A robot arm control device according to the present disclosure comprises a workpiece selecting section that selects a target workpiece, which is a workpiece to be picked up and placed, among a plurality of workpieces conveyed by a conveyor system in a predetermined flow direction; and a motion control section that controls a motion of the robot arm to pick up the target workpiece at a predetermined pick up position and place the target workpiece at the target placement position selected among a plurality of predetermined placement positions, wherein the workpiece selecting section selects, among the workpieces that are candidates for selection, the workpiece that has a shortest distance from the distal end position at a task-start timing to the workpiece position at the task-start timing as the target workpiece.

Techniques are disclosed to use a robotic arm to palletize or depalletize diverse items. In various embodiments, data associated with a plurality of items to be stacked on or in a destination location is received. A plan to stack the items on or in the destination location is generated based at least in part on the received data. The plan is implemented at least in part by controlling a robotic arm of the robot to pick up the items and stack them on or in the receptacle according to the plan, including by for each item: using one or more first order sensors to move the item to a first approximation of a destination position for that item at the destination location; and using one or more second order sensors to snug the item into a final position.

A selectably configurable modular labware transport system including a labware bulk overhead transport system module forming an overhead transport path. The labware bulk overhead transport system module has a labware support, with at least a movable part of the labware support being configured to support labware thereon, and move longitudinally defining the overhead transport path. The labware support has more than one labware holding stations for holding a labware piece, each of the labware holding stations having a different location along the labware support and overhead transport path. The labware bulk overhead transport system module is communicably couplable to another labware bulk overhead transport system module that forms another different overhead transport path, and effects undisrupted transport of the labware throughout the overhead transport path with the labware bulk overhead transport system module both coupled to and uncoupled from the other labware bulk overhead transport system module.

In an embodiment, a method may determine a first candidate item type and a second candidate item type for a container. The method may determine appearance feature(s) of the first candidate item type and appearance feature(s) of the second candidate item type. The method may determine, using a trained dissimilarity model, a distinguishability score between the first candidate item type and the second candidate item type based on the appearance feature(s) of the first candidate item type and the appearance feature(s) of the second candidate item type. The method may determine to store the first candidate item type and the second candidate item type together in the container based on the distinguishability score between the first candidate item type and the second candidate item type. In some instances, the method may place item(s) of the first candidate item type and item(s) of the second candidate item type in the container.

A processing system for processing objects using a programmable motion device is disclosed. The processing system includes a perception unit for perceiving identifying indicia representative of an identity of a plurality of objects received from an input conveyance system, and an acquisition system for acquiring an object from the plurality of objects at an input area using an end effector of the programmable motion device. The programmable motion device is adapted for assisting in the delivery of the object to an identified processing location. The identified processing location is associated with the identifying indicia and the identified processing location is provided as one of a plurality of processing locations. The system also includes a delivery system for receiving the object in a carrier and for delivering the object toward the identified processing location.

There is provided a method of automatically supervising a transfer operation of a transfer device including an optical sensor, the optical sensor having a light emitting part and a light receiving part provided in a head of a holding part for holding a substrate, the method including: acquiring a change in intensity of a first reflected light reflected off a first object by radiating a light from the light emitting part toward the first object below the holding part and receiving the first reflected light reflected off the first object by the light receiving part, while horizontally moving the holding part; and specifying an end position of the first object based on the change in intensity of the first reflected light.

A method for operating a picking robot comprising an end effector assembly and a vision assembly, and related controller device is disclosed, the method comprising picking a subject with the end effector assembly from a bin comprising a plurality of subjects; moving the subject to a delivery station; and releasing the subject on the delivery station, wherein the method comprises locking a joint connection of the end effector assembly prior to and/or during the act of moving the subject to the delivery station.

A conveyance system discriminates the front and back of a frame wafer without human intervention. A frame is partially formed asymmetrically with respect to a predetermined center line when viewed in a direction orthogonal to a surface of a wafer. The conveyance system includes a hand configured to hold the frame so that the frame extends in a predetermined virtual plane, a first sensor configured to detect a portion of the frame held on the hand and located in a predetermined first region in the virtual plane, a second sensor configured to detect a portion of the frame held on the hand and located in a second region opposite to the first region across the center line, and a controller configured to determine the front and back of the frame wafer based on a detection result obtained by the first sensor and a detection result obtained by the second sensor.

A method includes estimating a replacement time of a consumable part of a processing device, specifying a timing after substrate processing of the processing device is completed in a period before the replacement time as a replaceable timing of the consumable part, estimating a movement time period required for the part transporting device to move to a position of the processing device requiring the replacement, and estimating a preparation time period required for preparation until the part transporting device moved to the position of the processing device requiring the replacement becomes a state in which the consumable part is replaceable. The method further includes transmitting a replacement instruction to the part transporting device at a timing before a timing that is earlier than the replaceable timing by a total time of the movement time period and the preparation time period, and instructing the replacement of the consumable part.

A fastener feeding system and method for automatically delivering fasteners to a plurality of different manufacturing cells in a manufacturing line from a single load point. The fastener feeding system includes a fastener distribution assembly and a transport assembly for selecting and delivering fasteners to the manufacturing cells. Individual fasteners are selected from a fastener reservoir by a robotic manipulator of the fastener distribution assembly, and are placed on a fastener carrier supported on conveying structure extending between the fastener distribution assembly and the manufacturing cells for movement therealong. The fastener carrier is controlled to move along the track to deliver one or more fasteners to a manufacturing cell.