Abstract: A mechanism (30) and a method for inserting an elongate member (35) through an aperture of a body, along a longitudinal axis (35), the mechanism comprising a feed portion (42) comprising a feed actuator (43) configured to engage with and drive the elongate member along the longitudinal axis; and, a twist portion (44) comprising a twist actuator (82) configured to engage with the feed portion and rotate the elongate member about the longitudinal axis.

Abstract: A supernumerary robotic limb (SRL) system can include a plurality of rigid links, a joint that connects one rigid link to another rigid link in the plurality of rigid arms, and two variable stiffness actuators (VSAs) configured to drive the plurality of rigid links in order to complete at least one task. The VSAs can exhibit infinite rotation and infinite stiffness. The VSAs can include an output link. Additionally, the VSAs can include a set of elastic elements mounted on the output link. The VSAs can include an input link configured to provide kinetic energy for the output link. The VSAs can include a dynamic chassis configured to connect with the input link. Additionally, the VSAs can include a stiffness adjustor included in the dynamic chassis and configured to adjust an elastic transmission between at least one elastic element of the set of elastic elements and the output link.

Abstract: A linear motion device includes: a bearing mounted to the outer periphery of a ball screw; a nut holder through which the ball screw passes; and a bearing pressing member which is fixed to a motor housing with the ball screw inserted in a through hole and which restricts the movement of the bearing in the motor housing in the axial direction. The bearing pressing member has a cutout portion extending from the inner peripheral surface of the through hole over to the outer peripheral surface of the bearing pressing member in the radial direction.

Abstract: A shift lock mechanism for a vehicle includes: a member to be locked that is provided to a selector lever for selecting a transmission gear of an automatic transmission, an engaging part provided to the member to be locked at a position corresponding to the transmission gear, a lock member facing the member to be locked and engageable with the engaging part, a slope part disposed at an end of the lock member, a driving device that drives the lock member to lock the selector lever or enable the selector lever to move, a buffer member that is provided to the driving device and compressed to urge the lock member toward the member to be locked which is retracted, and a control device that receives a depression signal from a brake pedal and a vehicle speed signal from a vehicle speed sensor and to control to drive the driving device.

Abstract: A steering apparatus for a marine vessel includes a central portion supported rotatably around a rotation fulcrum with respect to a hull, a wheel portion, a spoke portion that connects the central portion and the wheel portion, first switches, second switches near the first switches, and paddles operable to cause a thrust to be applied in a front-rear direction to the hull. The first and second switches control the hull in different modes. The first switches are located at positions where a marine vessel operator is able to operate the first switches with the fingers of hands operating the paddles. The first and second switches are on the spoke portion and have different heights in a pressing direction.

Abstract: A robot includes a first arm, a second arm, and a connector that connects the first arm and the second arm to each other in such a manner as to be rotatable around a vertical axis. The connector includes a columnar-shaped columnar section extending along the vertical axis and a first cover section extending from an outer peripheral surface of the columnar section in a direction intersecting the vertical axis. The second arm includes a main body section connected to the columnar section and a second cover section attached to the first cover section to surround a space in an enclosed state. The space is faced by at least a portion of the outer peripheral surface and a surface of the main body section located toward the first arm.

Abstract: An operating member including a support; an actuating part mounted on the support by a mount, to be movable relative to the support, by manual actuation against a resetting force to carry out an actuating movement from a rest position into a depressed position; and a detector, having at least one force sensor, adapted to detect at least one position of the actuating part is presented. The mount includes a guidance mechanism having at least one pair of coupled levers, wherein the levers are each pivotably mounted on the support by a first pivot joint defining at least one first pivot axis and on the actuating part by a second pivot joint defining at least one second pivot axis to cause a pivoting movement of the levers by the actuating movement. The guidance mechanism further includes at least one coupling rod to couple the pivoting movement of the levers.

Abstract: A robot in which two members constituting a joint shaft and supported in a relatively movable manner are each provided with a V-shaped groove having two sloped inner surfaces intersecting each other at a linear groove bottom extending orthogonally to a movement direction, or a V-shaped protrusion having two sloped outer surfaces intersecting each other at a linear ridge extending orthogonally to the movement direction. When the two members of the joint shaft are disposed in a predetermined operational position, the groove bottoms, the ridges, or the groove bottom and the ridge are disposed in alignment with each other.

Abstract: Described is a rotary coupling that includes a pair of coupling bodies having parallel (preferably coincident) rotation axes, two cylindrical elements and a preload mechanism. A gap is provided between surfaces on the first and second coupling bodies. The first cylindrical element is disposed on the first coupling body and has a first cylinder axis, and the second cylindrical element is disposed on the second coupling body adjacent to the first cylindrical element and has a second cylinder axis that is perpendicular to the first cylinder axis. The preload mechanism imparts a force to each of the first and second coupling bodies and thereby preloads the first and second cylindrical elements against each other at a point of contact. One example of the preload mechanism includes a pair of magnets disposed opposite each other across the gap and another example of the preload mechanism includes an air bearing.

Abstract: Provided is a robot, including: a controller; a plurality of actuators mechanically coupled to an end-effector mount; a first set of end-effectors magnetically coupled to the end-effector mount; and a sensor adjacent an interface between at least some of the first set of end effectors and the end-effector mount, wherein: the end effectors are magnetically coupled to the end-effector mount with magnetic couplings that decouple in response to less than 200 Newtons of force being applied to distal portions of respective end effectors in a direction opposing movement of respective end effectors driven by at least some of the actuators, and the sensor is configured to output a signal indicative of a given end effector decoupling and indicate which end effector in the first decoupled.

Abstract: A wearable cable-driven robotic arm system includes a wearing mechanism, two robotic arms located on two sides of the wearing mechanism, cable driving devices, a load trolley, and a motor controller, where the cable driving devices are divided into driving portions and driven portions, heavy objects, such as electric motors, of the driving portions are arranged in the load trolley, thereby reducing loads born by the wearable robotic arms, the load trolley can travel with a person by means of sleeves or can be controlled by the motor controller to move by means of signals measured by following modules, the driven portions are combined with the robotic arms, and are double-cable driven, thereby reducing weight of the robotic arms, and a brain-computer interface module is used for controlling the driving devices, thereby controlling the robotic arms more accurately.

Abstract: An operator control device for a vehicle may have a rotatable base body, an electronic unit, and a rotary unit. The rotatable base body may have a first operator control section for setting at least one first vehicle function which is assigned to the first operator control section, and a second operator control section for setting at least one second vehicle function which is assigned to the second operator control section. The electronic unit may be designed to make available a first contact signal which represents manual contact with or approaching of the first operator control section, and a second contact signal which represents manual contact with or approaching of the second operator control section. The rotary unit may permit a rotational movement of the base body.

Abstract: An input device includes: a rotating member that rotates about a predetermined rotation axis; and a mover that includes a protrusion protruding toward an inner peripheral surface of the rotating member and moves in a direction different from a rotation direction of the rotating member along with rotation of the rotating member. The protrusion protrudes toward an inner peripheral surface of the rotating member. The rotating member includes a first projection and a second projection that project from the inner peripheral surface toward the mover. The protrusion of the mover is inclined with respect to the predetermined rotation axis and disposed between the first projection and the second projection.

Abstract: A power strut includes anisotropic damping device that provides different frictional torque on a rotatable member in response to rotation in opposite rotational directions. The anisotropic damping device includes a shell, the rotatable member, and a torsion spring. The shell includes a through hole, and the rotatable member extends through the through hole and is rotatably connected to the shell. The torsion spring is sleeved on the rotatable member and is in interference fit with the rotatable member, and the torsion spring is provided with a first leg fixedly connected to the shell. The rotatable member may include a shaft sleeve fixed to a rotating shaft, with the torsion spring in interference fit with the shaft sleeve.

Abstract: A robot includes a first member and a second member that is rotationally driven about a prescribed axis with respect to the first member. The second member includes a pair of axially spaced-apart flange portions. The second member is supported by the respective flange portions so as to be rotatable about the axis. The robot also includes a balancer that is attached to the first member and the second member so as to be respectively rotatable about attachment axes that are parallel to the axis. In addition, the robot includes an adapter that is inserted between the pair of flange portions. The adapter is attached to the second member in an attachable/detachable manner and disposes the attachment axis of the balancer for the second member at a position that is radially farther inside than outer circumferential surfaces of the flange portions and that is decentered with respect to the axis.

Abstract: A shifter lever for a transmission of a motor vehicle includes a shifter tube extending between an upper end and a lower end. The lower end including an attachment member configured to be attached to the vehicle transmission for controlling an operation thereof. The shifter lever also includes a liner of foam rubber material disposed in the shifter tube and along a substantially entire length thereof for reducing vibration in the shifter tube. The liner is injected into the shifter tube and cured in place to conform to an interior surface of the shifter tube and to adhere to the interior surface of the shifter tube.

Abstract: A drive unit (10) for a manually driven vehicle, in particular a bicycle or an EPAC, includes a housing (12), an electric motor (18) with a rotor (44), a bottom bracket shaft (14), a harmonic drive (20) coupled to the rotor (44), and an output shaft (22). The harmonic drive (20) includes an outer bushing with an inner toothing. The outer bushing (38) of the harmonic drive (20) is coupled to the housing (12) via a buffer (64).

Abstract: An automated manual transmission, comprising: a transmission control unit, a shift rod movable between a predetermined first position in which it engages a first gear combination of the transmission, a predetermined second position in which it engages a second gear combination of the transmission, and a predetermined neutral position in which it does not engage any gear, an actuator for moving the shift rod between the first position, the second position and the neutral position by applying a fluid pressure acting on the shift rod in response to signals from the transmission control unit, mechanical engagement means for maintaining the first and second positions of the shift rod without applying any fluid pressure by means of the actuator, wherein the transmission is adapted to maintain the neutral position of the shift rod solely by applying fluid pressure acting on the shift rod.

Abstract: An operation device for a vehicle transmission is configured to include: a base bracket that is fixed to a vehicle body of a vehicle; a slider lever that is slidably supported by the base bracket and includes a shift knob; and a main gear, which is rotatably supported by the base bracket and includes gear teeth at an outer circumferential portion, to which an end portion of a shift wire of the vehicle transmission is connected at a position separated from a gear support shaft of the base bracket, the slider lever including a rack gear that is formed along a sliding direction of the slider lever and is engaged with the gear teeth of the main gear, and gear change of the transmission being performed by causing the main gear to rotate with sliding of the slider lever and pushing and pulling the shift wire.

Abstract: A robot arm comprising a first arm segment and a second arm segment coupled to each other by a first revolute joint having a first rotation axis and a second revolute joint having a second rotation axis non-parallel to the first rotation axis, and a joint mechanism for articulating the first arm segment relative to the second arm segment about the first and second rotation axes, the joint mechanism comprising: a first driven gear disposed about an axle coincident with the first rotation axis, the axle being fast with a first arm segment of the robot arm; a second driven gear disposed about the second rotation axis and fast with a second arm segment of the robot arm and fast with the first driven gear about the first rotation axis; a first drive gear configured to drive the first driven gear to rotate about the axle, the first drive gear being arranged to engage the first driven gear; a second drive gear for driving the second driven gear to rotate about the second rotation axis; and an intermediary gear arran