28907results about "Programme control in sequence/logic controllers" patented technology

An adaptive interface for a programmable system, for predicting a desired user function, based on user history, as well as machine internal status and context. The apparatus receives an input from the user and other data. A predicted input is presented for confirmation by the user, and the predictive mechanism is updated based on this feedback. Also provided is a pattern recognition system for a multimedia device, wherein a user input is matched to a video stream on a conceptual basis, allowing inexact programming of a multimedia device. The system analyzes a data stream for correspondence with a data pattern for processing and storage. The data stream is subjected to adaptive pattern recognition to extract features of interest to provide a highly compressed representation that may be efficiently processed to determine correspondence. Applications of the interface and system include a video cassette recorder (VCR), medical device, vehicle control system, audio device, environmental control system, securities trading terminal, and smart house. The system optionally includes an actuator for effecting the environment of operation, allowing closed-loop feedback operation and automated learning.

A manipulator comprises an operation command unit provided with an attitude adjusting unit and an end effector control unit, a connecting unit having one end connected to the operation command unit, a working unit connected to the other end of the connecting unit and provided with an end effector and a support unit supporting the end effector for motions, and a control unit that transmits an operation command provided by the attitude adjusting unit to the support unit to adjust the attitude of the end effector and transmits an operation command provided by the end effector control unit to the end effector to operate the end effector. The support unit includes a first joint capable of turning about a first axis perpendicular to the center axis of the connecting unit, and a second joint capable of turning about a second axis perpendicular to the first axis. The end effector can be turned for rolling about an axis substantially parallel to the second axis of the second joint. The attitude adjusting unit has a third joint having a third axis perpendicular to the center line of the connecting unit. The end effector control unit is formed such that the fingers of an operator gripping operating members included in the end effector control unit extend substantially in parallel to the fourth axis.

A robot system for use in surgical procedures has two movable arms each carried on a wheeled base with each arm having a six of degrees of freedom of movement and an end effector which can be rolled about its axis and an actuator which can slide along the axis for operating different tools adapted to be supported by the effector. Each end effector including optical force sensors for detecting forces applied to the tool by engagement with the part of the patient. A microscope is located at a position for viewing the part of the patient. The position of the tool tip can be digitized relative to fiducial markers visible in an MRI experiment. The workstation and control system has a pair of hand-controllers simultaneously manipulated by an operator to control movement of a respective one or both of the arms. The image from the microscope is displayed on a monitor in 2D and stereoscopically on a microscope viewer. A second MRI display shows an image of the part of the patient the real-time location of the tool. The robot is MRI compatible and can be configured to operate within a closed magnet bore. The arms are driven about vertical and horizontal axes by piezoelectric motors.

Telerobotic, telesurgical, and surgical robotic devices, systems, and methods selectively calibrate end effector jaws by bringing the jaw elements into engagement with each other. Commanded torque signals may bring the end effector elements into engagement while monitoring the resulting position of a drive system, optionally using a second derivative of the torque / position relationship so as to identify an end effector engagement position. Calibration can allow the end effector engagement position to correspond to a nominal closed position of an input handle by compensating for wear on the end effector, the end effector drive system, then manipulator, the manipulator drive system, the manipulator / end effector interfacing, and manufacturing tolerances.

A method for a minimally invasive surgical system is disclosed including reading first tool information from a storage device in a first robotic surgical tool mounted to a first robotic arm to at least determine a first tool type; reading equipment information about one or more remote controlled equipment for control thereof; comparing the first tool information with the equipment information to appropriately match a first remote controlled equipment of the one or more remote controlled equipment to the first robotic surgical tool; and mapping one or more user interface input devices of a first control console to control the first remote controlled equipment to support a function of the first robotic surgical tool.

A medical master / slave manipulator is excellent in operability and capable of reducing burden on the operator. The medical master / slave manipulator includes a master unit provided with an operation control portion, a slave unit provided with a working device, an interlocking mechanism interlocking the slave unit with the master unit, an orientation difference measuring mechanism for measuring the orientation difference between the orientation of the master unit and that of the slave unit, and a control mechanism for controlling the slave unit to adjust the orientation of the slave unit to that of the master unit so that the orientation difference is reduced to zero in a transient master / slave operation mode in which an operation mode changes from an unrestricted operation mode to a master / slave operation mode.

A method of controlling an operation of a robotically-controlled surgical instrument can include receiving a first input signal at a controller indicative of a user's readiness to actuate the surgical instrument to perform a surgical procedure, outputting an output signal from the controller to provide feedback to the user in response to the received first input signal, receiving a second input signal at the controller confirming the user's readiness to actuate the surgical instrument, outputting an actuation signal from the controller in response to receiving the second input signal, and actuating the surgical instrument to perform the surgical procedure based on the actuation signal.

Robotic, telerobotic, and / or telesurgical devices, systems, and methods take advantage of robotic structures and data to calculate changes in the focus of an image capture device in response to movement of the image capture device, a robotic end effector, or the like. As the size of an image of an object shown in the display device varies with changes in a separation distance between that object and the image capture device used to capture the image, a scale factor between a movement command input may be changed in response to moving an input device or a corresponding master / slave robotic movement command of the system. This may enhance the perceived correlation between the input commands and the robotic movements as they appear in the image presented to the system operator.

A manipulator operative in a master / slave operative mode includes a master unit commanding an operation; a slave unit having a work unit; a detector detecting the orientation of the master unit and the orientation of the slave unit; and a control device controlling the slave unit in response to a command from the master unit. The control device determines a non-master / slave operative mode or a master / slave operative mode, and calculates a difference between the orientation of the master unit and the orientation of the slave unit. The absolute value of the calculated difference is compared with a preset reference value, and depending upon the result of the comparison, a normal master / slave operative mode or a transitional master / slave operative mode is determined, wherein in the master / slave operative mode, the transitional master / slave operative mode is a transitional mode from the non-master / slave operative mode to the master / slave operative mode.

A medical robotic system comprises a number of components that may be monitored to determine their preventive maintenance needs by recording usage-related information for the monitored components into associated non-volatile memories. When usage of the component exceeds a specified usage threshold, the system displays a warning message on its display screen to have preventive maintenance performed for the component. If the usage continues without such maintenance and exceeds a higher usage threshold, the system displays an error message on its display screen and the system transitions into an error state during which medical procedures are not allowed to be performed. The usage-related information may also be communicated to a remote computer which gathers and processes usage-related information from a number of medical robotic systems to estimate resource requirements for timely performing preventive maintenance on the medical robotic systems, and anticipated service revenues from such maintenance.

In a coupled control mode, the surgeon directly controls movement of an associated slave manipulator with an input device while indirectly controlling movement of one or more non-associated slave manipulators, in response to commanded motion of the directly controlled slave manipulator, to achieve a secondary objective. By automatically performing secondary tasks through coupled control modes, the system's usability is enhanced by reducing the surgeon's need to switch to another direct mode to manually achieve the desired secondary objective. Thus, coupled control modes allow the surgeon to better focus on performing medical procedures and to pay less attention to managing the system.

Telerobotic, telesurgical, and / or surgical robotic devices, systems, and methods employ surgical robotic linkages that may have more degrees of freedom than an associated surgical end effector n space. A processor can calculate a tool motion that includes pivoting of the tool about an aperture site. Linkages movable along a range of configurations for a given end effector position may be driven toward configurations which inhibit collisions. Refined robotic linkages and method for their use are also provided.

A system for tele-operating a robot in an environment includes a user interface for controlling the tele-operation of the robot, an imaging device associated with the robot for providing image information representative of the environment around the robot, means for transmitting the image information to the user interface, means for converting the image information to a user-perceptible image at the user interface, means for designating one or more waypoints located anywhere in the user-perceptible image towards which the robot will move, the waypoint in the user-perceptible image towards which the robot will first move being designated as the active waypoint using an icon, means for automatically converting the location of the active waypoint in the user-perceptible image into a target location having x, y, and z coordinates in the environment of the robot, means for providing real-time instructions to the robot from the user interface to move the robot from the robot's current location in the environment to the x, y, and z coordinates of the target location in the environment, and means for moving the icon representing the active waypoint in the user-perceptible image to a new location in the user-perceptible image while the robot is executing the real-time instruction, wherein the location-converting means automatically converts the new location of the icon representing the active waypoint into a new target location having x, y, and z coordinates in the environment of the robot towards which the robot will move.

Surgical robots and other telepresence systems have enhanced grip actuation for manipulating tissues and objects with small sizes. A master / slave system is used in which an error signal or gain is artificially altered when grip members are near a closed configuration.

A mobile robot includes a processor connected to a memory and a wireless network circuit, for executing routines stored in the memory and commands generated by the routines and received via the wireless network circuit. The processor drives the mobile robot to a multiplicity of accessible two dimensional locations within a household, and commands an end effector, including at least one motorized actuator, to perform mechanical work in the household. A plurality of routines include a first routine which monitors a wireless local network and detects a presence of a network entity on the wireless local network, a second routine which receives a signal from a sensor detecting an action state of one of the network entities, the action state changeable between waiting and active, and a third routine which commands the end effector to change state of performing mechanical work based on the presence and on the action state.

A medical robotic system with a handle assembly that is used to control a medical instrument. The handle assembly and medical instrument have five degrees of freedom. Five degrees of freedom may provide greater dexterity than medical robotic systems of the prior art with four or less degrees of freedom. Five degrees of freedom reduces the size and complexity of the instrument.

A navigational control system for altering movement activity of a robotic device operating in a defined working area, comprising a transmitting subsystem integrated in combination with the robotic device, for emitting a number of directed beams, each directed beam having a predetermined emission pattern, and a receiving subsystem functioning as a base station that includes a navigation control algorithm that defines a predetermined triggering event for the navigational control system and a set of detection units positioned within the defined working area in a known spaced-apart relationship, the set of detection units being configured and operative to detect one or more of the directed beams emitted by the transmitting system; and wherein the receiving subsystem is configured and operative to process the one or more detected directed beams under the control of the navigational control algorithm to determine whether the predetermined triggering event has occurred, and, if the predetermined triggering event has occurred transmit a control signal to the robotic device, wherein reception of the control signal by the robotic device causes the robotic device to implement a prescribed conduct that alters the movement activity of the robotic device.

A dynamically configurable robotic system and method for performing surgical operations using a plurality of robotic arms remotely controlled by at least one operator console. The system comprises a track system configured for mounting to a patient support table, such that the track system provides a stable operating platform for the robotic arms and for facilitating placement of a proximal end of each of the arms at a selected position about a periphery of the patient support table. the system and method also have a plurality of base stations for operatively coupling each of the robotic arms to the track system, such that each of the base stations include a housing, a first connector for coupling the housing to the track system, the first connector configured for facilitating movement of the housing along the track system while coupled thereto, and a second connector for coupling the housing to the proximal end of at least one of the robotic arms, the second connector configured for providing at least one of power supply, control signalling, and data communication with respect to the coupled robotic arm. The system and method also have a control unit for coupling to at least two of the base stations and configured for dynamically connecting operative remote control between the coupled base stations and a first operator console of the at least one operator console.

A method for a minimally invasive surgical system is disclosed including reading first tool information from a storage device in a first robotic surgical tool mounted to a first robotic arm to at least determine a first tool type; reading equipment information about one or more remote controlled equipment for control thereof; comparing the first tool information with the equipment information to appropriately match a first remote controlled equipment of the one or more remote controlled equipment to the first robotic surgical tool; and mapping one or more user interface input devices of a first control console to control the first remote controlled equipment to support a function of the first robotic surgical tool.

This invention is generally related to methods and apparatus that permit the measurements from a plurality of sensors to be combined or fused in a robust manner. For example, the sensors can correspond to sensors used by a mobile, device, such as a robot, for localization and / or mapping. The measurements can be fused for estimation of a measurement, such as an estimation of a pose of a robot.

Provided is a part mounting position guidance device with which an operator can easily recognize a position of a machine in which a part or unit composing a machine having a complexed structure is mounted. The part mounting position guidance device includes a control unit which includes: a position order data acquisition unit that acquires position order data in which one or more pieces of position information of from a predetermined position of a machine to a mounting position of a part are ordered for each part composing the machine; and a guidance display control unit that causes a display unit to display in order, images indicating one or more pieces of position information from an image indicating the predetermined position of the machine to the image indicating the mounting position of the part, on the basis of the position order data acquired by the position order data acquisition unit.

A dynamically configurable robotic system and method for performing surgical operations using a plurality of robotic arms remotely controlled by at least one operator console. The system comprises a track system configured for mounting to a patient support table, such that the track system provides a stable operating platform for the robotic arms and for facilitating placement of a proximal end of each of the arms at a selected position about a periphery of the patient support table. the system and method also have a plurality of base stations for operatively coupling each of the robotic arms to the track system, such that each of the base stations include a housing, a first connector for coupling the housing to the track system, the first connector configured for facilitating movement of the housing along the track system while coupled thereto, and a second connector for coupling the housing to the proximal end of at least one of the robotic arms, the second connector configured for providing at least one of power supply, control signalling, and data communication with respect to the coupled robotic arm. The system and method also have a control unit for coupling to at least two of the base stations and configured for dynamically connecting operative remote control between the coupled base stations and a first operator console of the at least one operator console.

A system and method for servoing robot marks using fiducial marks and machine vision provides a machine vision system having a machine vision search tool that is adapted to register a pattern, namely a trained fiducial mark, that is transformed by at least two translational degrees and at least one mon-translational degree of freedom. The fiducial is provided to workpiece carried by an end effector of a robot operating within a work area. When the workpiece enters an area of interest within a field of view of a camera of the machine vision system, the fiducial is recognized by the tool based upon a previously trained and calibrated stored image within the tool. The location of the work-piece is derived by the machine vision system based upon the viewed location of the fiducial. The location of the found fiducial is compared with that of a desired location for the fiducial. The desired location can be based upon a standard or desired position of the workpiece. If a difference between location of the found fiducial and the desired location exists, the difference is calculated with respect to each of the translational axes and the rotation. The difference can then be further transformed into robot-based coordinates to the robot controller, and workpiece movement is adjusted based upon the difference. Fiducial location and adjustment continues until the workpiece is located the desired position with minimum error.

The present invention discloses a system and method for confining a robot to a particular space. The system includes a portable barrier signal transmitter that produces a barrier signal primarily along an axis, and a mobile robot capable of avoiding the barrier signal upon detection of the barrier signal. In the preferred embodiment the barrier signal is emitted in an infrared frequency and the robot includes an omni-directional signal detector. Upon detection of the signal, the robot turns in a direction selected by a barrier avoidance algorithm until the barrier signal is no longer detected.

The invention is related to methods and apparatus that use a visual sensor and dead reckoning sensors to process Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM). These techniques can be used in robot navigation. Advantageously, such visual techniques can be used to autonomously generate and update a map. Unlike with laser rangefinders, the visual techniques are economically practical in a wide range of applications and can be used in relatively dynamic environments, such as environments in which people move. One embodiment further advantageously uses multiple particles to maintain multiple hypotheses with respect to localization and mapping. Further advantageously, one embodiment maintains the particles in a relatively computationally-efficient manner, thereby permitting the SLAM processes to be performed in software using relatively inexpensive microprocessor-based computer system.