434 results about "Robot manipulator" patented technology

Provided herein are robotic systems, for example, MRI guided robots, for image-guided robot-assisted surgical procedures and methods for using the same to perform such surgical procedures on a patient. The robotic systems comprise a robotic manipulator device or global positioner, means for actuating the robotic manipulator or global positioner that is mechanically linked thereto and a computer having a memory, a processor and at least one network connection in electronic communication with the robotic system. The actuating means comprises at least one transmission line having a flexible component comprising a displaceable medium, a rigid component comprising rigid pistons or a combination through which actuation is transmitted to the robotic manipulator or global positioner. The computer tangibly stores in memory software modules comprising processor-executable instructions to provide interfaces between the robotic system, an imaging system and an operator and to control operation thereof.

A robotic system for overlapping radiofrequency ablation (RFA) in tumor treatment is disclosed. The robot assisted navigation system is formed of a robotic manipulator and a control system designed to execute preoperatively planned needle trajectories. Preoperative imaging and planning is followed by interoperative robot execution of the ablation treatment plan. The navigation system combines mechanical linkage sensory units with an optical registration system. There is no requirement for bulky hardware installation or computationally demanding software modules. Final position of the first needle placement is confirmed for validity with the plan and then is used as a reference for the subsequent needle insertions and ablations.

A method of force estimation for a minimally invasive medical system comprising a robot manipulator (10). The manipulator has an effector unit (12) equipped with a 6-degrees-of-freedom (DOF) force/torque sensor and is configured to hold a minimally invasive instrument (14) having a first end (16) mounted to the effector unit and a second end (20) located beyond an external fulcrum (23) that limits the instrument in motion, usually to 4 DOF. The method comprising the steps: —determining a position of the instrument relative to the fulcrum; —measuring by means of the 6-DOF force/torque sensor a force and a torque exerted onto the effector unit by the first end of the instrument; and —calculating by means of the principle of superposition an estimate of a force exerted onto the second end of the instrument based on the determined position, the measured force and the measured torque.

A robotic system implements a collision avoidance scheme and includes a first robotic manipulator and a first controller configured to control the first robotic manipulator for movement along a first pre-planned actual path. A second controller is configured to control movement of a second robotic manipulator for movement along a second pre-planned intended path and deviating therefrom to move in a dodging path away from the first pre-planned actual path based upon determining a potential collision with the first robotic manipulator without prior knowledge of the first pre-planned actual path.

The invention disclosed with this application is a autonomous mobile system comprising: a means of achieving mobility, a means of navigating, a means of providing autonomous power, and a means of providing general purpose computing.

In some embodiments, the system comprises a base unit capable of sensing its environment and computing navigation instructions to direct the system to move to particular locations and execute particular functions, as directed by a set of programmed instructions.

In some embodiments, a coupling exists on the base unit to attach additional structures and mechanisms. These structures may comprise a means for carrying packages or other items, robotic manipulators that can grab and move objects, interactive audio and video displays for telepresence applications, a means for serving food and drink, etc. These extensions may be designed to be detachable and interchangeable, or may be designed to be permanently attached to the base unit.

The position of an imaging catheter in a body structure such as the heart is automatically controlled by a robotic manipulator such that its field of view at all times includes the distal end of a second catheter that is employed to effect a medical procedure. A processor receives signals from position sensors in the catheters. The processor utilizes the information received from the sensors and continually determines any deviation of the second catheter from the required field of view of the imaging catheter. The processor transmits compensation instructions to the robotic manipulator, which when executed assure that the imaging catheter tracks the second catheter.

A robotic manipulator controller and system for use in flexible endoscopy, the manipulator comprising a flexible member configured to be coupled to an endoscope, and an arm connected to and movable by the flexible member, wherein the flexible member has a first end connected to the arm and a second end connectable to the controller to allow a physical movement of the arm to be controllable by a physical movement of the controller.

Disclosed are a robot, which performs cooperative work with a plurality of robot manipulators through impedance control, and a method of controlling cooperative work of the robot. The method includes calculating absolute coordinate positions of end effectors, respectively provided at a plurality of manipulators to perform the work; calculating a relative coordinate position from the absolute coordinate positions of the end effectors; calculating joint torques of the plurality of manipulators using the relative coordinate position; and controlling the cooperative work of the plurality of manipulators according to the joint torques.

A system for replicating the behavior of a target robotic manipulator with respect to a payload and worksite, has a real-time simulator capturing the dynamics of the target robot manipulator; a mock-up of the payload and worksite; and an emulating robotic manipulator for interacting with said payload and worksite. The emulating robotic manipulator is controlled by the real-time simulator in a control loop to replicate the dynamical behavior of said target robotic manipulator in its environment by matching the impedance of the emulating robotic manipulator with that of the target robotic manipulator.

The present invention provides parallel, cable based robotic manipulators, for use in different applications such as ultra high-speed robots or positioning devices with between three to six degrees of freedom. The manipulators provide more options for the number of degrees of freedom and also more simplicity compared to the current cable-based robots. The general structure of these manipulators includes a base platform, a moving platform or end effector, an extensible or telescoping central post connecting the base to moving platform to apply a pushing force to the platforms. The central post can apply the force by an actuator (active), or spring or air pressure (passive) using telescoping cylinders. The robotic manipulators use a combination of active and passive tensile (cable) members, and collapsible and rigid links to maximize the benefits of both pure cable and conventional parallel mechanisms. Different embodiments of the robotic manipulators use either active cables only, passive cables only, or combinations of active and passive cables. An active cable is one whose length is varied by means of a winch. A passive cable is one whose length is constant and which is used to provide a mechanical constraint. These mechanisms reduce the moving inertia significantly to enhance the operational speed of the robots. They also provide a simpler, more cost effective way to manufacture parallel mechanisms for use in robotic applications.

The servo actuated robot manipulator for surgical operation has fingers in the most front end as well as finger circularly moving joint mechanism, arc guide rotating joint mechanism, inclined guide straight motion joint mechanism, the first small arm rotating joint mechanism, the second small arm rotating joint mechanism, large arm rotating joint mechanism, vertical position regulating mechanism and sync toothed belt wheel mechanism. The present invention is used mainly in micro wound surgical operation, eye operation, orthopaedics operation, etc., especially in blood vessel stitching and other microscopic surgical operations.

The invention discloses a bionic manipulator, which comprises a main body lifting cylinder, which extends along a vertical direction, wherein a main body rotating cylinder capable of rotating around a central axis of the main body lifting cylinder is fixedly arranged on the output end of the main body lifting cylinder, an arm telescopic cylinder, which extends along a horizontal direction, is fixedly arranged on the output end of the main body rotating cylinder, an artifice rotating cylinder, which rotates around the central axis of the arm telescopic cylinder, is fixedly arranged on the arm telescopic cylinder, and a paw part used for grabbing articles is arranged on a rotating output part on the artifice rotating cylinder. When used, materials are grabbed by the paw part firstly, and then the paw part is moved and adjusted to a proper position through a telescopic action of the arm telescopic cylinder, a rotating action of the main body rotating cylinder and a lifting action of the main body lifting cylinder according to actual requirements, when the paw is moved in place, the materials are put down by the paw part, so that the materials can be conveyed without manual work.

The present invention includes a method and device for performing automated SELEX. The steps of the SELEX process are performed at one or more work stations on a work surface by a robotic manipulator controlled by a computer. The invention also includes methods and reagents to obviate the need for size-fractionation of amplified candidate nucleic acids before beginning the next round of the SELEX process.

An apparatus and method for mounting a valve stem to the rim of an automotive vehicle wheel includes rims being supplied in series by a conveyor to a gauging station where the type and/or size of the rim and the location and alignment of an aperture for receiving the valve stem is determined by a machine vision system. An electronic control system directs a robotic manipulator to grasp either the valve stem or the rim, move the valve stem or the rim to a mounting station, position the valve stem or the rim with respect to the other such that the aperture in the rim is in coaxial alignment with the valve stem, and insert the valve stem through the aperture in the rim. If necessary, a power-actuated nut runner, mounted on the robotic manipulator or adjacent the mounting station, is used to tighten a nut over the valve stem. As an alternative to the machine vision system, the gauging station can use a rotating table which rotates the wheel about a central axis, and an “electric eye” optical sensor directing a beam of infrared light onto the rim. As the rim rotates through the beam, the presence or lack of a reflection of the light beam is used to detect the location of the aperture, and rotation of the table is stopped when the aperture is in alignment with the beam. A probe mounted on the gauging station can be extended to project into the aperture to confirm that the aperture is at the desired position and reposition the rim slightly to provide a precise positioning of the aperture.

The invention relates to a robot gripper having a fixing flange for detachably attaching it to a robot manipulator arm, and at least one actuator element which is supported in a frame, that actuates at least two gripper jaws indirectly or directly kinematically via at least one articulated unit. At least the fixing flange, the frame and the actuator element are manufactured integrally using a generative manufacturing method, and the actuator element is in the form of a bellows, enclosed an internal volume, which can be filled with a medium via at least one opening, and is capable of expanding, when filled with a medium, along a linear axis predetermined by the bellows design of the actuator element and of contracting, when the volume is emptied, in the opposite direction.

A workpiece manufacturing facility includes a plurality of workstations capable of performing work on a workpiece to dimensionally advance a configuration of the workpiece. A plurality of assembly stations is capable of assembling components of the workpiece to the workpiece. A carrier is moveable between any of the work stations and between any of the assembly stations. The carrier transports at least one workpiece between at least one work station and at least one assembly station. The carrier includes a robotic manipulator capable of introducing the workpiece to the workstations and the assembly stations in a dimensionally accurate position and the robotic manipulator is capable of performing work on the workpiece.