Abstract: Robotic systems for rapid ultrasonic surface inspection are described. An example system may have an inspection robot to move in a direction of travel on an inspection surface. The robot may have a payload with a first and a second ultrasonic (UT) phased array, and a rastering device that executes a reciprocating motion of the payload. The system may have an inspection controller with a positioning circuit to provide an inspection position command, an inspection circuit to provide a rastering position command and an interrogation command. The robot is responsive to the inspection position command to move to an inspection position, and the rastering device is responsive to the rastering position command to move the payload through at least a portion of a range of reciprocating motion. The UT phased arrays are responsive to the interrogation command to perform an inspection on three axes of inspection.

Abstract: Systems and methods monitor a workspace for safety purposes using sensors distributed about the workspace. The sensors are registered with respect to each other, and this registration is monitored over time. Occluded space as well as occupied space is identified, and this mapping is frequently updated. Based on the mapping, a constrained motion plan of machinery can be generated to ensure safety.

Abstract: A robot generates a cell grid (e.g., occupancy grid) representation of a geographic area. The occupancy grid may include a plurality of evenly sized cells, and each cell may be assigned an occupancy status, which can be used to indicate the location of obstacles present in the geographic area. Footprints for the robot corresponding to a plurality of robot orientations and joint states may be generated and stored in a look-up table. The robot may generate a planned path for the robot to navigate within the geographic area by generating a plurality of candidate paths, each candidate path comprising a plurality of candidate robot poses. For each candidate robot pose, the robot may query the look-up table for a corresponding robot footprint to determine if a collision will occur.

Abstract: Systems, methods and apparatus for the thermal conversion of carbonaceous feedstock material into biochar. The carbonaceous feedstock material may be harvested, preprocessed and pyrolyzed. An amount of carbonaceous feedstock material is received. An amount of a catalyst is applied to the carbonaceous feedstock material. The carbonaceous feedstock material and the applied catalyst is heated in an anaerobic environment to a temperature of at least 300 C. The biochar material is then generated.

Abstract: One aspect provides operating a mobile pipe inspection platform to obtain two or more types of sensor data for the interior of a pipe; analyzing, using a processor, the two or more types of sensor data using a trained model, where the trained model is trained using a dataset including training sensor data of pipe interiors; the analyzing including performing: identifying, using a processor, a pipe feature location using a first type of the two or more types of sensor data; and classifying, using a processor, an identified pipe feature using a second type of the two or more types of sensor data; and thereafter producing, using a processor, an output including an indication of the classified pipe feature. Other aspects are described and claimed.

Abstract: A safety apparatus and method for monitoring the position of a servo joint in a servo joint driving system are introduced. The safety apparatus includes modules for measuring powerline signals to determine a servo motor position and/or speed safely. By analyzing the synchronization between the motor and powerline signals, loss of synchronization, unexpected resistance experienced by the motor, and other fault conditions are detected so that power can be cut from the servo motor for safety. The safety apparatus and method achieve a functional safety position and/or speed generating and monitoring and reduce reliance on expensive position sensors and encoders. Robots utilizing the safety apparatus and a method of its use are also disclosed.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided of downsampling an image to a plurality of image resolutions. The method comprises capturing, using a camera, an image depicting an environment within view of the camera, identifying a first section of the image depicting an area of the environment spaced within a first distance range from the camera, identifying a second section of the image depicting an area of the environment spaced within a second distance range from the camera, identifying a third section of the image depicting an area of the environment spaced within a third distance range from the camera, and downsampling the first section of the image to a first image resolution, generating a first processed image, the second section of the image to a second image resolution, generating a second processed image, and the third section of the image to a third image resolution, generating a third processed image.

Abstract: Systems and methods for detecting and measuring object velocity are provided. The method comprises, using a spinning Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) system, generating a first LiDAR point cloud of an environment surrounding a vehicle, using a scanning LiDAR system, generating a second LiDAR point cloud of the environment surrounding the vehicle, and, using a processor, identifying points within the first LiDAR point cloud coinciding with a position of an object and points within the second LiDAR point cloud coinciding with a position of the object, determining whether the points within the second LiDAR point cloud line up with the points within the first LiDAR point cloud, and, when the points within the second LiDAR point cloud do not line up with the points within the first LiDAR point cloud, determining that the object is moving.

Abstract: A method of controlling an autonomous vehicle, including: collecting perception data representing a perceived environment of the vehicle using a perception system on board the autonomous vehicle; comparing the perception data collected with digital map data; and modifying operation of the vehicle based on an amount of difference between the perception data and the digital map data.

Abstract: A method of controlling an autonomous vehicle, including: collecting perception data representing a perceived environment of the vehicle using a perception system on board the autonomous vehicle; comparing the perception data collected with digital map data; and modifying operation of the vehicle based on an amount of difference between the perception data and the digital map data.

Abstract: An actuator includes a housing having an input shaft, a transmission, an output shaft, a shaft collar assembly, and an encoder. The shaft collar assembly has an annular body for holding an encoder target and a fastening assembly for affixing the assembly to the output shaft. The location of the encoder target can be adjusted during assembly via an internal bore so that it is in a desired position relative to an encoder sensor when assembly is complete.

Abstract: An autonomous lawn mower is described. The autonomous lawn mower comprises a chassis supporting a podium. In some examples, the podium comprises an upper portion and a lower portion, where the upper portion may support one or more sensors, antennas and/or cameras that may be used to provide environmental information regarding the surroundings of the autonomous lawn mower. The upper portion may be detached from the lower portion such that the upper portion is calibrated prior to the upper portion being coupled to the lower portion.

Abstract: Systems and methods for path planning for autonomous vehicles err on the side of a safer road position and safer type of collision if one were to occur. An autonomous vehicle perception module detects target objects within a region of interest (ROI). An autonomous vehicle processor estimates relative velocity between the ego vehicle and target objects, and estimates mass of target objects. Collision-aware path planning calculates a cost function that assigns higher costs for paths that take the vehicle close to objects that have a large velocity difference and higher costs for objects with large estimated mass. Path planning provides a cost map that yields a path that has appropriate buffer distances between the autonomous vehicle and surrounding objects. In the event the ego vehicle balances buffer distance margins to multiple surrounding target objects, target objects that would create more severe collisions are given greater buffer distance.

Abstract: Inspection robots with a payload engagement device are described. An example inspection robot may have a housing, a drive module, having at least one wheel and a motor, where a sled is coupled to the payload, the sled having a sensor mounted thereon, and a payload engagement device interposed between the drive module and the payload and structured to regulate an engagement of the sled with an inspection surface.

Abstract: A method may include monitoring, by a processor associated with an autonomous vehicle, a status of a traffic light. The method may include monitoring, by the processor, a movement status of at least one vehicle within a same lane as the autonomous vehicle, the at least one vehicle having a stationary position in relation to the traffic light. The method may include executing, by the processor, a computer model to predict a change of movement status for the at least one vehicle in accordance with the status of the traffic light. The method may include in response to the computer model predicting a change of movement status for the at least one vehicle from the stationary position to a moving status, instructing, by the processor, the autonomous vehicle to increase a torque value of the autonomous vehicle at a predetermined time before the change of the movement status.

Abstract: A mortality recovery device is described. The mortality recovery device provides for autonomous recovery of expired poultry within an environment, such as a poultry barn. The mortality recovery device includes a linkage assembly by which the expired poultry is conveyed to a container. The mortality recovery device includes one or more cameras for detecting the expired poultry. The mortality recovery device also includes one or more cameras for object detection purposes. The mortality recovery device also includes a camera or a LiDAR for mapping the position and orientation (pose) of the mortality recovery device within the environment. By the object detection and the pose information, the mortality recovery device autonomously travels within the environment. The mortality recovery device also includes a spinner assembly for deterring live poultry from the path of the mortality recovery device.

Abstract: A processor-based system provides a user interface to facilitate generation of motion planning graphs or roadmaps, for example via autonomous generate of additional poses, for example neighboring poses, based on specified seed or origin pose, and/or generate or sub-lattice connecting poses and/or edges to couple separate regions or sub-lattices of the motion planning graph together. Such may include performing collision-checking and/or kinematic checking (e.g., taking into account kinematic constraints of robots being modeled). The resulting motion planning graphs or roadmaps are useful in controlling robots during runtime. Robots may include robots with appendages and/or robots in the form of autonomous vehicles.

Abstract: This disclosure provides methods and systems for generating a training set for a neural network configured to generate candidate trajectories for an autonomous vehicle, comprising: receiving a set of sensor data representative of one or more portions of a plurality of objects in the environment of the autonomous vehicle; for each object, calculating a representative box enclosing the object, the representative box having portions comprising corners, edges, and planes; for each representative box, calculating at least one vector into the representative box from a position on the autonomous vehicle; for each vector, calculating a first and second corner position of the representative box, an edge of the representative box, and a plane of the representative box; determining the highest confidence corners, edge, and plane of each representative based on calculation from the at least one vector; and generating a training set including the highest confidence corners, edge, and plane of each representative box.

Abstract: This disclosure provides methods and systems for detecting and tracking objects in an environment of an autonomous vehicle.

Abstract: Systems, methods, computing platforms, and storage media for dynamically organizing autonomous storage units in a retail control territory are disclosed. Exemplary implementations may identify a plurality of autonomous storage units, wherein each autonomous storage unit is configured to hold one or more inventory items; identify an inventory level for each of the plurality of autonomous storage units; determine a first arrangement for the plurality of autonomous storage units based in part on one or more first factors; organize the plurality of storage units in the first arrangement; identify one or more second factors; determine a second arrangement for at least a portion of the plurality of autonomous storage units based on the one or more second factors; and direct the at least the portion of the plurality of autonomous storage units to organize in the second arrangement.