Abstract: Robotic processor embodiments determine via graphical image analysis physical attributes of an engagement area of a work-piece that a specified tool physically engages to execute a specific action. The processors identify a model set plurality of alternate substitute tools that are each available within a physical environment of the engagement area and have a body portion with physical dimensions that conform to physical dimensions of the work-piece engagement area, and thereby select a substitute tool that has a body portion that best conforms to the physical dimensions of the work-piece engagement area and meets constraints for substitute tool selection for executing the specific action.

Abstract: A pipelayer machine includes a propulsion system, a ranging, and a controller in communication with the propulsion system and the ranging system. The controller is configured to receive a predetermined distance that the pipelayer machine is to maintain between the pipelayer machine and an adjacent pipelayer machine, determine, via the ranging system, a first distance between the pipelayer machine and the adjacent pipelayer machine, and determine that a difference between the first distance and the predetermined distance is outside of a predetermined tolerance range. The controller is further configured to modify a speed of the propulsion system based at least in part on determining that the difference is outside of the predetermined tolerance range, wherein modifying the speed of the propulsion system causes acceleration or deceleration of the pipelayer machine.

Abstract: There are provided a communication terminal, a server device, a movement guidance system, and a computer program that can provide movement guidance based on a new version of map information soon after starting up the communication terminal. Specifically, a communication terminal 5 is configured to identify, after its startup, update target areas which are areas whose terminal-side map information 48 included in the communication terminal 5 is an older version of map information than device-side map information 25 included in a server device 3; request the server device 3 for movement guidance information 26 targeted for at least update target areas around a current location, the movement guidance information 26 being used to provide movement guidance for a mobile unit; and provide movement guidance for the mobile unit using movement guidance information 26 transmitted from the server device 3 in response to the request.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method for controlling an arm of a robot, including obtaining obstacle information relating to the arm of the robot by at least one sensor, obtaining current posture information of the arm of the robot by a least one detector and obtaining an expected posture information of an end-portion of the arm of the robot, determining an expected trajectory of the end-portion of the arm of the robot, determining an expected speed of the end-portion of the arm of the robot in accordance with the expected trajectory of the end-portion, determining a virtual speed of a target point on the arm of the robot, and configuring a target join speed corresponding to a joint of the arm of the robot. Such that the redundant arm of the robot may be configured to prevent from contacting the obstacles in the complex environment while performing corresponding tasks.

Abstract: A programming support apparatus includes: a storage device configured to store work jobs each of which defines operation pattern of a robot; and circuitry configured to: set an environmental condition of the robot at one or more execution timings associated with the work jobs in accordance with user input; select a plurality of the work jobs in accordance with the user input; and check whether at least one work job of the plurality of work jobs satisfies the environmental condition of the robot at an execution timing of the one work job based on an execution flow of the plurality of work jobs.

Abstract: For power-enhanced slew maneuvers, a method determines a power collection function for a satellite. The method determines a power cost function for the satellite. The method calculates a power enhanced slew maneuver based on the power collection function and the power cost function.

Abstract: A robot system includes: a first robot; a second robot; and circuitry configured to: control the first and second robots to execute a collaborative operation on a work piece; and control, in response to a detection of an irregular state of the first robot during the collaborative operation, the first and second robots to execute a collaborative counteractive operation to eliminate the irregular state.

Abstract: A control apparatus includes a memory and a processor. The processor is configured to control a distal end portion of a robot to rotate around first and second distal end axes, perform a first control mode in which the distal end portion rotates around the first and second distal end axes, perform a second control mode in which the distal end portion rotates around the first distal end axis and does not rotate around the second distal end axis, switch the first control mode to the second control mode when the first distal end axis is perpendicular to a working surface, and control the distal end portion to work while performing the second control mode and maintaining a state in which the first distal end axis is perpendicular to the working surface after the first control mode is switched to the second control mode.

Abstract: A machine tool system is disclosed which can shorten time required for generating a robot program even for a machine tool user who has no experience in using a robot. A machine tool controller includes an operation panel and an interactive program generator, and sets an operation parameter of the robot using a template screen prepared for each stylized operation of the robot. The interactive program generator generates a robot preprogram using the set operation parameter, reads the robot preprogram during execution of a machine tool program, and transfers the program to a robot preprocessor. The robot preprocessor interprets the robot preprogram and outputs a control command to a robot controller.

Abstract: Systems (100) and methods (900) for controlling movement of an articulating arm having a plurality of joints. The methods comprise: receiving, by the controller, a command to perform a task by the articulating arm; ranking movements of the joints based on how much each said joint needs to move at a first time in order to follow the command; selecting a first subset of joints with top-ranked movements from the plurality of joints, where the subset of joints comprises less than a total number of joints contained in the plurality of joints; and causing only the joints of the first subset to move during a first timeslot of a plurality of timeslots.

Abstract: Apparatus, systems, methods, and articles of manufacture for automatic robot perception programming by imitation learning are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a percept mapper to identify a first percept and a second percept from data gathered from a demonstration of a task and an entropy encoder to calculate a first saliency of the first percept and a second saliency of the second percept. The example apparatus also includes a trajectory mapper to map a trajectory based on the first percept and the second percept, the first percept skewed based on the first saliency, the second percept skewed based on the second saliency. In addition, the example apparatus includes a probabilistic encoder to determine a plurality of variations of the trajectory and create a collection of trajectories including the trajectory and the variations of the trajectory.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining a trajectory of a robot's end effector are disclosed. In an embodiment, the apparatus includes a force obtaining device to obtain a collision force of the end effector of the robot, caused by a collision of the end effector upon the collision being detected; and a trajectory determining device to determine a second trajectory of the end effector based on the collision force of the end effector obtained, and based on a recorded first trajectory of the end effector. The recorded first trajectory is a trajectory recorded before the collision, and the second trajectory is a trajectory determined after the collision. As such, an efficient protection for the robot and its working environment at the moment of collision may be achieved.

Abstract: A robot and an operation method thereof are disclosed. A robot may include a loading box provided to load goods, and to be movable at a certain distance with respect to the robot when closed and opened, a drive wheel configured to drive the robot, an auxiliary wheel provided at a position spaced apart from the drive wheel, and a variable supporter configured to change the position of the auxiliary wheel, and supporting the loading box, and the variable supporter may move the auxiliary wheel so as to correspond to the movement direction of the center of gravity of the robot. The robot may transmit and receive a wireless signal on the mobile communication network constructed according to a 5 Generation (G) communication.

Abstract: A robot for making coffee and a method for controlling the same are provided to couple or decouple a portafilter to or from an espresso machine without damage to the espresso machine or the portafilter due to a collision between the espresso machine and the portafilter. The robot includes a robot arm to move with a predetermined degree of freedom, a gripper provided in the robot arm to grip a portafilter, a torque sensor provided in the robot arm to detect repulsive force (Fr) when the portafilter makes contact with a group head of an espresso machine, and a controller configured to set a virtual spring having a predetermined elastic modulus (C) based on the repulsive force (Fr) detected by the torque sensor, and to control driving torque (T) of the robot arm depending on the restoring force (Fe) of the virtual spring.

Abstract: A robot cleaner according to the present invention includes a body provided with a driving unit for movement, a position recognition unit provided in the body to recognize a position of the body, a storage unit configured to store, on a map, a region cleaned while the body is moving by the driving unit, and a control unit configured to control the driving unit, wherein the control unit determines whether a charging stand exists in a cleaning completed region on the map stored in the storage unit when a return condition that the body returns to the charging stand is satisfied, searches for an uncleaned region when the charging stand is not located in the cleaning completed region, and controls the driving unit such that the body moves from a current position to a point in a found uncleaned region or a point around the found uncleaned region.

Abstract: Provided is a method of providing food to a user, the method including determining to provide first food among the food to the user; moving a first gripper to a container that contains the first food, determining whether the first gripper reciprocates in the container, calculating a weight difference value indicating an amount of change in a total weight of the food before and after the reciprocating in response to a determination that the first gripper reciprocates in the container, and determining that the first food is provided to the user based on the weight difference value. In addition, an apparatus for providing food to a user to perform the food providing method is provided. Also, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing programs to perform the food providing method is provided.

Abstract: A robot control method, and associated robot controllers and robots operating with such methods and controllers, providing computational vibration suppression. Given a desired animation cycle for a robotic system or robot, the control method uses a dynamic simulation of the physical robot, which takes into account the flexible components of the robot, to predict if vibrations will be seen in the physical robot. If vibrations are predicted with the input animation cycle, the control method optimizes the set of motor trajectories to return a set of trajectories that are as close as possible to the artistic or original intent of the provider of the animation cycle, while minimizing unwanted vibration. The new control method or design tool suppresses unwanted vibrations and allows a robot designer to use lighter and/or softer (less stiff) and, therefore, less expensive systems in new robots.

Abstract: In an example, a method for deorbiting a spacecraft is described. The method includes selecting a target landing site for deorbiting the spacecraft. The method includes determining a range target and a velocity target for reaching a predicted atmospheric entry location. The method includes determining a back-propagated orbit state estimate of the spacecraft. The method includes comparing the back-propagated orbit state estimate to a known orbit state of the spacecraft to determine that the back-propagated orbit state estimate has converged with the known orbit state. The method includes calculating based on determining that the back-propagated orbit state estimate has converged with the known orbit state, (a) an estimated time of ignition for a propulsion system of the spacecraft and (b) an estimated burn velocity vector of the propulsion system using the range target and the velocity target. The method includes performing a burn pulse by the propulsion system.

Abstract: According to embodiments, a robot system configured to determine a recipe from an ingredient list obtained by detecting a type and an amount of an ingredient includes: a storage table configured to detect a weight change by a scale installed under each of cells that store ingredients according to types of the ingredients, detect the cell of which a weight is changed according to an ingredient selection of a user to identify the type of the ingredient, and identify the amount of the ingredient based on a degree of the weight change of the cell; and a robot configured to receive the ingredient list obtained from the type and the amount of the ingredient identified by the storage table from the storage table, retrieve menus to be cooked with the ingredient list, and perform cooking by determining the recipe according to a menu selected from the menus.

Abstract: According to one aspect, a control system for providing stable balance control may include an H? controller, a state-feedback circuit, a first feedback loop, and a second feedback loop. The control system may be implemented in a robot as a controller for the robot. The H? controller may receive an input signal and generate a control effort signal. The state-feedback circuit may receive the control effort signal as an input and generate an output signal. The feedback loop may include the H? controller and the state-feedback circuit and may transfer the output signal of the state-feedback circuit back to the input of the H? controller and input a tracking error input signal to the H? controller. The tracking error input signal may be the difference between the output signal of the state-feedback circuit and the input signal.