Abstract: A robotic system including at least one support that supports a carriage for movement. The support may include a drive surface that is a “net shape” surface, i.e., is formed without machining. The carriage may have a traction drive that engages with the drive surface to move the carriage relative to the support. The traction drive may allow for slip at the drive surface. A bearing arrangement used to support the carriage on the support may require mainly radial forces be exerted on roller bearing elements on the carriage. A machine vision system and/or force control techniques may be used to control movement of the carriage and/or other portions of the robotic system.

Abstract: A variable reluctance motor and methods for control. The motor may include N motor phases, where N equals three or more. Each motor phase may include a coil to generate a magnetic flux, a stator and a rotor. A flux-carrying element for the rotor and/or stator may be made entirely of SMC. The stators and rotors of the N motor phases may be arranged relative to each other so that when the stator and rotor teeth of a selected phase are aligned, the stator and rotor teeth in each of the other motor phases are offset from each other, e.g., by an integer multiple of 1/N of a pitch of the stator or rotor teeth. A fill factor of the coil relative to the space in which it is housed may be at least 60%, and up to 90% or more. The stator and rotor flux-carrying elements together may include at most three separable parts.