Abstract: A robot system comprising a main computer having a robot language incorporated therein and having the functions of preparing, executing and storing programs and a plurality of slave computers connected via a high speed data bus to the main computer. Task programs are prepared by using the robot language and then executed on the main computer. The task programs inherent to the respective functions, such as trajectory control for the manipulator, vision control and feature extraction of objects are executed in each of the slave computers by commands issued from the main computer to the respective slave computers for each operational unit.

Abstract: A displacement transducer comprising a code disk on which a plurality of light permeable slits arranged with a fixed pitch are formed, a light source which emits light to the code disk, and an image sensor which receives the light from the light source through the light permeable slits. High resolution and fast response performance are realized by measuring a displacement of the code disk from the amount of the phase shift of a fundamental wave component contained in the output obtained from the image sensor. There is a further advantage of suppressing zero point return operation to a minimum as well as improving linearity of an image sensor.

Abstract: A detector to be inserted into a flowing conductive fluid, e.g. sodium coolant in a nuclear reactor, comprising at least one exciting coil to receive an a-c signal applied thereto and two detecting coils located in the proximity of the exciting coil. The difference and/or the sum of the output signals of the detecting coils is computed to produce a flow velocity signal and/or a temperature-responsive signal for the fluid. Such flow velocity signal or temperature signal is rectified synchronously by a signal the phase of which is shifted substantially .+-. 90.degree. with respect to the flow velocity signal or temperature signal, thereby enabling the device to detect voids in the flowing fluid without adverse effects from flow velocity variations or flow disturbances occurring in the fluid.