Various medical devices and related systems, including robotic and/or in vivo medical devices, and various robotic surgical devices for in vivo medical procedures. Included herein, for example, is a robotic surgical system having a support beam positionable through an incision, and a robotic device having a device body, first and second rotating shoulder components coupled to the device body, and first and second robotic arms coupled to the first and second shoulder components, respectively.

Specialized robot motion planning hardware and methods of making and using same are provided. A robot-specific hardware can be designed using a tool that receives a robot description comprising a collision geometry of a robot, degrees of freedom for each joint of the robot, and joint limits of the robot; receives a scenario description; generates a probabilistic roadmap (PRM) using the robot description and the scenario description; and for each edge of PRM, produces a collision detection unit comprising a circuit indicating all parts of obstacles that collide with that edge. The hardware is implemented as parallel collision detection units that provide collision detection results used to remove edges from the PRM that is searched to find a path to a goal position.

A method and system for hand tracking in a robotic system includes a hand tracking system and a controller coupled to the hand tracking system. The controller is configured to receive, from the hand tracking system, a plurality of locations of a hand; determine if the hand is in a first hand pose based on the plurality of locations; in response to determining that the hand is in the first hand pose, and switch the robotic system to a hand trajectory detection mode. While in the hand trajectory detection mode, the control unit is configured to detect, based on hand tracking information from the hand tracking system, that the hand has performed a first hand trajectory of a plurality of known hand trajectories; and in response to detecting the first hand trajectory, change a mode of operation of the robotic system.

A convertible panel includes a number of sub-panels which are movable between a first position in which the panels extend in the same plane to define a unified panel and a configuration in which one or more of the panels are moved into other planes which allow them to form steps. Multiple of the rotated panels may form a sequence of steps, e.g. a staircase. The convertible panel may be moved via a robotic mount, whereby the position or orientation of the convertible panel may be changed.

Example embodiments relate to robotic arm assemblies. The robotic arm assembly includes forearm and upper arm segments. Upper arm segment includes distal motor. Robotic arm assembly includes elbow coupling joint assembly connecting distal end of upper arm segment to proximal end of forearm segment via a serial arrangement of proximal and distal elbow joints. Proximal elbow joint is located between upper arm segment and distal elbow joint. Distal elbow joint is located between proximal elbow joint and forearm segment. Proximal elbow joint forms proximal main elbow axis. Distal elbow joint forms distal main elbow axis. Elbow coupling joint assembly includes distal elbow joint subassembly connected to forearm segment. Elbow coupling joint assembly includes proximal elbow joint subassembly connecting upper arm segment to distal elbow joint subassembly. Proximal elbow joint subassembly is configured to be driven to rotate forearm segment relative to proximal main elbow axis.

Provided are cleaning methods and systems to remove unintended metallic deposits from electroplating apparatuses using reverse current deplating techniques. Such cleaning involves positioning a cleaning (deplating) disk in an electroplating cup similar to a regular processed substrate. The front surface of the cleaning disk includes a corrosion resistant conductive material to form electrical connections to deposits on the cup's surfaces. The disk is sealed in the cup and submerged into a plating solution. A reverse current is then applied to the front conductive surface of the disk to initiate deplating of the deposits. Sealing compression in the cup may change during cleaning to cause different deformation of the lip seal and to form new electrical connections to the deposits. The proposed cleaning may be applied to remove deposits formed during electroplating of alloys, in particular, tin-silver alloys widely used for semiconductor and wafer level packaging.

According to some embodiments of the invention, a surgical robot includes a robot arm having an end effector, the end effector comprising a needle assembly. The surgical robot further includes a robot control system operatively connected to the robot arm, and an end effector control system operatively connected to the end effector. The robot control system provides control signals for operation of the robot arm to move the end effector to selected positions relative to a subject. The end effector control system is configured to provide signals for operation of the end effector to at least one of inject material through the needle assembly to a selected location within the subject's body or extract material through the needle assembly from the selected location within the subject's body.

Example embodiments relate to robotic arm assemblies. Embodiments of the robotic arm assembly include a shoulder segment and upper arm segment having a motor drive portion. Embodiments also include a shoulder coupling joint assembly connecting the upper arm segment to the shoulder segment. Shoulder coupling joint assembly includes a distal shoulder joint subassembly connected to the upper arm segment. The distal shoulder joint subassembly includes a distal shoulder joint forming a first axis. The distal shoulder joint subassembly includes a shoulder planetary gear assembly. Embodiments include an elbow coupling joint assembly connecting the upper arm segment to the forearm segment. The elbow coupling joint assembly includes a proximal elbow joint subassembly connected to the upper arm segment. The proximal elbow joint subassembly includes a proximal elbow joint forming a second axis. The proximal elbow joint subassembly includes an elbow planetary gear assembly.

This invention relates to force/torque sensor and more particularly to multi-axis force/torque sensor and the methods of use for directly teaching a task to a mechatronic manipulator. The force/torque sensor has a casing, an outer frame forming part of or connected to the casing, an inner frame forming part of or connected to the casing, a compliant member connecting the outer frame to the inner frame, and one or more measurement elements mounted in the casing for measuring compliance of the compliant member when a force or torque is applied between the outer frame and the inner frame.

An unmanned ground vehicle includes a main body, a drive system supported by the main body, a manipulator arm pivotally coupled to the main body, and a sensor module. The drive system includes right and left driven track assemblies mounted on right and left sides of the main body. The manipulator arm includes a first link coupled to the main body, an elbow coupled to the first link, and a second link coupled to the elbow. The elbow is configured to rotate independently of the first and second links. The sensor module is mounted on the elbow.