Robots

Compliance

Workpiece regrasping system for robot
A workpiece regrasping system for a robot. The system includes a manipulator grippable a workpiece; a deck member having a deck surface on which a workpiece is placeable; a support mechanism rotatably supporting the deck member about an axis parallel to the deck surface; a workpiece-orientation control section for controlling the manipulator so as to grip a workpiece at a first point of the workpiece and to bring the workpiece into abutment with the deck surface of the deck member, and configured to displace the workpiece together with the deck member about the axis, while maintaining a mutually abutted condition, until the workpiece occupies a desired orientation, with at least a part of a weight of the workpiece being carried on the deck surface; and a regrasping control section for controlling the manipulator so as to temporarily release the workpiece placed on the deck surface in the desired orientation and to regrasp the workpiece at a second point different from the first point. The workpiece-orientation control section may control an operation of the manipulator, or control a rotational drive section for the deck member, while maintaining the workpiece in abutment with the deck surface, to displace the workpiece to the desired orientation.

System, apparatus, and method for managing and controlling robot competitions
A system and method for operating robots in a robot competition. One embodiment of the system may include operator interfaces, where each operator interface is operable to control movement of a respective robot. A respective operator interface may be in communication with an associated operator radio, where each radio may have a low power RF output signal. A robot controller may be coupled to each robot in the robot competition. A robot radio may be coupled to a respective robot and in communication with a respective robot controller and operator radio. The robot radios may have a low power RF output signal while communicating with the respective operator radios. Alternatively, the radios may be short range radios, where a distance of communication may be a maximum of approximately 500 feet.

System, apparatus and method for managing and controlling robot competitions
A system and method for operating robots in a robot competition. One embodiment of the system may include operator interfaces, where each operator interface is operable to control movement of a respective robot. A respective operator interface may be in communication with an associated operator radio, where each radio may have a low power RF output signal. A robot controller may be coupled to each robot in the robot competition. A robot radio may be coupled to a respective robot and in communication with a respective robot controller and operator radio. The robot radios may have a low power RF output signal while communicating with the respective operator radios. Alternatively, the radios may be short range radios, where a distance of communication may be a maximum of approximately 500 feet.

Guided thrust maneuvered shipboard crane
A floating object is attached to a shipboard hoisting crane through its attachment device under high seawave conditions, by maintaining alignment of the crane attachment device under maneuvering thrust control with a location on the floating object during lowering of the attachment device onto the floating object. Such maneuvering thrust control is established by thrust jets emitted from the attachment device under control of optical scanning detection cells mounted on the attachment device for reception of a reception location indicating beam emitted from the floating object.

Toolhead assembly for CNC machines having misalignment prevention means

A toolhead assembly for a CNC machine displaceable along orthogonal x, y and z-axes generally consisting of a support assembly, a tool carrier supported on the support assembly having a rotatable tool axis and being displaceable relative to the support assembly between a first position wherein the tool axis is aligned with the z-axis and a second position wherein the tool axis is misaligned with the z-axis, structure for yieldably biasing the tool carrier assembly into the first position and structure responsive to a displacement of the tool carrier assembly to the second position for breaking an electrical grounding circuit of a controller operatively connected to the machine.