Abstract: A robot collision detection device and a method thereof are provided. The robot collision detection device includes a buffer that periodically stores a driving command for allowing a robot to move to a destination and a sensor that detects a behavior of the robot. A controller monitors the driving command and a behavior of the robot corresponding to the driving command, and determines whether there is a robot collision based on the driving command and the behavior of the robot.

Abstract: Provided are an abnormal driving behavior determination method and apparatus, a device, a vehicle and a medium, which relate to the field of artificial intelligence and, in particular, to the field of computer vision and in-depth learning. A specific implementation includes: determining multiple arm keypoints of an arm included in an original image of a driving user; determining an arm bending angle of the driving user according to the multiple arm keypoints; and determining whether the driving user has an abnormal driving behavior according to the arm bending angle. In the present application, the arm bending angle of the driving user is introduced for characterizing a driving pose of the driving user so that the abnormal driving behavior of the driving user is determined according to the arm bending angle, providing a new manner for determining the abnormal driving behavior.

Abstract: A robot simulation device includes an image display unit configured to display a three-dimensional model of a robot system having a robot, a workpiece, and a peripheral device, as a pseudo three-dimensional object existing in a three-dimensional space, and a simulation execution unit configured to perform simulation operation for the three-dimensional model of the robot system displayed by the image display unit.

Abstract: The robot control system includes: a control device for controlling a machine; a portable wireless operation panel for performing wireless communication with the control device to control the machine; a distance measuring unit for measuring the distance between the machine and the portable wireless operation panel; and a warning generator that emits a warning to the operator or stops the machine when the distance between the machine and the portable wireless operation panel exceeds a predetermined threshold value.

Abstract: A molding system for assembling a part by moving a workpiece gripped by a hand of a robot toward a mold of an injection molding machine, while rotating a molded article supported on the mold and the workpiece relative to each other, whereby the molded article and the workpiece are screw-engaged. The molding system includes a rotation detector for detecting a rotational amount between the molded article and the workpiece, an assembled state judging unit for judging if the assembled part is in a predetermined state, and a control unit for relatively rotating and displacing the molded article and the workpiece until the rotational amount exceeds a predetermined rotational amount and the assembled state becomes the predetermined state.

Abstract: A shift position switching device for shifting gears in association with a shift position. The device includes a shift mechanism switching between shift positions using a drive power of a motor, an encoder outputting pulse signals in sync with a rotation of the motor, and a controller rotating the motor to a target rotation position corresponding to an intended gear. The controller rotates the motor toward a dead-end on a first shift position side of the shift mechanism while observing a motor rotation speed or an acceleration of rotation of the motor based on the outputted pulse signals of the encoder. Also, the controller learns, as a reference position on the first shift position side, a first rotation position of the motor.

Abstract: A safety unit is provided for this purpose, and includes a position determining unit, a speed determining unit, a logical product unit, and a stopping unit. When a rotation amount (positional data) of an encoder rotating in connection with a rotation shaft of a servo motor falls within a predetermined limiting range, the position determining unit outputs a command for stopping a motor to a logical product unit. When rotation speed of the encoder rotating in connection with the rotation shaft of the servo motor falls within a predetermined limiting range, the speed determining unit outputs the command for stopping the motor to the logical product unit. This control by the logical product unit requires a stop command from both the position and speed determining units. The logical product unit informs the stopping unit to stop the servo motor to a controller.

Abstract: A robot control device according to an embodiment includes: an observer receiving the angular velocity of the motor and the current command value, and estimating an angular acceleration of the link, and angular velocities of the link and the motor from a simulation model of an angular velocity control system of the motor; a first feedback unit calculating an axis torsion angular velocity from a difference between the angular velocities of the link and the motor estimated by the observer, and giving feedback to the angular velocity control system; a second feedback unit feeding back the angular acceleration of the link estimated by the observer to the angular velocity control system; and a first feedback constant calculating unit compensating an end effector load mass and increases inertia at the second feedback unit when an end effector load in the nonlinear dynamic model has low inertia.

Abstract: A surgical system performs a surgical procedure on a patient with manipulators and an endoscope. The surgical system has a display unit for simultaneously displaying a plurality of items of information including an endoscopic image captured by the endoscope, and a wireless image processor for transmitting information to the display unit and processing the plurality of items of information to be displayed by the display unit. The information about the endoscopic image is transmitted from the endoscope to the wireless image processor through a link including at least a portion based on wireless communications.

Abstract: A method includes determining whether a robot is walking and a direction in which the robot is walking; measuring an amount of time taken for a sole of a foot of the robot to step on the ground; calculating an imaginary reaction force applied to the sole using a trigonometric function having, as a period, the measured amount of time taken for the sole to step on the ground; and applying the calculated imaginary reaction force to a Jacobian transposed matrix and converting the imaginary reaction force into a drive torque for a lower extremity joint of the robot.

Abstract: Methods, computer readable media, and apparatuses provide robotic explosive hazard detection. A robot intelligence kernel (RIK) includes a dynamic autonomy structure with two or more autonomy levels between operator intervention and robot initiative A mine sensor and processing module (ESPM) operating separately from the RIK perceives environmental variables indicative of a mine using subsurface perceptors. The ESPM processes mine information to determine a likelihood of a presence of a mine. A robot can autonomously modify behavior responsive to an indication of a detected mine. The behavior is modified between detection of mines, detailed scanning and characterization of the mine, developing mine indication parameters, and resuming detection. Real time messages are passed between the RIK and the ESPM. A combination of ESPM bound messages and RIK bound messages cause the robot platform to switch between modes including a calibration mode, the mine detection mode, and the mine characterization mode.

Abstract: In a 6-axis robot, as an example, an inter-axis offset can be measured and calibrated. A light emitting diode is installed on an end effector, and the end effector is located on a plurality of target positions of movement on the axis X (Xb) of a robot coordinate. Then, the position of the light emitting diode is measured by a three-dimensional gauge, and an inter-axis offset F is detected based on an error between the target positions of movement and actually moved positions. For the inter-axis offset F, DH parameters are calibrated.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are a robot capable of recovering from a failure of one of a plurality of symmetrically structured modules, and a recovery method thereof. When a hardware or software failure occurs, the robot recovers by itself by replacing the failed module with another corresponding module. Accordingly, resources of the robot can be more efficiently utilized.

Abstract: A robotic catheter control system includes a plurality of electric motors. Diagnostic logic automatically detects motor runaway fault conditions based on the current motor position, the target motor position and a predetermined tolerance parameter. Fault conditions include overshoot, movement in the a non-prescribed direction, exceeding a prescribed maximum motor speed and exceeding a prescribed maximum motor acceleration. The diagnostic logic terminates operating power to the electric motor when a fault condition is detected for any one of the motor. An error message is generated to notify the operator of the fault.

Abstract: A machine tool includes a time calculation unit calculating the time for a spindle to arrive at a target rotational speed, and the time for a spindle head to arrive at a target position; a comparison unit comparing the time to arrive at the target rotational speed and the time to arrive at the target position; and a drive control unit controlling the drive of the spindle and the drive of the spindle head. The drive control unit controls the drive of the spindle head, when a determination is made that the time to arrive at the target rotational speed is longer than the time to arrive at the target position, such that the time for the spindle head to arrive at the target position is longer than the calculated time to arrive at the target position, and less than or equal to the calculated time to arrive at the target rotational speed. Accordingly, the machine tool can drive the spindle head that is a control object in a power-saving mode.

Abstract: This invention aims to achieve safety without interchanging an entire existing servo system to a servo system having the safety function. In a servo system including a servo motor, and a servo amplifier for controlling the drive of the servo motor based on the output of an encoder attached to the servo motor, a safety control device for monitoring presence of abnormality based on the output of the encoder, and shielding the supply of drive power to the servo motor if abnormality is present is arranged, and the monitoring content is set as setting information.

Abstract: The invention relates to methods and appropriate devices for safely, unequivocally and exclusively, temporarily assigning the command authority of an operator (1) to a controllable technical system (60) using a mobile control device (2) which is technically suitable for periodically controlling a plurality of controllable technical systems (60), which is equipped as standard with safety switch elements (38, 39) such as an emergency stop switch, ok key and operating mode selection switches and for a data coupling with the controllable technical system (60) in spite of having only normal transmission means (6) or network technologies without any particular features specific to safety function.

Abstract: A production system in which a human and a robot may simultaneously perform a cooperative task in the same area while ensuring human's safety. A robot is positioned at one side of a working table, and an operator is positioned at the other side of the working table. The reachable area of the operator is limited by the working table. An area of the working table is divided into an area where only the operator may perform a task, an area where only the robot may perform a task, and an area where both the operator and the robot may enter. In a cooperation mode, the maximum movement speed of a component of the robot is limited lower than when the component of the robot is outside the cooperative task area, and, the motion of the robot is limited so that the robot does not enter a robot entry-prohibited area.

Abstract: To increase the safety of an articulated arm robot with robot members connected by means of joints as open kinematics and with functional elements acting on the joints, such as drive motors, gears, brakes and a weight balance system, while reducing the mechanical limitations of the motion space of the robot, the present invention provides that at least some of the said functional elements have a dual design.

Abstract: A control device for a mobile body makes it possible to smoothly correct the deviation of an actual posture of a base body of a mobile body, which travels with the base body thereof moving up and down, from a desired posture of the base body while restraining an overshoot or an undershoot from occurring. To determine a required manipulated variable according to a feedback control law in order to converge a state amount deviation related to the posture of the base body of the mobile body to zero, the feedback gain of the feedback control law is determined by using the time series in a period from current time to predetermined time in the future in the time series of a desired inertial force of the mobile body or the base body. The required manipulated variable is determined by the calculation of the feedback control law on the basis of the determined feedback gain and an observed value of the state amount deviation.

Abstract: Time information t and positional information about each axis are obtained, and the three-dimensional coordinates of tool center point Pe at time t are calculated to display the path of the tool center point Pe at time t. Then, whether a fixed time has elapsed or not is decided. If the fixed time has elapsed, the coordinates of the tool vector start point Ps at time t are calculated to display a line segment connecting between tool vector start point Ps and tool center point Pe, which is the end point of the tool vector. This display enables the orientation of the tool at each tool center point to be grasped at a glance.

Abstract: A robot controller including a control unit and a portable device (TPU) for teaching and manually operating the robot. The TPU includes safety equipment, a safety TPU-part having a first communication unit and a main TPU-part having a third communication unit. The control unit includes a safety control part having a second communication unit and a main control part having a forth communication unit. The first and second communication units form a first communication channel for transferring data from the TPU to the control unit. The third and fourth communication units form a second communication channel for transferring data between the TPU and the control unit. Each of the main TPU-part, safety TPU-part, main control part, and safety control part includes a processor for generating and/or handling the data. Each communication unit is connected to a network and forms a node in the network.

Abstract: This subject invention features a robot deployed weapon system. A remotely controlled mobile robot has a weapon mounted to the robot. There is a firing circuit for the weapon and a weapon interrupt module on board the robot. An operator control unit is for remotely operating the robot and the weapon. The operating control unit preferably includes a stop switch. Also, a separate operator module is in communication with the weapon interrupt module. Preferably, the operator module includes a kill switch. There are two communication links. The first communication link is between the operator control unit and the robot. This communication link is configured to safe the weapon if the stop switch is activated and/or the first communication link degrades. The second communication link is between the operator module and the weapon interrupt module. The communication link is configured to safe the weapon if the kill switch is activated and/or the second communication link degrades.

Abstract: A robot localization system is provided. The robot localization includes a robot, which moves within a predetermined space and performs predetermined tasks, and a docking station corresponding to a home position of the robot. The docking station includes a first transmitting unit, which transmits a sound wave to detect a position of the robot; and a second transmitting unit, which transmits a synchronizing signal right when the sound wave is transmitted.

Abstract: A device and a method for automatically setting an interlock based on a suitable interference area obtained by executing an offline simulation in relation to a system including a plurality of robots. The device executes the simulation on the offline programming system based on a motion program so as to determine a moving path of the robots and a two-dimensional interference area between the robots. Next, the device calculates a first three-dimensional interference area by moving the two-dimensional area in the vertical direction and calculates an accurate second three-dimensional interference area within the first interference area, using three-dimensional models of the robots.

Abstract: In a position-measuring device and a method for transmitting movement information from a position-measuring device to sequential electronics, the position-measuring device includes a position-measuring unit, a movement-measuring unit, an arithmetic logic unit and an interface unit. Position values of two objects in a measuring direction are measurable by the position-measuring unit. The movement-measuring unit is used to ascertain a movement value of the two objects. The position values and the movement value are supplied to the arithmetic logic unit which ascertains movement information in the form of a correction value that is suitable for calculating the movement value in sequential electronics from an instantaneous position value, at least one previous position value, a controller cycle time that indicates the time interval between the measurements of position values, and the correction value.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for optimizing robot performance includes a computer connected to the robot controller for receiving performance data of the robot as the controller executes a path program. The computer uses the performance data, user specified optimization objectives and constraints and a kinematic/dynamic simulator to generate a new set of control system parameters to replace the default set in the controller. The computer repeats the process until the new set of control system parameters is optimized.

Abstract: A medical examination and treatment apparatus includes a robot operable to control a tool, and an internal position-determination system to measure a position of the tool by determining a setting of adjusting elements of the robot. The apparatus further includes an external position-determination system to measure the position of the tool, and a position monitoring system to compare the position of the tool determined by the internal position-determination system with the position of the tool determined by the external position-determination system. A mobility of the tool is restricted if an adjustable threshold relating to deviations between position measurements is exceeded.

Abstract: A gripping device for a manipulation system, particularly a robot, for receiving workpieces and feeding them from a readied stack of the workpieces to a manufacturing plant such as a metal sheet folding machine, punching press, welding plant, etc. The device has a gripper head fitted with gripping means such as suction cups, magnets, tongs, etc., and a detection system for detecting characteristics of the workpiece gripped by the gripping means. A pulse emitter excites vibrations in the workpiece and the vibration spectrum of the workpiece is compared to reference vibration data to determine characteristics of the gripped workpiece, such as whether two or more workpieces are stuck together, or whether the workpiece is the correct workpiece.

Abstract: A motor controlling method according to the present invention involves causing rotation of a motor to commence by applying an initial power that can cause movement of an object to be transported to commence, to the motor; obtaining a position of the object to be transported after the motor has been controlled so as to cause the object to be transported to move to a target position based on a signal outputted in response to the rotation of the motor; and correcting an initial power to be used when movement of the object to be transported is caused to commence a next time in response to a difference between the target position and the obtained position of the object to be transported.

Abstract: A control method for a robot cleaner that includes: driving a driving part to move the robot cleaner by a predetermined distance in an opposite direction to a proceeding direction thereof when a bumper sensor detects a collision with an obstacle, measuring the number of times in which the robot cleaner repeats moving in real-time, comparing the measured number with a predetermined reference number, and stopping the robot cleaner when the measured number is more than the reference number. With this method, the robot cleaner can diagnose a breakdown of the bumper sensor to stop the cleaner, and inform a user of the breakdown.

Abstract: A medical manipulator includes an actuator block having a motor, a coupler detachably mounted on the actuator block and having a rotor connected to a rotatable shaft of the motor, a distal-end working unit mounted on a distal end of a joint shaft, which extends from the coupler and is operatively connected to the rotor by a wire, an encoder for detecting an angular displacement of the motor, and a controller for reading a signal from the encoder and comparing the read signal with an operation command value for energizing the motor through a feedback loop. The controller outputs a signal having a level greater than the resolution of the encoder and a lower operation limit of the motor within a range in which the distal-end working unit remains still, and monitors the angular displacement of the motor for thereby determining whether the feedback loop is malfunctioning or not.

Abstract: Presence/absence of a failure in a feedback control system of a motor is monitored. When a failure is detected in the feedback control system, the motor is driven by switching to an open-loop control. During the open-loop control, the motor is rotated by sequentially switching the motor current supply phase without feeding back encoder count information. The position count is incremented or decremented every time the current supply phase is switched. When the position count has reached a target count, it is determined that the rotor has reached a target position, whereupon the open-loop control is finished.

Abstract: An apparatus for monitoring the operation of a robot joint in which a second member (43) is displaceably mounted on a first member (41). The distance to a measurement plate provided to the second member (43) is measured by a range finder (42) provided to the first member (41). A monitoring unit (71) compares the distance data measured by the range finder with a reference distance stored in advance, and generates an abnormality signal when the difference between the distance data and the reference distance exceeds an allowable value.

Abstract: A robot controller including a control unit and a portable operating device (TPU) for teaching and manually operating the robot. The TPU includes safety equipment, a safety TPU-part having a first communication unit and a main TPU-part having a third communication unit. The control unit includes a safety control part having a second communication unit and a main control part having a forth communication unit. The first and second communication units are arranged such that they form a first communication channel for transferring communication data including information regarding the status of safety equipment from the TPU to the control unit. The third and fourth communication units are arranged such that they form a second communication channel for transferring general communication data between the TPU and the control unit.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a system and method for monitoring and diagnosing a robot mechanism. This requires adding intelligence to the diagnostics by parameters of physical robot arm linkages respecting component relative rotation or load transfer; storing rotation or translation relationship parameters characteristic of resonant frequencies between at least one mechanical link; receiving servo motor signals; digitizing and storing servo known normal data time histories; performing a time domain to frequency domain transformation on signal to identify components which are out-of band limit pre-sets.

Abstract: A fan power supply system having a pair of voltage supplies, one producing a higher voltage than the other. A switch selects one of the voltage supplies in response to a control signal. A DC/DC converter is connected to the selected one of the voltage supplies for producing a current greater than current fed to the DC/DC converter by the selected one of the voltage supplies. A fan is fed by the current produced by the DC/DC converter. The fan produces a train of pulses representative of the rotational speed of the fan. A microcontroller encodes the train of pulses produced by the fan as a function of whether the selected one of the pair of voltages has the higher voltage or the lower voltage. A decoder produces the control signal in accordance with the encoding by the microcontroller.

Abstract: It is an object to obtain a servomotor controller by which a load on a machine device can be reduced, and control capability can be stabilized as well as the resistance property for a temporary blackout or a temporary voltage drop can be more secured in accordance with driving conditions of the machine device and a motor load.

Abstract: As an antilock system for a permanently excited electric motor drive, especially for a steering booster servo drive of a motor vehicle, in the event of a winding short-circuit, an interruption of at least one winding phase (MP1 or MP2 or MP3) of the winding affected by the short circuit is provided, by a separating means (T) triggered by an explosion directly or indirectly by the winding short-circuit. The antilock system advantageously has a separate neutral point connection part (MP) which is especially embodied as a sheet metal moulded part, is to be connected to the winding ends of the electric motor, and contains the winding phases (MP1; MP2; MP3) and the neutral point connection thereof as a single component. The antilock system is purposefully arranged on a front winding head of the electric motor and connected to the winding thereof.

Abstract: A robot controller having a stoppage monitoring function, by which safety of an operator is ensured without using hardware or the like for allowing/stopping the power transmission to each of a robot and a cooperating device. A CPU of the robot controller periodically monitors the position of the robot or the cooperating device based on positional information from each servomotor and the state of entering information regarding the robot or the cooperating device. Then, when entering information is initially input, the position of the servomotor of the robot or the cooperating device, to which the entering information is applied, is stored in RAM. After that, while the entering information is being input, the distance between the position stored in RAM and the current position of the servomotor is calculated.

Abstract: In an abnormality detection system of a mobile robot, it is configured such that it is self-diagnosed whether the quantity of state is an abnormal value, or whether at least one of the internal sensor, etc., is abnormal and when an abnormality is self-diagnosed, abnormality information is outputted, then the degree of abnormality is discriminated based on the outputted abnormality information and the robot is driven into a stable state in response to the discriminated degree of abnormality. With this, it becomes possible to effectively utilize the abnormality detection result. In addition, since the robot is driven into a stable state in response to the discriminated degree of abnormality, it becomes possible to render the driving appropriate.

Abstract: A method for monitoring the condition of an industrial robot having a plurality of links movable relative to each other, and a plurality of actuators controlling the movements of the links. A feed forward torque is calculated for at least one of the actuators based on reference values for the position of the actuator and a mathematical model of the robot calculating a feedback torque for the actuators based on measured values from the actuators and reference values for the position of the actuator. A torque is calculated for the actuator at least based on the feedback torque. A difference is monitored between the calculated torque for the actuator and the feed forward torque. It is determined whether the difference is normal or non-normal, and based thereon monitoring the condition of the robot.

Abstract: In a method for measuring motor speed and position by detecting the back EMF generated during pole-pair interactions, a separate respective duration of a power phase suppression signal, that is set during back EMF detection, is stored in memory for each respective pole. The separate respective duration values are determined during a calibration phase by iteratively lengthening each respective duration one unit at a time (up to a maximum value) until no part of the respective back EMF signal occurs outside the suppression signal duration, and those values are stored. During operation, the approach of a pole-pair interaction may be determined from the electrical cycle of the power supply, and then the stored duration value is used to control the state of the suppression signal.

Abstract: In an abnormality detection system of a mobile robot, it is configured such that it is self-diagnosed whether the quantity of state is an abnormal value, or whether at least one of the internal sensor, etc., is abnormal and when an abnormality is self-diagnosed, abnormality information affixed with a time on which the abnormality occurred is outputted to be stored in an internal memory and in an external memory. With this, it becomes possible to improve the reliability of abnormality detection of the mobile robot and by storing the information affixed with a time on which the abnormality occurred, it becomes possible to ascertain accurately the course of events leading up to the abnormality. It is further configured such that in addition to a time on which the abnormality occurred, the information is stored in an external memory together with a parameter indicative of the quantity of state.

Abstract: An external force estimation system for estimating an external force acting upon a robot apparatus which includes a machine body which in turn includes a plurality of movable joints is disclosed which includes a distribution type contacting state detection section, an actuator current state measurement section, a motion state measurement section, a motion equation setting section, a known term calculation section, and an external force estimation section.

Abstract: Presence/absence of a failure in a feedback control system of a motor is monitored. When a failure is detected in the feedback control system, the motor is driven by switching to an open-loop control. During the open-loop control, the motor is rotated by sequentially switching the motor current supply phase without feeding back encoder count information. The position count is incremented or decremented every time the current supply phase is switched. When the position count has reached a target count, it is determined that the rotor has reached a target position, whereupon the open-loop control is finished.

Abstract: A method for machining workpieces by means of a multiaxial manipulator, such as an industrial robot, with a tool moved proportionally by a control unit of the manipulator and which can perform characteristic movements with several degrees of freedom is characterized in that the degrees of freedom of the tool are evaluated together with the degrees of freedom of axes of the manipulator in real time for moving a tool tip (TCP) in accordance with a predetermined, continuous machining path or a portionwise continuous machining geometry (step function) and for determining a movement of the manipulator. The invention also proposes a device suitable for performing the aforementioned method, in which the tool and a tool tip, during workpiece machining, are movement-controllable by the manipulator control unit. In this way it is possible to drastically reduce the overall machining time.

Abstract: In an overcurrent prevention system for a robot having links connected by joints and an electrical system including electric motors installed at the joint, a power circuit connecting the electric motors to a power source, and drive circuits to supply current to the electric motors, there are provided a switching device installed in the power circuit, a current sensor detecting the current supplied to the electric motors, and the output of the current sensor is compared with a threshold value and the switching device is operated to execute a switching action to cut off the power circuit intermittently during a first predetermined period when the output of the current sensor exceeds the threshold value, thereby protecting the electrical system when overcurrent is detected, without causing functional disablement and/or posture instability of the robot.

Abstract: A robot system that includes a robot and a remote station. The remote station includes a head worn device worn on the head of a user. The head worn device senses movement of the user's head and generates corresponding input signals. The input signals are processed into robot movement commands and transmitted to the robot, typically through a broadband network. The robot movement commands move a camera of the robot. The camera movement tracks movement of the user's head so that the user can scan the visual field without having to generate separate input commands for the robot.

Abstract: Provided is a method in which a communication state between a main control unit and each sub control unit can be judged to be normal or abnormal, in a condition where a noise may be generated from a drive system power line. This method includes a power supply step s4, a test communication step (see arrows (3) and (4)), and a judgment step s6. In the power supply step s4, power is supplied to first sub control units 2a from a drive system power source 6 while no power is supplied to actuators 7 from the power source 6. In the test communication step, communication of a test signal is performed between the main control unit 1 and each of the sub control units 2. In the judgment step s6, whether the communication state is normal or abnormal is judged based on the result of the communication of the test signal between the main control unit 1 and each of the sub control units 2.