Abstract: A mobile robot is configured for operation in a commercial or industrial setting, such as an office building or retail store. The mobile robot can have a motorized base and a robot body on the motorized base, the robot body including a rotatable ring that rotates horizontally around the robot body. A mechanical arm that can contract and extend relative to the robot body is coupled to the rotatable ring and performs a plurality of actions. A controller of the mobile robot provides instructions to the rotatable ring and the mechanical arm and can cause the mechanical arm to open a door, take an elevator to move to a different floor, and test whether a door is locked properly.

Abstract: A mobile robot is configured for operation in a commercial or industrial setting, such as an office building or retail store. The mobile robot can have a motorized base and a robot body on the motorized base, the robot body including a rotatable ring that rotates horizontally around the robot body. A mechanical arm that can contract and extend relative to the robot body is coupled to the rotatable ring and performs a plurality of actions. A controller of the mobile robot provides instructions to the rotatable ring and the mechanical arm and can cause the mechanical arm to open a door, take an elevator to move to a different floor, and test whether a door is locked properly.

Abstract: A mobile robot is configured for operation in a commercial or industrial setting, such as an office building or retail store. The mobile robot can have a motorized base and a robot body on the motorized base, the robot body including a rotatable ring that rotates horizontally around the robot body. A mechanical arm that can contract and extend relative to the robot body is coupled to the rotatable ring and performs a plurality of actions. A controller of the mobile robot provides instructions to the rotatable ring and the mechanical arm and can cause the mechanical arm to open a door, take an elevator to move to a different floor, and test whether a door is locked properly.

Abstract: A mobile robot is configured for operation in a commercial or industrial setting, such as an office building or retail store. The mobile robot can have a motorized base and a robot body on the motorized base, the robot body including a rotatable ring that rotates horizontally around the robot body. A mechanical arm that can contract and extend relative to the robot body is coupled to the rotatable ring and performs a plurality of actions. A controller of the mobile robot provides instructions to the rotatable ring and the mechanical arm and can cause the mechanical arm to open a door, take an elevator to move to a different floor, and test whether a door is locked properly.

Abstract: A method for load balancing of robots includes: receiving, by a first task server configured to manage a first spatial region, a task to be performed by a robot; determining, by the first task server, that the task cannot efficiently be performed within the first spatial region; finding, by the first task server, a second task server configured to manage a second spatial region to which the task can be assigned; and sending, by the first task server, the task to the second task server.

Abstract: A station uses cleaning mechanisms to clean sensors of mobile robots. The mobile robots may use data from the sensors to navigate around an environment such as an inventory warehouse. A sensor of a mobile robot can become dirty over time as dust or other debris accumulates on the sensor. Since the mobile robots can navigate to a station for automatic sensor cleaning, a human does not need to manually clean the sensors. Multiple mobile robots may share one or more stations in the environment and coordinate a schedule to have their sensors cleaned. The stations may also charge a battery of a mobile robot simultaneously while cleaning the mobile robot's sensors.

Abstract: A system includes: a robotic charging connector including: a temperature sensor configured to measure temperature data; a processor operably connected to the temperature sensor, the processor configured to use the temperature data to determine an appropriate charging current, wherein the processor is further configured to send an alert upon occurrence of a triggering condition; and a computer operably connected to the processor, the computer configured to control the robotic charging connector, the computer further configured to receive the alert.

Abstract: A method for computing a probability that an object comprises a target includes: performing a scan of an area comprising the object, generating points; creating a segment corresponding to the object using the points as segment points, the segment extending from a first segment point to a last segment point, the segment comprising a plurality of the segment points; and applying a metric, computing the probability that the object comprises the target.

Abstract: A system for predicting a robotic power disconnection includes: a controller; and a robot controllable by the controller, the robot including: a power connector configured to provide power to the robot; and a sensor operably connected to the controller, the sensor configured to detect a change in a field that varies with a changing condition of the power connector, the sensor further configured to alert the controller regarding the change in the field, the controller configured to adjust current through the power connector in response to the alert.

Abstract: A method for localization of robots in a territory of interest includes: providing a mobile robot comprising a processor configured to compute an estimated pose of the mobile robot in a map of a territory of interest using a particle filter comprising a particle; updating, by the processor, a pose in the map of the particle; deciding, by the processor, whether to retain the particle for the next cycle of the particle filter or to eliminate the particle for the next cycle of the particle filter; and sampling the particle filter, by the processor, so as to achieve localization of robots in a territory of interest.

Abstract: A robotic torso sensing system and method includes: a robotic torso comprising a mobile torso, the robotic torso further comprising a fixed torso; a motor configured to move the mobile torso; a torso encoder configured to provide information to the motor; a master controller operably connected to the motor, the master controller configured to control the motor, the master controller operably connected to the torso encoder, the master controller further configured to control the mobile torso; and a sensor configured to measure a position of the mobile torso, the sensor further configured to transmit the measurement to the master controller.

Abstract: A system using one or more robots to assist a human in order fulfillment includes: a server configured to receive an order comprising an order item; inventory storage operationally connected to the server, the inventory storage comprising inventory items; an order robot operationally connected to the server, the order robot configured to assist a human to pick an order item from the inventory items; and a human-operated device operably connected to one or more of the server, the inventory storage, and the order robot, the human-operated device configured to assist the human to pick the order item.

Abstract: A robotic torso sensing system and method includes: a robotic torso comprising a mobile torso, the robotic torso further comprising a fixed torso; a motor configured to move the mobile torso; a torso encoder configured to provide information to the motor; a master controller operably connected to the motor, the master controller configured to control the motor, the master controller operably connected to the torso encoder, the master controller further configured to control the mobile torso; and a sensor configured to measure a position of the mobile torso, the sensor further configured to transmit the measurement to the master controller.

Abstract: A system includes: a robotic charging connector including: a temperature sensor configured to measure temperature data; a processor operably connected to the temperature sensor, the processor configured to use the temperature data to determine an appropriate charging current, wherein the processor is further configured to send an alert upon occurrence of a triggering condition; and a computer operably connected to the processor, the computer configured to control the robotic charging connector, the computer further configured to receive the alert.

Abstract: A system for predicting a robotic power disconnection includes: a controller; and a robot controllable by the controller, the robot including: a power connector configured to provide power to the robot; and a sensor operably connected to the controller, the sensor configured to detect a change in a field that varies with a changing condition of the power connector, the sensor further configured to alert the controller regarding the change in the field, the controller configured to adjust current through the power connector in response to the alert.

Abstract: A method for localization of robots in a territory of interest includes: providing a mobile robot comprising a processor configured to compute an estimated pose of the mobile robot in a map of a territory of interest using a particle filter comprising a particle; updating, by the processor, a pose in the map of the particle; deciding, by the processor, whether to retain the particle for the next cycle of the particle filter or to eliminate the particle for the next cycle of the particle filter; and sampling the particle filter, by the processor, so as to achieve localization of robots in a territory of interest.

Abstract: A method for load balancing of robots includes: receiving, by a first task server configured to manage a first spatial region, a task to be performed by a robot; determining, by the first task server, that the task cannot efficiently be performed within the first spatial region; finding, by the first task server, a second task server configured to manage a second spatial region to which the task can be assigned; and sending, by the first task server, the task to the second task server.

Abstract: A system for promoting safety of a robotic appendage includes: a robot controller; and a robot controllable by the robot controller, the robot controller configured to compute an estimated power draw of a planned trajectory of the robot, the robot controller further configured to modify the planned trajectory to prevent the estimated power draw from exceeding a power limit; the robot comprising: an appendage; an appendage controller configured to control the appendage; and a breaker configured to limit power delivered to the appendage. A system for promoting safety of a robotic appendage includes a plurality of robots operably connected with each other, the robots configured to communicate with each other regarding estimated power draw characteristics.

Abstract: A quick change end effector system for use with a robot includes: a quick change end effector configured for application to a task to be completed by a robot, the quick change end effector further comprising an end effector magnet; and a robotic manipulator configured to lock to the end effector, the robotic manipulator further configured to use the end effector to complete the task, the robotic manipulator comprising a manipulator magnet, the manipulator magnet being configured to magnetically attract the end effector magnet, thereby locking the manipulator in a mechanically strong connection to the quick change end effector, wherein upon disengagement of the magnetic attraction locking the manipulator to the quick change end effector, the quick change end effector can be quickly removed from the manipulator.

Abstract: The invention relates to a computer-implemented method of generating or manipulating source code for a software development project. The computer-implemented method includes the steps of generating a map comprising a table having a plurality of cells arranged in one or more columns and one or more rows, populating a cell in the table with an attribute from a set of attributes, wherein the cell is populated either by a user inputting an attribute or, automatically, by an attribute generated from an existing source code, wherein a rule is applied to the attribute in the cell and the application of the rule to the attribute automatically generates or manipulates source code. The invention also relates to a computer program for generating or manipulating source code for a software development project, the computer program being configured to express algorithms in tabular form and apply one or more transformations against the algorithms.