methods and systems for controlling a snake-arm robot. The method includes receiving real-time image data associated with an operating environment or a location of a workpiece from optical sensor(s) mounted on a robot head of the robot; receiving input data describing a desired pose of the robot head; computing and translating a desired displacement of the robot head; computing a position of each of the links of the snake-arm robot to follow motion of the robot head, a current position of each the links, and data required to move joints connecting the links to move the robot to the desired pose; generating movement instructions; and transmitting the movement instructions to a drive motor associated with an introduction device or controllers associated with servo-motors operably connected to joints connecting the links of the snake-arm causing the robot head to move to the desired pose.

A robot includes a base attached to an end of a robotic arm, a conveyor fixed to the base, and a holder to hold a workpiece and place the workpiece on a transferring surface of the conveyor. The holder includes a pivot shaft extending along the conveyor in a transferring direction of the conveyor, and reciprocatable or telescopic in the transferring direction, a pivoting structure attached to the pivot shaft so as to be reciprocatable in the transferring direction, and pivotable centering on the pivot shaft in a plane in which a width direction perpendicular to the transferring direction intersects with a height direction perpendicular to the transferring direction and the width direction, and a holding structure upstream of the pivoting part in the transferring direction to hold the workpiece.