Abstract: An X-ray apparatus includes guide rails arranged along different axes, an X-ray tube movably mounted on at least one of the guide rails and adapted to be moved upon user force, motors provided at the guide rails to move the X-ray tube, a force detection unit to detect the user force, and a control unit to determine a direction of force and drive the motor provided at the guide rail on an axis corresponding to the determined direction. The X-ray apparatus may be easily moved based on force detection and velocity control of the motor, thereby achieving more precise and safe movement in a desired direction. Accordingly, the X-ray apparatus may provide rapid and efficient medical examination and treatment in hospitals.

Abstract: A path planning apparatus of a robot smoothes a motion path while satisfying a constraint. In a configuration space where a manipulator of a robot performs a task, a Rapidly-exploring Random Tree (RRT) path which extends from a start point and reaches a goal point may be smoothed while satisfying a constraint to generate a stable motion path. Accordingly, path planning performance is improved and an optimal path satisfying a kinematic constraint may be rapidly obtained.

Abstract: A path planning apparatus and method of a robot, in which a path, along which the robot accesses an object to grasp the object, is planned. The path planning method includes judging whether or not a robot hand of a robot collides with an obstacle when the robot hand moves along one access path candidate selected from plural access path candidates along which the robot hand accesses an object to grasp the object, calculating an access score of the selected access path candidate when the robot hand does not collide with the obstacle, and determining an access path plan using the access score of the selected access path candidate.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method of locating a moving robot are disclosed. The apparatus includes a storage unit storing information on straight lines of wall on a map, a state quantity detection unit detecting quantity of state of the robot running along the wall, and a control unit estimating an interior position of the robot by obtaining straight line information based on the detected state quantity and matching the obtained straight line information with the stored straight line information.

Abstract: A robot and a control method thereof which execute grasp planning of hands of the robot separately from motion planning of arms of the robot so as to apply a result of the grasp planning of the hands of the robot to the motion planning of the arms of the robot, and thus more rapidly, naturally and stably grasp an object in a grasp manner suited to a desired working purpose and judge whether or not grasping is executable prior to the motion planning of the arms of the robot, thereby more stably grasping the object.

Abstract: A hoist apparatus including a hoist and control method are provided. The hoist includes a cable to which an object is connected, a motor, a drum to wind or unwind the cable in linkage with rotation of the motor, a pulley connected to the drum via the cable to guide the cable to the drum, and an angle detection assembly to detect an angle of the cable between the pulley and the object. A control unit detects whether the object shakes based on the angle of the cable and controls shaking restriction if shaking of the object is detected. User force and angle of the cable are detected and movement of the object is controlled, the object is easily moved by the user, auxiliary force is applied to the object, and vibration of the object is minimized.

Abstract: A robot and a control method thereof. The control method includes generating and storing plural grasping motions corresponding to data of a target object, selecting a grasping motion corresponding to a grasping purpose of the target object among the plural grasping motions, generating a path of arms corresponding to the selected grasping motion, calculating torques to track the path of the arms, and outputting the torques toward the arms so as to perform movement of the arms and grasping of the target object. The grasping motion path corresponding to the grasping purpose is generated and the path of arms is generated, thereby reducing overall calculation time during grasping of the target object to increase calculating efficiency, minimizing generation of the path of the arms, and allowing an arm path calculating process to be performed at the late stage of a grasping control process to improve grasping performance.

Abstract: A method to control medical equipment that moves along at least one axis or performs joint movement is provided. While the medical equipment is passively moved as operated by the operator, the operation intention of the operator is determined using a force sensor, a torque sensor, or the like, and motor control is performed taking into consideration the determined operation intention to reduce load (or drive power) of the operator. To accomplish this, the method determines a direction and magnitude of force that an operator applies to the medical equipment to move the medical equipment and generates auxiliary force having a magnitude proportional to the force applied by the operator and having the same direction as the direction of the force applied by the operator such that the medical equipment is easily moved.

Abstract: An X-ray apparatus includes guide rails arranged along different axes, an X-ray tube movably mounted on at least one of the guide rails and adapted to be moved upon user force, motors provided at the guide rails to move the X-ray tube, a force detection unit to detect the user force, and a control unit to determine a direction of force and drive the motor provided at the guide rail on an axis corresponding to the determined direction. The X-ray apparatus may be easily moved based on force detection and velocity control of the motor, thereby achieving more precise and safe movement in a desired direction. Accordingly, the X-ray apparatus may provide rapid and efficient medical examination and treatment in hospitals.

Abstract: A robot and a control method thereof. The robot has plural robot arms, each having at least one joint unit and a hand, and the control method includes dividing an object into target and feasible grasp regions and storing grasp policies respectively corresponding to the grasp regions, sensing respective orientations of the object, the at least one joint unit, and an obstacle, judging whether or not grasping of the target grasp region is feasible after sensing the orientations, generating a grasp route using the grasp policy for the target grasp region, upon judging that grasping of the target grasp region is feasible, and generating a grasp route using the grasp policy for one of the feasible grasp regions, upon judging that grasping of the target grasp region is not feasible, and controlling the at least one joint unit and the hand to trace the generated grasp route.

Abstract: A robot and a control method thereof. The robot has plural robot arms, each having at least one joint unit and a hand, and the control method includes calculating in advance and storing a plurality of grasp poses to generate grasp routes, sensing respective orientations of an object, the robot arms, and an obstacle, selecting one grasp pose from among the plurality of grasp poses by judging a movable angle range of the at least one joint unit, whether or not the object collides with the obstacle, and self-collision between the robot hands based on the sensed respective orientations, and generating grasp routes using the selected grasp pose. In the control method, the plurality of feasible grasp poses is calculated in advance and then stored, thereby rapidly and stably performing grasping of the object.

Abstract: A backlight unit is disclosed which improves picture quality by preventing a bright line or a dark line from being visible in the center of the display area. The backlight unit includes a plurality of U-shaped lamps arranged in two columns, wherein curved portions of the two opposite U-shaped lamps are symmetrically positioned in the center of a display area. Each of the curved portions of the U-shaped lamps has a non-luminous part so that light is not emitted by the curved portions of the U-shaped lamps. Optical sheets are provided above the U-shaped lamps, and a reflective sheet is provided below the U-shaped lamps.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are a humanoid robot and a control method thereof. The humanoid robot controls robot parts performing main motions having high relevance with respect to a commanded action to the humanoid robot such that these robot parts move along optimized motion trajectories generated through motion optimization in consideration of robot dynamics, and controls robot parts performing remaining motions having low relevance with respect to the commanded action such that these robot parts move along predetermined motion trajectories corresponding to the commanded action, thereby simplifying optimization of whole body motions of the humanoid robot while performing the commanded action maximally similarly to a real human action.

Abstract: A robot and a method of controlling the same are disclosed. The robot derives a maximum dynamic performance capability using a specification of an actuator of the robot. The control method includes forming a first bell-shaped velocity profile in response to a start time and an end time of a motion of the robot, calculating a value of an objective function having a limited condition according to the bell-shaped velocity profile, and driving a joint in response to a second bell-shaped velocity profile that minimizes the objective function having the limited condition.

Abstract: An apparatus, method and computer-readable medium planning a path of a robot by planning an optimal path while satisfying a dynamic constraint. In a process of searching for a motion path from a start point to a goal point while extending a tree from a start point of a configuration space to generate a path, along which a manipulator of the robot is moved in order to perform a task, an optimal path is generated responsive to the dynamic constraint of the manipulator of the robot to generate stable motion satisfying momentum and Zero Moment Position (ZMP) constraint. Accordingly, path planning performance is improved and a path satisfying a kinematic constraint and a dynamic constraint is rapidly obtained.

Abstract: A path planning apparatus of a robot smoothes a motion path while satisfying a constraint. In a configuration space where a manipulator of a robot performs a task, a Rapidly-exploring Random Tree (RRT) path which extends from a start point and reaches a goal point may be smoothed while satisfying a constraint to generate a stable motion path. Accordingly, path planning performance is improved and an optimal path satisfying a kinematic constraint may be rapidly obtained.

Abstract: Disclosed is a humanoid robot apparatus, method and computer-readable medium thereof related to lifting and holding a heavy object having a weight unknown to the robot, by measuring an external force acting on the robot. Linear momentum and rotational momentum are compensated for stepwise according to the degree of stability of the robot which is determined based on the measured external force. Accordingly, the robot stably lifts and holds the object without losing its balance.

Abstract: Disclosed are an apparatus, a method and a computer-readable medium controlling whole-body operation of a humanoid robot. The humanoid robot recognizes a motion control code using binary data mapped according to a motion command represented by a language understood by a human to implement a whole-body operation. Since a control mode corresponding to a task space control and a control mode corresponding to a joint space control are used together to describe whole-body motion, the whole-body operation more similar to a human action may be easily implemented.

Abstract: A suitable waypoint is selected using a goal score, a section from a start point to a goal point through the waypoint is divided into a plurality of sections based on the waypoint with a solution of inverse kinematics, and trees are simultaneously expanded in the sections using a Best First Search & Rapidly Random Tree (BF-RRT) algorithm so as to generate a path. By this configuration, a probability of local minima occurring is decreased compared with the case where the waypoint is randomly selected. In addition, since the trees are simultaneously expanded in the sections each having the waypoint with a solution of inverse kinematics, the solution may be rapidly obtained. A time consumed to search for an optimal motion path may be shortened and path plan performance may be improved.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a path planning apparatus and method of a robot, in which a path, along which the robot accesses an object to grasp the object, is planned. The path planning method includes judging whether or not a robot hand of a robot collides with an obstacle when the robot hand moves along one access path candidate selected from plural access path candidates along which the robot hand accesses an object to grasp the object, calculating an access score of the selected access path candidate when the robot hand does not collide with the obstacle, and determining an access path plan using the access score of the selected access path candidate.