The invention relates to systems for steering machine tools and in particular to systems that display information to an operator of the machine tool. Such a system comprises a manually controlled cutting tool. The system receives data that defines a model of a desired cut to be made on a workpiece by the cutting tool. The system receives further data related to the current position of the cutting tool in, at least, two dimensions. A processor generates from the received data a display. The display shows the desired cut to be made and a cutting tool icon at the current position of the cutting tool relative to the desired cut. The display also shows an indication of the current error between either the current position, or direction of travel, of the cutting tool and the desired cut. An operator does not need to look at the workpiece, a drawing and the Digital Read Out simultaneously as with existing systems.

The present invention relates to an operating device for controlling or programming a manipulator. The manipulator has a plurality of degrees of freedom which are independent of each other. The operating device comprises a manual control lever which is configured to specify at least one two-dimensional movement of the manipulator. Preferably, the manual control lever is a joystick. The operating device also comprises an information display which is allocated to the manual control lever and comprises a plurality of independently controllable display segments. The operating device further comprises a control device which is configured to individually control the display segments of the information display.

The invention relates to a robotic system with at least one robotic arm and a control unit, which is designed so that it can preset at least one predefined operation that can be carried out by the robotic system. In addition, the robotic system comprises at least one input device attached to the robotic arm which is designed so that the predefined operations of the robotic system can be parameterized by means of the input device. In this case, the input device is designed so that it can provide a user-directed feedback to a user of the robotic system when setting the execution of operations, the logical sequence of the operations and/or parameterizing the predefined operations for the robotic system.

A controller of a robot includes an operation device for an operator to perform an operation of manually changing a position and an orientation of the robot. The operation device includes a movable part configured to perform a pushing operation, a pulling operation, and a tilting operation in a predetermined direction, and an operation detection unit configured to detect the operation of the movable part. The processing device includes a manual control unit that controls an inching operation that changes the position and the orientation of the robot by a predetermined minute amount. The manual control unit determines whether or not the inching operation is performed based on the magnitude of the force with which the movable part is operated.

The present invention relates to an operating device for controlling or programming a manipulator. The manipulator has a plurality of degrees of freedom which are independent of each other. The operating device comprises a manual control lever which is configured to specify at least one two-dimensional movement of the manipulator. Preferably, the manual control lever is a joystick. The operating device also comprises an information display which is allocated to the manual control lever and comprises a plurality of independently controllable display segments. The operating device further comprises a control device which is configured to individually control the display segments of the information display.

The invention relates to a robotic system with at least one robotic arm and a control unit, which is designed so that it can preset at least one predefined operation that can be carried out by the robotic system. In addition, the robotic system comprises at least one input device attached to the robotic arm which is designed so that the predefined operations of the robotic system can be parameterized by means of the input device. In this case, the input device is designed so that it can provide a user-directed feedback to a user of the robotic system when setting the execution of operations, the logical sequence of the operations and/or parameterizing the predefined operations for the robotic system.