Abstract: Electric vehicles with battery management and sensors are provided. An electric vehicle may be configured to charge individual main batteries using individual intermediate batteries while the electric vehicle is in operation via suitable control of switches. An electric vehicle may be configured to charge batteries using a regeneration current based on sensor data from sensors, such one or more of a camera, an accelerometer, a gyroscope an atmospheric pressure sensor and a Hall sensor. An electric vehicle may be configured to avoid rear end collisions based on images from a rear-facing camera.

Abstract: There is provided a method of operating an electric device. The method includes receiving one or more operating power levels being used by one or more loads on a given circuit of the electric device, and setting a power threshold based on the one or more operating power levels. The method also includes receiving an output power level being delivered to the given circuit by a power source connected to the given circuit, and comparing the output power level with the power threshold. Furthermore, the method includes, if the output power level exceeds the power threshold, reducing the output power level to less than or equal to the power threshold. A related power regulator is also provided.

Abstract: There are provided robot swarms and methods of operating thereof. Such a swarm may include two or more robots each having a microphone, a speaker, and a communication terminal for sending or receiving an electromagnetic signal to or from a communication partner to affect electromagnetic communication with the communication partner. Upon detection of a disruption to the electromagnetic communication, a given robot of the two or more robots may switch from electromagnetic communication to acoustic communication by exchanging an acoustic signal between one of the speaker and the microphone of the given robot and one of a corresponding microphone and a corresponding speaker of a corresponding communication partner.

Abstract: A method for driving a tractor on a flatbed trailer. The method includes locating a starting position of the tractor, determining a final position for the tractor, and searching for a ramp attached to the flatbed trailer. A driving path is calculated to drive the tractor from the starting position, along the ramp, and to the final position. The tractor is autonomously operated to drive along the driving path. The method may periodically detect an intermediate position of the tractor and determining if the intermediate position is located on the driving path. The driving path may be updated with a course correction to drive the tractor from the intermediate position to the final position. The tractor is stopped after arriving at the final position.

Abstract: A protective warning system for a vehicle is provided. A device comprises: a long-range camera and a stereoscopic camera positioned in a housing to image external objects in a rear-facing direction when the housing is mounted to a vehicle. A controller detects, using images from the long-range camera, an external object in the rear-facing direction and process stereoscopic images from the stereoscopic camera to determine when the external object is located with a first zone or a second zone extending in the rear-facing direction, the second zone being closer to the stereoscopic camera than the first zone. In response to determining that the external object is located with the first zone or the second zone, the controller controls the one or more notification devices to provide one or more first or second notifications associated with a first or second urgency level.

Abstract: A method of maintaining a rechargeable battery pack having a plurality of rechargeable batteries. The method includes measuring charge-level for the rechargeable batteries; and selecting a first battery set including a doner battery having a high charge-level, and a recipient battery having a low charge-level that is less than the high charge-level of the doner battery. The method also includes: rebalancing the first battery set; measuring a rest profile of the recipient battery after rebalancing the first battery set; and determining battery health of the recipient battery based on at least the rest profile.

Abstract: An apparatus in an illustrative embodiment comprises at least one processing device comprising a processor coupled to a memory. The processing device is configured to receive power consumption data relating to at least one monitored device, and to classify the monitored device based at least in part on the power consumption data. The processing device is further configured to select a power policy for the classified device, and to control application of power to the classified device in accordance with the selected power policy. For example, controlling application of power to the classified device in accordance with the selected power policy may comprise determining contextual information for the classified device, generating a control signal based at least in part on the contextual information and the selected power policy, and transmitting the control signal to at least one node of a node network. Other illustrative embodiments include methods and computer program products.

Abstract: A material handling robot including a mobile base, a plurality of drones, and a plurality of docking stations on the mobile base for receiving the drones. The mobile base has motorized wheels for driving the mobile base, and a platform for supporting a load. Each drone has a power source and a drone sensor for monitoring environment around the drone. Each docking station has a power charger for recharging the power source, and a launch mechanism for deploying the drone. The robot also includes a controller for communicating with the mobile base and the drones. The controller has: a material handling mode for transporting loads on the platform of the mobile base; and a security mode where at least one of the drones is deployed to conduct surveillance using the drone sensor.

Abstract: A method for driving a tractor on a flatbed trailer. The method includes locating a starting position of the tractor, determining a final position for the tractor, and searching for a ramp attached to the flatbed trailer. A driving path is calculated to drive the tractor from the starting position, along the ramp, and to the final position. The tractor is autonomously operated to drive along the driving path. The method may periodically detect an intermediate position of the tractor and determining if the intermediate position is located on the driving path. The driving path may be updated with a course correction to drive the tractor from the intermediate position to the final position. The tractor is stopped after arriving at the final position.

Abstract: There is provided a method of operating an electric device. The method includes receiving one or more operating power levels being used by one or more loads on a given circuit of the electric device, and setting a power threshold based on the one or more operating power levels. The method also includes receiving an output power level being delivered to the given circuit by a power source connected to the given circuit, and comparing the output power level with the power threshold. Furthermore, the method includes, if the output power level exceeds the power threshold, reducing the output power level to less than or equal to the power threshold. A related power regulator is also provided.

Abstract: An apparatus in an illustrative embodiment comprises at least one processing device comprising a processor coupled to a memory. The processing device is configured to obtain an identifier of a first node of a set of nodes deployed at a building or other structure, to associate the first node with a user account, to obtain an identifier of a second node of the set of nodes, and to associate the second node with the first node and the user account. Associating the first node with the user account may comprise, for example, establishing an association between the first node and the user account without the processing device having access to a network connection. Additionally or alternatively, the identifier of the first node may be sent to a backend server over a network connection, with configuration information for the first node being received from the backend server in response thereto.

Abstract: Inspired by Shack Hartmann Wavefront Patterns, a device may obtain three dimensional images for use in authentication. Since such images can have high resolution, damage in, for instance, skin on a finger may be recorded and used as part of a temporary template image. In future authentication attempts, an aged version of the temporary template image may be used. Additionally, reference points on the damage may be employed when authenticating.

Abstract: A module of implantable cortical and/or intra-cortical comprising a first electrode and a second electrode. Each electrode has a base with interconnect pads adapted to be connected to a processor, a stem having interface pads on a first face, the interface pads adapted to contact soft tissue, routing tracks between the interconnect pads and the interface pads, and abutment surfaces on the second face of each said electrode. The abutment surfaces of the first electrode and of the second electrode are complementary, whereby the first electrode and the second electrode form a translation joint along a length of the stem when the electrodes are joined.

Abstract: An apparatus in an illustrative embodiment comprises at least one processing device comprising a processor coupled to a memory. The processing device is configured to receive power consumption data relating to at least one monitored device, and to classify the monitored device based at least in part on the power consumption data. The processing device is further configured to select a power policy for the classified device, and to control application of power to the classified device in accordance with the selected power policy. For example, controlling application of power to the classified device in accordance with the selected power policy may comprise determining contextual information for the classified device, generating a control signal based at least in part on the contextual information and the selected power policy, and transmitting the control signal to at least one node of a node network. Other illustrative embodiments include methods and computer program products.

Abstract: An apparatus in an illustrative embodiment comprises at least one processing device comprising a processor coupled to a memory. The processing device is configured to obtain an identifier of a first node of a set of nodes deployed at a building or other structure, to associate the first node with a user account, to obtain an identifier of a second node of the set of nodes, and to associate the second node with the first node and the user account. Associating the first node with the user account may comprise, for example, establishing an association between the first node and the user account without the processing device having access to a network connection. Additionally or alternatively, the identifier of the first node may be sent to a backend server over a network connection, with configuration information for the first node being received from the backend server in response thereto.

Abstract: Inspired by Shack Hartmann Wavefront Patterns, a device may obtain three dimensional images for use in authentication. Since such images can have high resolution, damage in, for instance, skin on a finger may be recorded and used as part of a temporary template image. In future authentication attempts, an aged version of the temporary template image may be used. Additionally, reference points on the damage may be employed when authenticating.

Abstract: Inspired by Shack Hartmann Wavefront Patterns, a device may obtain three dimensional images for use in authentication. Since such images can have high resolution, damage in, for instance, skin on a finger may be recorded and used as part of a temporary template image. In future authentication attempts, an aged version of the temporary template image may be used. Additionally, reference points on the damage may be employed when authenticating.

Abstract: A device and method to use a password by touch-less gesture are described. The device includes two or more ambient light sensors arranged at respective surface locations of the device, each of the two or more ambient light sensors measuring light intensity at the respective surface location. The device also includes a first processor to execute a password application on the device, and a second processor to detect two or more gestures performed by an object in touch-less communication with the device and define or verify a password based on the two or more gestures.

Abstract: A device and method to control measurements of light intensity are described. The device includes two or more ambient light sensors arranged at respective surface locations of the device, each of the two or more ambient light sensors measuring the light intensity at the respective surface location. The device also includes a processor to control operation of the two or more ambient light sensors.

Abstract: A device having at least two 3-dimensional gesture sensors that employ differing gesture-sensing modalities as compared to one another further includes a control circuit that operably couples to both of these 3-dimensional gesture sensors and employs both to detect three-dimensional gestures. By one approach the control circuit employs both sensors in a temporally-overlapping manner to reliably and accurately detect the 3D gesture. As another illustrative example, the control circuit may employ different sensors during different portions of a given 3D gesture to detect those corresponding portions of the 3D gesture.