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"The abolishment of pain in surgery is a chimera. It is absurd to go on seeking it...knife and pain are two words in surgery that must forever be associated in the consciousness of the patient."
Dr. Alfred Velpeau, French surgeon ; 1839
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 5150026 | Obstacle avoidance for redundant robots using configuration control A redundant robot control scheme is provided for avoiding obstacles in a workspace during motion of an end effector along a preselected trajectory by stopping motion of the critical point on the robot closest to the obstacle when the distance therebetween... | 09/22/1992 |
| 5142930 | Interactive image-guided surgical system An interactive system for guiding the use of a surgical tool uses at least one imaging technique, such as CT scanning. A mechanical arm has a fixed base at a first end and a tool holder that holds the surgical tool at a second end. A display displays one ... | 09/01/1992 |
| 5122030 | Method and apparatus for transporting can blanks and the like An apparatus and method for transferring can blanks from a steel slitting machine to a welder includes a two stage chain conveyor feeding stacker pockets on a dial indexer or turntable for holding a predetermined number of stacks. A gripper assembly mount... | 06/16/1992 |
| 5111126 | Stereo optical guidance system for control of industrial robots A device for the generation of basic electrical signals which are supplied to a computerized processing complex for the operation of industrial robots. The system includes a stereo mirror arrangement for the projection of views from opposite sides of a vi... | 05/05/1992 |
| 5106259 | Method for loading transport racks An automated rack loading system for loading trays of products, especially bakery products, into racks for transport by delivery trucks. An empty transport rack is brought to the loader, and its shelf structure is scanned on each side to locate shelf brac... | 04/21/1992 |
| 5105368 | Method for improving robot accuracy The positional error of a robotic manipulator (20,22) within its workspace (38) can be reduced by advantageously mapping the manipulator positional error at each of a plurality of grid points (44) within the workspace. Such mapping is carried out by placi... | 04/14/1992 |
| 5103305 | Moving object detecting system A moving object detecting system includes an image acquiring section, a feature extracting section, a background detecting section, a prediction parameter calculating section, a region estimating section, and a moving object determining section. The image... | 04/07/1992 |
| 5098024 | Spray end effector A spray end effector for spray painting internal cavities of complex shapes comprising a first elongated arm having an inboard end with attachment means for coupling to a robot and also having an outboard end; a second elongated arm having an inboard end ... | 03/24/1992 |
| 5096353 | Vision system for a robotic station A vision system for a robotic station which includes a camera for locating an object to be placed. The camera is mounted to a robotic manipulator which includes a gripper for holding the object. A mirror assembly deflects the images of the object such tha... | 03/17/1992 |
| 5069524 | Robot hand optical fiber connector coupling assembly A robot hand changer has a first joint member mounted on a robot arm, a second joint member mounted on a robot hand, and an engaging member mounted on the first joint member and angularly movable with respect to the second joint member for coupling the fi... | 12/03/1991 |
| 5067085 | Optical robotic canopy polishing system A method and apparatus for providing an automated optical robotic polishing system for removing flaws in transparencies, such as transparent canopies used in aircraft. A pneumatic random orbital polishing tool attached to a robot arm is used to polish can... | 11/19/1991 |
| 5052875 | Automated envelope handling system By providing a pair of vacuum manifolds positioned on opposite sides of an envelope travel path with the vacuum manifolds being laterally spaced apart, a unique, effective and dependable envelope handling system is achieved whereby the envelope sides are ... | 10/01/1991 |
| 5049797 | Device and method for control of flexible link robot manipulators A method and device for controlling and dampening undesirable vibrational movement within flexible linkage of a robot arm coupled to a movable, controlled joint and attached drive motor. The method includes the steps of providing position displacement and... | 09/17/1991 |
| 5046773 | Micro-gripper assembly A tactile micro-gripper is disclosed having a combined lever and spring linkage. The lever flexes at predetermined points and is coupled to the spring and to an actuator. The spring is of a parallelogram type, so that the ends remain parallel to one anoth... | 09/10/1991 |
| 5040124 | Positional information detecting method in arc welding A method of detecting information on an arc welding position by monitoring the shape and/or position of an welding arc. When in the arc welding along a welding groove position while locating the same, the shape of the arc is picked up from above the joint... | 08/13/1991 |
| 5040125 | Positional information detecting method in arc welding A method of detecting information on an arc welding position by monitoring the shape and/or position of an welding arc. When in the arc welding along a welding groove position while locating the same, the shape of the arc is picked up from above the joint... | 08/13/1991 |
| 5033783 | Parts mounting apparatus A parts mounting apparatus which picks up a part by using a suction nozzle provided in a mounting head and transports the part so as to mount the part at a predetermined position, has: a suction nozzle portion including a suction nozzle, a light transmitt... | 07/23/1991 |
| 5030057 | Semiconductor wafer transferring method and apparatus and boat for thermal treatment of a semiconductor wafer A wafer transferring method for transferring wafers between a cassette and a boat having grooves to hold the wafers, comprises the steps of providing an identification mechanism for positional alignment on the boat in advance, detecting the identification... | 07/09/1991 |
| 5026245 | Clamping arrangement for a lift mast A clamping arrangement for stabilizing a load carried on an elevationally movable load engaging device of a material handling lift mast has a clamp movably connected to the load engaging device and an actuator for moving the load engaging clamp between fi... | 06/25/1991 |
| 5024429 | Method and apparatus for piling plural sheets of material having a repetitive pattern thereon, while ensuring the vertical alignment of the patterns from one sheet to the next The invention uses a carriage that is longitudinally displaceable with respect to a cutting table, and a light transporting band whose width is at least equal to that of the sheets. The carriage is comprised of two separable movable members, one of which ... | 06/18/1991 |
| 5018936 | Electronic parts engaging apparatus An electronic parts engaging apparatus is equipped with a parts feed portion having a plurality of parts feed devices disposed to feed, for each type of part, parts having marks indicating their separate type. A suction nozzle is composed of a light trans... | 05/28/1991 |
| 5017082 | Handling apparatus A handling apparatus comprises a holding member for holding an object to be handled, a driving member for driving the holding member, a locus detection section provided in a fixed position which is not driven by the driving member, the locus detection sec... | 05/21/1991 |
| 5005823 | Corner alignment system A system for locating a corner of an angularly oriented workpiece on a worksurface includes a gripper and associated two axis transport assembly, and a set of sensors on the gripper for detecting reflected radiation from the workpiece and surrounding work... | 04/09/1991 |
| 5000651 | Disk gripper for use with a disk polisher A disk gripper has a rotary actuator with a horizontally supported shaft, a swing arm which is attached to and can rotate with this shaft and a finger arm which is connected to the swing arm such that the connected arms together extend radially from the s... | 03/19/1991 |
| 4993912 | Stair climbing robot A stair climbing robot and method of operation is described. The robot includes a chassis having powered opposed front wheels and two pairs of rear wheels each pair being rotatably mounted on a beam at opposite ends thereof, and each beam being rotatably ... | 02/19/1991 |
| 4988256 | Parts assembly kitting apparatus and method The present invention provides an apparatus of a feeder for singulating and feeding various shaped sized and shaped parts without major modification. The present invention also provides an arrangement which utilizes the feeder.... | 01/29/1991 |
| 4980971 | Method and apparatus for chip placement A system (10) for precisely placing a semiconductor chip (16) on a substrate (11) includes a robotic arm (18) which is provided with a gripper (22) for separately picking up the chip and substrate. A first television camera (38) is carried by the robotic ... | 01/01/1991 |
| 4981353 | Position locating apparatus for an underwater moving body An improved position detecting apparatus for detecting the position of an underwater moving body loaded with an inspecting device is provided. The apparatus is such that it makes it possible to perform inspection of a structure in water quickly, reliably ... | 01/01/1991 |
| 4980626 | Method and apparatus for positioning a robotic end effector A robotic end effector and operation protocol provide for a reliable grasp of a target object irrespective of the target's contours. A robotic hand 30 includes a plurality of jointed fingers 31-34, one of which, like a thumb 31, is in opposed relation to ... | 12/25/1990 |
| 4979135 | Vision system illumination calibration apparatus The vision system illumination calibration apparatus uses a pair of lamps, located one on either side of a vision element to illuminate a set of machine-readable characters imprinted in bar code format on a label affixed to a calibration target plate. The... | 12/18/1990 |
| 4975016 | Automated machine for detection and grasping of objects An automated machine comprising a handler mounted with a rotating aptitude about two perpendicular and intersecting rotational axes, having a free end fitted with a mechanical hand comprising an intake head. A vision system is permanently installed at the... | 12/04/1990 |
| 4973216 | Apparatus for automatic component insertion in P.C. boards In an apparatus for automatic component insertion in p.c. boards by means of an industrial robot, the gaging means for optically gaging the components is disposed on the outer robot arm so as to be directly associated with the range of motion of the compo... | 11/27/1990 |
| 4969108 | Vision seam tracking method and apparatus for a manipulator A three-dimensional vision seam tracking method and apparatus for controlling the motion of the center point of a tool mounted on a manipulator. The manipulator is provided with a control to operate the manipulator members to move the tool center point at... | 11/06/1990 |
| 4969036 | System for computing the self-motion of moving images devices Determining the self-motion in space of an imaging device (e.g., a television camera) by analyzing image sequences obtained through the device. Three-dimensional self-motion is expressed as a combination of rotations about the horizontal and vertical came... | 11/06/1990 |
| 4969107 | Apparatus and method for adjusting position of an industrial robot An industrial robot for drilling is provided with a robot arm to which a working unit is mounted. An apparatus for adjusting the position of the industrial robot comprises a laser beam emitting unit secured to the working unit and a laser beam receiving u... | 11/06/1990 |
| 4965499 | Parametric path modeling for an optical automatic seam tracker and real time robotic control system A control processor in a robotic system treats optically sensed locations along the path ahead of the tool, which are classified in relation to elapsed distances and identified in 3-D coordinates and 3-axes tool orientation, to apply in real time and unde... | 10/23/1990 |
| 4955780 | Wafer positioning apparatus A wafer positioning apparatus includes at least first, second and third optical position detectors for detecting a circumference portion of a wafer. The first to third optical position detectors are arranged on a circumference of a circle having a diamete... | 09/11/1990 |
| 4954962 | Visual navigation and obstacle avoidance structured light system A vision system for a vehicle, such as a mobile robot (10) includes at least one radiation projector (14, 16) which projects a structured beam of radiation into the robot's environment. The structured beam of radiation (14a, 16a) preferably has a substant... | 09/04/1990 |
| 4951218 | Positional information detecting method in arc welding Herein disclosed is a method of detecting information on an arc welding position by monitoring the shape and/or position of an welding arc. When in the arc welding along a welding groove position while locating the same, the shape of the arc is picked up ... | 08/21/1990 |
| 4942539 | Method and system for automatically determining the position and orientation of an object in 3-D space A method and system for automatically determining the position and orientation of an object by utilizing as few as a single digital image generated by as few as a single camera without the use of a structured light. The digital image contains at least thr... | 07/17/1990 |
