Abstract: The elements making up robotic devices such as the basic robot and driving device, arms, manipulators and the like are coupled together by a novel coupling device, including a coupling device actuator mounted within an element holder for receiving the element and activating the coupling device mounted upon the element typically comprised of a pair of arms spring biased toward a locking position. The element holder is provided with a location for receiving the element and a pair of activating arms which move the locking arms between the locked and unlocked position. The receiving element has a groove for receiving the locking arms and preferably a female socket for receiving a projection on the end of the element having the locking arms. The element to be connected is normally maintained in the holder with the activators energized to retain the locking arms in the open position. The robot is moved to the holder and its element is inserted into the connecting element within the holder.

Abstract: A two-dimensional linear motor is provided with sensors respectively capable of detecting only the x and y grid lines arranged in a platen traversed by the linear motor. These signals are accumulated and their counts are compared against the respective x and y distances the linear motor is to be moved in order to move the linear motor to the precise position desired and/or to verify that the desired movement has been accomplished. Differentiation of the mutually orthogonal sets of grid lines is accomplished by providing the grid lines with reflective surfaces which have different reflectivity characteristics or alternatively have a different reflectivity characteristics at with appropriate evaluation devices such as filters or threshold circuits which differentiate between either different wavelengths or different reflectivity characterisitics.