Patents by Inventor Chris Prahacs

Chris Prahacs has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20080300722
    Abstract: A robotic device for navigating in at least a liquid medium, includes a legged propulsion system having a series of legs external of a body of the robotic device, each of the legs being independently driven and mounted to the body for pivotal movement about a respective transverse axis. The legs oscillating relative to the body about the respective transverse axis such that interaction between the legs and the liquid medium produces propulsive forces that displace the robotic device within the liquid medium. A control system is operatively connected to the legged propulsion system for autonomous control and operation of the robotic device based on information received from at least one sensor providing data about an environment of the device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2008
    Publication date: December 4, 2008
    Inventors: Gregory DUDEK, Chris Prahacs, Shane Saunderson, Phillppe Giguere, Junaed Sattar, Michael Jenkin
  • Patent number: 7427220
    Abstract: A control system for a robotic device maneuverable in at least a liquid medium, the system having at least one visual sensor retrieving an image of the device's environment, an image analyzing module receiving the image, determining a presence of an object of a given type therein and analyzing at least one property of the object, a motion calculator determining a desired motion of the device based on the property, and a controller operating a propulsion system of the device to obtain the desired motion. Also, a legged robotic device having a control system including at least one sensor providing data about an environment of the device, the control system using sensor data to determine a desired motion of the device, determining a corresponding required leg motion of each of the legs to produce the desired motion and actuating the legs in accordance with the corresponding required leg motion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2008
    Assignees: McGill University
    Inventors: Greg Dudek, Chris Prahacs, Shane Saunderson, Philippe Giguere, Junaed Sattar, Michael Jenkin
  • Publication number: 20080032571
    Abstract: A control system for a robotic device maneuverable in at least a liquid medium, the system having at least one visual sensor retrieving an image of the device's environment, an image analyzing module receiving the image, determining a presence of an object of a given type therein and analyzing at least one property of the object, a motion calculator determining a desired motion of the device based on the property, and a controller operating a propulsion system of the device to obtain the desired motion. Also, a legged robotic device having a control system including at least one sensor providing data about an environment of the device, the control system using sensor data to determine a desired motion of the device, determining a corresponding required leg motion of each of the legs to produce the desired motion and actuating the legs in accordance with the corresponding required leg motion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2006
    Publication date: February 7, 2008
    Inventors: Gregory Dudek, Chris Prahacs, Shane Saunderson, Philippe Giguere, Junaed Sattar, Michael Jenkin