A pneumatic human power amplifier module is usable in conjunction with a wide variety of pneumatic actuators and lifting devices to provide a human power amplifier for lifting a load. The module includes an end-effector (222), an electronic controller (221), and a pneumatic circuit (220). The end-effector contains a human interface subsection (224) which is grasped by a human operator and a load interface subsection (225) which engages the load (219) to be lifted. A force sensor in the end-effector detects the force imposed by the operator on the end-effector and transmits a signal representing the magnitude of the force to the controller. The controller in turn sends a command to the pneumatic circuit, which controls the flow of air into the associated pneumatic actuator (211). The actuator drives the lifting device (217). The controller and the pneumatic circuit are arranged such that the lifting device and the operator share the burden of lifting the load, with the operator supplying a predetermined percentage of the total force required to lift the load regardless of the size of the load.

Pneumatic human power amplifier module

A human power amplifier includes an end-effector which is grasped by a human operator and applied to a load. The end-effector is suspended, via a rope, from a take-up pulley, winch or drum which is driven by an actuator to lift or lower the load. The end-effector includes a force sensor which measures the vertical force imposed on the end-effector by the operator and delivers a signal to a controller. The controller and actuator are structured in such a way that a predetermined percentage of the force necessary to lift or lower the load is applied by the actuator, with the remaining force being supplied by the operator. The load thus feels lighter to the operator, but the operator does not lose the sense of lifting against both the gravitation and inertial forces originating in the load. The operator has direct contact with the load (through the end-effector) there need be no switches, valves, keyboards, teach pendents, or pushbuttons in the human power amplifier to control the lifting speed of the load.

Human power amplifier for vertical maneuvers

A robotic hand with finger assemblies to better simulate human hand form factors and gestures. For each finger assembly, the robotic hand includes a finger drive assembly that is operable to selectively apply tension to four elongated and flexible tension elements (e.g., steel cable). Each of the finger assemblies includes a set of links or link members that are actuated or moved by the selective tensioning/movement of the tension elements by the drive assembly. The links are interconnected with pivotal joints such that they have three degrees-of-freedom, and the finger assembly includes a set of pulleys that are supported on the links and that are arranged to provide support and to guide the tension elements through the finger assembly. The tension elements preferably extend only partially about any one of the pulleys, whereby the finger assembly utilizes "n+1" actuation with non-helical wrapping of the tension elements.

Robot hand with human-like fingers

An integral unit for use in testing semiconductor components. The unit is designed to manipulate either packaged semiconductor components or semiconductor wafers and present them to a test head. It provides significant space savings because it replaces the need for separate prober, handler and tester units. The integrated unit includes a positioning mechanism with a tool plate that can be changed to grasp either a semiconductor wafer or a tray of semiconductor components. The tool plate uses a vacuum plate. To hold a tray of semiconductor parts, the vacuum plate has numerous independently operable holes. Each hole is positioned behind one semiconductor component and can be engaged or released separately so that the components can be sorted into separate output bins. To hold a wafer, the tool plate has an extendible tongue member that can be inserted into a stack of semiconductor wafers to pick up one wafer in the stack. One disclosed positioning mechanism is a hexapod unit, which, due to its light weight, allows fast and accurate positioning of the semiconductor devices. Multiple positioning mechanisms are used in some instances to increase throughput.

Integrated prober, handler and tester for semiconductor components

A compliant structure which includes a means for sensing translation and rotation of a top plate is disclosed. The structure is composed of a base plate and three supporting legs. The legs are compliant. The deflections of the structure are substantially in a plane and the translation and twist of the top platform may be measured by the gimbaled sensor assembly attached to one of the legs.

Gimbal-mounted virtual reality display system

A powered material handling apparatus or lift provides for the movement and positioning of large, heavy and/or bulky objects using six degrees of freedom of motion. The lift may be used for the handling of virtually any such materials, but is especially suited for the handling of such objects as jet aircraft engines and aircraft external stores. The lift may be remotely operated by a hand controller which is mechanically arranged in the same manner as that of the lift, through a power supply and servo device. Feedback may be provided to the hand controller by the power supply and servo device, thus enabling the operator of the control to sense the forces occurring at the lift as it is actuated. Additionally, provision is made for the recording of a history of the forces, torques and linear actuation of the struts of the apparatus in the event of some subsequent question regarding a particular operation. Further improvements in such devices include various methods of attachment of the lifting struts to the platforms of the lifting apparatus, as well as several methods of strut actuation and sensing of the linear position of the struts.

Mark D. Bryfogle

Papers

Material handling devices and controllers