11519 results about "Motion control" patented technology

The present invention addresses the problem of providing illumination in a manner that is energy efficient and intelligent. In particular, the present invention uses distributed processing across a network of illuminators to control the illumination for a given environment. The network controls the illumination level and pattern in response to light, sound, and motion. The network may also be trained according to uploaded software behavior modules, and subsets of the network may be organized into groups for illumination control and maintenance reporting.

An apparatus and related method for distributing process gas in a vapor deposition system is described. The gas distribution system includes a vertically movable piston within its plenum, and the movement of the piston controls the flow rate of process gas through the vapor distribution plate of the gas distribution system. The piston can be used to accommodate changes in processing parameters that affect flow characteristics and to create edge-enhanced, uniform, and center-enhanced profiles of deposited material on a substrate without the need to replace the vapor distribution plate.

The present invention addresses the problem of providing illumination in a manner that is energy efficient and intelligent. In particular, the present invention uses distributed processing across a network of illuminators to control the illumination for a given environment. The network controls the illumination level and pattern in response to light, sound, and motion. The network may also be trained according to uploaded software behavior modules, and subsets of the network may be organized into groups for illumination control and maintenance reporting.

A configurable operator panel that uses a tactile sensor with electrically conductive elastomer and appropriate electronics is disclosed herein. The device relies on a robust and inexpensive tactile sensor that senses the touch position (and may or may not sense touch pressure as well). The physical interface is easily configurable along with the electronics, which execute the desired function based on touch location and pressure. The configurable operator panel is designed to communicate with most industrial automation equipment, including but not limited to, motion control equipment, programmable logic controllers (PLC), personal computers, and can be made to control other types of machines requiring external analog or digital input.

A method of generating control commands to be executed by a motion control system under control of a plurality of system users to move an object in a desired manner. At least one restricted program element associated with the motion control system is identified. An application program used by the system users when controlling the motion control system is provided. The application program employs the at least one restricted program element. A plurality of access levels are determined. Each restricted program element is associated with one of the access levels. Each of the plurality of system users is associated with one of the access levels. Motion control commands are generated based on the application program, the access level of each system user, and the access level of each restricted program element.

Medical imaging devices, systems, and methods thereof. The medical imaging system may include a movable station and a gantry. The movable station includes a gantry mount rotatably attached to the gantry. The gantry includes an outer C-arm slidably mounted to and operable to slide relative to the gantry mount, an inner C-arm slidably coupled to the outer C-arm and, an imaging signal transmitter and sensor attached to the C-arms. The two C-arms work together to provide a full 360 degree rotation of the imaging signal transmitter. The movable station may include a motion control system and an imaging control system. In embodiments, the motion control system includes omni-directional wheels for precision controlled-movement of the movable station.

A user may utilize a prototyping environment to create a sequence of motion control, machine vision, and / or data acquisition (DAQ) operations, e.g., without needing to write or construct code in any programming language. For example, the environment may provide a graphical user interface (GUI) enabling the user to develop / prototype the sequence at a high level, by selecting from and configuring a sequence of operations using the GUI. The prototyping environment application may then be operable to automatically, i.e., programmatically, generate graphical program code implementing the sequence. For example, the environment may generate a standalone graphical program operable to perform the sequence of operations.

A motion control system includes an actuator having an actuation member, the actuation member having a proximal end attached to the actuator on a first side of a joint and a distal end attached to an anchor element attachment point on a second side of the joint. A first sensor is configured to output signals defining a gait cycle and a second sensor is configured to output signals representing a tensile force in the at least one actuation member. A controller receives the output signals from the sensors and actuates the actuator, during a first portion of the gait cycle, to apply a force greater than a predetermined threshold tensile force to the anchor element attachment point via the actuation member to generate a beneficial moment about the joint and to automatically actuate the actuator.

Critical needs for MRI patient instruction, testing, comfort, motion control, and speech communication are provided for better imaging which leads to more effective medical care. An MRI Digital Video Projection System is disclosed which provides better quality display to the patient to better inform, instruct, test, and comfort the patient plus the potential to stimulate the brain with microsecond onset times to better diagnose brain function. An MRI Motion Tracker and Patient Augmented Visual Feedback System enables monitoring patient body part motion, providing real time feedback to the patient and / or technician to substantially improve diagnostic yield of scanning sessions, particularly for children and mentally challenged individuals. An MR Forward Predictive Noise Canceling Microphone System removes the intense MRI acoustic noise improving patient communication, patient safety and enabling coding of speech output. These systems can be used individually but maximum benefit is from providing all three.

A system and method associated with the movement of a limb. In one example, the system, such as a prosthetic or orthotic system, includes an actuator that actively controls, or adjusts, the angle between a foot unit and a lower limb member. A processing module may control movement of the actuator based on data obtained from a sensor module. For instance, sensing module data may include information relating to the gait of a user and may be used to adjust the foot unit to substantially mimic the movement of a natural, healthy ankle. The system may further accommodate, for example, level ground walking, traveling up / down stairs, traveling up / down sloped surfaces, and various other user movements. In addition, the processing module may receive user input or display output signals through an external interface. For example, the processing module may receive a heel height input from the user.

The invention discloses an automatic-navigation crawler-type mobile fruit picking robot which comprises a mechanical execution system and a control system and is characterized in that the mechanical execution system comprises an intelligent movable platform, a fruit picking mechanical arm and a two-finger type manipulator, wherein the intelligent movable platform comprises two crawler assemblies, an experimental facility fixing rack, a supporting stand column, a cross beam, a speed reducer and the like; and the control system comprises an industrial personal computer, a motion control card, a data collecting card, an image collecting card, an encoder, a GPS (global position system), a monocular zooming camera assembly, a binocular camera, a laser ranging sensor, a control circuit and the like. The automatic-navigation crawler-type mobile fruit picking robot integrates the fruit picking mechanical arm, the two-finger type manipulator, the intelligent movable platform and the sensor system, integrates multiple key technologies such as fruit identification, motion of the picking mechanical arm, grabbing of a tail-end executer, automatic navigation and obstacle avoidance of the movable platform, and the like, and really realizes automatic and humanized fruit picking.

A system and method for movement control includes a controller coupled to a computer-assisted surgical device having a first movable arm coupled to a manipulatable device having a working end and a second movable arm coupled to an image capturing device. The controller is configured to receive first configurations for the first movable arm; receive second configurations for the second movable arm; receive a plurality of images of the working end from the image capturing device; determine a position and an orientation of the working end; determine a first movable arm position and trajectory for the first movable arm; determine a second movable arm position and trajectory for the second movable arm; determine whether motion of the movable arms will result in an undesirable relationship between the movable arms; and send a movement command to the first or second movable arm to avoid the undesirable relationship.

A moving apparatus with a driving force assist mechanism traveled mainly by human power. This moving apparatus detects, in a non-contact manner, with respect to rotating portion such as traveling wheel, etc., rotation speed of the rotating portion to detect traveling state to deliver, from the driving force assist mechanism, assistant driving force corresponding to speed change information that a person who operates the moving apparatus intends to give on the basis of the detected traveling information to carry out traveling to thereby permit smooth traveling even in the case where traveling by only human power becomes difficult.

The present invention is directed to devices and methods that apply ultrasonic energy for the purpose of inducing transfection and cell transformation. A sonoporation system in accordance with embodiments of the present invention includes an ultrasonic electrical energy generator connected to an ultrasonic transducer producing stress waves. The ultrasonic transducer is connected to a fluid containment tank configured to accept at least a portion of the ultrasonic transducer whereby the ultrasonic stress waves may be delivered into the fluid medium. A cell holder is configured to hold one or more cells desirable for transfection. A hydrophone may be electrically connected to an acoustic stress wave intensity detection circuit. A motion control system having an arm configured to receive one or both of the cell holder and the hydrophone is configured to provide motion of one or both of the cell holder and the hydrophone within the fluid medium.

Lithographic apparatus includes a substrate table and a motion control system for controlling a movement of the substrate table. The motion control system includes at least 3 position detectors constructed for detecting a position of the substrate table. For measuring a position and orientation of the substrate table, each position detector comprises an optical encoder of a single dimensional or multi dimensional type, the optical encoders being arranged for providing together at least 6 position values, at least one position value being provided for each of the 3 dimensions. Some of the optical encoders may be connected to the substrate table at different locations in the 3 dimensional coordinate system. The motion control system is arranged to calculate the position of the substrate table in the 3 dimensional coordinate system from a subset of at least 3 of the 6 position values and to calculate an orientation of the substrate table with respect to the coordinate system from another subset of at least 3 of the 6 position values. Further, a method for calibrating the position detectors is presented.

The present invention aims to provide a robot having the structure suitable for freely moving about in the environment where there is an obstacle within the house, for example. The robot includes a communication section transmitting by wireless an image taken by the camera to a base station, and via the base station to a communication terminal making the radio communication with the base station, and receiving by wireless the movement target position information specified on the image by an operation of the communication terminal via the base station, and a motion control section that moves the robot up to a movement target position specified by the movement target position information acquired in the communication section.

Lithographic apparatus includes a substrate table and a motion control system for controlling a movement of the substrate table. The motion control system includes at least 3 position detectors constructed for detecting a position of the substrate table. For measuring a position and orientation of the substrate table, each position detector comprises an optical encoder of a single dimensional or multi dimensional type, the optical encoders being arranged for providing together at least 6 position values, at least one position value being provided for each of the 3 dimensions. 3 or more of the at least 3 optical encoders being connected to the substrate table at different locations in the 3 dimensional coordinate system. The motion control system is arranged to calculate the position of the substrate table in the 3 dimensional coordinate system from a subset of at least 3 of the 6 position values and to calculate an orientation of the substrate table with respect to the coordinate system from another subset of at least 3 of the 6 position values. Further, a method for calibrating the position detectors is described.

A system and method associated with the movement of a limb. In one example, the system, such as a prosthetic or orthotic system, includes an actuator that actively controls, or adjusts, the angle between a foot unit and a lower limb member. A processing module may control movement of the actuator based on data obtained from a sensor module. For instance, sensing module data may include information relating to the gait of a user and may be used to adjust the foot unit to substantially mimic the movement of a natural, healthy ankle. The system may further accommodate, for example, level ground walking, traveling up / down stairs, traveling up / down sloped surfaces, and various other user movements. In addition, the processing module may receive user input or display output signals through an external interface. For example, the processing module may receive a heel height input from the user.

An autonomous system includes a processing device programmed to receive, from an image capture device, an image of an environment of the host vehicle; detect an obstacle in the environment, based on an analysis of the image; monitor a driver input to at least one of a throttle control, a brake control, or a steering control associated with the host vehicle; determine whether the driver input results in the host vehicle navigating within a proximity buffer relative to the obstacle; allow the driver input to cause a corresponding change in one or more host vehicle motion control systems, if the processing device determines that the driver input would not result in the host vehicle navigating within the proximity buffer relative to the obstacle; and prevent the driver input to cause the change if the driver input results in the host vehicle navigating within the proximity buffer relative to the obstacle.

A system and method for movement control includes a controller coupled to a computer-assisted surgical device having a first movable arm coupled to a manipulatable device having a working end and a second movable arm coupled to an image capturing device. The controller is configured to receive first configurations for the first movable arm; receive second configurations for the second movable arm; receive a plurality of images of the working end from the image capturing device; determine a position and an orientation of the working end; determine a first movable arm position and trajectory for the first movable arm; determine a second movable arm position and trajectory for the second movable arm; determine whether motion of the movable arms will result in an undesirable relationship between the movable arms; and send a movement command to the first or second movable arm to avoid the undesirable relationship.

An automated implantation system assists the implantation of low dose radioisotope seeds in a patient as part of a brachytherapy procedure. A Z-axis automated motion control system and an X-Y axis automated motion control system control a needle assembly. The X-Y axis automated motion control system positions an insertion axis of the needle assembly relative to the patient. The Z-axis automated motion control system selectively moves the needle assembly along the insertion axis to implant at least one radioisotope seed. This process is repeated for a plurality of locations on a base plane perpendicular to the insertion axis. Preferably, the radioisotope seeds are contained in a replaceable cartridge and the needle assembly is also replaceable.

The invention provides a macro-micro driven bidimensional integrated micro positioning platform, which is characterized by including a base, a flexible platform body, two voice coil motors, four piezoelectric ceramic actuators, two displacement sensors and a controller, wherein the flexible platform body is fixed on the base; the two voice coil motors are connected with the flexible platform body; and the controller is in signal connection with the two voice coil motors, the four piezoelectric ceramic actuators and the two displacement sensors. The macro-micro driven bidimensional integrated micro positioning platform adopts a parallel decoupling totally flexible mechanism, and has the advantages of a parallel mechanism, a flexible mechanism and a decoupling mechanism; a macro-motion platform and a micro-motion platform are integrally designed; the same piece of material can be adopted to manufacture the macro-micro driven bidimensional integrated micro positioning platform integrally, and the manufacture is simple and convenient; and the motion decoupling design is applied to the macro-motion platform and the micro-motion platform, so that the motion control is facilitated and the positioning accuracy is improved.

A system and method for sensing movement of a device associated with a limb. In one example, a prosthetic or orthotic system includes a sensor assembly configured to measure movement of a component of the system in a single direction while substantially isolating negative effects of forces and / or loads in other directions. For instance, the sensor assembly may be advantageously coupled to a pivot assembly configured to substantially mimic a natural ankle joint. The sensor assembly may monitor rotation of a foot unit about an axis of a pivot pin of the pivot assembly and disregard other movements and / or forces. For example, the sensor assembly may include a potentiometer that detects rotation of an associated elongated bellow portion about the axis, wherein the bellow portion includes a plurality of ridges configured to substantially eliminate effects of radial and / or axial forces.

The invention discloses a transformer station inspection tour robot positioning navigation system and a method. Confidence obtained by a laser range finding module and a dead reckoning module is outputted to a map creation module and a pose resolving module; the map creation module creates a laser road sign map and a laser grid map which show a robot operation environment and are inputted into a map storage module for storage; the posture resolving module utilizes map data in the map storage module and output data of the dead reckoning module to perform real-time calculation on the current position and the posture of the robot and accesses the obtained posture data into a path planning module and a motion control module; the path planning module generates robot operation path data which is outputted to the motion control module; the motion control module generates motion control quantity according to the current position and posture data of the robot and the path planning data, and then is driven to execute by a motor. The transformer station inspection tour robot positioning navigation system realizes the accuracy positioning of the inspection tour robot in the transformer station.

The invention relates to a motion control method of a lower limb rehabilitative robot. In the method, aiming at different rehabilitation stages of a patient, two working modes of passive training and active training are carried out: under the mode of passive training, the patient is driven by controlling the robot to finish specific motions or motion according to a right physiological gait track; abnormal motions of the patient are completely restrained; and the patient passively follows the robot to do walking rehabilitation training; under the mode of active training, limited abnormal motions of the patient are restrained by the robot; through a real-time detection on joint driving forces generated when the patient acts on the robot in the motion process, human-computer interaction moment is extracted by utilizing an inverse dynamic model to judge the active motion intention of lower limbs of the patient; and the interaction moment is converted into correction value of gait track by utilizing an impedance controller to directly correct or generate the gait training track the patient expects through an adaptive controller, therefore, the purpose that the robot can provide auxiliary force and resistant force for the rehabilitation training can be indirectly realized. By means of the motion control method of the lower limb rehabilitative robot, rehabilitation training motions suitable for different rehabilitation stages can be provided for a dysbasia patient, thereby enhancing active participation degree of the rehabilitation training of the patient, building confidence of the rehabilitation and positivity of the motion, and then enhancing effect of the rehabilitation training.

A dual LED and incandescent security lighting system uses a hybrid approach to LED illumination. It combines an ambient LED illuminator with a standard incandescent lamp on a motion control sensor. The LED illuminator will activate with the onset of darkness (daylight control) and typically remain on during the course of the night (“always on”). The LED illumination, typically amber, is sufficient to provide low to moderate level lighting coverage to the wall and ground area adjacent to and under the fixture. The incandescent lamp is integrated with a motion control circuit and sensor. When movement in the field of view is detected (after darkness), the incandescent lamp is switched on, providing an increased level of illumination to the area. Instead of an “always on” LED illuminator, the LEDs may also be switched off when the incandescent lamp is switched on.

The invention provides a PCB apparent defect automatic detection system and method based on an image and aims at solving the problems that detection efficiency is low and misjudgment rate is high. The method comprises the following steps: firstly transmitting a to-be-detected PCB to a specified position by virtue of a motion control unit; acquiring an image of the to-be-detected PCB by utilizing image acquisition equipment such as an image acquisition card and an industrial camera; then sequentially carrying out a series of operation such as image preprocessing, PCB defect detection and PCB defect identification and classification on the acquired image, so that PCB defect automatic detection is completed; and finally realizing real-time automatic sorting of an unqualified PCB and timely reporting a defect position and a defect analysis result to an operator. The system and method which are provided by the invention can automatically detect the PCB defect and identify the defect type to a great extent, and false detection rate is reduced, so that enterprise cost is reduced, and the system and method which are provided by the invention have stronger practicability.

Robotic and / or surgical devices, systems, and methods include kinematic linkage structures and associated control systems configured to facilitate preparation of the system for use. One or more kinematic linkage sub-systems may include joints that are actively driven, passive, or a mix of both, and may employ a set-up mode in which one or more of the joints are actively driven in response to manual articulation of one or more other joints of the kinematic chain. In an exemplary embodiment, the actively driven joints will move a platform structure that supports multiple manipulators in response to movement of one of the manipulators, facilitating and expediting the arrangement of the overall system by moving those multiple manipulators as a unit into alignment with the workspace. Manual independent positioning of the manipulator can be provided through passive set-up joint systems supporting the manipulators relative to the platform.