Abstract: This invention is generally related to methods and apparatus that permit the measurements from a plurality of sensors to be combined or fused in a robust manner. For example, the sensors can correspond to sensors used by a mobile device, such as a robot, for localization and/or mapping. The measurements can be fused for estimation of a measurement, such as an estimation of a pose of a robot.

Abstract: The invention is related to methods and apparatus that use a visual sensor and dead reckoning sensors to process Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM). These techniques can be used in robot navigation. Advantageously, such visual techniques can be used to autonomously generate and update a map. Unlike with laser rangefinders, the visual techniques are economically practical in a wide range of applications and can be used in relatively dynamic environments, such as environments in which people move. One embodiment further advantageously uses multiple particles to maintain multiple hypotheses with respect to localization and mapping. Further advantageously, one embodiment maintains the particles in a relatively computationally-efficient manner, thereby permitting the SLAM processes to be performed in software using relatively inexpensive microprocessor-based computer systems.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system and method for using optical flow to detect objects moving past a camera and to select images of the moving objects. A shopping cart, for example, may be detected by subdividing an image into a plurality of image blocks; comparing the blocks to a preceding image to determine the motion of the portion of the object pictured; associating the most common motion with the shopping cart. The motion of the cart may also be integrated over time for purposes of tracking cart motion and selecting a subset of the captured images for object recognition processing. Detection of the cart and image selection improves computational efficiency an increase merchandise throughput.

Abstract: A robotic cleaner includes a cleaning assembly for cleaning a surface and a main robot body. The main robot body houses a drive system to cause movement of the robotic cleaner and a microcontroller to control the movement of the robotic cleaner. The cleaning assembly is located in front of the drive system and a width of the cleaning assembly is greater than a width of the main robot body. A robotic cleaning system includes a main robot body and a plurality of cleaning assemblies for cleaning a surface. The main robot body houses a drive system to cause movement of the robotic cleaner and a microcontroller to control the movement of the robotic cleaner. The cleaning assembly is located in front of the drive system and each of the cleaning assemblies is detachable from the main robot body and each of the cleaning assemblies has a unique cleaning function.

Abstract: The invention is related to methods and apparatus that use a visual sensor and dead reckoning sensors to process Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM). These techniques can be used in robot navigation. Advantageously, such visual techniques can be used to autonomously generate and update a map. Unlike with laser rangefinders, the visual techniques are economically practical in a wide range of applications and can be used in relatively dynamic environments, such as environments in which people move. One embodiment further advantageously uses multiple particles to maintain multiple hypotheses with respect to localization and mapping. Further advantageously, one embodiment maintains the particles in a relatively computationally-efficient manner, thereby permitting the SLAM processes to be performed in software using relatively inexpensive microprocessor-based computer systems.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of integrating optics into an IC package is for detecting light from at least one light source is disclosed. The apparatus has a housing, which has a predetermined spectral transmittance. A sensor is positioned within the housing. An opaque mask is applied to the housing, where the opaque mask has a hole aligned with the sensor such that the light's centroid is detected by the sensor. In one embodiment, the apparatus further comprises a substrate for positioning and stabilizing the sensor in the housing, an analog filter and amplification module (“AFA”) for filtering and amplifying signals from the sensor and generating a second signal, and a digital signal processor (“DSP”) for generating a coordinate system by extracting frequency components from the AFA output signal.

Abstract: An integrated intelligent system includes a first intelligent electronic device, a second intelligent electronic device, a transferable intelligent control device (TICD) and a cross product bus. The first intelligent electronic device performs a first function and the second intelligent electronic device performs a second function. The cross product bus couples the first intelligent electronic device to the transferable intelligent control device. The TICD partially controls behaviors of the intelligent electronic device by sending commands over the cross product bus to the first intelligent electronic device and the TICD partially controls behaviors of the second intelligent electronic device to perform the second function. The TICD is first attached to the first intelligent electronic device to partially control the behaviors of the first electronic device, then detached from the first electronic device, and then attached to the second intelligent electronic device to perform the second function.

Abstract: A vehicle chase game includes a first game object and a second game object. A second game object scans for a projected spot on an overhead surface. The second game object detects the projected spot on the overhead surface and gathers location information based on the detected projected spot. The second game object generates a position of a first game object based on the location information. The second game object transfers the position of the first game object to the chase game application program. The chase game application program selects a behavior based on the position of the first game object, where a goal of the behavior is to drive the second game object to intercept the first game object. The chase game application program sends instructions to the second game object's mechanical and electrical systems to execute the selected behaviors.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus that provide a hardware abstraction layer (HAL) for a robot are disclosed. A HAL can reside as a software layer or as a firmware layer residing between robot control software and underlying robot hardware and/or an operating system for the hardware. The HAL provides a relatively uniform abstract for aggregates of underlying hardware such that the underlying robotic hardware is transparent to perception and control software, i.e., robot control software. This advantageously permits robot control software to be written in a robot-independent manner. Developers of robot control software are then freed from tedious lower level tasks. Portability is another advantage. For example, the HAL efficiently permits robot control software developed for one robot to be ported to another. In one example, the HAL permits the same navigation algorithm to be ported from a wheeled robot and used on a humanoid legged robot.

Abstract: Systems and methods for automatically checking out items located on a moving conveyor belt for the purpose of increasing the efficiency of a checkout process and revenue at a point-of-sale. The system includes a conveyor subsystem for moving the items, a housing that enclosed a portion of the conveyor subsystem, a lighting subsystem that illuminates an area within the housing, visual sensors that can take images of the items including UPCs, and a checkout system that receives the images from the visual sensors and automatically identifies the items. The system may include a scale subsystem located under the conveyor subsystem to measure the weights of the items, where the weight of each item is used to check if the corresponding item is identified correctly. The system relies on matching visual features from images stored in a database to match against features extracted from images taken by the visual sensors.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus that provide a hardware abstraction layer (HAL) for a robot are disclosed. A HAL can reside as a software layer or as a firmware layer residing between robot control software and underlying robot hardware and/or an operating system for the hardware. The HAL provides a relatively uniform abstract for aggregates of underlying hardware such that the underlying robotic hardware is transparent to perception and control software, i.e., robot control software. This advantageously permits robot control software to be written in a robot-independent manner. Developers of robot control software are then freed from tedious lower level tasks. Portability is another advantage. For example, the HAL efficiently permits robot control software developed for one robot to be ported to another. In one example, the HAL permits the same navigation algorithm to be ported from a wheeled robot and used on a humanoid legged robot.

Abstract: The invention is related to methods and apparatus that use a visual sensor and dead reckoning sensors to process Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM). These techniques can be used in robot navigation. Advantageously, such visual techniques can be used to autonomously generate and update a map. Unlike with laser rangefinders, the visual techniques are economically practical in a wide range of applications and can be used in relatively dynamic environments, such as environments in which people move. One embodiment further advantageously uses multiple particles to maintain multiple hypotheses with respect to localization and mapping. Further advantageously, one embodiment maintains the particles in a relatively computationally-efficient manner, thereby permitting the SLAM processes to be performed in software using relatively inexpensive microprocessor-based computer systems.

Abstract: Media and gesture recognition apparatus and methods are disclosed. A computerized system views a first printed media using an electronic visual sensor. The system retrieves information corresponding to the viewed printed media from a database. Using the electronic visual sensor, the system views at least a first user gesture relative to at least a portion of the first printed media. The system interprets the gesture as a command, and based at least in part on the first gesture and the retrieved information, the system electronically speaks aloud at least a portion of the retrieved information.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods that use a visual sensor and dead reckoning sensors to process Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM). These techniques can be used in robot navigation. Advantageously, such visual techniques can be used to autonomously generate and update a map. Unlike with laser rangefinders, the visual techniques are economically practical in a wide range of applications and can be used in relatively dynamic environments, such as environments in which people move. One embodiment further advantageously uses multiple particles to maintain multiple hypotheses with respect to localization and mapping. Further advantageously, one embodiment maintains the particles in a relatively computationally-efficient manner, thereby permitting the SLAM processes to be performed in software using relatively inexpensive microprocessor-based computer systems.

Abstract: Methods and computer readable media for recognizing and identifying items located on the belt of a counter and/or in a shopping cart of a store environment for the purpose of reducing/preventing bottom-of-the-basket loss, checking out the items automatically, reducing the checkout time, preventing consumer fraud, increasing revenue and replacing a conventional UPC scanning system to enhance the checking out speed. The images of the items taken by visual sensors may be analyzed to extract features using the scale-invariant feature-transformation (SIFT) method. Then, the extracted features are compared to those of trained images stored in a database to find a set of matches. Based on the set of matches, the items are recognized and associated with one or more instructions, commands or actions without the need for personnel to visually see the items, such as by having to come out from behind a check out counter or peering over a check out counter.

Abstract: The present invention teaches and discloses method and apparatus for alerting a grocery store check out cashier of merchandise placed on the bottom tray of a typical grocery shopping cart. A passive RFID transponder is incorporated into the structure of the cart which when interrogated by an associated reader, located at the cashier's check out station, responds with a signal verifying the presence, or absence, of an unseen item upon the carts bottom tray.

Abstract: The invention is related to methods and apparatus that use a visual sensor and dead reckoning sensors to process Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM). These techniques can be used in robot navigation. Advantageously, such visual techniques can be used to autonomously generate and update a map. Unlike with laser rangefinders, the visual techniques are economically practical in a wide range of applications and can be used in relatively dynamic environments, such as environments in which people move. One embodiment further advantageously uses multiple particles to maintain multiple hypotheses with respect to localization and mapping. Further advantageously, one embodiment maintains the particles in a relatively computationally-efficient manner, thereby permitting the SLAM processes to be performed in software using relatively inexpensive microprocessor-based computer systems.

Abstract: The invention is related to methods and apparatus that use a visual sensor and dead reckoning sensors to process Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM). These techniques can be used in robot navigation. Advantageously, such visual techniques can be used to autonomously generate and update a map. Unlike with laser rangefinders, the visual techniques are economically practical in a wide range of applications and can be used in relatively dynamic environments, such as environments in which people move. One embodiment further advantageously uses multiple particles to maintain multiple hypotheses with respect to localization and mapping. Further advantageously, one embodiment maintains the particles in a relatively computationally-efficient manner, thereby permitting the SLAM processes to be performed in software using relatively inexpensive microprocessor-based computer systems.

Abstract: The invention is related to methods and apparatus that detect motion by monitoring images from a video camera mounted on a mobile robot, such as an autonomously navigated mobile robot. Examples of such robots include automated vacuum floor sweepers. Advantageously, embodiments of the invention can automatically sense a robot's motional state in a relatively reliable and cost-efficient manner. Many configurations of robots are configured to include at least one video camera. Embodiments of the invention permit the use of a video camera onboard a robot to determine a motional state for the robot. This can advantageously permit the motional state of a robot to be determined at a fraction of the cost of additional sensors, such as a laser, an infrared, an ultrasonic, or a contact sensor.

Abstract: The invention is related to methods and apparatus that use a visual sensor and dead reckoning sensors to process Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM). These techniques can be used in robot navigation. Advantageously, such visual techniques can be used to autonomously generate and update a map. Unlike with laser rangefinders, the visual techniques are economically practical in a wide range of applications and can be used in relatively dynamic environments, such as environments in which people move. One embodiment further advantageously uses multiple particles to maintain multiple hypotheses with respect to localization and mapping. Further advantageously, one embodiment maintains the particles in a relatively computationally-efficient manner, thereby permitting the SLAM processes to be performed in software using relatively inexpensive microprocessor-based computer systems.