Abstract: A robotic medical system includes a post being substantially vertical and coupled to a base; a robotic drive having a socket for receiving the post; and at least one tapered interface shaped and oriented to engage the socket to prevent rotation of the robotic drive about at least one axis.

Abstract: An autonomous pile driving system comprises an arm of an autonomous offroad vehicle (AOV) configured to hold and drive a pile, a chute configured to stabilize the pile as the pile is being driven. The autonomous pile driving system further comprises a controller configured to identify a location in the geographic area where a pile is to be driven (e.g., installed) and position the chute at the location. The controller aligns the pile secured by the AOV with an opening of the chute and inserts the pile into the chute by actuating an arm (or other suitable component) of the AOV securing the pile.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a general purpose operating system (GPROS) that shows particular usefulness in the robotics and automation fields. The operating system provides individual services and the combination and interconnections of such services using built-in service extensions, built-in completely configurable generic services, and ways to plug in additional service extensions to yield a comprehensive and cohesive framework for developing, configuring, assembling, constructing, deploying, and managing robotics and/or automation applications. The disclosure includes GPROS extensions and features directed to use as an autonomous vehicle operating system. The vehicle controlled by appropriate versions of the GPROS can include unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) applications such as a driverless or self-driving car. The vehicle can likewise or instead include an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) such as a helicopter or drone.

Abstract: One aspect provides a modular inspection robot for inspecting vertical shafts, chambers or tunnels. An embodiment provides related methods and products. One method includes: capturing, using a plurality of video cameras associated with an infrastructure inspection unit, two or more videos of infrastructure; accessing, using one or more processors, image metadata indicating a mesh of connected vertices based on the two or more videos; selecting, using the one or more processors, image data of frames of the two or more videos for inclusion in an output based on the mesh; and outputting, using the one or more processors, a photo-realistic image of the infrastructure comprising the image data selected. Other examples are described and claimed.

Abstract: A method may include obtaining, from a kinematic vehicle model including a differential equation, by one or more processors associated with an autonomous vehicle, one or more candidate trajectories that satisfy one or more constraints relating to movement of the vehicle. The method may include iteratively updating, by the one or more processors, a score of each of the one or more candidate trajectories. The method may include determining, by the one or more processors among the one or more candidate trajectories, a target trajectory having a score that is greater than a threshold. The method may include executing, by the one or more processors, the target trajectory to cause the vehicle to move in the candidate trajectory.

Abstract: The present invention provides a medical robot which is hygienic and capable of precisely transferring a catheter, a driving device mounted on the medical robot, and a roller module mounted on the driving device. The roller module includes: a driving unit; and a roller unit rotated about the vertical axis by the driving unit, wherein the roller unit includes at least one roller and at least one shaft independently coupled to the at least one roller of the roller unit and rotated by the driving unit, wherein at least one groove is formed on the at least one roller of the roller unit and at least a part of the at least one shaft of the roller unit is disposed on the at least one groove.

Abstract: Systems and methods of automatic correction of map data for autonomous vehicle navigation are disclosed. One or more servers can receive, from a first autonomous vehicle traveling on a road, a first correction to map data identifying a location in the map data; generate a modified parameter of the map data based on the first correction and a second correction identifying the location, the second correction received from a second autonomous vehicle traveling on the road; update the map data based on the modified parameter; and provide the updated map data to the first autonomous vehicle.

Abstract: A health indicator system for a sensor pod includes one or more sensors associated with the sensor pod, a sensor pod housing, an internal sensor status monitoring system configured to determine a status of at least one sensor of the one or more sensors, and a plurality of visual indicators located on at least one exterior surface of the sensor pod housing, the plurality of visual indicators configured to display a predetermined configuration based on the determined status of each of the one or more sensors. The plurality of visual indicators are located on the sensor pod housing at a level such that when an external operator standing on a ground surface approaches the vehicle, the plurality of visual indicators is within the external operator's field of view.

Abstract: One variation of a method for stock keeping in a store includes: accessing an image captured by a fixed camera within the store; retrieving a field of view of the fixed camera; estimating a segment of an inventory structure in the store depicted in the image based on a projection of the field of view onto a planogram of the store; identifying a set of slots within the inventory structure segment; retrieving a product model representing a set of visual characteristics of a product type assigned to a slot, in the set of slots, by the planogram; extracting a constellation of features from the image; if the constellation of features approximates the set of visual characteristics in the product model, detecting presence of a product unit of the product type occupying the inventory structure segment; and representing presence of the product unit, occupying the inventory structure segment, in a realogram.

Abstract: A catheter procedure system including a bedside system and a remote workstation is provided. The bedside system includes a catheter including an expandable percutaneous intervention device, a robotic catheter system configured to move the catheter, and an inflation device configured to cause expansion of the expandable percutaneous intervention device. The remote workstation includes a user interface configured to receive a at least first user input and a second user input and a control system operatively coupled to the user interface for remotely controlling both the robotic catheter system and the inflation device. The remote workstation includes a monitor configured to display information related to the expandable percutaneous intervention device.

Abstract: Systems, apparatus, and methods are described for robotic learning and execution of skills. A robotic apparatus can include a memory, a processor, sensors, and one or more movable components (e.g., a manipulating element and/or a transport element). The processor can be operatively coupled to the memory, the movable elements, and the sensors, and configured to obtain information of an environment, including one or more objects located within the environment. In some embodiments, the processor can be configured to learn skills through demonstration, exploration, user inputs, etc. In some embodiments, the processor can be configured to execute skills and/or arbitrate between different behaviors and/or actions. In some embodiments, the processor can be configured to learn an environmental constraint. In some embodiments, the processor can be configured to learn using a general model of a skill.

Abstract: A method for media blasting a workpiece includes, during a scan cycle: accessing a first set of images captured by an optical sensor traversing a scan path over the workpiece; compiling the first set of images into a virtual model of the workpiece; accessing a first set of blast parameters; generating a first tool path for a first workpiece region of the workpiece based on a geometry of the workpiece represented in the virtual model and the first set of blast parameters. The method further includes, during a processing cycle: via the set of actuators, navigating the blast nozzle over the first workpiece region according to the first tool path; and projecting blasting media toward the workpiece according to the first set of blast parameters.

Abstract: Systems and methods for real time feedback and for updating welding instructions for a welding robot in real time is described herein. The data of a workspace that includes a part to be welded can be received via at least one sensor. This data can be transformed into a point cloud data representing a three-dimensional surface of the part. A desired state indicative of a desired position of at least a portion of the welding robot with respect to the part can be identified. An estimated state indicative of an estimated position of at least the portion of the welding robot with respect to the part can be compared to the desired state. The welding instructions can be updated based on the comparison.

Abstract: Aspects of this technical solution can include a method of calibration of a positioning system of a vehicle. The method can include transmitting, from a first vehicle at a second vehicle by a communication interface coupled with the first vehicle and the second vehicle, first data indicating a direction of gravity relative to a physical orientation of the first vehicle. The method can include transmitting, from the first vehicle at the second vehicle by the communication interface, second data of the first vehicle indicating the physical orientation of the first vehicle, during movement of the first vehicle caused by the second vehicle. And the method can include receiving, at the first vehicle from the second vehicle during the movement of the first vehicle and based on the first data and the second data, third data corresponding to a calibration of the physical orientation of the first vehicle.

Abstract: An autonomous vehicle can include a sensor and one or more processors. The processors can be configured to automatically control the autonomous vehicle to an energy supply station responsive to determining to resupply energy to the autonomous vehicle; detect, via the sensor, an object corresponding to the energy supply station, the object indicating to initiate energy supply to the autonomous vehicle; responsive to detecting the object, control the autonomous vehicle to stop at a defined position relative to the energy supply station; and open an energy input receptacle of the autonomous vehicle to receive energy from the energy supply station.

Abstract: Aspects of this technical solution can include a method of calibration of a inertial navigation system of a vehicle. The method can include obtaining, from a first vehicle at a second vehicle by a communication interface coupled with the first vehicle and the second vehicle, with first data indicating a direction of gravity relative to a physical orientation of the first vehicle. The method can include obtaining, from the first vehicle at the second vehicle by the communication interface, with second data of the first vehicle indicating the physical orientation of the first vehicle, during movement of the first vehicle caused by the second vehicle. And the method can include generating, at the second vehicle during the movement of the first vehicle and based on the first data and the second data, third data corresponding to a calibration of the physical orientation of the first vehicle.

Abstract: Aspects of this technical solution can include transmitting, from a first vehicle to a second vehicle by a communication interface coupled with the first vehicle and the second vehicle, first data indicating a positioning of an antenna of a location sensor of the first vehicle, transmitting, from the first vehicle to the second vehicle by the communication interface, second data of the first vehicle indicating a physical location of the first vehicle, during movement of the first vehicle caused by the second vehicle, and receiving, at the first vehicle from the second vehicle by the communication interface in response to the movement of the first vehicle, third data generated at the second vehicle based on the first data and the second data, the third data corresponding to a calibration of the physical location of the first vehicle.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein implement an improved autonomy system with a beneficial approach to implementation a localization loop. When the automated vehicle loses access to geolocation data updates, the autonomy system invokes a geo-denied localization loop that performs map localization and motion estimation functions without geolocation data. The localization loop feeds map localizer outputs into a motion estimator of the INS and/or the IMU, and feeds motion estimation outputs from the motion estimator back into the map localizer. When executing the localization loop, the autonomy system detects outlier measurements as errors in the map localizer and mitigates the errors in the map localizer or the motion estimator. The autonomy system executes programming in an error detection phase for monitoring and detecting errors in the localization loop, and an error mitigation phase for mitigating or resolving errors, such as applying a covariance boosting value on outputted data values.

Abstract: Embodiments herein include an automated vehicle performing localization functions using particle scoring and particle filters. The automated vehicle performs a phase correlation operation that transforms image data of a sensed map and pre-stored base map from a spatial to frequency domain and combines the transformed maps to generate image data of a correlation map. Estimated location information of particles are compared against sensed data or other data in sensed sub-maps or the correlation map. The automated vehicle may apply an image-convolution scoring map by combining image data of the sensed and base maps in the spatial domain. The autonomy system may calculate entropies for the correlation map and image-convolution scoring map and combines these maps based upon the respective entropies.

Abstract: Autonomous vehicles including sensors and electronic control units (ECUs) that communicate via ring networks are disclosed. A system includes an ECU of an autonomous vehicle that includes an ECU network interface. The system includes a plurality of sensors disposed on the autonomous vehicle, and each of the plurality of sensors includes a respective sensor network interface. The system includes a plurality of network links communicatively coupling the plurality of sensors to the ECU network interface of the ECU via the respective sensor network interface in a ring configuration.