Abstract: A steering apparatus according to the present disclosure include a housing having a housing body part, and a housing protrusion part that protrudes from an inner side surface of the housing body part, a rotation shaft part rotatably mounted on the housing, a first rotation part mounted on the rotation shaft part and rotated according to a rotation of the rotation shaft part, a second rotation part rotatably mounted on the rotation shaft part and rotated upon contact with the first rotation part, a third rotation part rotatably mounted on the rotation shaft part, rotated upon contact with the second rotation part, and restricted in its rotation when coming into contact with the housing protrusion part, and a bolt part mounted on the end portion of the rotation shaft part and configured to support the third rotation part.

Abstract: A gripper head adapted to grip, hold and release a piece of cloth, including a first part and a second part with respective conveyor belts, an actuator, such as a hydraulic actuator, a pneumatic actuator or a motor, connected with the second part and configured for turning the second part relative to the first part to apply in a cloth nipping position a first clamping force on a piece of cloth, and a controller connected with the actuator and configured to control the actuator for the second part to selectively apply in a cloth nipping position a second, higher clamping force when the conveyor belts are temporarily stopped with a nipping zone filled by a portion of the piece of cloth.

Abstract: A mobile robot system includes a mobile base and a humanoid robot. The mobile base includes a chassis having a platform. The mobile base includes a propulsion system that is coupled to the chassis and operable to propel the chassis within an environment. The humanoid robot includes a torso and two robotic legs. The humanoid robot has a first locomotion mode in which the humanoid robot is supported on the platform and travel of the humanoid robot within the environment is by movement of the mobile base within the environment. The humanoid robot has a second locomotion mode in which the humanoid robot is not supported on the platform and travel of the humanoid robot within the environment is by movement of the two robotic legs.

Abstract: The chicken wing grabbing device includes a pair of tongs, a housing, and an actuator. The chicken wing grabbing device may be a hand-held utensil adapted for a user to hold a food item during consumption of the food item. The housing may be adapted to be held by a user's hand. The pair of tongs coupled to the housing may clench the food item when the actuator is engaged. The pair of tongs may continue to hold the food item until the actuator is disengaged. As a non-limiting example, the food item may be a chicken wing and the chicken wing grabbing device may allow the user to consume the chicken wing without transferring sauce to the user's hand.

Abstract: A finger joint transmission structure of an anthropomorphic robot hand includes a first finger segment and a second finger segment that are pivotally connected to each other. A toothed rack in an arc shape is provided at the joint of the first finger segment and the second finger segment. The second finger segment has a speed reducer and a motor connected to the speed reducer therein. The speed reducer has a transmission shaft extending toward the toothed rack. A transmission gear meshing with the toothed rack is provided on the transmission shaft. When the motor drives the transmission shaft to rotate via the speed reducer, the transmission gear is synchronously driven to move along the toothed rack, so that the second finger segment is driven to be pivoted upward or downward at a predetermined angle relative to the first finger segment.

Abstract: Provided herein are systems and methods for magnetically gripping an object. A magnetic gripping system may include a gripper having different, tunable gripping states that are associated with different magnetic field strengths.

Abstract: A multi-input, multi-output phononic system including a first interface surface and a second interface surface that respond to at least one of a pressure gradient or a velocity gradient in a wave of a turbulent fluid flow or a laminar fluid flow, the pressure gradient or the velocity gradient associated with complex motion of the flow exhibiting a plurality of frequencies exerted on one or more of the interface surfaces; and a subsurface feature extending from the interface surfaces, the subsurface feature comprising a phononic crystal or locally resonant metamaterial adapted to receive one or more of the pressure gradient or the velocity gradient from the fluid flow via the interface surfaces and to alter one or more of a phase and an amplitude of a plurality of frequency components of the fluid flow.

Abstract: A flying apparatus, an aircraft, and a method for controlling flight of a flying apparatus are provided. The flying apparatus may include a frame, including a front section and a rear section; a front tiltrotor, disposed on the front section of the frame; and a rear tiltrotor, disposed on the rear section of the frame; wherein the front tiltrotor is configured to tilt at a front tilt angle to a gravity direction to control a flight of the flying apparatus, and the rear tiltrotor is configured to tilt at a rear tilt angle to the gravity direction to control the flight of the flying apparatus.

Abstract: A securement device is disclosed to aid in the movement or suspension of equipment or people through the air or along inclined surfaces using rope, cable, wire, or similar component and associated lifting, winching, lowering devices, mechanical advantage systems or manual power by retaining a system component between a yoke and a load pin using a load pin assembly. The load pin is biased into a locked position through the use of a biasing member but may be moved from a locked position to a retracted position by journaling a lock pin through a lock slot. Some embodiments restrict movement of the load pin using a track pin and a track slot, while other embodiments use the interaction of a lock ring and a keyed recess formed in the yoke. The securement device may be incorporated as part of a rigging plate.

Abstract: A charging hub for a base station that is configured to receive an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) during docking. The charging hub is repositionable between a retracted position and an extended position and includes a charger subassembly, which is configured for electrical connection to the UAV, and a locking mechanism, which is pivotable in relation to the charger subassembly between a passive position and an active position and is configured for engagement with the UAV to thereby secure the charging hub to the UAV in the active position.

Abstract: A drive mechanism includes a stacked motor assembly. The stacked motor assembly includes a first motor, a first rotatable driver member rotationally fixed to the first motor, a second motor vertically spaced from the first motor, and a second rotatable driver member rotationally fixed to the second motor. The drive mechanism also includes an output shaft spaced from the first motor and the second motor and a flexible drive member rotatably coupling the first rotatable driver member, the second rotatable driver member, and the output shaft together such that rotation of the first rotatable drive member by the first motor and rotation of the second rotatable driver member by the second motor impart rotational torque to the output shaft. The drive mechanism further includes an output belt fixed to the output shaft and configured to be wound about the output shaft upon rotation of the output shaft.

Abstract: A system for deploying a payload from an aerial vehicle onto a target surface includes a flywheel-stabilized delivery device that is detachably couplable to the aerial vehicle. The delivery device includes an axle, a flywheel, and a payload holder. The delivery device may additionally include an attachment portion and a floatation device. The payload holder may be detachably coupled to the payload such that the delivery device detaches from payload upon impact at the target surface. The system may additionally include a release mechanism for detachably coupling the delivery device to the aerial vehicle. The release mechanism may include a flywheel driver, a receiver, and a dropper device. The release mechanism may be remotely controlled by an operator to release the delivery device from the aerial vehicle.

Abstract: This conveyance device includes: a suction head which suctions and conveys an electronic component; a movement control unit which moves the suction head; a rotation control unit which controls a rotation position of the suction head centered on a predetermined axis of rotation; and a suction control unit which causes the suction head to suction the electronic component such that a load exerted on the electronic component from the suction head in conjunction with the movement of the suction head is less than or equal to a predetermined pressure. The movement control unit sets a correction amount of the predetermined pressure based on the self-weight of the suction head on the basis of the rotation position of the suction head. Using a conveyance device such as the foregoing makes it possible to improve the accuracy of load control during suction or suction release of an electronic component.

Abstract: Systems and methods to optimize power consumption and trip time of electrically powered aerial vehicles that are required to continuously perform trips that require more electrical power than what is supplied by an onboard energy storage device. The systems include aerial vehicles equipped with photo-voltaic (PV) panels, removable energy storage devices, light sensors, power meters, global positioning satellite (GPS) modules, programmable central processing unit (PCPU) devices, telemetry equipment, artificial intelligent (AI) object recognition software and cameras, etc. The methods include a method to maximize the amount sunlight contacting the PV panels, a method to give and receive an energy storage device between two aerial vehicles using AI object recognition, while both vehicles are airborne, and a method to optimize the location for the giving and receiving of energy storage devices.

Abstract: A flotation system for an aircraft that includes a battery system providing power to the aircraft is presented. The flotation system can include a water propulsion system enables maneuvering of the aircraft, such as a seaplane, on the surface of water. The system can include waterjets located on floats of the aircraft that enable maneuvering of the aircraft in forward, backward, and lateral directions as well as rotational motion. The systems are quieter in operation than the main engine of the aircraft and provide precision maneuvering for docking or active stabilization of the aircraft's position.

Abstract: A pallet puller including: a first bar having a first hook disposed on a distal end of the first bar, wherein the first hook is a wedge connected to the distal end of the first bar; a second bar having a second hook disposed on a distal end of the second bar, wherein the second hook is a wedge connected to the distal end of the second bar; a ring loosely coupled to a proximal end of the first bar and to a proximal end of the second bar such that the first and second bars are able to move with respect to the ring and such that pointed ends of the first and second hooks are pointed in opposite directions with respect to each other; and a line having a proximal end coupled to the ring and a distal end terminated in a connection point.

Abstract: Systems, devices and methods related to unmanned aerial vehicles and landing systems are described herein. One example disclosed unmanned aerial vehicle includes a vehicle body including an airfoil shape, a plurality of rotors, a payload void within the airfoil shape profile, and a rotatable payload bay disposed within the payload void. A payload delivery system is also described. The payload delivery system includes a payload void, a payload bay, at least one actuator operative to rotate the payload bay with respect to the payload void, and a payload controller operative to eject a payload from the payload bay. Several landing systems and devices for unmanned vehicles are also described. One example landing device includes a frame including a rear surface operative to attach the frame to a vertical glass surface and an aircraft support element operative to receive and support an unmanned aerial vehicle.

Abstract: A reel includes a core, a first flange affixed to a first end of the core, a second flange affixed to a second opposite end of the core, and a first bonded joint connecting the first flange to the core. The first bonded joint includes a first susceptor material arranged between the first flange and the first end of the core, and the first flange and the first end of the core are bonded around the first susceptor material.

Abstract: An aerial lighting system includes: two or more unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) each including a corresponding high-powered LED array arranged to illuminate an area beneath the UAVs when the UAVs are airborne; a base station configured to retain the UAVs when not airborne, wherein the base station includes a controller for controlling the UAVs; and a plurality of cables for transferring power and data, including: (i) a first cable detachably coupled between the base station and a first UAV, wherein the first UAV receives power from the base station and communicates with the controller via the first cable, and (ii) a second cable detachably coupled between the first UAV and a second UAV, wherein the second UAV receives power from the base station and communicates with the controller via the second cable.

Abstract: A landing platform for a base station that is configured to receive an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The landing platform includes: alignment members that are configured for engagement with the UAV; drive brackets that are connected to the alignment members; and a drive member that is connected to the drive brackets such that the drive brackets extend between and connect the alignment members and the drive member, whereby movement of the drive member causes corresponding movement of the drive brackets and the alignment members to thereby reposition the UAV on the landing platform.