658 results about "Robotics" patented technology

The present invention is directed to a surgical instrument with a robotics system, a memory device and an end effector having an elongate channel, knife position sensor(s) and a firing bar coupled to a knife. In response to drive motions initiated by the robotics system, the firing bar may translate within the elongate channel. As the firing bar translates, the sensor(s) transmit a signal to the memory device. The position of the knife may be determined from the output signals and may be communicated to the robotics system or instrument user. The sensors may be Hall Effect sensors.

The present invention is directed to a surgical instrument with a robotics system, a memory device and an end effector having an elongate channel, knife position sensor(s) and a firing bar coupled to a knife. In response to drive motions initiated by the robotics system, the firing bar may translate within the elongate channel. As the firing bar translates, the sensor(s) transmit a signal to the memory device. The position of the knife may be determined from the output signals and may be communicated to the robotics system or instrument user. The sensors may be Hall Effect sensors.

This application describes completely in many unique ways and detail all the devices to reduce a vehicle's speed and/or reduce a machines RPM's and/or stop any piece of equipment's as well as guide it if mobile through automated controls. First to slow it down, and guide it and/or control it if necessary (i.e., other pieces of equipment). Secondly it discusses how to stop any piece of equipment completely. And thirdly, the invention secures it in a safe stationary position either entirely or any number of specific moving parts. Many of these systems are initially here described to slow, reduce speed, steer, stop and/or secure equipment functions. However, they also can be used to increase a piece of equipment's functions. In other words their variations are completely capable to serve any remote or automated controls on a vehicle in the future to provide full robotics systems, e.g., for automated transportation systems, automated manufacturing, etc., either through individually isolated remote control systems and/or interfaced with other off-board systems through communication links, gateway computers, computer networks and the world wide web for inexpensive long distance monitoring and remote control. The invention focuses on the automobile industry but as has always been maintained throughout all these applications these devices and systems are designed to control every piece of equipment. The invention includes various accountable protocols and commercial developments to control speed, brake and steering for an automobile shut down to be performed through automation to a safe controlled secured deactivated state to be considered as a basis for a standard in aggressive vehicle remote control and/or to control and guide a vehicle and/or piece of equipment through many different automated systems.

Agricultural operations by applying flexible manufacturing software, robotics and sensing techniques to agriculture. In manufacturing operations utilizing flexible machining and flexible assembly robots, work pieces flow through a fixed set of workstations on an assembly line. At different stations are located machine vision systems, laser based raster devices, radar, touch, photocell, and other methods of sensing; flexible robot armatures and the like are used to operate on them. This flexible agricultural automation turns that concept inside out, moving software programmable workstations through farm fields on mobile robots that can sense their environment and respond to it flexibly. The agricultural automation will make it possible for large scale farming to take up labor intensive farming practices which are currently only practical for small scale farming, improving land utilization efficiency, while lowering manpower costs dramatically.

The invention relates generally to robotically controlled systems, such as medical robotic systems. In one variation, a robotic catheter system is configured with a sterile barrier capable for transmitting a rotary force from a drive system on one side of the barrier to surgical tool on the other side of the sterile barrier for performing minimally invasive diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. Modularized drive systems for robotics arc also disclosed herein.

The present invention is a robotics construction kit that serves as a platform for children to engage in problem-solving and innovative thinking in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. By designing and building robotics constructions from an apparently simple set of blocks that encapsulate the kinetic, electronic, and software elements of robots, children and others can encounter, explore, and experiment with basic principles of science and computation. Unlike existing robotics construction kits for education, the present invention embodies computation in every element, which affords understanding systems of distributed computation, rather than systems of top-down control.

A system has been constructed that recapitulate the features of a capillary bed through normal human tissue. The system facilitates perfusion of three-dimensional (3D) cell monocultures and heterotypic cell co-cultures at the length scale of the capillary bed. A major feature is that the system can be utilized within a “multiwell plate” format amenable to high-throughput assays compatible with the type of robotics commonly used in pharmaceutical development. The system provides a means to conduct assays for toxicology and metabolism and as a model for human diseases such as hepatic diseases, including hepatitis, exposure-related pathologies, and cancer. Cancer applications include primary liver cancer as well as metastases. The system can also be used as a means of testing gene therapy approaches for treating disease and inborn genetic defects.

A robotics process automation platform for developing and managing a workflow is provided. The platform includes development and operational databases stored in a memory, a development interface component, a control interface component, and a runner component. The development interface component is configured for creating a workflow and storing the workflow in the development database. The control interface component is configured for selecting the workflow stored in the development database and storing a copy of the workflow in the operational database. The runner component is configured for receiving instructions from the control interface component to store a copy of the workflow stored in the operational database in a memory of a virtual computing device, and downloading the workflow in the second memory. The runner component is also configured for instructing the virtual computing device to execute the workflow in association with the target application.

The present invention relates to a method of preparing analyses of total blood samples and to a device that is useful for implementing the method, said samples being conserved in tubes including at least one identification means for identifying the sample, the device comprising:

• • at least one compartment constituting a said storage zone for storing said tubes before and after analysis; and
  • at least one said read means for reading said identification means of said tubes; and
  • at least one preparation zone for preparing said blood samples prior to analysis and including means for verifying and/or treating said tubes containing said samples, and in particular at least one agitator means for agitating said tubes; and
  • at least one access zone giving access to at least one automatic analyzer of total blood, said access zone enabling a said tube to be placed in said analyzer; and
  • robotic gripper and displacement means controlled by an automatic controller and suitable for taking hold of and replacing said tubes individually in said storage zone and for conveying them in at least three directions XYZ between said storage zone, said preparation zone and said access zone giving access to said analyzer, said analyzer preferably being connected to and/or controlled by said automatic controller.

A machine-vision system, method and article is useful in the field of robotics. One embodiment produces signals that emulate the output of an encoder, based on captured images of an object, which may be in motion. One embodiment provides digital data directly to a robot controller without the use of an intermediary transceiver such as an encoder interface card. One embodiment predicts or determines the occurrence of an occlusion and moves at least one of a camera and/or the object accordingly.

This invention is related to a deep multi-sensor fusion system for inter-radar interference-free environmental perception comprising of (1) polystatic Multi-Input Multi-Output (MIMO) radars such as radio frequency radar and laser radar; (2) vehicle self-localization and navigation; (3) the Internet of Vehicles (IoV) including Vehicle-to-Vehicle communication (V2V), Vehicle-to-Infrastructure communication (V2I), other communication systems, data center/cloud; (4) passive sensors such as EOIR, and (5) deep multi-sensor fusion algorithms. The self-localization sensors and V2X formulate cooperative sensors. The polystatic MIMO radar on each vehicle utilizes both its own transmitted radar signals and ones from other vehicles to detect obstacles. The transmitted radar signals from other vehicles are not considered as interference or uselessness as conventional radars, but considered as useful signals to formulate a polystatic MIMO radar which can overcome the interference problem and improve the radar performance. This invention can be applied to all kinds of vehicles and robotics.

A device and method for treating all types of parts, in particular bones, organs, etc. of the human/animal body, which includes a housing (3), a tool (1) associated with the housing (3), and an actuation unit causing a relative movement between the housing and the tool. The device is designed and constructed to permit process control by the user, while utilizing the specific possibilities of robotics and computer-assisted navigation in such a manner that the position of the tool can be detected, and that the position of the body part being treated can be detected or predetermined, with the actuation unit being activatable in such a manner that it moves the tool within a predetermined work area to a predetermined relative position with respect to the body part being treated.

A robotic catheter manipulator assembly may include a support member including a catheter manipulation base and a sheath manipulation base movable relative to each other and to the support member. Each respective manipulation base may be releasably connectable to a catheter cartridge and a sheath cartridge. A drive mechanism may be provided for moving the catheter and sheath manipulation bases relative to each other and to the support member. The manipulation base or the cartridge may include a first element engageable with a complementary second element slidably engaged with the other one of the manipulation base or the cartridge for controlling movement of a component connected to the cartridge. The cartridge, for example, may be a transseptal cartridge, a catheter cartridge or a sheath cartridge, and the component may respectively be a surgically insertable device such as a transseptal needle, a catheter or a sheath.

A solution for consumer self-service merchandise order placement, payment, and pick up, integrated with a merchant's Internet e-commerce site and with an effective merchant point-of-sale management system. The solution includes a system and apparatus and of a set of specific business methods. A self-service merchandising machine for un-attended, autonomous, and automatic dispensing of retail products includes an input/output subsystem; a control subsystem having and being based upon a computer; a specially configured storage subsystem; a unique pick-and-place robotic-based product retrieval subsystem with an adaptive material handling system; and a product extraction subsystem. A related method of using the machine includes the steps of enabling self-service retail sale; permitting Internet sale with local merchandise pick-up; managing the business operations of the system; replenishing inventory using Kanban methods; restocking inventory; operating and monitoring a security camera; handling Category I error; and handling Category II error.

The system and method for non-contact and/or touch-sensitive human machine interface, for use in numerous capacities wherein a lack of physical contact, with control apparatuses or devices is desirable. Electrical near field three-dimensional tracking and gesture control systems are utilized to interpret the location and movement of an operator, or to provide navigation, mapping, avoidance, localization, and the like for robotics applications.