Abstract: A main shaft fixture for fixing a main shaft on a wind turbine during installation and repair work on heavy parts of the wind turbine nacelle, in the case where the fixture is formed of several sections for mounting on stable structural parts in the nacelle, including the nacelle's bottom frame. The main shaft fixture has adjustable pressure mandrels with tap shoes, which cause the fixture to be usable regardless of the turbine main shaft geometry, such that it can be mounted without fixing the rotor. The main shaft fixture also has facilities for mounting of a lightweight crane and a self-hoisting crane with a ground-based winch, respectively, as well as a rotor lock which, in combination with actuators of the main shaft fixture, enables the main shaft and the main shaft bearing to be sufficiently displaced vertically from its bearing in the nacelle to service or replace the bearing.

Abstract: A biodegradable and compostable sheet of material for picking up and disposing of dog excrement in an environmentally friendly manner. The sheet comprises paper or paperboard that is made grease resistant. The sheets may be stored in individual sheets or on an elongated sheet that may be folded and rolled for use with dispensing units. In operation, a user grabs or tears off an individual sheet and then places the sheet over the dog excrement so that it is located generally about the sheet's center. The corners or top edges of the sheet may then be grasped and rotated in a direction opposite of the rotation of the central section so that a twist end is formed to retain the dog excrement within a sack. The sack may then be disposed of in a trash can or composter, wherein it will degrade in an environmental safe way.

Abstract: A substrate transfer apparatus includes: a non-conductive support with an upper surface that faces a substrate and supports the substrate; a mover that moves the support to transfer the substrate; a connector that connects the support and the mover while being grounded; a conductive contact that is provided on the upper surface of the support, and supports the substrate in contact with a lower surface of the substrate such that the substrate is not brought into contact with the support; a strip-shaped conductive path that is provided to connect the contact and the connector. The strip-shaped conductive path is provided with a bent portion such that an interval of the strip-shaped conductive path formed by the bent portion is at least twice a width of the strip-shaped conductive path.

Abstract: A control device for adhesion and detachment is provided and includes a base, an actuator, and a movement mechanism including a bearing unit, a peeling unit, and an adhesion unit. The peeling unit is a thin sheet with a high elastic modulus and has a first side and a second side that are opposite to each other. An upper surface of the peeling unit is fixed on a lower surface of the bearing unit. The actuator is fixed to the first side of the peeling unit. The adhesion unit is arranged on a lower surface of the peeling unit. The peeling unit bends and elastically deforms from the first side towards the second side under an action of the actuator in such a manner that the adhesion unit moves synchronously. The peeling unit is in a flat state upon a recovery from the elastic deformation.

Abstract: Provided is a sensing device to be applied to an actuator including a shaft that is movable in an axial direction, the shaft including a hollow part formed on at least a tip side of the shaft such that an interior of the shaft is hollow, the actuator being configured to generate a negative pressure in the hollow part to suction a workpiece to a tip of the shaft, thereby picking up the workpiece. The sensing device includes a flow sensor provided in a middle of an air passage to detect a flow rate of air flowing through the air passage, the air passage being a passage through which air sucked out from the hollow part flows when the negative pressure is applied to the hollow part, and a pressure sensor provided in a middle of the air passage, to detect a pressure in the air passage.

Abstract: A collection device can include an enclosure defining a top opening and a bottom opening; a latch coupled to the enclosure and configured to selectively secure a base to the enclosure proximate to the bottom opening; and an actuator coupled to the latch, the actuator controlled remotely and configured to open the latch and thereby release the base.

Abstract: Systems and methods for estimating deformation and field of contact forces are described. A method includes generating a reference configuration including reference points in space. The reference configuration corresponds to an initial shape of a membrane prior to contact with the manipuland. The method further includes receiving raw data from a TOF device. The raw data includes points in space measured by the TOF device and indicating deformation of the membrane due to contact with the manipuland. The method further includes determining deformation of the membrane that best approximates a current configuration in a least squares sense while satisfying a discrete physical model enforced as a linear constraint that corresponds to a linearized physical model of the deformation that is discretized with an FEM, linearizing the relationship, and estimating deformation and field of contact forces by solving a least squares formulation with physical constraints cast as a sparse quadratic program.

Abstract: A multipurpose tool for flight attendants includes a telescopic arm on which two handle elements are articulated at opposite ends, which handle elements can be folded in so as to lie adjacent to one another. By folding the handle elements apart and extending the telescopic arm, the multipurpose tool can be used in a variety of ways. In addition, fold-out tools may likewise be arranged on the multipurpose tool.

Abstract: A robotically-operated gripping device is provided and includes a frame assembly, a vacuum device, a clamping device, and a robotic arm. The vacuum device is connected to the frame assembly and configured to selectively attach to and position at least a portion of an object. The clamping device is connected to the frame assembly and provided for selectively clamping the object attached to the vacuum device. The robotic arm is connected to the frame assembly and provided for selectively positioning the vacuum device and the gripping device.

Abstract: A removably attachable handle apparatus includes brackets coupleable to canvas art with handles coupleable to the brackets. Brackets may be positioned on opposite sides of the canvas art. An artist may then grasp the handles to create art (e.g., acrylic pours) or may otherwise transport wet art without fear of smudging the art.

Abstract: An anchor device (1) with a base part (2) for attachment to an object (10), such as a load or a loading surface. The anchor device (1) has a connecting part (6) which is held on the base part (2) and can be pivoted relative to the base part about a swivel axis (4). The base part (2) has a bearing surface (8) for contact with the object. A snap mechanism (29), which has at least one snap position (30) along a pivoting movement (28) of the connecting part about the swivel axis, is provided. The snap mechanism generates a braking force (32) in the direction of the pivoting movement in front of the snap position which is reduced in the direction of the pivoting movement behind the snap position.

Abstract: A personal case system with interchangeable touchless tool feature and a method of its use are provided. The system includes a tool having a spine, a distal end and a proximate end. The tool is pivotally connected by the proximate end to a casing at a pivot point. The casing includes a front side, a back side, a sidewall formed by a top side, bottom side and a rear side, and a space formed between the front side and the back side and adapted to receive at least a portion of the tool; wherein the tool can be rotated, relative to the casing, around the pivot point between an open position in which the tool extends from the casing, and a closed position in which the tool retracts into the space of the casing; and wherein the pivot point is located at the top corner of the casing opposite the rear side.

Abstract: A robot hand includes a first finger, a third finger disposed to face the first finger, a second finger disposed side by side with the third finger, a first finger connection portion to which the first finger is connected rotatably, a second finger connection portion to which the second finger is connected rotatably and to which the third finger is connected rotatably, a hand base to which the first finger connection portion and the second finger connection portion are connected, and a finger moving portion that moves at least one of the first finger connection portion and the second finger connection portion with respect to the hand base such that a distance between the first finger and the third finger increases or decreases.

Abstract: A handheld lifting device provides a temporary handle designed for use with a container, such as a bucket, that allows a user to have a secure grip on the bottom of the bucket which results in better pouring control and less finger fatigue while pouring. In the preferred embodiment, the handle includes a nylon strap with hooks at either end and a cam buckle tensioner between the opposing ends to vertically attach to a 5-gallon bucket with an upper hook looping over the rim on the top of the container and the lower hook looping over the lip on the bottom of the bucket. To provide a better grip for pouring, a grip section protrudes from the lower hook.

Abstract: A terminal holder for holding the mobile terminal includes the fixed portion and the holding portion. The fixed portion has a fixed surface fixed to the mobile terminal or the terminal case covering the mobile terminal. The holding portion has both ends connected to the fixed portion, and a finger insertion space is defined between the fixed portion and holding portion, and the mobile terminal is held by inserting a finger into the finger insertion space. The finger insertion space fails to overlap with the fixed portion as viewed from a direction perpendicular to the fixed surface of the fixed portion.

Abstract: A robot gripper for moving wafer carriers and packing materials and a method of operating the same are provided. The gripper mechanism has two clamp assemblies, each with a support pin at the bottom. The clamps are configured to move towards or away from each other, and the support pins are configured to move relative to the clamp assemblies. The first clamp assembly has a main clamp and a secondary clamp with a protrusion, while the second clamp assembly has a similar configuration.

Abstract: A handheld gimbal device includes a gimbal and a gimbal handle connected to the gimbal. The gimbal handle includes a handle body and a hand grip detachably mounted at the handle body. The handle body includes an external interface configured to connect the gimbal with an external device.

Abstract: A gripping device is provided for grasping an object. The device includes a frame, an axial threaded screw, an actuator, an armature, a plurality of links, and a plurality of arms. The frame has proximal and distant ends to hold the screw. The actuator connects to the screw at the proximal end. The armature threads onto the screw. The links radially extend from the armature. Each link terminates in a ball tip. Each arm includes a lever bounded by a proximal hinge and a distal claw. The lever contains a plate to slide therealong. The plate has a socket that receives the ball tip. The hinge pivotably connects to the proximal end of the frame. The actuator turns the screw, thereby translating the armature aft towards the distal end of the frame. The armature carries each link to pull its ball tip aft, thereby causing each arm to radially contract its claw around the object.

Abstract: A vacuum gripper comprises a rigid base element and a loop-shaped vacuum seal element. The base element has first and second opposite sides. The seal element is attached at least indirectly to the second side and protruding therefrom in a direction away from the first side. The seal element comprises a contact surface that at least partially contacts with an object surface and an encircling surface oriented transversely to the contact surface so as to define a chamber. The seal element is elastically deformable at the contact surface to enable conforming to the object surface when pressed thereagainst. The vacuum gripper comprises an air extraction means mounted to the first side to be in fluid communication with the chamber through the base element, and configured to continuously extract air from the chamber to cause the contact surface to be urged towards and grip the object surface when pressed thereagainst.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a robotic end effector configured to mount to a robotic manipulator includes gripping elements configured to grasp objects, a drive mechanism configured to open and close the gripping elements, a central controller configured to control operation of the drive mechanism and the gripper elements, the central controller hosting a control program that enables control of the end effector independent of the robotic manipulator, and at least one of a forward-facing ultrasonic distance sensor configured to measure a distance between the gripping elements and an object to be grasped, and a forward-facing camera mounted between the gripping elements configured to capture video data of an object to be grasped.