Abstract: A method includes receiving, while a robot traverses a building environment, sensor data captured by one or more sensors of the robot. The method includes receiving a building information model (BIM) for the environment that includes semantic information identifying one or more permanent objects within the environment. The method includes generating a plurality of localization candidates for a localization map of the environment. Each localization candidate corresponds to a feature of the environment identified by the sensor data and represents a potential localization reference point. The localization map is configured to localize the robot within the environment when the robot moves throughout the environment.

Abstract: An example robot includes: a motor disposed at a joint configured to control motion of a member of the robot; a transmission including an input member coupled to and configured to rotate with the motor, an intermediate member, and an output member, where the intermediate member is fixed such that as the input member rotates, the output member rotates therewith at a different speed; a pad frictionally coupled to a side surface of the output member of the transmission and coupled to the member of the robot; and a spring configured to apply an axial preload on the pad, wherein the axial preload defines a torque limit that, when exceeded by a torque load on the member of the robot, the output member of the transmission slips relative to the pad.

Abstract: A turbine mounted behind an aircraft wing provides a specified proportion of a propulsive force in the aircraft flight direction to an amount of power generated by the turbine when driven by the airflow trailing the wing. The turbine converts a portion of the otherwise wasted energy in the rotational vortices trailing the aircraft wing into thrust that reduces aircraft drag while also providing electricity to power electrical systems on the aircraft. In one embodiment, the method used to construct the turbine saves computation time by using an optimization routine to define a preliminary turbine configuration based on an idealized vortex model and then matches it to the flow trailing an actual aircraft wing. The turbine can also use the energy in the wake solely to generate electricity without increasing drag on the aircraft or solely to reduce drag without generating electricity.

Abstract: A method of estimating one or more mass characteristics of a payload manipulated by a robot includes moving the payload using the robot, determining one or more accelerations of the payload while the payload is in motion, sensing, using one or more sensors of the robot, a wrench applied to the payload while the payload is in motion, and estimating the one or more mass characteristics of the payload based, at least in part, on the determined accelerations and the sensed wrench.

Abstract: An electronic circuit comprises a charge storing component, a set of one or more switching components coupled to the charge storing component, and an additional switching component coupled to each of the one or more switching components in the set. The additional switching component is configured to operate in a first state or a second state based on a received current or voltage. The first state prevents current to flow from the charge storing component to each of the one or more switching components in the set and the second state allows current to flow from the charge storing component to each of the one or more switching components in the set.

Abstract: An example robot includes a hydraulic actuator cylinder controlling motion of a member of the robot. The hydraulic actuator cylinder comprises a piston, a first chamber, and a second chamber. A valve system controls hydraulic fluid flow between a hydraulic supply line of pressurized hydraulic fluid, the first and second chambers, and a return line. A controller may provide a first signal to the valve system so as to begin moving the piston based on a trajectory comprising moving in a forward direction, stopping, and moving in a reverse direction. The controller may provide a second signal to the valve system so as to cause the piston to override the trajectory as it moves in the forward direction and stop at a given position, and then provide a third signal to the valve system so as to resume moving the piston in the reverse direction based on the trajectory.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to methods and devices for designing customized contact lenses, by initially making dynamic wavefront sensor measurements through a trial contact lens that is fitted on an eye, and then calculating a WaveFront Guided (WFG) correction to be applied to the trial contact lens that reduces the RMS level of aberrations as much as practically possible. The output of the wavefront correction program is a customized lathe file that the manufacturer can use to make customized contact lenses on a lathe. The method works best for soft contact lenses and scleral lenses.

Abstract: A payment card or other device (e.g., mobile telephone) is provided with a magnetic emulator operable to communicate data to a magnetic stripe read-head. A user can utilize buttons located on the card to perform activities that would otherwise be performed at an ATM, payment card reader, or by a waitress. A user can provide instructions on a card to accelerate a transaction. The information a user enters can be communicated to a point-of-sale device. For example, a user can enter into his/her card that the user desires $100 withdrawal from a checking account. The user can also enter his/her PIN into the card. The user can swipe his/her card into an ATM and instantly be provided with the desired $100.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for grasping an object by a suction-based gripper of a mobile robot are provided. The method comprises receiving, by a computing device, from a perception system of the mobile robot, perception information reflecting an object to be grasped by the suction-based gripper, determining, by the computing device, uncertainty information reflecting an unknown or uncertain extent and/or pose of the object, determining, by the computing device, a grasp strategy to grasp the object based, at least in part, on the uncertainty information, and controlling, by the computing device, the mobile robot to grasp the object using the grasp strategy.

Abstract: Systems and methods for determining movement of a robot are provided. A computing system of the robot receives information including an initial state of the robot and a goal state of the robot. The computing system determines, using nonlinear optimization, a candidate trajectory for the robot to move from the initial state to the goal state. The computing system determines whether the candidate trajectory is feasible. If the candidate trajectory is feasible, the computing system provides the candidate trajectory to a motion control module of the robot. If the candidate trajectory is not feasible, the computing system determines, using nonlinear optimization, a different candidate trajectory for the robot to move from the initial state to the goal state, the nonlinear optimization using one or more changed parameters.

Abstract: This invention relates to optical methods and optical systems for making both on-axis and wide-field, peripheral off-axis wavefront measurements of an eye; and for designing and manufacturing wavefront-guided customized contact lens useful for myopia control. The wide-field optical instrument can comprise either (1) a multi-axis optical configuration using multiple off-axis beamlets, or (2) an instrument comprising a rotatable scanning mirror that generates off-axis probe beams.

Abstract: Flow characteristics of a three-dimensional fluid flow are quantified by bubble thermography velocimetry (BTV) in which large numbers of bubbles buoyant in the fluid and having a predetermined size and temperature are introduced into in the fluid flow while long wavelength infrared camera (LWIR) cameras record the positions over time of individual bubbles. In one application the fluid is air and the bubbles are soap bubbles, and the velocity, acceleration and direction of individual bubbles carried by wind through a target area of interest are derived from the position of each bubble at predetermined time intervals for environmental analyses such as weather and climate modeling, urban dispersion studies, building wind load analyses, and the like. BTV defines each bubble's path and velocity vectors in three dimensions that produce richer data than known flow analysis techniques by tracking the bubbles over larger scales at correspondingly higher spatial and velocity resolutions.

Abstract: The invention includes systems and methods for fabrication and use of an assembly for a component of a robot. The assembly includes a first member including a set of electrically conductive annular surfaces, and a second member including a set of electrically conductive components configured to contact the set of electrically conductive annular surfaces. The first member and the second member are included within the component of the robot. Each component in the set of electrically conductive components includes a first convex curvilinear portion configured to contact a corresponding annular surface in the set of electrically conductive annular surfaces.

Abstract: An electronic card (e.g., an electronic payment card) or another device (e.g., a wireless telephonic device) is provided that may communicate dynamic magnetic stripe data to a magnetic stripe reader. Information may be embedded into a magnetic track of data representative of additional information such as, for example, a unique identification number or an additional track of magnetic stripe data.

Abstract: A flexible device, such as a powered card or processor based system, may include a connector array. The connector array may be a contact connector such as an EMV connector. The connector array may include discrete connectors connected to landing pads of a circuit board. The discrete connectors may be exposed on a surface of the flexible device, and may be arranged in rows and columns. The discrete connectors may be formed using vias and by introducing material into the vias. A mask may be used to extend a level of the discrete connectors above an outer layer of the flexible device. A personalization layer may be applied to the flexible device to about a level of an outer surface of the connector. The flexible device may be programmed and tested during the application of the personalization layer.

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: A method of localizing a robot includes receiving odometry information plotting locations of the robot and sensor data of the environment about the robot. The method also includes obtaining a series of odometry information members, each including a respective odometry measurement at a respective time. The method also includes obtaining a series of sensor data members, each including a respective sensor measurement at the respective time. The method also includes, for each sensor data member of the series of sensor data members, (i) determining a localization of the robot at the respective time based on the respective sensor data, and (ii) determining an offset of the localization relative to the odometry measurement at the respective time. The method also includes determining whether a variance of the offsets determined for the localizations exceeds a threshold variance. When the variance among the offsets exceeds the threshold variance, a signal is generated.

Abstract: The invention includes systems and methods for routing data packets in a robot. The method comprises routing, using a first switching device, data packets between a first host processor and a first electronic device of the robot, and routing, using the first switching device, data packets between a second host processor and a second electronic device of the robot.

Abstract: A slip ring assembly has an inner ring having an inner ring peripheral wall, an outer wall having an outer ring peripheral wall, and a contact ring having at least one conductive surface positioned between the inner ring and the outer ring. The inner ring has a first inner ring portion and a second inner ring portion that are attachable to each other to create the inner ring. The outer ring has a first outer ring portion and a second outer ring portion that are attachable to each other to create the outer ring. The contact ring has a brush assembly with at least one brush. The contact ring has a first contact ring portion and a second contact ring portion that are attachable to each other to create the contact ring.

Abstract: A turbine mounted behind an aircraft wing provides a specified proportion of a propulsive force in the aircraft flight direction to an amount of power generated by the turbine when driven by the airflow trailing the wing. The turbine converts a portion of the otherwise wasted energy in the rotational vortices trailing the aircraft wing into thrust that reduces aircraft drag while also providing electricity to power electrical systems on the aircraft. In one embodiment, the method used to construct the turbine saves computation time by using an optimization routine to define a preliminary turbine configuration based on an idealized vortex model and then matches it to the flow trailing an actual aircraft wing. The method is also capable of modeling a turbine construction that will use the energy in the wake solely to generate electricity without increasing drag on the aircraft or solely to reduce drag without generating electricity.