Structural designs and operational methods for object grasping and within-hand manipulation of an object is provided using rolling structures. The use of rolling structures reduces the need of finger gaiting, which is the periodic relocation of fingers on the object while maintaining a grasp, during manipulation. Embodiments of the invention provide a more efficient method of in-hand manipulation and grasping. In one example, two degrees of freedom rollers allow the object being manipulated in any direction in 3D space while remaining contact with the object.

A tool, for palletizing mixed load products, includes a frame for mounting the tool to a robot, a support assembly having a support member forming a support surface disposed in a predetermined reference orientation so as to support product, and a gripping assembly, mounted to the frame, with an actuator and a grip press operably coupled to the actuator so as to move the grip press relative to the frame in an actuation direction opposite the support surface so as to clamp the product between the support surface in the predetermined reference orientation and the grip press. The support assembly coupling to the frame has a configuration fixing the support member relative to the frame in the actuation direction with the support surface in the predetermined reference orientation, and is movably released in at least another direction so that the support member is movable away from the predetermined reference orientation.

A movable object holding system for holding a movable object including a body portion 11 and a protruding portion protruding from the body portion, comprising a hand part 40 holding a movable object, the hand part 40 comprising plural guide portions limiting movement of the movable object in a first axis direction and a second axis direction that are perpendicular to each other and a pair of positioning portions 43e limiting movement of the movable object in a third axis direction that is perpendicular to the first and second axis directions, wherein the hand part 40 holds the movable object with the protruding portion of the movable object disposed in a space surrounded by the plural guide portions and touching the pair of the positioning portions 43e and with a part of the body portion of the movable object exposed out of the hand part 40.

Provided is a support device that supports an object to be supported, in a manner that allows the object to rotate, without rotation of the support device itself. The support device is provided with: a base part; pair of support members that are slidably provided with respect to the base part, and have arc-shaped cut-out portions which sandwich and hold a circumferential surface of an object to be supported, from both sides of the object; a plurality of first biasing members that bias the pair of support members in a direction toward each other; a plurality of bearing parts that are provided along the cut-out portions, and are for sandwiching and holding the object to be supported, in a manner that allows the object to rotate; and a plurality of second biasing members that bias the plurality of bearing parts in a direction toward the object to be supported. The plurality of first biasing members bias the pair of support members.

An assistive robot system includes a lifting mechanism, a movable arm assembly, a processing device, and a non-transitory, processor-readable storage medium in communication with the processing device. The processing device transmits a command to the lifting mechanism to cause the lifting mechanism to move the movable arm assembly such that a container is gripped within the movable arm assembly, transmits a first one or more signals to the movable arm assembly to cause the movable arm assembly to extend in a system longitudinal direction such that the movable arm assembly grips the container. The movable arm assembly is positioned at a release location and transmits a second one or more signals to the movable arm assembly to cause the movable arm assembly to extend in a system lateral direction such that the container gripped within the movable arm assembly is released from the movable arm assembly at the release location.

An end effector for gripping and spinning a pipe includes a head portion including a first connection interface for connecting the end effector to a robotic arm. In addition, the end effector includes a pair of jaws rotatably connected to the head portion between an open position and a gripping position. Further, the end effector includes a spinner for spinning a pipe held by the pair of jaws in the gripping position around a spinning axis generally corresponding to a longitudinal centre axis of the pipe. The first connection interface has a normal which is substantially parallel to the spinning axis. There is also disclosed a robot including an end effector as well a robot assembly and a drilling installation including such as robot.

A system and methods are disclosed for precision placement or insertion of an object using robotic manipulation. A robotic tool includes at least three members, including a first member and a second member that grip the object between opposing faces and a third member that exerts a force on a proximate end of the object to push the object out of the robotic tool. A series of maneuvers is performed with the robotic tool in order to place the object on a surface or insert the object in a hole. The maneuvers include positioning the object against the surface, rotating the object around a contact point between the object and the surface, rotating the robotic tool around a contact point between the object and either the first or second member of the robotic tool, sliding the object horizontally along a surface, and tucking the object into a final desired position.

A robotic end effector tool having multiple manipulator elements. The end effector includes a body, a suction cup movable relative to the body between a retracted position and an extended position, a plurality of fingers spaced around the suction cup and being actuatable between an open condition and a clamped condition, and a roller coupled to at least one of the fingers such that the roller is arranged to rotate about a first axis. The combination of the suction cup, the fingers and the rollers are arranged to pick an item and adjust the orientation of an object without setting the object down.

A bag-shaped actuator system includes: a bag-shaped actuator including an airtight bag member and flowable particulates filled in the bag member; a bag-member communication pipe configured to communicate with an inside of the bag member; a low-air-pressure-source communication pipe configured to communicate with a low air pressure source; a high-air-pressure-source communication pipe configured to communicate with a high air pressure source; a switching mechanism configured to perform switching between communication destinations of the bag member such that the inside of the bag member communicates with any of external air, the low-air-pressure-source communication pipe, and the high-air-pressure-source communication pipe via the bag-member communication pipe; and a switching controlling portion configured to control the switching between the communication destinations by the switching mechanism.

There is provided a holding apparatus for a robot including: two or more finger sections disposed opposite to each other so as to face toward a holding center; a work pressing section on which a work abuts when the work is inserted between the finger sections; and a driving unit that moves respective distal ends of the finger sections toward the holding center, wherein each of the finger sections includes a finger section main body formed of at least two plate-like elastic bodies, and a reinforcing member that is disposed along an outer surface of the main body, is joined to a distal end of the main body, and has higher rigidity than the main body, and the reinforcing member is swingably provided around an axis perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the main body, and parallel to a surface of the main body.