Abstract: An example robot includes a first actuator and a second actuator connecting a first portion of a first member of the robot to a second member of the robot. Extension of the first actuator accompanied by retraction of the second actuator causes the first member to roll in a first roll direction. Retraction of the first actuator accompanied by extension of the second actuator causes the first member to roll in a second roll direction. A third actuator connects a second portion of the first member to the second member. Extension of the third actuator accompanied by retraction of both the first and second actuators causes the first member to pitch in a first pitch direction. Retraction of the third actuator accompanied by extension of both the first and second actuators causes the first member to pitch in a second pitch direction.

Abstract: The disclosure provides a method for generating a joint command. The method includes receiving a maneuver script including a plurality of maneuvers for a legged robot to perform where each maneuver is associated with a cost. The method further includes identifying that two or more maneuvers of the plurality of maneuvers of the maneuver script occur at the same time instance. The method also includes determining a combined maneuver for the legged robot to perform at the time instance based on the two or more maneuvers and the costs associated with the two or more maneuvers. The method additionally includes generating a joint command to control motion of the legged robot at the time instance where the joint command commands a set of joints of the legged robot. Here, the set of joints correspond to the combined maneuver.

Abstract: A dynamic planning controller receives a maneuver for a robot and a current state of the robot and transforms the maneuver and the current state of the robot into a nonlinear optimization problem. The nonlinear optimization problem is configured to optimize an unknown force and an unknown position vector. At a first time instance, the controller linearizes the nonlinear optimization problem into a first linear optimization problem and determines a first solution to the first linear optimization problem using quadratic programming. At a second time instance, the controller linearizes the nonlinear optimization problem into a second linear optimization problem based on the first solution at the first time instance and determines a second solution to the second linear optimization problem based on the first solution using the quadratic programming. The controller also generates a joint command to control motion of the robot during the maneuver based on the second solution.

Abstract: Provided herein are methods for the efficient in vitro maintenance, expansion, culture, and/or differentiation of pluripotent cells with disruption of the MeCP2 gene into various erythroid, myeloid, lymphoid, or endoderm lineages, particularly mature erythrocytes. The pluripotent cells may be maintained and differentiated under defined conditions; thus, the use of mouse feeder cells or serum is not required in certain embodiments for the differentiation of the precursor cells.

Abstract: An actuation pressure to actuate one or more hydraulic actuators may be determined based on a load on the one or more hydraulic actuators of a robotic device. Based on the determined actuation pressure, a pressure rail from among a set of pressure rails at respective pressures may be selected. One or more valves may connect the selected pressure rail to a metering valve. The hydraulic drive system may operate in a discrete mode in which the metering valve opens such that hydraulic fluid flows from the selected pressure rail through the metering valve to the one or more hydraulic actuators at approximately the supply pressure. Responsive to a control state of the robotic device, the hydraulic drive system may operate in a continuous mode in which the metering valve throttles the hydraulic fluid such that the supply pressure is reduced to the determined actuation pressure.

Abstract: Provided herein are methods for the efficient in vitro differentiation of somatic cell-derived pluripotent stem cells to hematopoietic precursor cells, and the further differentiation of the hematopoietic precursor cells into immune cells of various myeloid or lymphoid lineages, particularly T cells, NK cells, and dendritic cells. The pluripotent cells may be maintained and differentiated under defined conditions; thus, the use of mouse feeder cells or serum is not required in certain embodiments for the differentiation of the hematopoietic precursor cells.

Abstract: Example methods and systems enable rearrangement of a warehouse to an optimal layout determined according to customizable goals. An example method includes receiving, at a warehouse management system (WMS), information of a warehouse and items of the warehouse, identifying an item shipment expectation including new items expected to be received at the warehouse at a future date and items present at the warehouse marked for delivery at the future date, determining an optimal layout of the items of the warehouse at a present date based on the item shipment expectation, determining an amount of time to rearrange the items, by one or more of robotic devices rearranging the items, to the optimal layout based on a time measurement for robotic devices to perform tasks, and determining to rearrange the items of the warehouse based on the amount of time to rearrange the items being less than a threshold amount of time.

Abstract: An example valve includes: a sleeve having a plurality of sleeve openings; a first conduit configured to be in hydraulic communication with a first chamber, where a first pressure sensor is disposed in the first conduit and configured to measure a pressure level of fluid in the first chamber; a second conduit configured to be in hydraulic communication with a second chamber, where a second pressure sensor is disposed in the second conduit and configured to measure a pressure level of fluid in the second chamber; a spool rotatable within the sleeve, wherein the spool includes a plurality of spool openings respectively corresponding to the plurality of sleeve openings; a rotary actuator coupled to the spool and configured to rotate the spool within the sleeve in clockwise and counter-clockwise directions; and a controller configured to cause the spool to rotate to one of a plurality of rotary positions.

Abstract: A wheel elevating dock including a body member, a first plurality of ramp members attached to a first end of the body member and defining gaps between each ramp member of the first plurality of ramp members, and a second plurality of ramp members attached to a second end of the body member. The gaps defined by the first plurality of ramp members are configured to permit ramp members from an adjacent wheel elevating dock to be positioned within the gaps.

Abstract: A method for controlling a robot includes receiving image data from at least one image sensor. The image data corresponds to an environment about the robot. The method also includes executing a graphical user interface configured to display a scene of the environment based on the image data and receive an input indication indicating selection of a pixel location within the scene. The method also includes determining a pointing vector based on the selection of the pixel location. The pointing vector represents a direction of travel for navigating the robot in the environment. The method also includes transmitting a waypoint command to the robot. The waypoint command when received by the robot causes the robot to navigate to a target location. The target location is based on an intersection between the pointing vector and a terrain estimate of the robot.

Abstract: A method for generating intermediate waypoints for a navigation system of a robot includes receiving a navigation route. The navigation route includes a series of high-level waypoints that begin at a starting location and end at a destination location and is based on high-level navigation data. The high-level navigation data is representative of locations of static obstacles in an area the robot is to navigate. The method also includes receiving image data of an environment about the robot from an image sensor and generating at least one intermediate waypoint based on the image data. The method also includes adding the at least one intermediate waypoint to the series of high-level waypoints of the navigation route and navigating the robot from the starting location along the series of high-level waypoints and the at least one intermediate waypoint toward the destination location.

Abstract: A method of footstep contact detection includes receiving joint dynamics for a swing leg of the robot where the swing leg performs a swing phase of a gait of the robot. The method also includes receiving odometry defining an estimation of a pose of the robot and determining whether an unexpected torque on the swing leg corresponds to an impact on the swing leg. When the unexpected torque corresponds to the impact, the method further includes determining whether the impact is indicative of a touchdown of the swing leg on a ground surface based on the odometry and the joint dynamics. When the impact is not indicative of the touchdown of the swing leg, the method includes classifying a cause of the impact based on the odometry of the robot and the joint dynamics of the swing leg.

Abstract: A method of planning a swing trajectory for a leg of a robot includes receiving an initial position of a leg of the robot, an initial velocity of the leg, a touchdown location, and a touchdown target time. The method also includes determining a difference between the initial position and the touchdown location and separating the difference between the initial position and the touchdown location into a horizontal motion component and a vertical motion component. The method also includes selecting a horizontal motion policy and a vertical motion policy to satisfy the motion components. Each policy produces a respective trajectory as a function of the initial position, the initial velocity, the touchdown location, and the touchdown target time. The method also includes executing the selected policies to swing the leg of the robot from the initial position to the touchdown location at the touchdown target time.

Abstract: A method of constrained mobility mapping includes receiving from at least one sensor of a robot at least one original set of sensor data and a current set of sensor data. Here, each of the at least one original set of sensor data and the current set of sensor data corresponds to an environment about the robot. The method further includes generating a voxel map including a plurality of voxels based on the at least one original set of sensor data. The plurality of voxels includes at least one ground voxel and at least one obstacle voxel. The method also includes generating a spherical depth map based on the current set of sensor data and determining that a change has occurred to an obstacle represented by the voxel map based on a comparison between the voxel map and the spherical depth map. The method additional includes updating the voxel map to reflect the change to the obstacle.

Abstract: A system comprising a parts-per-million (PPM) analyzer configured to analyze a multiphase fluid, the fluid comprising water. The analyzer includes a mesh comprising first adsorbent materials that adsorb specific substances from the multiphase fluid. The system includes a mass meter configured to measure a mass of multiphase fluid passing through the PPM analyzer; a molecular sieve dryer comprising second adsorbent material configured to adsorb the water from the multiphase fluid; and a plurality of valves configured to couple the mass meter and the molecular sieve dryer to the PPM analyzer. During routine operation, the valves direct the multiphase fluid through the PPM analyzer. During a validation operation, the valves divert the multiphase fluid through the molecular sieve dryer prior to entering the PPM analyzer.

Abstract: A method for calibrating a position measurement system includes receiving measurement data from the position measurement system and determining that the measurement data includes periodic distortion data. The position measurement system includes a nonius track and a master track. The method also includes modifying the measurement data by decomposing the periodic distortion data into periodic components and removing the periodic components from the measurement data.

Abstract: Systems and methods for sleep stage determination are disclosed. Example systems disclosed herein includes a complexity module operable to measure the complexity of regularities in an EEG channel, and a stager operable to output at least one corresponding sleep stage. Some example systems also include monitoring a subject, and determine the subject may have impairment, Alzheimer's disease, or anesthesia problem that is associated with sleep staging problem.

Abstract: Provided herein are methods for the efficient in vitro differentiation of somatic cell-derived pluripotent stem cells to hematopoietic precursor cells, and the further differentiation of the hematopoietic precursor cells into immune cells of various myeloid or lymphoid lineages, particularly T cells, NK cells, and dendritic cells. The pluripotent cells may be maintained and differentiated under defined conditions; thus, the use of mouse feeder cells or serum is not required in certain embodiments for the differentiation of the hematopoietic precursor cells.

Abstract: An example method may include i) detecting a disturbance to a gait of a robot, where the gait includes a swing state and a step down state, the swing state including a target swing trajectory for a foot of the robot, and where the target swing trajectory includes a beginning and an end; and ii) based on the detected disturbance, causing the foot of the robot to enter the step down state before the foot reaches the end of the target swing trajectory.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for condensationally enlarging particles in a flow of air or other gas. The apparatus includes a coiled tube having a tube diameter and a coil diameter, the tube having an input receiving the flow and an output, the tube having a length between the input and the output. The walls of the tube are wetted with a condensing fluid. The walls of the first portion of the coiled tube are held a temperature that is lower than the highest temperature in the second portion of the tube. The tube may have a third vapor recovery portion with wall temperature lower than the highest temperature in the second portion, and which optionally may not be coiled. While heating and cooling, the method includes introducing a flow into an interior of the tube at an input, the flow moving the output.