A robot includes an arm having a base end portion rotatably installed through a joint part and a tip end portion in which an output shaft is installed; and a drive mechanism arranged within the arm and configured to drive the output shaft at a reduced speed. The drive mechanism includes a motor having a motor shaft, a driving pulley attached to the motor shaft, a driven pulley attached to the output shaft, at least one intermediate pulley provided between the driving pulley and the driven pulley, and a plurality of belts for operatively interconnecting the driving pulley and the driven pulley through the intermediate pulley.

Boom drive apparatus for substrate transport systems and methods are described. The boom drive apparatus is adapted to drive one or more multi-arm robots rotationally mounted to the boom to efficiently put or pick substrates. The boom drive apparatus has a boom including a hub, a web, a first pilot above the web, and a second pilot below the web, a first driving member rotationally mounted to the first pilot, a second driving member rotationally mounted to the second pilot, a first driven member rotationally mounted to the boom above the a web, a second driven member rotationally mounted to the boom below the a web, and a first and second transmission members coupling the driving members to driven members located outboard on the boom. Numerous other aspects are provided.

A robot system includes a crane unit, a crane moving mechanism, a robot, and a controller. The crane unit is to suspend a workpiece. The crane unit moves in a horizontal direction via the crane moving mechanism. The robot is to move the crane unit in the horizontal direction via the crane moving mechanism. The controller is configured to control the crane unit to move upwardly to suspend the workpiece after controlling the robot to bring the crane unit into an engaging state in which the crane unit engages with the workpiece located at a first position. The controller is configured to control the crane unit suspending the workpiece to move downwardly to place the workpiece at a second position after controlling the robot to move the crane unit toward the second position while the crane unit suspends the workpiece.

An apparatus for suspending and positioning marionettes. The apparatus includes a thin, planar support membrane such as a plastic sheet. A tender vehicle is positioned on the upper side of the support membrane. A motor or other drive mechanism selectively positions the tender vehicle relative to the support membrane. The apparatus includes a puppeteer vehicle from which a marionette is suspended. The puppeteer vehicle is positioned proximate to the lower side of the support membrane opposite the tender vehicle. To support the puppeteer vehicle, one or both of the vehicles includes one or more rotatable magnetic elements such that the attractive forces support the weight of the puppeteer vehicle and the marionette. Typically, the puppeteer vehicle is a passive follower, and the drive mechanism of the tender vehicle includes motors to move the magnetic elements and position the tender and following puppeteer vehicle with its marionette to provide a show.

A head structure of a robot according to the invention includes a first motor and a second motor so supported side by side within a head of the robot that output shafts are positioned coaxially with each other; a left elastic frame that is so driven by the first motor and one end of which is so fitted as to be rotatable around the output shaft and the other end of which extending in a perpendicular direction from the output shaft is supported by a trunk of the robot; and a right elastic frame that is so driven by the second motor and one end of which is so fitted as to be rotatable around the output shaft and the other end of which extending side by side with the left elastic frame from the output shaft is supported by the trunk.

A flapping flying robot including a body with a longitudinal side extending in a front to back direction, a left wing and a right wing respectively including a left front frame and a right front frame, base ends of the left and right front frames rotatably attached to a front side of the body, and a flapping structure mounted on an upper side of the body, the flapping structure powered by a rotary drive source, the flapping structure rotating the left and right front frames and thereby flapping the left and right wings and a duration of an upstroke of the left and right wings flapped by the flapping structure is shorter than a duration of a downstroke of the left and right wings to generate a lift force.

A robot hand includes a finger unit that is in contact with an object. The finger unit includes: a first member in which a tip portion and a base portion connected to the tip portion are formed as a single member; and a second member that covers a surface of the first member.

A robot bumper assembly includes a bumper body, a first sensor array, and a second sensor array. The first sensor array is disposed along and contoured to the periphery of a forward facing portion of the bumper body and senses contact with an external environment at positions along the contour of the periphery forward facing portion of the bumper body. The second sensor array is disposed along and contoured to the periphery of a top portion of the forward facing portion of the robot body. The top portion is angled, ramping up. The second sensor array senses contact with an external environment at positions along the periphery of the angled top portion of the bumper body.

A robot bumper including a bumper body having a forward surface and a top surface angling away from the forward surface. The bumper body conforms to a shape of a received robot chassis. The robot bumper also includes a force absorbing layer disposed on the bumper body, a membrane switch layer comprising a plurality of electrical contacts arranged along the top surface of the bumper body, and a force transmission layer disposed between the force absorbing layer and the membrane switch layer. The force transmission layer includes a plurality of force transmitting elements configured to transmit force to the membrane switch layer.

A processing system according to embodiments has an article supplier which supplies an article; a first conveyor which conveys an object to be processed; a workbench which is provided on the downstream side of the first conveyor and places thereon the object to be processed, conveyed by the first conveyor; a robot which takes out the article from the article supplier and subjects the object to be processed, placed on the workbench, to an operation using the article according to a previously instructed operation movement; and a second conveyor which is provided on the downstream side of the workbench and conveys the object to be processed, which has been subjected to the operation by the robot.

A gantry robot system includes a bridge assembly and a carriage assembly. The bridge assembly and/or a mounting plate supported by the carriage assembly can be rotationally skewed.

Provided is an in-pipe inspection robot which moves along a path in a pipe to inspect suspected areas such as cracks in the pipe. An in-pipe inspection robot in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention has a configuration in which two or more operating units having a plurality of arms, which move forward and backward in a radial direction of a pipe, are connected to each other to move in a straight direction or to be bent relative to each other by means of a flexible link mechanism.

A piezoelectric driving device includes: a substrate including a fixed portion, and a vibrating body portion which is provided with a piezoelectric element and is supported by the fixed portion; and a contact portion which comes into contact with a driven body, and transmits movement of the vibrating body portion to the driven body, the contact portion is provided at an end portion in the longitudinal direction of the vibrating body portion, and a difference between a distance between the end portion when the contact portion is not pressed against the driven body and a tip end of the contact portion, and a distance between the end portion when the contact portion is pressed against the driven body and the tip end, is smaller than a total amplitude in the longitudinal direction in a case where the vibrating body portion is driven.

Techniques for navigating semi-autonomous mobile robots are described. A semi-autonomous mobile robot moves within an environment to complete a task. A navigation server communicates with the robot and provides the robot information. The robot includes a navigation map of the environment, interaction information, and a security level. To complete the task, the robot transmits a route reservation request to the navigation server, the route reservation request including a priority for the task, a timeslot, and a route. The navigation server grants the route reservation if the task priority is higher than the task priorities of conflicting route reservation requests from other robots. As the robot moves within the environment, the robot detects an object and attempts to classify the detected object as belonging to an object category. The robot retrieves an interaction profile for the object, and interacts with the object according to the retrieved interaction profile.

A hull robot is disclosed for operation on a surface of a hull of a vessel. The robot can include a drive subsystem onboard the robot for driving and maneuvering the robot about the hull. A sensor subsystem onboard the robot can sense an attachment state of the robot to the hull. The attachment state can include at least one of attached and detached. A signal generation subsystem onboard the robot can emit a distress signal when the attachment state is detached.

A robot system according to one aspect of an embodiment includes a robot and an instructing module. The robot holds one of a plurality of feed materials used for processing a workpiece. The instructing module gives instructions to the robot, when the feed materials are used for processing the single workpiece, for an operation in which the feed material held last in the previous round of processing a workpiece is used first in the subsequent round of processing a workpiece.

A boom mountable robotic arm for temporarily supporting an elongate conductor includes a rigid member such as a beam or beam assembly adapted for mounting onto the upper end of a boom for example using a boom adaptor, at least one electrically insulated support post mounted to the rigid member, where each post temporarily supports an elongate electrical conductor, and at least two rotation devices for selectively controllable rotation of the rigid member and the electrically insulated support posts about at least two corresponding axes of rotation.

A robotic arm especially suited for laparoscopic surgery, having a torsional joint and a flexural joint forming serially arranged joints is described. The joints provide respective degrees of freedom for the arm, which further receives drive means for such joints. The robotic arm also has transmission means placed between the drive means have and the joints. The transmission means a first and a second assembly of three gear wheels, preferably conical gear wheels, and a train of three additional gear wheels, preferably straight-cut gear wheels, which couple the first and second assembly to form a differential mechanism.

A locating beam and a robot linear motion unit having the same, wherein the locating beam comprises a first support beam and a second support beam which are parallel to each other, a crossbeam connected between the first support beam and the second support beam and is vertical to the beams, and a joints between the crossbeam and the beams is provided with a right-angle connecting piece. The robot linear motion unit includes a motion track and a transmission mechanism arranged along the extension direction of the motion track, and the motion track is arranged on a surface of the locating beam. Arranging the crossbeam and right-angle connecting pieces between the first support beam and the second support beam in the locating beam, improves the mechanical structure strength, reduces deflection deformation and twist deformation of the locating beam, and improves the impact resistance of the robot linear motion unit.

A modified delta linkage robot uses a reverse orientation arm linkage that includes an inwardly direct lower arm. This reverse arm orientation provides a number of advantages with respect to access over an extending surface such as may occur in a home, office or other environments shared with people. The delta linkage may also have application in certain factory environments, particularly when combined with an omni wheeled base. The linkage and the preferred linkage and omni wheeled base provide a stable movable platform. In addition this combination can advantageously include a number of sensors to take active steps to discourage and/or reduce the effect of sudden forces applied thereto.

Electro-mechanical and electronically controlled access devices are described for controlling access to a building, premises or area in a secure manner such that a subject who is deemed ineligible for access will be barred entry and may be optionally retained. The devices can contain multiple rotatable door panels, which can be positioned behind one another. The door panels can be controlled by mechanized arms or other control devices in order to control the passage through the device. The direction of flow through a device according to these embodiments is electronically controlled and may be changed at any point in time. At any instant in time, the flow through the device is unidirectional. Multiple devices can be stacked together to form clusters, which can be controlled according to traffic, time of day, or other factors.

A surgical robotics system with robotic arms is configurable to perform a variety of surgical procedures. The surgical robotics system includes a table, column, base, and robotic arms that are either column-mounted, rail-mounted, or mounted on a separate unit. In a column-mounted configuration, the column includes column rings that translate vertically and rotate about the column. The robotic arms are attached to the column rings. In a rail-mounted configuration, the base includes base rails that translate along the base. The robotic arms are attached to the base rails. In both configurations, the robotic arms move independently from each other and include a multiple arm segments. Each arm segment provides an additional degree of freedom to the robotic arm. Thus, the surgical robotics system may position the robotic arms into numerous configurations to access different parts of a patient's body.

A force detector includes a first substrate, a second substrate, a circuit board provided between the first substrate and the second substrate, and an element mounted on the circuit board and outputting a signal in response to an external force, wherein a hole is formed in the circuit board at a location where the element is placed, and a first convex part inserted into the hole and protruding toward the element is provided on the first substrate. Further, the element is placed within a periphery of the first convex part as seen from a direction perpendicular to the first substrate.

An encoder, including: a scale that has a pattern and is mountable to a rotary member of an object to be measured; a main body including a detector that detects the pattern, the main body being mountable to a non-rotating portion of the object to be measured; and a holding member including: an abutment portion that is removably provided to the main body from outside the main body and passes through the main body to abut the scale; and a pushing portion that is capable of pushing the abutment portion toward the scale.

The new robot from Japanese automaker Toyota Motor Corp. can't do much but chatter in a high-pitched voice.

Arizona colleges and universities have dramatically altered graduation ceremonies to adapt to COVID-19.

I've always hated this song. But digging through my old sheet music I found a midcentury piano treatment that made it much more melancholy and interesting, so I decided to give the tune a synthesizer treatment and marry it up to the vocals to see if I couldn't do some damage. Also my first attempt at using Ableton, sorry for any production missteps.

I have successfully eliminated feeding time drama. I will tell you how.

But first - if you're willing to make a small screw hole in the pantry door, you can get an inexpensive metal latch hook that will improve that part of your system. If that won't work, you can find another way to keep that door securely closed. If you get stuck, just use your second AskMe question. You should be able to solve this problem :)

If you can't, well, it doesn't sound like you're getting a ton of help from the robot. Would it be just as easy to store the food in an air-tight container and serve whenever you feel like it?

Now - here's how I got my round little foster cat to stop harassing us for food:

I convinced her that I was not responsible for deciding when to feed her. I had an old phone with a distinctive, not-unpleasant alarm sound (harp glissando), set the alarm for her feeding times, and made a huge show about hearing the alarm sound, running over to it (to shut it off), and feeding her exactly then. It was clear that I was controlled by the harp sound. She made the connection very quickly, and would go sit and watch the sound/alarm system when it was close to meal times. My life improved. Safety improved (no cat weaving around my ankles). My estimation of my own cleverness improved also :)

Rattlesnake skin holds raindrops for drinking, science of imagination and quiet snow

Jewel beetles iridescent camouflage, better talk on climate change and flying west

The Rumble Review, featuring grumpy old men, robots and easy pickings for a jewel thief.

Coast FM Book Club reviews Robotham's 'Bleed for Me'

A champion surf lifesaver who was paralysed in a surfing accident while on holidays with friends last year has taken her first steps with the aid of a sci-fi-like robotic suit.

Robot in cabinet

Max the robot

Adam Poulsen

Loneliness can grow more acute in the twilight years, particularly for LGBT+ Australians. Researchers from Charles Sturt University are hoping that with a few tweaks, robots could prove worthy companions.

A group of researchers from the Harvard University Wyss Institute and the Massachusets Institute of Technology Computer Science Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, or MIT CSAIL have developed a robot gripper that uses a 3D printed origami structure to lift up to 100 times its own weight.

A snap from a snapping shrimp (known as the pistol shrimp) can create extreme pressures that will produce a flash of light and temperatures of 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit, producing plasma (a state of matter in which electrons are freed from their atoms).

A team of homeschooled students will this week travel overseas, most of them for the first time, to compete in an international Lego robotics competition in Denmark.

Dan is a 2013 OSU Welding Engineering graduate who moved to Ft. Collins, Colorado, to start his Welding Engineering career at Wolf Robotics.  There, he joins recent OSU WE alumni Jared and Adam. The transition from being a student to becoming an engineer has been pretty sweet. It was weird, at first, having all this […]

Robot dogs named "Spot" have reportedly been dispatched to parks in Singapore to remind citizens of safe social distancing measures. 

BEIJING -- While other industries struggle, Liu Zhiyong says China’s virus outbreak is boosting demand for his knee-high, bright yellow robots to deliver groceries and patrol malls looking for shoppers who fail to wear masks.

Just when it seemed like robots couldn't get any cooler, Cornell University researchers have created a soft robot muscle that can regulate its temperature through sweating.

Check out this qz article: The robot that takes your job should pay taxes, says Bill Gates. About 35-40 years ago secretary was the biggest job in most states. Those days are long past. As you can see by advancing the time bar for the USA states map on that page, by 2000 truck driver was the biggest job. So I have a question for Bill Gates: Do you want to tax word processors too? Also, autonomous vehicle technology will surely wipe out most truck driving jobs in the next 20 years. Do you want to tax autonomous truck technology to slow the rate of that transition? Keep in mind that thousands of lives will be saved each year once...

Daron Acemoglu of MIT and Pascual Restrepo of Boston University find that robots really do decrease human employment. As robots and other computer-assisted technologies take over tasks previously performed by labor, there is increasing concern about the future of jobs and wages. We analyze the effect of the increase in industrial robot usage between 1990 and 2007 on US local labor markets. Using a model in which robots compete against human labor in the production of different tasks, we show that robots may reduce employment and wages, and that the local labor market effects of robots can be estimated by regressing the change in employment and wages on the exposure to robots in each local labor market—defined from the national...

Tucker Carlson: Elizabeth Warren's enemies on Wall Street and Big Tech are not really her enemies. Elizabeth Warren is really just this season's Hillary Clinton -- faithful party robot, stalwart defender of the prerogatives of the establishment. Continue reading →

1. Researchers build the world's fastest 'soft' robot, THREE TIMES faster than the last record holder  Daily Mail
2. Soft robots can now run like cheetahs and swim like marlins  Engadget
3. Inspired by cheetahs, researchers build fastest soft robots yet  Tech Xplore
4. Meet the world's fastest soft Robot!  NEWS9 live
5. Fastest Soft Robots To-Date Developed by Researchers  Unite.AI
6. View Full coverage on Google News