Embodiments are directed towards automatically identifying, configuring, monitoring, controlling, managing, and maintaining a machine, via collection computers in communication with the machine components. The components include ID Tags that store identification data, such as a component type and a unique identifier. Interrogation of the ID Tags enables the automatic identification and configuration of the machine. Data provided by the sensors, during usage of the machine, enables the remote monitoring and managing of the usage, as well as maintaining of the machine. Machine maintenance includes automatically predicting and scheduling the replacement of various components. Embodiments provide suggestions for suppliers of replacement components, as well as suggestions for alternative components that may be better optimized for the configuration and usage of the machine. Heuristics and crowd-generated data, via machine user social networks, inform predictive analyses employed to automatically identify, configure, manage, operate, and maintain the machine.

A system, apparatus and method for determining operational configuration of asset are provided. The method includes receiving a set of operating parameters associated with the asset, identifying data associated with the asset based on the received set of operating parameters, configuring a second digital twin of the asset based on the data identified from first knowledge database, simulating a behavior of the asset based on the configured second digital twin in a simulation environment, and determining an operational configuration associated with the variant of the asset based on results of the simulation.

Example implementations may relate a robot part including a processor, at least one sensor, and an interface providing wireless connectivity. The processor may determine that the robot part is removablly connected to a particular robotic system and may responsively obtain identification information to identify the particular robotic system. While the robot part is removablly connected to the particular robotic system, the processor may (i) transmit, to an external computing system, sensor data that the processor received from the at least one sensor and (ii) receive, from the external computing system, environment information (e.g., representing characteristics of an environment in which the particular robotic system is operating) based on interpretation of the sensor data. And based on the identification information and the environment information, the processor may generate a command that causes the particular robotic system to carry out a task in the environment.

The invention concerns a robotic arm (1) with at least two arm modules (41, 42) which are moveable relative to one another and at least one manually operable input module (11) for generating control signals for the control of the robotic arm (1) on the basis of a user input. Both arm modules (41, 42) have a first interface (38, 40) onto which the input module (11) can be selectively mounted.

When a motor replacement detection portion (4) detects replacement of a motor (M), a control portion (2) of the motor control apparatus executes limiting processing for limiting action of the motor (M), at least until an acceptance portion (5) accepts an input of confirmation information from a user.

Apparatus and methods for adaptively retooling robots include programmable adapters for detachably connecting at least one robotic peripheral to a robot, providing peripheral information associated with the robotic peripheral, and causing the robot to adaptively reconfigure based on the peripheral information.

Described herein is a technique that provides a first robot associated with a first trust domain to identify and authenticate a second robot associated with a second trust domain. The identification and authentication technique described herein is based on a robot processing a variety of input signals obtained via sensors, in order to generate robot identification information that can be compared with known or trusted information. Advantageously, the identification technique occurs locally, for example, at the robot and at the location of the robot-to-robot interaction, eliminating any requirement for communicating with an authoritative remote or cloud-based service, at the time and place of the robot-to-robot interaction.

A manufacturing-job apparatus includes a control module, a holding module, and a job module. The holding module is configured to hold a job object. The job module is configured to execute a job for the job object. The control module includes a communication unit and a common interface. The communication unit is configured to communicate with each of the holding module and the job module. The common interface is configured to supply motive power to both of the holding module and the job module.

Embodiments of present disclosure relates to a method for robot control. The method comprises: obtaining at least one parameter associated with a robot to be controlled by a controller; determining a first identity of the robot based on the at least one parameter; comparing the first identity with a pre-stored second identity; and in response to the first identify matching the second identity, controlling operations of the robot with the controller. Embodiments of present disclosure can detect the mismatch between the controller and the robot in an easy, safe and convenient way.

A robot includes at least two or more types of component units and a control unit configured to control an operation of each component unit. The respective units are configured to be detachable from each other. The control unit is configured to be able to collect configuration data of each of the component units and acquire connection data regarding connection states of all the component units connected to the control unit based on the collected configuration data. A determination portion that stores a predetermined connection form of each component unit, which is controllable by the control unit, in advance as verification data and determines whether or not connection data acquired by the control unit matches the verification data is further provided.