Harris Corporation

L3harris Technologies, Inc.

Loran J Wilkinson

Matthew D Summer

Paul Michael Bosscher

William S Bowman

John B Rust

Michael E Bowman

Nicholas Murphy-DuBay

Mark A Cory

Robotic system includes a control system and a slave device which is controlled by the control system. The slave device has a robotic grasping device formed of a rigid base and at least one finger which is movable to facilitate grasping of objects. At least one sensor is provided which senses a force applied to the finger. A cutting tool having a cutting jaw is also attached to the base. The cutting jaw is arranged to pivot on a pivot axis responsive to a pivot motion of the finger. The forces exerted on the cutting jaw are sensed with the sensor during a first predetermined range of finger motion associated with a cutting mode of operation.

Robotic system with haptic cutting tool

A method for controlling the charging of a battery panel of a remote vehicle using regenerative power includes continuously monitoring a state of charge of each of a plurality of smart batteries included in a battery panel and detecting a regenerative current flow from a motor of a vehicle. The method also includes determining if a current charge status of a smart battery in the plurality of smart batteries is at a charge condition which is less than a threshold value associated with the smart battery and determining a plurality of optimal voltage differentials to be applied across each of the plurality of smart batteries. Each of the plurality of optimal voltage differentials is used to control a charging current supplied to a corresponding smart battery. The method further includes applying the determined plurality of optimal voltage differentials across each of the corresponding plurality of smart batteries.

Regenerative power electronics

Systems () and methods () for recoil absorption. The methods comprising: causing a moving carrier () to freely travel linearly in a first direction by discharging at least one recoil producing device (-); absorbing an impulse force resulting from discharging the recoil producing device using a spring () having a first end coupled to the moving carrier and a second end () coupled to a fixed frame member (); and applying a pulling force by the spring to the moving carrier in a second direction opposed from the first direction at an end of spring travel, whereby a uni-directional force transfer mechanism () is caused to engage an elongate latching element so as to latch the moving carrier in position and prevent the moving carrier from freely traveling in the second direction.

Recoil absorbing mechanism

Method for controlling an exoskeleton () involves detecting an occurrence of an uncontrolled acceleration of at least a portion of the exoskeleton, as might occur during a fall. In response, the exoskeleton is caused to automatically transition at least one motion actuator () from a first operational state to a second operational state. In the first operational state, the one or more motion actuators are configured to provide a motive force for controlled movement of the exoskeleton. In the second operational state, the one or more motion actuators are configured to function as energy dampers which dissipate a shock load exerted upon the exoskeleton.

Robotic exoskeleton with fall control and actuation

System and method for operating a robotic exoskeleton involves using a control system () to monitor an output one or more electrical activity sensors () disposed on a human operator. The control system determines if an output of the electrical activity sensors corresponds to a predetermined neural or neuromuscular condition of the user. Based on the determining step, the control system automatically chooses an operating mode from among a plurality of different operating modes. The operating mode selected determines the response the control system will have to control inputs from the human operator.

Robotic exoskeleton multi-modal control system

Method and system for telematic control of a slave device. Displacement of a user interface control is sensed with respect to a control direction. A first directional translation is performed to convert data specifying the control direction to data specifying a slave direction. The slave direction will generally be different from the control direction and defines a direction that the slave device should move in response to the physical displacement of the user interface. A second directional translation is performed to convert data specifying haptic sensor data to a haptic feedback direction. The haptic feedback direction will generally be different from the sensed direction and can define a direction of force to be generated by at least one component of the user interface. The first and second directional translation are determined based on a point-of-view of an imaging sensor.

Telematic interface with directional translation

Control units () for use with unmanned vehicles () include an input device () that moves in response to a user input, sensors () coupled to the input device (), and a controller (). The sensors () generate outputs related to the movement of the input device (). The controller () determines a target displacement of the unmanned vehicle () based on the outputs of the sensors (), and generates a control input related to the target displacement. The control input, when received by the unmanned vehicle (), causes the unmanned vehicle () to substantially attain the target displacement. The position of the vehicle () is thus controlled by directly controlling the displacement of the vehicle ().

Systems and methods for controlling movement of unmanned vehicles

Force and torque sensors () include a load-bearing element (), and strain gauges () mounted on the load-bearing element () so that the strain gauges () generate outputs responsive to external forces and moments applied to the load-bearing element (). The strain gauges () are configured, and the responsive outputs of the strain gauges () are processed such that the force and moment measurements generated by the sensors () are substantially immune from drift due to thermally-induced strain in the load-bearing element ().

Force and torque sensors

Interface () for converting human control input gestures to telematic control signals. The interface includes a plurality of articulating arms () each mounted at a base end () to an interface base and coupled at an opposing end to a housing (). The articulating arms are operable to permit linear translational movement of the housing in three orthogonal directions. At least one sensor () of a first kind is provided for measuring the linear translational movement. A pivot member () is disposed in the housing and is arranged to pivot about a single pivot point. A grip () is provided and is attached to the pivot member so that a user upon grasping the grip can cause the pivot to rotate within the housing.

Remote control interface

An interface () for converting human control input gestures to telematic control signals includes a plurality of articulating arms () each mounted at a base end () to an interface base and coupled at an opposing end to a housing (). The articulating arms are operable to permit linear translational movement of the housing in three orthogonal directions. At least one sensor () of a first kind is provided for measuring the linear translational movement. A pivot member () is disposed in the housing and is arranged to pivot about a single pivot point. A grip () is provided and is attached to the pivot member so that a user upon grasping the grip can cause the pivot to rotate within the housing. A button () is provided to switch between at least two modes, wherein when in a first mode control signals are used to control a vehicle base (), and when in the second mode control signals are used to control a robotic arm () coupled to the vehicle base ().

Haptic device for manipulator and vehicle control

A ball joint () is provided having a ball housing () that defines a socket (), and a ball pivot () with a ball head () and ball pin (), where the ball head () is disposed in the socket (). A ball housing passageway () passes through the ball housing (); a ball pin passageway () passes through the ball pin (), and a ball head passageway () passes through the ball head (). The ball pin passageway (), ball head passageway () and ball housing passageway () are in communication with each other for routing a cable () through the ball joint (). A limiter () may extend from an internal surface () of the socket () having a passageway () connected to the ball housing passageway (). The limiter () prevents unlimited spinning of the ball head () within the socket ().

Ball joint having a passageway for routing a cable therethrough

Method and system for telematic control of a slave device () includes a hand control () type control interface which includes a hand grip () having an elongated body (). One or more sensors () are provided for sensing a physical displacement of a trigger () disposed on the hand grip. An actuator or motor () is disposed in the hand grip that is responsive to a control signal from a control system () for dynamically controlling a force applied by the trigger to a user of the hand control interface.

Haptic interface handle with force-indicating trigger mechanism

A robotic gripper () has fingers () that are configured to grasp an object, and an actuator () for driving the fingers. The actuator has a drive train () connected to the fingers for driving the fingers, an impact mechanism () mechanically connected to the drive train for driving the drive train, and a motor () connected to the impact mechanism for driving the impact mechanism. The impact mechanism generates a series of impacts that are delivered to the drive train when the impact mechanism is loaded beyond a threshold torque. The drive train is a back-drive inhibited drive train provided by a worm drive () that is mechanically coupled to the impact mechanism.

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Palm Bay, FL, United States of America

Loran J Wilkinson