According to one embodiment, a robot hand grips an object. The robot hand includes first and second communicators, and a hand controller. The first communicator communicates grip data with a first device. The grip data is related to a gripping operation. The second communicator communicates a start notification and an end notification with a second device. The second communicator can communicate faster than the first communicator. The start notification is for starting the gripping operation. The end notification indicates an end of the gripping operation. The hand controller controls the gripping operation. In response to the start notification input to the second communicator, the hand controller starts the gripping operation. In response to the end of the gripping operation, the hand controller performs outputting the end notification, and outputting at least one of a result of the gripping operation or a state of the robot hand.

A robotic kitting machine is disclosed. In various embodiments, a robotic arm is used to move an item to a location in proximity to a slot into which the item is to be inserted. Force information generated by a force sensor is received via a communication interface. The force sensor information is used to align a structure comprising the item with a corresponding cavity comprising the slot, and the item is inserted into the slot.

An object can be moved via a robotic system with a combination of force and position control. The control system can include the object to be moved, the robotic system that moves the object, at least one force sensor, at least one position sensor, and a controller. A position control output, a force control output, and a hybrid weighting value can each be determined by the controller based on sensor data and then combined to determine an amount of position control and/or force control to be applied to move the object and/or modify an object in motion's trajectory.

Telerobotic, telesurgical, and/or surgical robotic devices, systems, and methods employ surgical robotic linkages that may have more degrees of freedom than an associated surgical end effector in space. A processor can calculate a tool motion that includes pivoting of the tool about an aperture site. Linkages movable along a range of configurations for a given end effector position may be driven toward configurations which inhibit collisions. Refined robotic linkages and methods for their use are also provided.

A system and method for determining performance of a robot. In one form the robot is constructed as you assembling automotive workpieces onto an automobile assembly. In one form the robot accomplishes the task of assembling an automotive workpiece onto the automotive assembly by using vision feedback and force feedback. The vision feedback can use any number of features perform its function. Such features can include an artificial feature such as but not limited to a QR code, as well as a natural feature such as a portion of the workpiece or automotive assembly. In one embodiment the robot is capable of detecting a collision event and assessing the severity of the collision event. In another embodiment the robot is capable of evaluating its performance by attracting a performance metric against a performance threshold, and comparing a sensor fusion output with a sensor fusion output reference.

A fusion welding device includes: a robot arm; a fusion welding hand attached to the robot arm and including a fusion welding head for fusing and joining together workpieces while being separated from the workpieces; a support provided to the fusion welding hand and abutting on the workpieces; a force sensor for detecting a force and a moment exerted, through the support, by the workpieces; and a control section configured to control motion of the robot arm in accordance with parameters calculated from a signal outputted from the force sensor.

A drive unit 10A is configured to exert a driving force on an environment 50 in accordance with a target driving force command τ.sub.d, and includes a parameter storage device 30A, a force measuring instrument 35, an admittance model calculation device 31A, and a position control and driving device 33A. The parameter storage device 30A has stored therein dynamics parameters of first and second virtual objects affected by a virtual interactive force λ.sub.R. The force measuring instrument 35 is configured to output a measurement result for the driving force as a measured driving force value τ.sub.s. The admittance model calculation device 31A is configured to calculate and output a displacement of the first virtual object. The displacement is obtained by calculations based on the stored dynamics parameters, the target driving force command τ.sub.d, and the measured driving force value τ.sub.s. The position control and driving device 33A is configured to operate in accordance with a target position command. The force measuring instrument 35 is disposed between the position control and driving device 33A and the environment 50. The target position command corresponds to the first virtual object's displacement outputted by the admittance model calculation device 31A. The drive unit 10A achieves advantages of both high and low backdrivability.

A deburring device includes a robot program creating unit that creates a program from data of an object, a deburring part detecting unit that detects a position for a deburring part on the object, and a robot program updating unit that updates the program by the detected position of the deburring part. The deburring device also includes a force control unit that controls to yield a predetermined pressing force, an actual path acquiring unit that acquires an actual path of a robot when controlled at the predetermined pressing force by the updated program, and a path correction parameter calculating unit that calculates a correction parameter for the position for the deburring part on the object from the path of the robot from the visual sensor and the actual path.

The present disclosure relates to a method for generating a novel impedance configuration for a three-degree-of-freedom (3DOF) leg of a hydraulically-driven legged robot. The method includes: separately determining variations of input signals of an inner position-based control loop and an inner force-based control loop of a hydraulic drive unit of each joint based on an obtained mathematical model; generating a novel impedance configuration in which position-based control is performed on a hydraulic drive unit of a hip joint, and force-based control is performed on hydraulic drive units of a knee joint and an ankle joint in a hydraulic drive system of the leg of a to-be-controlled robot; and performing forward calculation by using the leg mathematical model, to obtain an actual position and a force variation of the foot of the leg of the to-be-controlled robot to control motion of the foot of the to-be-controlled robot within motion space.

A force control device mitigates or eliminates impact force overshoot upon contact between a robotic tool and a workpiece. Contact is detected while operating the force control device in a position control mode, according to either of a steady state search method or a transient search method. The force applied to the workpiece upon contact is less than a predetermined setpoint force. Upon detecting contact, the force control device performs a bumpless transfer to a force control mode. In force control mode, the force control device ramps the contact force to the predetermined setpoint. The force ramp may be linear, or along a user-defined trajectory. The stiffness of the force control device is different in position and force control modes, controlled by backpressure in a pneumatic cylinder.