A robotic device includes a kinematic chain of a plurality of components, movable relative to each other; a sensor device configured to capture a force and/or moment exerted on at least one of the mobile components; a control device configured to control a movement of the at least one of the mobile components, in the direction of the force that is exerted, as a function of the force captured by the control device and/or of the moment captured by the control device; and a first capture device coupled to the control device and provided for the purpose of contactlessly capturing an operating action of an operator. In a normal operating mode, the control device is configured to specify a mobility of at least one of the mobile components as a function of the captured operating action, improving accuracy and reliability of the device in interaction with a human operator.

A surface evaluation system that includes one or more vision systems that generate target surface data during evaluation of a surface, the one or more vision systems comprising two or more of: at least one light, a camera, a structured light camera, a laser scanner and a 3D scanner.

A system and method for moving an object against a working surface of a finishing machine that is set in a fixed position. The object is moved in a precise movement pattern while following a precise contact pressure pattern. The object is moved against the working surface of the finishing machine using a robot with an articulating arm. Other movement is provided by a dynamic platform upon which the robot rests. The dynamic platform includes a linear slide that enables the robot to reciprocally move. The dynamic platform also includes an active contact flange that acts upon the linear slide. The active contact flange is programmable and imparts the contact pressure pattern to the object through the linear slide and the robot. A rotary table can also be provided that selectively rotates the robot, the linear slide and the active contact flange.

A method to assist with the production of an assembly of two elements implemented by a remotely operated robot. The method includes an arm, hinged to the end of which is mounted a heat-supply member suitable for delivering heat to a heat-supply point; position sensors; guiding actuators; a video capture device; an interface; and a processing unit. The method involves the following steps: acquiring a type of assembly to be produced; calculating a reference path of the heat-supply point; defining a shell for guiding the heat-supply member; and controlling guiding actuators so as to prevent the heat-supply member from moving out of the guiding shell.

A surface evaluation system that includes one or more vision systems that generate target surface data during evaluation of a surface, the one or more vision systems comprising two or more of: at least one light, a camera, a structured light camera, a laser scanner and a 3D scanner.

A system and method for moving an object against a working surface of a finishing machine that is set in a fixed position. The object is moved in a precise movement pattern while following a precise contact pressure pattern. The object is moved against the working surface of the finishing machine using a robot with an articulating arm. Other movement is provided by a dynamic platform upon which the robot rests. The dynamic platform includes a linear slide that enables the robot to reciprocally move. The dynamic platform also includes an active contact flange that acts upon the linear slide. The active contact flange is programmable and imparts the contact pressure pattern to the object through the linear slide and the robot. A rotary table can also be provided that selectively rotates the robot, the linear slide and the active contact flange.

The embodiments relate to a method for operating a medical robotic device with an end effector for performing a diagnostic and/or therapeutic measure, involving predetermining at least one position to be reached by the end effector, evaluating at least two movement sequences of the medical robotic device, by which the end effector reaches the respectively predetermined at least one position, using an optimization criterion to select the movement sequence with the best evaluation result as the optimum movement sequence and implementing the optimum movement sequence, so that the respective predetermined position is reached by the end effector, in order to improve the reaching of the predetermined position.

Methods for selecting a path of a multi-component end effector along a surface, robots that perform the methods, and storage media that directs robots to perform the methods. The multi-component end effector is attached to a robot, which is configured to move the multi-component end effector along the surface on a continuous tool centerpoint path (TCP). The multi-component end effector includes a plurality of end effector elements configured to move relative to one another. The method includes providing a discretized TCP that includes a plurality of spaced-apart waypoints along the continuous TCP. The method also includes determining a plurality of distance heuristics. The method further includes updating the plurality of distance heuristics to define a plurality of updated distance heuristics. The method also includes selecting the path of the multi-component end effector along the surface based upon the plurality of updated distance heuristics.

A method to assist with the production of an assembly of two elements implemented by a remotely operated robot. The method includes an arm, hinged to the end of which is mounted a heat-supply member suitable for delivering heat to a heat-supply point; position sensors; guiding actuators; a video capture device; an interface; and a processing unit. The method involves the following steps: acquiring a type of assembly to be produced; calculating a reference path of the heat-supply point; defining a shell for guiding the heat-supply member; and controlling guiding actuators so as to prevent the heat-supply member from moving out of the guiding shell.

The invention relates to a robotic system for moving a shapeable instrument like a shapeable catheter within an object like a person. The system (1) comprises a robotic device (2, 3) for modifying the shape of the instrument (2) and moving the instrument within the object (7) and a control unit (4) for controlling the robotic device based on structure information like a roadmap, a target position and shape and an actual position and shape such that the instrument is moved and the shape of the instrument is modified from the actual position and shape to the target position and shape. Since the control unit considers structure information while controlling the robotic device, the navigation of the instrument can be automatically performed under consideration of knowledge about regions within the object, through which the instrument is navigatable. The navigation may therefore be performed without or with few user interactions only.