The disclosure provides an apparatus, system and method for providing an end effector. The end effector may be capable of accommodating semiconductor wafers of varying sizes, and may include: a wafer support; a bearing arm capable of interfacing with at least one robotic element, and at least partially bearing the wafer support at one end thereof; a plurality of support pads on the wafer support for physically interfacing with a one of the semiconductor wafers; and a low friction moving clamp driven bi-directionally along a plane at least partially provided by the bearing arm, wherein the low friction moving clamp retractably applies force to a proximal edge of the semiconductor wafer.

An end effector is disclosed that is configured for connection to a robotic unit used to manipulate a door of a vehicle (e.g., during vehicle painting). The end effector includes a base plate; a sensor that is supported by the base plate; and a piston that is configured for engagement with the door. The piston is operatively connected to an interrupter such that movement (displacement) of the piston causes corresponding movement (displacement) of the interrupter between a first position, in which the interrupter is positioned in alignment with a signal transmitted across the sensor to interfere with the signal and thereby interrupt circuit completion, and a second position, in which the interrupter is out of alignment with the signal transmitted across the sensor to permit circuit completion and thereby inform the robotic unit that the door is present and engaged with the end effector.

An end effector is disclosed that is configured for connection to a robotic unit used to manipulate a door of a vehicle (e.g., during vehicle painting). The end effector includes a base plate; a sensor that is supported by the base plate; and a piston that is configured for engagement with the door. The piston is operatively connected to an interrupter such that movement (displacement) of the piston causes corresponding movement (displacement) of the interrupter between a first position, in which the interrupter is positioned in alignment with a signal transmitted across the sensor to interfere with the signal and thereby interrupt circuit completion, and a second position, in which the interrupter is out of alignment with the signal transmitted across the sensor to permit circuit completion and thereby inform the robotic unit that the door is present and engaged with the end effector.

According to an example aspect of the present invention, there is provided a gripper comprising an actuator and two fingers mounted parallel at a distance from each other on the actuator for movement perpendicularly to a longitudinal axis of the fingers, the fingers comprising a longitudinal body, means for attaching the body to the actuator and two longitudinal claws at the end opposite to the means of attachment, the claws being spaced apart so that there is an elongate gap between the claws.

A robot includes a robot arm having a first joint part and a second joint part located closer to a distal end side than the first joint part, an optical fiber the performs optical communications within the first joint part, and a first optical space transmission section that performs optical space transmission within the second joint part. The robot arm has a plurality of joint parts, and the second joint part is the joint part located on the most distal end side of the plurality of joint parts.

An apparatus comprises a surgical instrument mountable to a robotic manipulator. The surgical instrument comprises an elongate arm. The elongate arm comprises an actively controlled bendable region including at least one joint region, a passively bendable region including a distal end coupled to the actively controlled bendable region, an actuation mechanism extending through the passively bendable region and coupled to the at least one joint region to control the actively controlled bendable region, and a channel extending through the elongate arm. The surgical instrument also comprises an optical fiber positioned in the channel. The optical fiber includes an optical fiber bend sensor in at least one of the passively bendable region or the actively controlled bendable region.

The disclosure provides an apparatus, system and method for providing an end effector. The end effector may be capable of accommodating semiconductor wafers of varying sizes, and may include: a wafer support; a bearing arm capable of interfacing with at least one robotic element, and at least partially bearing the wafer support at one end thereof; a plurality of support pads on the wafer support for physically interfacing with a one of the semiconductor wafers; and a low friction moving clamp driven bi-directionally along a plane at least partially provided by the bearing arm, wherein the low friction moving clamp retractably applies force to a proximal edge of the semiconductor wafer.

The disclosure provides an apparatus, system and method for providing an end effector. The end effector may be capable of accommodating semiconductor wafers of varying sizes, and may include: a wafer support; a bearing arm capable of interfacing with at least one robotic element, and at least partially bearing the wafer support at one end thereof; a plurality of support pads on the wafer support for physically interfacing with a one of the semiconductor wafers; and a low friction moving clamp driven bi-directionally along a plane at least partially provided by the bearing arm, wherein the low friction moving clamp retractably applies force to a proximal edge of the semiconductor wafer.

An apparatus comprises a robotic manipulator and a surgical instrument mounted to the robotic manipulator. The surgical instrument comprises an elongate arm including an actively controlled bendable region including at least one joint region and an end effector and a passively bendable region including a distal end coupled to the actively controlled bendable region. An actuation mechanism extends through the passively bendable region and is coupled to the at least one joint region to control the actively controlled bendable region. A channel extends through the elongate arm, and an optical fiber is positioned in the channel. The optical fiber includes an optical fiber bend sensor in at least one of the passively bendable region or the actively controlled bendable region.

An optical connection device includes a light source section configured to emit light, a light guide section configured to guide the light emitted from the light source section and including an emitting section configured to emit the guided light to the outside, and a light receiving section configured to receive the light emitted from the emitting section. At least one of the light source section and the light receiving section turns around a turning axis. Therefore, a transmission distance of the light from the light source section to the light receiving section changes.