Abstract: A robotic system including a manipulator arm for moving a device to a predetermined point within a working volume under control of microprocessor based control unit. The manipulator arm includes various sections and joints defining a base, a shoulder, an arm and a wrist. The wrist is jointed to pivot about a pitch axis and a roll axis. The manipulator is arranged to pivot the arm about the base axis and shoulder axis, which axes intersect at a common point. The arm includes a section which is extendable through the use of telescoping links. The wrist is mounted on the end of the telescoping links, with the pitch and roll axes intersecting at a second point. The second point lies along the extension axis of the arm links and is spaced from the shoulder-base axis intersection point. The links forming the telescoping section are arranged to move in unison with each other. A motor and associated harmonic drives are provided to effect the motion at the joints.

Abstract: A path control method and apparatus which are well-suited especially for application to articulated machine tools and industrial robots having path-controlled parts, using commands calculated from teach point information and orders calculated from the commands by operations performed without coordinate transformations so that a large number of path points can be evaluated without considerably lengthening an operating period of time.

Abstract: A manipulator for remote handling in a hostile environment 14, has a slave arm 10 comprising an upper arm 30, a forearm 52 and a jaw mechanism 60. The upper arm 30 is pivotally suspended from a shoulder support 20 and is telescopically extendible such that straight line motion of the forearm 52 is readily obtained. In addition the forearm 52 is arranged to pivot relative to the upper arm 30 through the same angle as the upper arm 30 but in the opposite sense such that the forearm 52 maintains a constant orientation when the upper arm 30 pivots. All the motions of the slave arm 10 may be controlled through mechanical linkages from a drive unit 18 situated outside the hostile environment 14, and extending through shielding 13 into the environment 14.

Abstract: The invention relates to a mechanical arm having four degrees of freedom (or possibilities of motion) and actuated by two electric motors, each motor of these alternately controls the movements corresponding to at least two degrees of freedom. The result is an arm having a mixed control for movement in series and in parallel in which the motions controlled by the same motor are carried out in different instants of time, whereas the motions controlled by different motors can be performed simultaneously.