Abstract: A robotic manipulator has three linearly extensible arms mounted on a frame in a triangular array and carrying at their remote ends a connector interface coupling the arms to a tool for manipulating parts to be positioned or for other work. The structure is such that the location of the connector is determined solely by the lengths of the arms, while its orientation is determined primarily by controllably rotating the connector with respect to the arms. The decoupling of position and orientation minimizes the computation required to accurately position a tool. In the preferred illustrative embodiment, the rotation is performed by driving motors for the arms which are located at the arm ends adjacent the frame; this minimizes the mass, and thus the inertia, that is located at the connector end, and enables high acceleration and rapid motion of the connector head and its associated tool.

Abstract: A compliance element for a remote center compliance unit is formed from a multi-stranded cable having an elastomeric collar molded around a center portion thereof and terminating in threaded connectors for incorporation into the compliance unit.

Abstract: A compliant assembly system device including operator means for holding parts to be assembled; first and second interconnected deformable structures for supporting the operator means; the first deformable structure including a deformable portion having a first center being responsive to a force and to a moment applied to the operator means to permit rotation of the operator means about the first center; the second deformable structure including a deformable portion having a second center spaced from the first center and remote from the system, being responsive to a force and to a moment applied to the operator means to permit rotation of the operator means about the second remote center; the force causing generally equal and opposite offsetting rotations about the first and second centers which result in translational motion of the assembly device and a moment causing generally equal and opposite offsetting translations which result in rotation of the assembly device about an intermediate compliance center be