Abstract: A non-contact cleaner for a paint spray equivalent having a housing with an open top with a venturi opening. A ring is contained the housing in a space downwardly from the entry opening thus forming a chamber between the ring and the venturi opening adapted to receive the paint spray tip to be cleaned. A plurality of circumferently spaced air nozzles created downward airflow through the housing while a solvent nozzle contained in the housing sprays solvent onto the paint tip to be cleaned.

Abstract: A robot leg assembly including a hip joint and an upper leg member. A proximal end portion of the upper leg member rotatably coupled to the hip joint. The robot leg assembly including a knee joint rotatably coupled to a distal end portion of the upper leg member, a lower leg member rotatably coupled to the knee joint, a linear actuator disposed on the upper leg member and defining a motion axis, and a motor coupled to the linear actuator and a linkage coupled to the translation stage and to the lower leg member. The linear actuator includes a translation stage moveable along the motion axis to translate rotational motion of the motor to linear motion of the translation stage along the motion axis, which moves the linkage to rotate the lower leg member relative to the upper leg member at the knee joint.

Abstract: A drive system includes a linear actuator with a drive shaft and having an actuation axis extending along a length of the linear actuator. A motor assembly of the drive system couples to drive shaft and is configured to rotate the drive shaft about the actuation axis of the linear actuator. The drive system further includes a nut attached to the drive shaft and a carrier housing the nut. A linkage system of the drive system extends from a proximal end away from the motor assembly to a distal end. The proximal end of the linkage system rotatably attaches to the carrier at a first proximal attachment location where the first proximal attachment location offset is from the actuation axis. The drive system also includes an output link rotatably coupled to the distal end of the linkage system where the output link is offset from the actuation axis.

Abstract: A system and method to measure a size distribution of particles based on their electrical mobility. The method includes: introducing, via a sheath flow inlet, a particle free sheath flow into a chamber formed by two parallel walls which are separated by a gap, the chamber having a width and a length, the sheath flow having a direction along the length of the chamber and flowing a laminar manner; introducing an aerosol sample flow into the chamber downstream of the sheath inlet such that the aerosol sample flow joins the particle free sheath flow in a laminar manner; applying an electric field between the two parallel walls of the chamber, the field having a strength which varies across the width of the chamber; extracting an output aerosol flow through a first outlet downstream of the sample inlet; and outputting an excess flow equal to a sum of the sheath flow and aerosol sample flow minus the output aerosol flow.

Abstract: A motion control device includes a request value acquisition unit that obtains a motion amount request value, a limit value setting unit that sets first to third motion amount limit values, a first command unit that sends a first motion amount command value based on the motion amount request value and a first motion amount limit value to a front wheel steering controller, a second command unit that sends a second motion amount command value based on a first remaining request value and a second motion amount limit value to a rear wheel steering controller, and a third command unit that sends a command corresponding to a third motion amount command value based on a second remaining request value and a third motion amount limit value to a driving controller and a braking controller.

Abstract: A robot includes a drive system configured to maneuver the robot about an environment and data processing hardware in communication with memory hardware and the drive system. The memory hardware stores instructions that when executed on the data processing hardware cause the data processing hardware to perform operations. The operations include receiving image data of the robot maneuvering in the environment and executing at least one waypoint heuristic. The at least one waypoint heuristic is configured to trigger a waypoint placement on a waypoint map. In response to the at least one waypoint heuristic triggering the waypoint placement, the operations include recording a waypoint on the waypoint map where the waypoint is associated with at least one waypoint edge and includes sensor data obtained by the robot. The at least one waypoint edge includes a pose transform expressing how to move between two waypoints.

Abstract: A method for palletizing by a robot includes positioning an object at an initial position adjacent to a target object location, tilting the object at an angle relative to a ground plane, shifting the object in a first direction from the initial position toward a first alignment position, shifting the object in a second direction from the first alignment position toward a second alignment position, and releasing the object from the robot to pivot the object toward the target object location.

Abstract: A robotic device includes a control system. The control system receives a first measurement indicative of a first distance between a center of mass of the machine and a first position in which a first leg of the machine last made initial contact with a surface. The control system also receives a second measurement indicative of a second distance between the center of mass of the machine and a second position in which the first leg of the machine was last raised from the surface. The control system further determines a third position in which to place a second leg of the machine based on the received first measurement and the received second measurement. Additionally, the control system provides instructions to move the second leg of the machine to the determined third position.

Abstract: A method of manipulating boxes includes receiving a minimum box size for a plurality of boxes varying in size located in a walled container. The method also includes dividing a grip area of a gripper into a plurality of zones. The method further includes locating a set of candidate boxes based on an image from a visual sensor. For each zone, the method additionally includes, determining an overlap of a respective zone with one or more neighboring boxes to the set of candidate boxes. The method also includes determining a grasp pose for a target candidate box that avoids one or more walls of the walled container. The method further includes executing the grasp pose to lift the target candidate box by the gripper where the gripper activates each zone of the plurality of zones that does not overlap a respective neighboring box to the target candidate box.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for evaluating the chemical composition of airborne particles by sequentially collecting and analyzing airborne particles in-situ. The method includes: collecting particles; enlarging the particles through water condensation; accelerating the enlarged particles onto a surface to collect enlarged particles; and analyzing the enlarged particles by: isolating the surface; passing a carrier gas over the surface; heating the surface to thermally desorb collected particles into the carrier gas; transporting this evolved vapor into detectors; and assaying the evolved vapor as a function of a desorption temperature. The apparatus includes: a sample flow inlet; a condensational growth tube; a collection and thermal desorption (CTD) cell; a carrier gas source; a heater coupled to the CTD; one or more gas detectors; and a controller configured to operate valves, the heater, the growth tube, and the CTD cell in at least an in-situ sequential collection mode and analysis mode.

Abstract: The present invention includes methods, devices and systems for isolating, identifying, analyzing, and quantifying biological materials from fluid samples. In various aspects, the methods, devices and systems may allow for a rapid procedure that requires a minimal amount of material and/or results in high purity biological materials from complex fluids such as blood, serum, or plasma.

Abstract: An example implementation includes (i) receiving sensor data that indicates topographical features of an environment in which a robotic device is operating, (ii) processing the sensor data into a topographical map that includes a two-dimensional matrix of discrete cells, the discrete cells indicating sample heights of respective portions of the environment, (iii) determining, for a first foot of the robotic device, a first step path extending from a first lift-off location to a first touch-down location, (iv) identifying, within the topographical map, a first scan patch of cells that encompass the first step path, (v) determining a first high point among the first scan patch of cells; and (vi) during the first step, directing the robotic device to lift the first foot to a first swing height that is higher than the determined first high point.

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 vehicle includes a sideslip preventing function of preventing a sideslip of the vehicle by separately adjusting a longitudinal force applied to each of the wheels. A controller controls the vehicle based on requests input from a driver assistance device, thereby causing the vehicle to travel autonomously. The controller calculates wheel lateral force request values based on the requests input from the driver assistance device. The wheel lateral force request values are request values of lateral forces acting on the respective wheels. The controller, when a behavior of the vehicle is in an oversteer state in a case in which the sideslip preventing function is failing, limits the wheel lateral force request values for the front wheels to values less than or equal to a first lateral force limit value, which is a limit value of the lateral force that can act on the rear wheels.

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: A method includes receiving sensor data of an environment about a robot and generating a plurality of waypoints and a plurality of edges each connecting a pair of the waypoints. The method includes receiving a target destination for the robot to navigate to and determining a route specification based on waypoints and corresponding edges for the robot to follow for navigating the robot to the target destination selected from waypoints and edges previously generated. For each waypoint, the method includes generating a goal region encompassing the corresponding waypoint and generating at least one constraint region encompassing a goal region. The at least one constraint region establishes boundaries for the robot to remain within while traversing toward the target destination. The method includes navigating the robot to the target destination by traversing the robot through each goal region while maintaining the robot within the at least one constraint region.

Abstract: Techniques are described that determine motion of a robot's body that will maintain an end effector within a useable workspace when the end effector moves according to a predicted future trajectory. The techniques may include determining or otherwise obtaining the predicted future trajectory of the end effector and utilizing the predicted future trajectory to determine any motion of the body that is necessary to maintain the end effector within the useable workspace. In cases where no such motion of the body is necessary because the predicted future trajectory indicates the end effector will stay within the useable workspace without motion of the body, the body may remain stationary, thereby avoiding the drawbacks caused by unnecessary motion described above. Otherwise, the body of the robot can be moved while the end effector moves to ensure that the end effector stays within the useable workspace.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods related to routing robots are provided. A roadmap of an environment that includes first and second robots can be received. The roadmap can be annotated with unidirectional lanes connecting conflict regions, where each lane ends so to avoid blocking a conflict region. First and second routes for the respective uses of the first and second robots can be determined, where both the first and second routes include a first lane connected to a first conflict region. A first, higher priority and a second, lower priority can be assigned to the respective first and second robots. It can be determined that the second robot following the second route will block the first robot on the first lane. Based on the first priority being higher than the second priority, the computing device can alter the second route to prevent the second robot from blocking the first robot.

Abstract: A robot includes an input link, an output link, and a wire routing. The output link is coupled to the input link at an inline twist joint where the output link is configured to rotate about the longitudinal axis of the output link relative to the input link. The wire routing traverses the inline twist joint to couple the input link and the output link. The wire routing includes an input link section, an output link section, and an omega section. A first position of the wire routing coaxially aligns at a start of the omega section on the input link with a second position of the wire routing at an end of the omega section on an output link.