Department of Computer Science of University of Massachusetts Lowell (UML) observed a robot named DORA. This robot is designed to help people who use wheelchairs to open the door.

A low cost robot arm system is developed that will increase a person’s accessibility to indoor spaces by unlatching door knobs and door handles. Implemented is a minimized arm configuration for use with a wheelchair or mobile platform and a gripper design that utilizes only a single motor to turn door knobs and door handles. This proof of concept prototype demonstrates how an arm with many degrees of freedom is not required if we target the expectations for its use.

The SCARA acronym stands for Selective Compliant Assembly Robot Arm or Selective Compliant Articulated Robot Arm.

In general, traditional SCARA’s are 4-axis robot arms, i.e., they can move to any X-Y-Z coordinate within their work envelope. There is a fourth axis of motion which is the wrist rotate (Theta-Z). The ‘X’, ‘Y’ and the The ‘Z’ movements are obtained with three parallel-axis rotary joints. The vertical motion is usually an independent linear axis at the wrist or in the base. SCARA robots are used in assembly operations where the final move to insert the part is a single vertical move. Component insertion into printed circuit boards is an example. This is often called “vertical assembly”.

TM Robotics (Europe) Ltd, the European robot sales partner of Toshiba Machine, has announced a new machine vision partnership agreement with UK firm PCS Industries.

The arrangement offers customers an array of vision equipment and software products as well as the integration skills of PCS.

PCS Industries is an accredited Cognex partner. “The last few years have shown us that our customers want a single point of contact and complete turnkey solutions,” explained Peter Jelf, technical director of PCS Industries. “As a result, we’ve moved away from the re-seller approach and back to the company’s roots as a complete solutions provider. The relationship with TM Robotics allows ours customers access to the company’s range of SCARA and Cartesian robots, which is a major step forward.”