Abstract: Method and apparatus are disclosed for determining the position and attitude of objects, together with robotic systems employing same, and methods of targeting objects for such purposes.Particularly of interest is the application to continuous conveyors, particularly in the process of automobile manufacture.

Abstract: Insertion of a lightguide preform (12) into a tube (14) without contacting the sides thereof is accomplished by first roughly aligning the rod in spaced axial alignment with the tube. Thereafter, the offset of the rod from the axis of the tube is measured and the amount of lateral movement of the rod from the axis is determined. Then the rod is moved laterally in accordance with the determined amount of movement to precisely align the rod with the tube. Once alignment has been achieved, the rod is inserted in the tube and the tube is collapsed thereabout. An apparatus (10) for practicing this method is disclosed.

Abstract: A sequencer for assembling into a transferee magazine predetermined numbers of fixtures from a predetermined plurality of transferor magazines, each of which transferor magazines is adapted to hold a plurality of fixtures. Each of the fixtures stacked in a transferor magazine holds an integrated circuit (IC) chip of the same type. The transferor magazines are removably mounted on transferor bases mounted on a support member. Positoning means are also mounted on the support member and a transferee magazine is removably mounted on a transferee base secured to the positioning means. A transfer mechanism is mounted on the positioning means to transfer a fixture from a transferor magazine to the transferee magazine when the transferee magazine is in fixture transfer position with respect to a transferor magazine.