A Robotic control system has a wand, which emits multiple narrow beams of light, which fall on a light sensor array, or with a camera, a surface, defining the wand's changing position and attitude which a computer uses to direct relative motion of robotic tools or remote processes, such as those that are controlled by a mouse, but in three dimensions and motion compensation means and means for reducing latency.

A Robotic control system has a wand, which emits multiple narrow beams of light, which fall on a light sensor array, or with a camera, a surface, defining the wand's changing position and attitude which a computer uses to direct relative motion of robotic tools or remote processes, such as those that are controlled by a mouse, but in three dimensions and motion compensation means and means for reducing latency.

A sensor comprising a light component in support of a light source operable to direct a beam of light onto an imaging device having an image sensor, such as a CCD or CMOS or N-type metal-oxide-semiconductor (NMOS or Live MOS) sensor. The sensor can also comprise an imaging device positioned proximate to the light component and operable to receive the beam of light, and to convert this into an electric signal, wherein the light component and the imaging device are movable relative to one another, and wherein relative movement of the light component and the imaging device is determinable in multiple degrees of freedom. The sensor can also comprise a light deflecting module designed to deflect light from a light component onto the imaging device. The light sources and the resulting beams of light therefrom can comprise a number of different types, orientations, configurations to facilitate different measurable and determinable degrees of freedom by the sensor.

A Robotic control system has a wand, which emits multiple narrow beams of light, which fall on a light sensor array, or with a camera, a surface, defining the wand's changing position and attitude which a computer uses to direct relative motion of robotic tools or remote processes, such as those that are controlled by a mouse, but in three dimensions and motion compensation means and means for reducing latency.

The present invention is a laser aligning tool that has two weight bodies, a laser pointer unit, and a threaded tubular shaft. The laser pointer unit is positioned within one of the two weight bodies. While both weight bodies are similar in shape and mass, and both connected to the threaded tubular shaft, only the weight body without the laser pointer unit can be detached from the threaded tubular shaft. The user may remove and place one weight body to the flange opening and introduce the threaded tubular shaft with the other weight body to the opening of another flange in preparation of alignment. The user may then turn on the laser pointer unit and ensure the laser beam traverse through both threaded tubular shaft and the detached weight body for proper alignment.

A Robotic control system has a wand, which emits multiple narrow beams of light, which fall on a light sensor array, or with a camera, a surface, defining the wand's changing position and attitude which a computer uses to direct relative motion of robotic tools or remote processes, such as those that are controlled by a mouse, but in three dimensions and motion compensation means and means for reducing latency.

Absolute, non-juxtaposed position encoders (i.e., position-determining systems) for up to six degrees-of-freedom are described. Each of these apparatus includes a display, an observation device, display circuitry, and logic circuitry. The display includes a plurality of pixels. In addition, the observation device is capable of observing light emitted from a region of the display. The display circuitry is able to cause one or more emissive patterns to be displayed on the display. The logic circuitry is able to determine a position of the observation device relative to the display at least in part from the light observed by the observation device. The observation device is capable of being moved in relation to the display, or vice versa. Aspects of the invention are suitable for use in a diverse set of applications such as: autonomously-piloted vehicles, multi-axis robotic arms, three-dimensional (3D) printers, computer-numerical-control (CNC) machine tools, and cranes.

A tape rule assembly includes a linear optical encoder for sensing human-readable graduations of length disposed on a surface of a tape, without requiring any other machine-readable indicia to be present on the tape. The optical encoder includes two optical sensors disposed in a sensor holder pivotably disposed in the tape rule housing and configured to be displaced relative to one another in the housing along both the x axis and the z axis, a set of intersecting x, y and z axes being defined relative to a tape exit in the tape rule housing.

Absolute, non-juxtaposed position encoders (i.e., position-determining systems) for up to six degrees-of-freedom are described. Each of these apparatus includes a display, an observation device, display circuitry, and logic circuitry. The display includes a plurality of pixels. In addition, the observation device is capable of observing light emitted from a region of the display. The display circuitry is able to cause one or more emissive patterns to be displayed on the display. The logic circuitry is able to determine a position of the observation device relative to the display at least in part from the light observed by the observation device. The observation device is capable of being moved in relation to the display, or vice versa. Aspects of the invention are suitable for use in a diverse set of applications such as: autonomously-piloted vehicles, multi-axis robotic arms, three-dimensional (3D) printers, computer-numerical-control (CNC) machine tools, and cranes.

An optical encoder includes a light source, a plurality of diffraction gratings including grating faces on which a plurality of grooves are disposed in parallel, and a light-receiving unit configured to receive the light diffracted at the plurality of diffraction gratings. The diffraction gratings include a first diffraction grating that is a first-stage diffraction grating adjacent to the light source, a third diffraction grating that is a last-stage diffraction grating adjacent to the light-receiving unit, and a second diffraction grating that is an output-stage diffraction grating of the first-stage diffraction grating and an input-stage diffraction grating of the last-stage diffraction grating. The diffraction gratings are disposed such that the ratio of the first gap to the third gap equals the ratio of the second gap to the fourth gap, and a length of the first gap differs from a length of the second gap.