Abstract: An agricultural harvester has a chassis carrying a header for gathering a crop. The header is removably attached to a feeder housing for feeding the crop into the agricultural harvester to be processed. A threshing and separating system is connected to the feeder housing for separating grain from Material Other than Grain (MOG). A grain cleaning system is connected to the threshing and separating system for further cleaning the separated grain. The grain cleaning system has at least one sieve operable to oscillate fore and aft and a side shaker mechanism operable to produce a side to side shaking motion in the at least one sieve. A control system is connected to the side shaker mechanism and operable to automatically proportionately increase an amount of the side to side shaking motion as a function of an amount and type of crop being processed.

Abstract: An example unmanned aerial vehicle includes a power source, a processor module having one or more processors, and a plurality of boom arms, each boom arm being couplable to a printed circuit board (PCB) and a plurality of propellers. In the example UAV, a PCB of each boom arm includes a power hub electrically couplable to the power source and to corresponding propellers of the boom arm, and a signal hub electrically couplable to at least one processor of the processor module and to the corresponding propellers. Further, in the example UAV, the power hub of each PCB is configured to transfer power from the power source to the corresponding propellers, and wherein the signal hub of each PCB is configured to transfer signals from the processor module to the corresponding propellers such that the processor module controls the plurality of propellers.

Abstract: A device is provided that includes a plurality of hardware segments. The device also includes a plurality of actuators to actuate the plurality of hardware segments. The device also includes a controller to cause at least one of the plurality of actuators to adjust positions of at least one of the plurality of hardware segments to correspond to a particular arrangement, to determine physical parameters of the device responsive to the adjustment of the positions, and to generate an identification code for the device based on the physical parameters. The physical parameters may include one or more of electrical parameters of the plurality of actuators or mechanical parameters of the plurality of actuators.

Abstract: A battery management system (BMS) controls lithium battery access on a utility vehicle. The BMS includes a battery interface that couples with a lithium battery, a load interface that couples with a set of loads of the utility vehicle, and control circuitry coupled with the battery interface and the load interface. The control circuitry mechanically disconnects the battery interface from the load interface in response to a sleep event. Additionally, after the battery interface is mechanically disconnected from the load interface, the control circuitry mechanically reconnects the battery interface to the load interface in response to a wakeup event. Furthermore, after the battery interface is mechanically reconnected to the load interface, the control circuitry maintains connection between the battery interface and the load interface to convey power from the lithium battery to the set of loads of the utility vehicle through the battery interface and the load interface.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for automatically re-routing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). In one implementation, a system for automatically re-routing a UAV includes at least one processor configured to: retrieve a plurality of requests to deposit currency using the UAV, generate a first route including at least two of the requests such that an associated expected total amount of currency is less than a depository threshold; transmit the first route to the UAV; receive, from the UAV, an indication that an amount of currency collected at a location is greater than an amount of currency included in the request associated with the location; revise the expected total amount accordingly; when the revised expected total amount exceeds the depository threshold, generate a second route having an associated expected total amount below the depository threshold; and transmit the second route to the UAV to override the first route.

Abstract: Systems and techniques for enabling interaction with physical objects as proxy objects representing virtual objects are provided herein. Virtual reality application data associated with a virtual reality application executed on a virtual reality device, a first virtual reality object data associated with a first virtual reality object from the virtual reality application, and virtual reality event data associated with one or more events from the virtual reality application may be received. Robotic arms including a robotic hand may grasp a first physical object which corresponds to the first virtual reality object of the virtual reality application. Sensors may detect a user interaction with the first physical object. Force feedback instructions commanding the robotic arms to move while maintaining grasp of the first physical object may be generated and executed based on detecting the user interaction with the first physical object and based on the virtual reality event data.

Abstract: A robotic system that includes a mobile robot linked to a plurality of remote stations. One of the remote stations includes an arbitrator that controls access to the robot. Each remote station may be assigned a priority that is used by the arbitrator to determine which station has access to the robot. The arbitrator may include notification and call back mechanisms for sending messages relating to an access request and a granting of access for a remote station.

Abstract: The present invention provides a surgical controlling system, comprising: a. a surgical tool; b. a location estimating means configured to real-time locate the 3D spatial position of said at least one surgical tool at any given time t; c. a movement detection means communicable with a movement's database and with said location estimating means; said movement's database is configured to store said 3D spatial position of said at least one surgical tool at time tf and at time t0, where tf>t0; said movement detection means is configured to detect movement of said at least one surgical tool if the 3D spatial position of said at least one surgical tool at time tf is different than said 3D spatial position of said at least one surgical tool at time t0; and, d. a controller configured to control the spatial position of said at least one surgical tool.

Abstract: Methods and systems are described for controlling movement and an applied force at the tip of the continuum robot that includes a plurality of independently controlled segments along its length. An estimated force at the tip of the continuum robot is determined based on measurements of loads and positions of each segment. A reference position command and a force command are received from a user interface. The reference position command indicates a desired movement for the distal end of the continuum robot and the force command indicates a desired force to be applied by the tip of the continuum robot to a tissue surface. The position of the continuum robot is adjusted to cause the tip of the continuum robot to apply the desired force to the tissue surface based on the estimated force at the tip of the continuum robot, the reference position command, and the force command.

Abstract: Embodiments of a friction drive system include a battery, a drive motor, a control unit, and a speed wheel. When the friction drive system is mounted on a wheeled vehicle, the speed wheel provides an accurate measurement of the vehicle speed by maintaining contact with a tire of the vehicle. An automatic traction control system, which may be part of the control unit, compares the speed of the speed wheel with the speed of the drive motor to determine whether slippage is occurring. If slippage is detected, then embodiments of an automatic traction control system automatically increase an amount of normal force between a contact surface on the drive motor and the tire, by advancing a position of the drive motor relative to a fixed mounting point. If no slippage is detected, then embodiments of an automatic traction control system automatically reduce the amount of normal force, by retracting a position of the drive relative to a fixed mounting point.

Abstract: Example implementations may relate to a mobile robotic device that is operable to reorient a distance sensor using an adjustable leveler. According to these implementations, the robotic device may determine a height map indicating surface elevation data for a ground surface on which the robotic device is travelling within an environment. Then, the robotic device may determine a current location of the robotic device relative to the height map. Based on the current location, the robotic device may determine a current spatial orientation of the distance sensor relative to the ground surface. Further, the robotic device may (i) determine an adjusted position of the leveler to which the leveler is movable to cause the distance sensor to spatially reorient from the current spatial orientation to a target spatial orientation and (ii) cause the distance sensor to reorient to the target spatial orientation by moving the leveler to the adjusted position.

Abstract: A vehicle includes at least one autonomous driving sensor configured to detect a traffic flow pattern relative to an intersection. An autonomous mode controller is configured to determine the state of the traffic control device. The autonomous mode controller may estimate when the state of the traffic control device is likely to change based on the traffic flow pattern.

Abstract: A reminder notification system includes: a position acquisition unit configured to acquire a position of a user; a target position setting unit configured to set a target position; and a reminder notification unit configured to provide a reminder about a proximity area close to the target position set in the target position setting unit when the position of the user is in the proximity area, wherein the target position setting unit sets the target position associated with a predetermined category, and wherein the reminder notification unit provides the reminder when the position of the user arrives at at least one proximity area of a plurality of the target positions belonging to the predetermined category.

Abstract: A method for launching an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) comprises: receiving a pre-launching signal; detecting, via at least one sensor of the UAV, at least one status parameter of the UAV in response to receiving the pre-launching signal; determining a launching mode of the UAV according to the at least one detected status parameter of the UAV; and launching the UAV according to the determined launching mode of the UAV.

Abstract: A system for diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) vessel pressure relief for a vehicle is includes a diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) storage tank, and a DEF pump assembly in an interior of the DEF storage tank. The DEF pump assembly includes a DEF pump having a pump body, a fluid pressure sensor fastened to an exterior of the pump body and configured to sense a DEF pressure, and a fluid temperature sensor fastened to the exterior of the pump body and configured to sense a DEF temperature. The system further includes a fluid channel, and a heating element in thermal communication with the fluid channel, where the heating element is configured to heat the fluid channel to displace DEF from a location proximate to the pump body.

Abstract: The present invention provides a surgical controlling system, comprising: a. at least one surgical tool configured to be insertable into a surgical environment of a human body for assisting a surgical procedure; b. at least one location estimating means configured to real-time locate the 3D spatial position of said at least one surgical tool at any given time t; c. at least one movement detection means communicable with a movement's database and with said location estimating means; and, d. a controller having a processing means communicable with a controller's database, said controller configured to control the spatial position of said at least one surgical tool; said controller's database is in communication with said movement detection means.

Abstract: A manipulator system initialization method includes: a joint angle setting step of bringing a driving force relay part into a driving force release state, inserting a bending joint and a pair of shaft-shaped parts coupled by the bending joint into a shape defining member having a shape defining part that brings a joint angle of the bending joint to a predetermined value, and setting a joint angle of the bending joint to the predetermined value; a drive part coupling step of switching the driving force relay part to a driving force relay state, with respect to the bending joint of which the joint angle is set; and an origin setting step of associating a state of the joint angle of the bending joint with a drive origin of a drive part after the drive part coupling step is performed.

Abstract: A collaborative robot employs low ratio drives for three or more axes of movement, such as three primary axes. An arm assembly may be mounted to a support for movement along a vertical linear axis, and the arm assembly may include first and second arm links that are each rotatable about vertical axes, e.g., such that the arm links move in a horizontal plane. Low ratio drives may be used for movement along the vertical linear axis and the rotary axes for the first and second arm links. Feedforward and feedback control may be employed to control the movement of the arm assembly and arm links, and feedback torque components may be limited to 25% or less of the maximum drive torque.

Abstract: In one embodiment, motion planning and control data is received, indicating that an autonomous vehicle is to move from a first point to a second point of a path. The motion planning and control data describes a plurality of routes from the first point to the second point within the path. For each of the routes, a simulation of the route is performed in view of physical characteristics of the autonomous vehicle to generate a simulated route. A controlling error is calculated, the controlling error representing a discrepancy between the route and the simulated route. One of the routes is selected based on controlling errors between the routes and associated simulated routes. The autonomous vehicle is operated to move from the first point to the second point according to the selected route.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for compensating an instantaneous fuel economy reading for stored energy. One method comprises, when a vehicle undergoes a sufficient change in one or more of square of vehicle speed and vehicle altitude, estimating a conversion factor for fuel due to stored vehicle energy and adjusting the instantaneous fuel economy reading by the estimated conversion factor. The adjusted instantaneous fuel economy reading may be displayed to an operator of the vehicle.