The invention relates to a gripper for use in a slicing machine, in particular a high-performance slicing machine, said gripper being joined to the food product using an integral bonding process.

A method for automatically placing a to-be-packed object into a container that defines an accommodation space is provided. A processing unit obtains an object dimension data piece that indicates dimensions of the to-be-packed object, and obtains, through a camera unit that captures images of the to-be-packed object and the accommodation space, an unoccupied area related to the accommodation space. Based on the object dimension data piece and the unoccupied area, the processing unit determines whether the container is capable of accommodating the to-be-packed object.

A laundry sorting and evaluation system includes a housing having an opening and defining a laundry path. First and second platforms are positioned within the housing, each operably connected to a motor. First and second cameras are respectively associated with the platforms and are configured to acquire at images of an item of laundry on each of the first and second platforms. A controller is configured to receive the images and produce an evaluation of a condition of the item of laundry based upon the received images.

Method for controlling the operation of an industrial robot configured in particular to carry out pick-and-place or singulation tasks.

The system can include: a container no, a set of sensors 120, and a controller 130. The system can optionally include a robot 140. However, the system 100 can additionally or alternatively include any other suitable set of components. The system functions to monitor and/or maintain a fullness level of a container. The system can additionally or alternatively function to enable robotic picking out of the container (e.g., in a pick-and-place setting). The system can additionally function to maintain candidate objects within reach of the robot's end effector to increase robot uptime while minimizing the extent of the robot's required motion (e.g., in the z-axis).

An trajectory information generating unit for generating trajectory information defining a trajectory for which a picking hand picks a work at a first position and arranges the work at a second position, an execution control unit for operating a picking apparatus based on trajectory information generated by the trajectory information generating unit, and an execution time estimating unit for estimating a period of time from when the picking apparatus receives an instruction for starting an operation on a work to a time when the operation of the picking apparatus on the work is ended are included. The trajectory information generating unit may adjust an amount of calculation based on an estimation result of the execution time estimating unit.

An automated biological or chemical sample processing system includes a dock frame and at least one dock frame module. The dock frame includes at least one docking interface that operably couples and interfaces the dock frame with laboratory equipment. The dock frame defines a spine structure of the system alongside which a variable number of laboratory equipment are arrayed. The dock frame extends longitudinally and has a variable elongated configuration and longitudinal length. The at least one dock frame module includes the docking interface, where each module is interchangeable with another module, and has control features with a predetermined relationship to a reference datum of the dock frame module and with a reference datum of the dock frame so that the at least one dock frame module is interchangeably coupled in linear configuration with at least the other dock frame module to select the variable elongated configuration and longitudinal length.

A device for feeding items to a sorting machine, including: a conveyor plane (26) for feeding items or parcels along an advancement direction (A1); an optical detection device (18), to allow the acquisition, while the items are in motion on the conveyor plane (26) of the three-dimensional coordinates of a determined number of points on the surface of the items and to organize them into coordinate vectors; a manipulator (19) provided to pick the items from the conveyor plane (26) and to place the items picked in a desired position; a control system, provided to process, for each item in motion on the conveyor plane (26), the coordinate vectors in order to obtain a three-dimensional representation of the item, including the information based on which the control system handles the manipulator for picking and placing the items.

The invention also relates to a sorting machine and a method for feeding items to a sorting machine aimed at increasing production capacity and accuracy thereof.

A method of processing objects is disclosed using a programmable motion device. The method includes the steps of acquiring an object from a plurality of mixed objects at an input area, perceiving identifying indicia in connection with the object, assigning an intermediate station to a destination location for the object responsive to the identifying indicia in connection with the object, and moving the acquired object toward the intermediate station.

An article discharge system includes a placement unit in which the article group is placed, plural grippers, a movable member, a robot that moves the movable member, weight acquisition units, and a control unit. The plural grippers grip some articles with gripping member. The plural grippers are attached to the movable member. The weight acquisition units acquire weight values of the articles that each of the grippers grips. The control unit moves the movable member, brings the plural grippers closer to the placement unit, causes the plural grippers to grip some of the articles of the article group placed in the placement unit, and, based on the result of a combination calculation using the weight values of the articles that each of the grippers grips and which the weight acquisition units have acquired, causes predetermined grippers among the plural grippers to release the articles and thereby discharge the articles.