Abstract: A robotic device, including a tangible, non-transitory, machine readable medium storing instructions that when executed by a processor effectuates operations including: capturing, with the camera, one or more images of an environment of the robotic device; capturing, with the plurality of sensors, sensor data of the environment; generating or updating, with the processor, a map of the environment; identifying, with the processor, one or more rooms in the map; receiving, with the processor, one or more multidimensional arrays including at least one parameter that is used to identify a feature included in the one or more images; determining, with the processor, a position and orientation of the robotic device relative to the feature; and transmitting, with the processor, a signal to the processor of the controller to adjust a heading of the robotic device.

Abstract: A retractable cable assembly in use with an electrical charger, power adapter, or other power supply. A cable wound on a spool disposed within a housing may be extracted by manually pulling on the cable or pressing of a release switch until the desired length of the cable is drawn. As the cable is drawn an engaged locking mechanism is used to keep the cable in place during and after extraction of the cable until which time retraction of the cable is desired. A retraction actuator disengages the locking mechanism, thereby freeing the cable and immediately retracting the cable within the housing.

Abstract: Provided is a tangible, non-transitory, machine readable medium storing instructions that when executed by the image processor effectuates operations including: capturing, with a first image sensor, a first image of at least two light points projected on a surface by the at least one laser light emitter; extracting, with at least one image processor, a first distance between the at least two light points in the first image in a first direction; and estimating, with the at least one image processor, a first distance to the surface on which the at least two light points are projected based on at least the first distance between the at least two light points and a predetermined relationship relating a distance between at least two light points in the first direction and a distance to the surface on which the at least two light points are projected.

Abstract: Provided is a robot, including: a plurality of sensors; a processor; a tangible, non-transitory, machine readable medium storing instructions that when executed by the processor effectuates operations including: capturing, with an image sensor, images of a workspace as the robot moves within the workspace; identifying, with the processor, at least one characteristic of at least one object captured in the images of the workspace; determining, with the processor, an object type of the at least one object based on characteristics of different types of objects stored in an object dictionary; and instructing, with the processor, the robot to execute at least one action based on the object type of the at least one object.

Abstract: Provided is a system for robotic collaboration, including a first robotic chassis and a second robotic chassis each including a medium storing instructions that when executed by a respective processor effectuates operations including: capturing data of an environment and data indicative of movement; inferring locations visited up to a current location based on at least the data of the environment; and tracking areas cleaned based on the locations visited. The first robotic chassis performs a first part of a task and the second robotic chassis performs a second part of the task after the first robotic chassis completes the first part of the task.

Abstract: Provided is a tangible, non-transitory, machine-readable medium storing instructions that when executed by a processor effectuate operations including: obtaining, with one or more rangefinder sensors positioned on a mobile automated device, distances from the one or more rangefinder sensors to a surface; monitoring, with the processor, the distances sensed by each of the one or more rangefinder sensors; detecting, with the processor, an edge when a change in the distances is greater than a predetermined amount; and actuating, with the processor, the mobile automated device to execute one or more movement patterns upon detecting the edge, wherein the one or more movement patterns initiates movement of the mobile automated device away from the area where the edge was detected.

Abstract: Provided is a vibrating filter mechanism, including: a power source; a metal wire attached on both ends to the power source; a filter; a connector coupled with the filter and interfacing with the metal wire; and a first permanent magnet; wherein: the power source delivers electric current pulses in alternating directions through the metal wire; and the first permanent magnet is positioned in a location where a magnetic field of the first permanent magnet and a magnetic field of the metal wire interact and cause vibration of the metal wire and the coupled filter.

Abstract: Provided is a method including emitting, with a laser light emitter disposed on a robot, a collimated laser beam projecting a light point on a surface opposite the laser light emitter; capturing, with each of at least two image sensors disposed on the robot, images of the projected light point; overlaying, with a processor of the robot, the images captured by the at least two image sensors to produce a superimposed image showing both captured images in a single image; determining, with the processor of the robot, a first distance between the projected light points in the superimposed image; and determining, with the processor, a second distance based on the first distance using a relationship that relates distance between light points with distance between the robot or a sensor thereof and the surface on which the collimated laser beam is projected.

Abstract: Provided is a tangible, non-transitory, machine readable medium storing instructions that when executed by a processor of a robot effectuates operations including: capturing, with at least one sensor, first data used in indicating a position of the robot; capturing, with at least one sensor, second data indicative of movement of the robot; recognizing, with the processor of the robot, a first area of the workspace based on at least one of: a first part of the first data and a first part of the second data; generating, with the processor of the robot, a first movement path covering at least part of the first recognized area; actuating, with the processor of the robot, the robot to move along the first movement path; and generating, with the processor of the robot, a map of the workspace based on at least one of: the first data and the second data.

Abstract: A robot configured to perceive a model of an environment, including: a chassis; a set of wheels; a plurality of sensors; a processor; and memory storing instructions that when executed by the processor effectuates operations including: capturing a plurality of data while the robot moves within the environment; perceiving the model of the environment based on at least a portion of the plurality of data, the model being a top view of the environment; storing the model of the environment in a memory accessible to the processor; and transmitting the model of the environment and a status of the robot to an application of a smartphone previously paired with the robot.

Abstract: A robot configured to perceive a model of an environment, including: a chassis; a set of wheels; a plurality of sensors; a processor; and memory storing instructions that when executed by the processor effectuates operations including: capturing a plurality of data while the robot moves within the environment; perceiving the model of the environment based on at least a portion of the plurality of data, the model being a top view of the environment; storing the model of the environment in a memory accessible to the processor; and transmitting the model of the environment and a status of the robot to an application of a smartphone previously paired with the robot.

Abstract: A method for determining at least one action of a robot, including capturing, with an image sensor disposed on the robot, images of objects within an environment of the robot as the robot moves within the environment; identifying, with a processor of the robot, at least one object based on the captured images; marking, with the processor, a location of the at least one object in a map of the environment; and actuating, with the processor, the robot to execute at least one action based on the at least one object identified.

Abstract: Some aspects include a schedule development method for a robotic floor-cleaning device that recognizes patterns in user input to automatically devise a work schedule.

Abstract: Provided is a robot including a chassis; a set of wheels coupled to the chassis; a plurality of sensors; a processor; and a tangible, non-transitory, machine readable medium storing instructions that when executed by the processor effectuates operations. The operations include capturing, with an image sensor disposed on the robot, a plurality of images of an environment of the robot as the robot navigates within the environment; identifying, with the processor, an obstacle type of an obstacle captured in an image based on a comparison between features of the obstacle and features of obstacles with different obstacles types stored in a database; and determining, with the processor, an action of the robot based on the obstacle type of the obstacle.

Abstract: A method for pairing a robotic device with an application of a communication device, including using, with the application, unique login information to log into the application; receiving, with the application, a SSID of a first Wi-Fi network to which the communication device is connected and a password for the first Wi-Fi network; entering, with the robotic device, a pairing mode upon the user pressing a button on a user interface of the robotic device or autonomously upon powering up for a first time; transmitting, with the application, the SSID and the password of the first Wi-Fi network to the robotic device; connecting, with the robotic device, the robotic device to the first Wi-Fi network using the SSID and the password of the first Wi-Fi network; receiving, with the application, information; and transmitting, with the application, at least some of the information to the robotic device.

Abstract: Provided is a navigation system for a leader vehicle leading follower vehicles, including: the leader vehicle, configured to transmit, real-time movement data to follower vehicles; and, the follower vehicles, each comprising: a signal receiver for receiving the data from the leader vehicle; sensors configured to detect at least one maneuverability condition; a memory; a vehicle maneuver controller; a distance sensor; and a processor configured to: determine a route for navigating the local follower vehicle from an initial location; determine a preferred range of distances from the vehicle in front of the respective follower vehicle that the respective follower vehicle should stay within; determine a set of active maneuvering instructions for the respective follower vehicle based on at least a portion of the data received from the guiding vehicle; determine a lag in control commands; and, execute the set of active maneuvering instructions in the respective follower vehicle.

Abstract: Provided is a system for robotic collaboration. A first robotic device includes a tangible, non-transitory, machine readable medium storing instructions that when executed by a processor of the first robotic device effectuates first operations including: receiving first information from a processor of a second robotic device; actuating the first robotic device to execute a first action based on the first information; and transmitting second information to the processor of the second robotic device. The second robotic device includes a tangible, non-transitory, machine readable medium storing instructions that when executed by the processor of the second robotic device effectuates second operations including: receiving the second information transmitted from the processor of the first robotic device; actuating the second robotic device to execute a second action based on the second information; and transmitting third information to the processor of the first robotic device.

Abstract: Provided is a process that includes: obtaining a first version of a map of a workspace; selecting a first undiscovered area of the workspace; in response to selecting the first undiscovered area, causing the robot to move to a position and orientation to sense data in at least part of the first undiscovered area; and obtaining an updated version of the map mapping a larger area of the workspace than the first version.

Abstract: Provided is a window shading system including a means for shading one or more windows; a means for manually controlling at least one window shading setting; one or more sensors; a processor; and a tangible, non-transitory, machine readable medium storing instructions that when executed by the processor effectuates operations including capturing, with the one or more sensors, environmental data of surroundings; predicting, with the processor, the at least one window shading setting using a learned function of an artificial neural network that relates the environmental data to the at least one window shading setting; and, applying, with the processor, the at least one window shading setting predicted to the window shading system.