

Assistance systems
for the workplace of the future
Self-learning subsystems and other intelligent components are taking on
an increasingly important role in production. With Industry 4.0, people and
technology will be working ever closer together. An important element for
future production facilities are assistance systems for people that can adjust
flexibly to a wide range of production scenarios. The assistance systems
are able to react to variable conditions as well as to interventions by people.
Machines are thus becoming harmless to people and help to take the strain
during their work.
Endless degree of freedom:
the free-moving
helium sphere enables the gripped object to
be set down in a wide variety of positions.
he flying helium sphere is a
further development of the
eMotionSpheres. For the first
time, Festo developed adaptive
propellers for the drive concept. Flexible
membranes provide the same thrust in
both directions of rotation. The design of
the propellers is based on the experience
gained with the BionicOpter. The develop-
ers took the wing principle of the artificial
dragonfly a step further and transferred it
to the drives of the FreeMotionHandling.
Festo had already used the flying motion
of the eMotionSpheres to show how
one or more flying objects can be coordin-
ated to move in a defined space without
colliding. The gripping mechanism on the
FreeMotionHandling was modelled on the
universally applicable FlexShapeGripper.
Its working principle is based on the
tongue of a chameleon. The elastic gripper
wraps itself around the item to be gripped
in a flexible and form-fitting manner.
Free and safe movement
Flying and gripping – and gripping while
flying. The indoor flying object consists
of an ultralight carbon ring with eight