Abstract: Disclosed is a compliant joint achieving passive compliance. The compliant joint includes a housing and a rotating member mutually rotatably provided; and a cam provided between the housing and the rotating member, and connected to the housing and the rotating member respectively. The cam is connected to the rotating member to rotate together with the rotation of the rotating member, or be independent of the rotating member so as to move in the axial direction of the rotating member separately from the rotating member. The cam is connected to the housing such that the cam can maintain the connection with the housing when external force below a designated value is applied to the rotating member, and release the connection with the housing in the case that external force more than the designated value is applied to the rotating member.

Abstract: Disclosed are a robot hand and a humanoid robot having the same. The robot hand includes a plurality of finger members and a base member to which one end of the finger members is rotatably coupled, respectively. The finger members are rotated through pneumatic pressure so that intervals between adjacent finger members are changed. If the finger members are not used, the intervals between the finger members are widened so that the finger members are prevented from being damaged when the finger members collide with walls or objects.

Abstract: A compliant joint capable of achieving passive compliance for a robot in order to prevent an injury to a human by collision with the robot. The compliant joint includes a housing, a cam member rotatably mounted in the housing, a roller spring device mounted to the cam member to be compressed and extended, a guiding member formed in the housing to guide compression and extension of the roller spring device in accordance with rotation of the cam member, and a receiving recess formed at the guiding member to engage the housing and the cam member with each other by receiving the roller spring device and release the engagement by separating from the roller spring device. Accordingly, robustness of the robot can be maintained when an impact less than a predetermined magnitude is applied, while being suddenly decreased when an impact greater than the magnitude is applied.

Abstract: A robot hand may have an improved structure so that movements of some of joints of a finger structure do not influence operations of other joints. A meta phalangeal (MP) roll joint unit rotated in a roll direction and an MP pitch joint unit rotated in a pitch direction of an MP joint unit are separately arranged to form an offset. Movable angles of the respective joint units are widened, and the joint units are precisely controlled. Overall friction within the robot hand is reduced, and a robot having the hand is stabilized.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are a robot actuator and a humanoid robot having the same. The robot actuator includes a rotation driving source, a ball screw member including a ball screw part connected to the rotation driving source and a nut part connected to the ball screw part, a guide member separated in parallel from the ball screw part, a slider member movably supported by the guide member, and a connection member connecting the slider member and the nut part to move the slider member in connection with movement of the nut part, and the connection member is relatively movably connected to at least one of the nut part and the slider member. Therefore, efficiency in force reflection and back-drivability of the actuator is improved.

Abstract: Disclosed are a robot hand and a humanoid robot having the same. The robot hand includes a plurality of finger members and a base member to which one end of the finger members is rotatably coupled, respectively. The finger members are rotated through pneumatic pressure so that intervals between adjacent finger members are changed. If the finger members are not used, the intervals between the finger members are widened so that the finger members are prevented from being damaged when the finger members collide with walls or objects.

Abstract: A robot has a structure in which finger joints do not interfere with each other. The robot includes a first actuator driving the finger joint, a first power transmission, a second actuator driving the finger joint, and a second power transmission. The first actuator and the first power transmission are coupled with a wrist joint so that the position of the first actuator and the first power transmission is changed. Accordingly, even if the wrist joint operates, the distance between the first actuator and the finger joint is constantly maintained.

Abstract: Disclosed is a humanoid robot capable of improving power transmission efficiency of a wire and movement displacement of a wrist joint by modifying the structure of the wrist joint serving as a passage for wires. The humanoid robot includes a robot hand including a power transmission device for transferring gripping force to finger members. The power transmission device includes connection members connecting an actuator to finger joints and guide members for guiding the connection members. The guide members include a first guide member coupled to a robot arm and a second guide member coupled to a hand body. The connection members are alternately wound around the first and second guide members. The gripping force is enhanced whereby a length of the connection members provided between the first and second guide members is constantly maintained even if the second guide member is shifted from the first guide member.

Abstract: Disclosed are a robot, a robot hand, and a method of controlling the robot hand, in which the robot hand rapidly and correctly approaches an object to be gripped and safely grips the object regardless of the shape and material of the object. The method of controlling a robot hand, which has a palm, and a plurality of fingers, each having a plurality of segments, connected to the palm, includes causing the palm to approach an object using at least one first distance sensor installed on the palm; causing the plurality of fingers to approach the object using at least one second distance sensor installed on the plurality of fingers; and causing the palm and the plurality of fingers to come into contact the object to grip the object.

Abstract: Disclosed is a compliant joint achieving passive compliance. The compliant joint includes a housing and a rotating member mutually rotatably provided; and a cam provided between the housing and the rotating member, and connected to the housing and the rotating member respectively. The cam is connected to the rotating member to rotate together with the rotation of the rotating member, or be independent of the rotating member so as to move in the axial direction of the rotating member separately from the rotating member. The cam is connected to the housing such that the cam can maintain the connection with the housing when external force below a designated value is applied to the rotating member, and release the connection with the housing in the case that external force more than the designated value is applied to the rotating member.

Abstract: A compliant joint capable of achieving passive compliance for a robot in order to prevent an injury to a human by collision with the robot. The compliant joint includes a housing, a cam member rotatably mounted in the housing, a roller spring device mounted to the cam member to be compressed and extended, a guiding member formed in the housing to guide compression and extension of the roller spring device in accordance with rotation of the cam member, and a receiving recess formed at the guiding member to engage the housing and the cam member with each other by receiving the roller spring device and release the engagement by separating from the roller spring device. Accordingly, robustness of the robot can be maintained when an impact less than a predetermined magnitude is applied, while being suddenly decreased when an impact greater than the magnitude is applied.

Abstract: A charging apparatus used with a mobile robot has an improved charging structure so that a mobile robot is easily brought into electrical contact with a charging unit, thereby reducing manufacturing costs and preventing a charging failure. The charging unit is provided with a plurality of charging terminals which are brought into electrical contact with corresponding ones of contact terminals of the mobile robot. Each of the charging terminals includes a body and a head. A contact plate is mounted to a predetermined portion of the head to be brought into electrical contact with a corresponding one of the contact terminals.

Abstract: A two-legged walking robot includes a pair of foot members a calf member provided above each foot member, a double-axis ankle joint provided between the foot member and the calf member to allow the foot member to rotate relative to the calf member in forward and backward directions and in right and left directions. The robot also includes a femoral member provided above each calf member, a single-axis knee joint provided between the calf member and the femoral member, a hip member provided above the femoral member, and a double-axis hip joint provided between the femoral member and the hip member to allow the femoral member to rotate relative to the hip member in the forward, backward, right, and left directions. Thus, the two-legged walking robot operates similar to a human ankle, knee and hip.

Abstract: A charging apparatus used with a mobile robot has an improved charging structure so that a mobile robot is easily brought into electrical contact with a charging unit, thereby reducing manufacturing costs and preventing a charging failure. The charging unit is provided with a plurality of charging terminals which are brought into electrical contact with corresponding ones of contact terminals of the mobile robot. Each of the charging terminals includes a body and a head. A contact plate is mounted to a predetermined portion of the head to be brought into electrical contact with a corresponding one of the contact terminals.

Abstract: A two-legged walking robot includes a pair of foot members a calf member provided above each foot member, a double-axis ankle joint provided between the foot member and the calf member to allow the foot member to rotate relative to the calf member in forward and backward directions and in right and left directions. The robot also includes a femoral member provided above each calf member, a single-axis knee joint provided between the calf member and the femoral member, a hip member provided above the femoral member, and a double-axis hip joint provided between the femoral member and the hip member to allow the femoral member to rotate relative to the hip member in the forward, backward, right, and left directions. Thus, the present invention provides a two-legged walking robot to operate similar to a human ankle, knee and hip.

Abstract: A cleaning apparatus is capable of cleaning by using a drive force of rolling wheels without using an additional power supply. The cleaning apparatus includes a body provided with main rolling wheels. A rotary brush for cleaning is rotatably installed to the body in such a way that the outer circumferential surface of the brush is in contact with a surface to be cleaned. A dust collecting container is mounted to the body in such a way that a mouth of the dust collecting container is near to both the rotary brush and the floor. A power transmission unit transmits the drive force of the main rolling wheels to a shaft of the rotary brush.