Abstract: A method in accordance with a particular embodiment of the present technology relates to placing objects via end effectors of mobile robots using both coarse and fine manipulation processes. The method includes carrying an object while a portion of the object is disposed between opposable first and second fingers of the mobile robot. The method further includes moving the object to an intermediate placing state after carrying the object. The method also includes increasing a distance between the first and second fingers after moving the object to the intermediate placing state. The method still further includes nudging the object via contact between the object and the first finger after increasing the distance between the first and second fingers and while the second finger is out of contact with the object. This nudging urges the object from the intermediate placing state toward a subsequent placing state.

Abstract: A system in accordance with at least some embodiments of the present technology includes a robot and a dock. The robot includes a body and a plurality of legs connected to the body through which the robot is configured to ambulate. The robot further includes a hanger carried by the body and a charge-receiving electrode at the hanger. The dock includes a hook, a charge-dispensing electrode at the hook, and a guide that urges the hanger into alignment with the hook. The system is transitionable between an undocked state and a docked state. In the undocked state, the robot and the dock are spaced apart from one another. In the docked state, the hanger is received at the hook, the dock supports at least a portion of a weight of the robot via the hook, and the charge-receiving electrode is electrically connected to the charge-dispensing electrode.

Abstract: A robot in accordance with at least some embodiments of the present technology includes a leg assembly. The leg assembly defines a kinematic chain and includes a joint, a proximal link proximal to the joint along the kinematic chain, and a distal link distal to the joint along the kinematic chain. The joint is configured to allow for relative rotation between the proximal and distal links about a joint axis. The leg assembly also includes wiring extending between the proximal and distal links. The wiring includes slack and defines a wiring length and a rotational orientation perpendicular to the wiring length. The leg assembly further includes proximal and distal retainers carried by the proximal and distal links, respectively. The proximal and distal retainers are resilient and configured to register rotational orientations of the wiring at proximal and distal end portions, respectively, of the slack.

Abstract: A robot in accordance with at least some embodiments of the present technology includes a neck region through which the robot is configured to transmit and receive light. The robot defines a robot height and includes a body, a head carried by the body, and a neck extending between the head and the body along the robot height. The robot further includes a structural neck frame at a periphery of the neck in a plane perpendicular to the robot height. The structural neck frame defines windows distributed around the periphery of the neck. The robot further includes a sensor disposed at least partially within the structural neck frame. The sensor includes a laser configured to transmit light via the windows and a detector configured to receive light via the windows. A field of view of the sensor extends at least 320 degrees around the neck.

Abstract: A system in accordance with at least some embodiments of the present technology includes a robot and a dock. The robot includes a body and a plurality of legs connected to the body through which the robot is configured to ambulate. The robot further includes a hanger carried by the body and a charge-receiving electrode at the hanger. The dock includes a hook, a charge-dispensing electrode at the hook, and a guide that urges the hanger into alignment with the hook. The system is transitionable between an undocked state and a docked state. In the undocked state, the robot and the dock are spaced apart from one another. In the docked state, the hanger is received at the hook, the dock supports at least a portion of a weight of the robot via the hook, and the charge-receiving electrode is electrically connected to the charge-dispensing electrode.

Abstract: A method in accordance with at least some embodiments of the present technology includes determining first hazard information about a human in an environment at a first time. The method further includes decelerating a mobile robot in the environment based at least partially on the first hazard information. The method further includes determining second hazard information about the human at a second time after the first time. The method further includes reconfiguring the mobile robot based at least partially on the second hazard information. Reconfiguring the mobile robot includes moving the mobile robot from a standing configuration to a non-standing configuration. The method further includes determining third hazard information about the human at a third time after the second time. Finally, the method includes causing a safe operating stop of the mobile robot based at least partially on the third hazard information.

Abstract: A method in accordance with a particular embodiment of the present technology includes retrieving an object from a starting location by grasping the object between two end effectors of a mobile robot. The method further includes generating, by data-processing hardware operably associated with the mobile robot, an object reference corresponding to a pose of the object at a time after retrieving the object and while the object is in contact with the end effectors. Generating the object reference is based at least partially on perception data corresponding to the object and includes generating a three-dimensional reference corresponding to a feature of the object based at least partially on a two-dimensional estimate from a neural network and a three-dimensional reference corresponding to a different feature of the object. Finally, the method includes controlling the mobile robot based at least partially on the object reference.

Abstract: A method in accordance with at least some embodiments of the present technology includes receiving, by a computing system operably associated with a robot, information corresponding to a position of an object in a working environment. The method further includes selecting, by the computing system and based at least partially on the information, a manipulation behavior for the object among a plurality of manipulation behaviors in a library of the computing system. The selected manipulation behavior includes repositioning the object and lifting the object after repositioning the object. At least one of repositioning the object and lifting the object is bimanual. Moreover, at least one of repositioning the object and lifting the object is nonprehensile. Finally, the method includes manipulating, by the robot, the object in accordance with the selected manipulation behavior.

Abstract: A method in accordance with a particular embodiment of the present technology includes retrieving an object from a starting location by grasping the object between two end effectors of a mobile robot. The method further includes generating, by data-processing hardware operably associated with the mobile robot, an object reference corresponding to a pose of the object at a time after retrieving the object and while the object is in contact with the end effectors. Generating the object reference is based at least partially on perception data corresponding to the object and includes generating a three-dimensional reference corresponding to a feature of the object based at least partially on a two-dimensional estimate from a neural network and a three-dimensional reference corresponding to a different feature of the object. Finally, the method includes controlling the mobile robot based at least partially on the object reference.

Abstract: A gear assembly in accordance with at least some embodiments of the present technology includes first and second supports extending circumferentially around an axis in first and second planes, respectively. The gear assembly further includes a first transfer member including first lobes and first troughs circumferentially alternating around the axis in a third plane. The gear assembly also includes a second transfer member including second lobes and second troughs circumferentially alternating around the axis in a fourth plane. The planes intersect the axis with the third and fourth planes between the first and second planes. The gear assembly further includes first and second pins circumferentially interspersed around the axis and extending between the first and second supports. The gear assembly transfers torque at least primarily via contact between the first pins and the first lobes and via contact between the second pins and the second lobes.

Abstract: A method in accordance with at least some embodiments of the present technology includes retrieving, by a legged robot, an object from a pick target while the legged robot is in a first dynamic balancing state. The method further includes carrying, by the legged robot, the object toward a place target spaced apart from the pick target while the legged robot ambulates over a floor surface. The method further includes placing, by the legged robot, the object at the place target while the legged robot is in a second dynamic balancing state. The legged robot in one of the first and second dynamic balancing states maintains its balance while its feet are planted on the floor surface. The legged robot in the other of the first and second dynamic balancing states maintains its balance while at least one of the feet moves relative to the floor surface.

Abstract: A robot in accordance with at least some embodiments of the present technology includes a leg assembly. The leg assembly defines a kinematic chain and includes a joint, a proximal link proximal to the joint along the kinematic chain, and a distal link distal to the joint along the kinematic chain. The joint is configured to allow for relative rotation between the proximal and distal links about a joint axis. The leg assembly also includes wiring extending between the proximal and distal links. The wiring includes slack and defines a wiring length and a rotational orientation perpendicular to the wiring length. The leg assembly further includes proximal and distal retainers carried by the proximal and distal links, respectively. The proximal and distal retainers are resilient and configured to register rotational orientations of the wiring at proximal and distal end portions, respectively, of the slack.

Abstract: A method in accordance with at least some embodiments of the present technology includes providing an image and a plurality of indicators. The image depicts an environment of a robot and corresponds to vision data collected by a vision sensor of the robot at a given timestep of a plurality of timesteps. Indicators among the plurality of indicators correspond to respective expected object locations within the environment. The method further includes receiving user input indicating a user identified state of the given one of the expected object locations based at least partially on the image. Finally, the method includes associating additional vision data with the user identified state of the given one of the expected object locations at least partially in response to receiving the user input. The additional vision data is collected by the vision sensor at additional timesteps of the plurality of timesteps.

Abstract: A method in accordance with a particular embodiment of the present technology includes retrieving an object from a starting location by grasping the object between two end effectors of a mobile robot. The method further includes generating, by data-processing hardware operably associated with the mobile robot, an object reference corresponding to a pose of the object at a time after retrieving the object and while the object is in contact with the end effectors. Generating the object reference is based at least partially on perception data corresponding to the object and includes generating a three-dimensional reference corresponding to a feature of the object based at least partially on a two-dimensional estimate from a neural network and a three-dimensional reference corresponding to a different feature of the object. Finally, the method includes controlling the mobile robot based at least partially on the object reference.

Abstract: A robot has a body and at least two legs extending from the robot body, each leg comprising a plurality of links that are rotatably connected. A ground contacting assembly is rotatably connected to the distal link of each leg. The ground contacting assembly is configured to provide an increase in roll range of motion and to facilitate abduction and adduction of the leg for traversing terrain.

Abstract: A method in accordance with at least some embodiments of the present technology includes generating, by data-processing hardware operably associated with a mobile robot, a putative object estimate. The method further includes determining, by the data-processing hardware, a location of a landmark within a working environment in which the mobile robot operates. The method further includes determining, by the data-processing hardware, an expected object location in the working environment based at least partially on the location of the landmark. The method further includes determining, by the data-processing hardware, a correspondence between the putative object estimate and the expected object location. The method further includes processing, by the data-processing hardware, the putative object estimate based at least partially on the correspondence. Finally, the method includes controlling the mobile robot based at least partially on a result of processing the putative object estimate.

Abstract: A method in accordance with at least some embodiments of the present technology includes moving a robot toward a shelf carrying a tote. The method further includes nonprehensilely tilting the tote and nonprehensilely pulling the tote toward a body of the robot. The tilting and pulling occur while the tote is in contact with the shelf and while exerting a first compressive force on the tote via contact between opposing arms of the robot and respective side portions of the tote spaced apart from one another along a width of the tote. Next, the method includes repositioning the arms and prehensilely lifting the tote from the shelf while exerting a second, greater compressive force on the tote via contact between the arms and the respective side portions of the tote. Finally, the method includes carrying the tote away from the shelf via legged locomotion.

Abstract: A torque-limiting actuator assembly includes a transmission coupled to a housing and a motor. The transmission includes an input member, an intermediate member, and an output member, all rotatable around a common axis. The input member is coupled to the motor and is configured to engage the intermediate member that engages the output member and causes it to rotate at a predictable rate. The intermediate member is configured to rotate if the output member experiences torque greater than a torque limit.

Abstract: A gear assembly in accordance with at least some embodiments of the present technology includes first and second supports extending circumferentially around an assembly axis in first and second planes, respectively. The gear assembly includes a first transfer member having first lobes and first troughs circumferentially alternating around the assembly axis in a third plane. The gear assembly includes a second transfer member having second lobes and second troughs circumferentially alternating around the assembly axis in a fourth plane. The third and fourth planes are between the first and second planes along the assembly axis. The gear assembly includes first and second pins circumferentially interspersed around the assembly axis and extending between the first and second supports. The gear assembly transfers torque at least primarily via contact between the first pins and the first lobes and via contact between the second pins and the second lobes.