A robotic link may include a link having an outer wall surface and an inner wall surface, and a pair of outer hinge portions on a first end of the link. Each outer hinge portion may have an inner bearing surface positioned between the inner wall surface and an outer ear. The link may include a pair of inner hinge portions on a second end of the link. Each inner hinge portion may have an outer bearing surface positioned between the outer wall surface and an inner ear.

Provided is an artificial epidermis structure. Three different contact states can be realized between the artificial epidermis structure and a target object. The “first contact state” is a state in which only the surface of a distal end portion of each protrusion contacts the target object. The “second contact state” is a state in which each protrusion tilts with respect to a base body corresponding to the force received from the target object and thereby the surface of a base portion and the surface of the distal end portion of each protrusion contact the target object. The “third contact state” is a state in which each protrusion further tilts with respect to the base body corresponding to an increase in the force and thereby the surface of the base body and respective surface of the distal end portion and the base portion of each protrusion contact the target object.

A robot includes a first joint and a second joint positioned on a base end side from the first joint. A first speed reducer is incorporated in the first joint. A second speed reducer is incorporated in the second joint. A volume proportion of a resin occupying a constituent member of the first speed reducer is larger than a volume proportion of a resin occupying a constituent member of the second speed reducer.

A vacuum substrate transport apparatus including a frame, a drive section having a drive axis, at least one arm, having an end effector for holding a substrate, having at least one degree of freedom axis effecting extension and retraction, and a bearing defining a guideway that defines the axis, the bearing including at least one rolling load bearing element disposed in a bearing case, interfacing between a bearing raceway and bearing rail to support arm loads, and effecting sliding of the case along the rail, and at least one rolling, substantially non-load bearing, spacer element disposed in the case, intervening between each of the load bearing elements, wherein the spacer element is a sacrificial buffer material compatible with sustained substantially unrestricted service commensurate with a predetermined service duty of the apparatus in a vacuum environment at temperatures over 260° C. for a specified predetermined service period.

A robot system includes a robot having an arm including a first arm coupled to a base and pivoting about a first pivot axis and a second arm coupled to the first arm and pivoting about a second pivot axis parallel to the first pivot axis, and a first motor pivoting the first arm about the first pivot axis, and a control apparatus having a first motor control unit that controls the first motor. The robot has an inertial sensor that detects an angular velocity about a roll axis of the arm or an acceleration in a tangential direction of a circle around the roll axis, and the first motor control unit controls the first motor based on the angular velocity or acceleration.

A mechanical finger for a mechanical hand, has: a proximal phalanx pivotably mountable to a support of the mechanical hand to pivot relative to the support about a finger pivot axis; a distal phalanx pivotably connected to the proximal phalanx via a first living hinge to pivot relative to the proximal phalanx about a first pivot axis; and a skeleton member pivotably connected at one end to the distal phalanx via a second living hinge to pivot relative to the distal phalanx about a second pivot axis offset from the first pivot axis and at another end operatively connected to an actuator of the mechanical hand to be selectively movable by the actuator to pivot the distal phalanx relative to the proximal phalanx and to pivot the distal phalanx relative to the support when the finger is in use.

A grasping device of the embodiment includes claw holding parts, a cam and pins. The claw holding parts are supported by rails in a slidable manner. The cam includes grooves or curved holes having a spiral shape provided around a rotation center and is formed of a sintered material. The pins each have one end engaged with the claw holding parts side and the other end engaged with the grooves or the curved holes of the cam.

A labeling device includes: a robot having articulated arms with arm sections that are articulated: together, to a robot base, and to a platform of a label pickup device. The pickup device has a base plate and a plunger. The plunger has a fixed portion mounted to the base plate and is not displaceable relative to the base plate in a longitudinal direction, has a portion that is movable in the fixed portion in the longitudinal direction toward the base plate to a retracted position, and has an end configured to pick up a label. A pressure regulator of the plunger breaks a negative pressure in the plunger. The plunger's fixed portion covers an opening of its movable portion in a gas-tight manner by of the when the movable portion in an extended position and which is not covered when in the retracted position.

A vacuum substrate transport apparatus including a frame, a drive section having a drive axis, at least one arm, having an end effector for holding a substrate, having at least one degree of freedom axis effecting extension and retraction, and a bearing defining a guideway that defines the axis, the bearing including at least one rolling load bearing element disposed in a bearing case, interfacing between a bearing raceway and bearing rail to support arm loads, and effecting sliding of the case along the rail, and at least one rolling, substantially non-load bearing, spacer element disposed in the case, intervening between each of the load bearing elements, wherein the spacer element is a sacrificial buffer material compatible with sustained substantially unrestricted service commensurate with a predetermined service duty of the apparatus in a vacuum environment at temperatures over 260° C. for a specified predetermined service period.

The present disclosure generally relates to 3D-architected soft machines with topologically encoded actuation, and methods of making and using the 3D-architected soft machines.