Abstract: In general, one aspect of the subject matter described in this specification can be embodied in an anti-fogging apparatus for a camera assembly. The anti-fogging apparatus includes a camera affixed to a substrate, and a thermally conductive plate, the thermally conductive plate positioned in front of the substrate and defining a first aperture aligned with a lens of the camera. The anti-fogging apparatus includes a transparent plate positioned in front of the thermally conductive plate such that the transparent plate covers said first aperture. The anti-fogging apparatus includes an insulating element positioned in front of the transparent plate and defining a second aperture aligned with the first aperture. The anti-fogging apparatus includes a heating element affixed to the thermally conductive plate. The anti-fogging apparatus includes a case enclosing the camera, the thermally conductive plate, the transparent plate, the insulating element, and the heating element.

Abstract: A computer-based technology is provided to optimize a warehouse space, such as warehouse racks. The technology determines a storage duration of a pallet in a warehouse, and further determines an optimal storage location for the pallet in the warehouse. For example, the technology can determine how long an inbound pallet will stay in a warehouse, and locate an optimal area of the warehouse to store the pallet. Such an optimal pallet storage area is selected to reduce labor costs in transporting the pallet in, within, and out of the warehouse and further optimize the management of multiple pallets in the warehouse as a whole. In addition, the technology can consider the size of the pallet in determining the optimal storage location in the warehouse.

Abstract: This specification generally discloses technology for optimizing the loading of pallets on trucks and other sorts of vehicles. A pallet loading technique includes receiving pallet information for a shipment, the pallet information describing pallets to be included in the shipment, receiving vehicle constraint information for a vehicle, the vehicle constraint information describing rules for loading pallets on the vehicle, and determining candidate solutions for loading the pallets on the vehicle, each candidate solution (i) satisfying the rules for loading pallets on the vehicle, and (ii) defining, for each pallet to be included in the shipment, a respective position and orientation of the pallet on the vehicle. At least some of the candidate solutions are evaluated, one of the candidate solutions is selected, and the vehicle is loaded according to the selected candidate solution.

Abstract: This specification describes systems and methods for refining point cloud data. Methods can include receiving point cloud data for a physical space, iteratively selecting points along an x, y, and z dimension, clustering the selected points into 2D histograms, determining a slope value for each 2D histogram, and removing, based on the slope value exceeding a predetermined value, points from the point cloud data. Methods can also include iteratively voxelizing each 2D histogram into predetermined mesh sizes, summating points in each voxelized 2D histogram, removing, based on determining the summation is below a predetermined sum value, points from the point cloud data, keeping, based on determining that a number of points in each voxelized 2D histogram exceeds a threshold value, a center point, selecting, for each histogram, a point, identifying, nearest neighbors in the point cloud data, removing the identified nearest neighbors from the data, and returning remaining points.

Abstract: Refrigeration management includes determining an optimal operational schedule to control a refrigeration system for a cold storage facility. Various approaches can be used to determine an operational schedule with an optimal operational outcome that satisfies constraints representative of a range of factors, such as thermal characteristics of a refrigeration management system, energy cost, and environmental factors external to the system, which can affect refrigeration management of a cold storage facility.

Abstract: An image sensing assembly includes an enclosure that defines a first viewport aperture in a front wall of the enclosure. The image sensing assembly includes a first image sensor attached within the enclosure, the first image sensor aligned with the first viewport aperture in the front wall of the enclosure to capture image data representative of a scene viewed through the first viewport aperture. The image sensing assembly includes a bracket attached to the enclosure at a first portion of the bracket and attached to a first mounting plate at a second portion of the bracket. The image sensing assembly includes a vibration dampening mount located between the bracket and the first mounting plate to at least partially isolate the enclosure from vibration of the first mounting plate.

Abstract: A blast cell system is provided with simple and scalable designs that prevent short cycling of air flow through any pallets in blast cells. The blast cell includes a plurality of suction channels that provide independent fluid pathways for directing the air drawn from different rows in the blast cell into the fan.

Abstract: The subject matter of this specification generally relates to measuring the performance of facilities and generating user interfaces that present the performance. In one aspect, a method includes detecting, at a user interface of an application and based on data received from a device on which the application is executing, a first selection of a particular facility. In response to detecting the first selection, data that causes presentation of a dashboard user interface that includes a summary of information for the particular facility is provided. The summary includes a composite score for the particular facility that is computed based on multiple metrics for the particular facility and a value for each metric. In response to detecting a second selection of one or the metrics at the dashboard user interface, data that causes presentation of a second user interface that includes a detailed view of the one metric is provided.

Abstract: In one implementation, a system for controlling defrost of a chilled environment includes a camera configured to capture images of one or more objects located in the chilled environment and a defrost control unit. The defrost control unit is configured to: receive an image of the one or more objects from the camera, analyze the image of the one or more objects to quantify an amount of frost formation on the one or more objects, determine when to initiate a defrost cycle in the chilled environment based on the amount of frost formation on the one or more objects, and in response to determining to initiate the defrost cycle, initiating the defrost cycle by sending a defrost control signal to a defroster. The defroster is configured to perform the defrost cycle within the chilled environment in response to receiving the defrost control signal.

Abstract: The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, a method for time shifting when a cold storage facility is cooled that includes determining a thermal model of a cold storage facility, obtaining an energy cost model that describes a schedule of variable energy costs over a predetermined period of time in the future, determining an operational schedule for at least a portion of a refrigeration system based on the thermal model, the energy cost model, and a maximum allowed temperature, and powering on the portion the refrigeration system based on the operational schedule, cooling, by the powered portion of the refrigeration system to a temperature below the maximum allowed temperature, reducing power usage of the powered portion of the refrigeration system based on the operational schedule, and permitting the facility to be warmed by ambient temperatures toward the maximum allowed temperature.

Abstract: This specification generally discloses technology for tracking vehicle positions in a warehouse environment. A system receives stereoscopic image data from a camera on a forklift, in some implementations. The system recognizes an object that is represented in the stereoscopic image data, identifies a representation of the recognized object in a spatial model that identifies, for each of a plurality of objects in an environment, a corresponding location of the object in the environment, determines the location of the recognized object in the environment, determines a relative position between the forklift and the recognized object, based on a portion of the received stereoscopic image data that represents the recognized object, and determines a location of the forklift in the environment, based on the determined location of the recognized object in the environment, and the determined relative position between the forklift and the recognized object.

Abstract: A system for optimizing storage racks in a warehouse that includes a plurality of storage racks that each include one or more horizontal bars that are adjustable along a plurality of elevations on the storage racks, placement of the one or more horizontal bars defining a plurality of rack openings within each storage racks; a historical inventory database that is programmed to store historical inventory data for the warehouse, the historical inventory data identifying pallets stored in the warehouse and times at which the pallets were stored; and a computer system including one or more processors that are programmed to determine a pallet distribution profile for the warehouse, to determine a plurality of rack types and quantity of rack types for the warehouse, and to designate each of the plurality of storage racks as one of the plurality of rack types to generate a rack arrangement for the warehouse.

Abstract: In one implementation, a system for automatically profiling pallets includes a frame defining an opening that is sized and shaped for a pallet to pass through, and cameras mounted to the frame, the cameras being configured to capture images of a pallet as it passes through the frame. The system further includes a profiling computer system that is configured to receive the images captured by the cameras and to automatically profile the pallet based, at least in part, on analysis of the images. Automatically profiling the pallet includes generating a point cloud representing the pallet based on the images, determining a size of the pallet based on the point cloud generated from images of the pallet, identifying contents of the pallet based on the images, and providing pallet information identifying, at least, the size and contents of the pallet to a warehouse management system in association with the pallet.

Abstract: An automated warehouse system can include automated pallet movers, a physical space in which the automated pallet movers operate, and a control system to provide commands to each of the automated pallet movers for operating in the physical space. The commands can include a pallet transportation command including a pallet identifier of a pallet to be transported by the automated pallet mover in the physical space, and a destination location to which the pallet is to be transported by the automated pallet mover. The commands can also include a control algorithm command that specifies a control algorithm for moving through the physical space. The automated pallet mover can be configured to transport the pallet to the destination location according to a route resulting from performance of the control algorithm, while other automated pallet movers concurrently transport other pallets to other destination locations.

Abstract: This document generally describes warehousing systems that can, in certain instances, improve the efficiency of warehousing operations and improve utilization of available space in a warehousing facility. The warehousing system may be implemented in an automated warehouse, such as an automated cold-storage facility, that uses programmable equipment to automate tasks associated with warehousing operations, such as transporting inbound storage items to specified storage positions of storage racks in the warehouse and removing outbound storage items from storage so that they may be loaded onto trucks for delivery away from the warehouse.

Abstract: A layer pick system optimizes usage of a layer picker gantry or robotic arm by arranging and/or displacing the gantry or arm in optimal locations with respect to one or more groups of pallets, and/or by grouping pallets by their attributes and arranging the same group of pallets close to each other. In some implementations, a plurality of pallets is categorized into multiple groups by different velocities.

Abstract: A computer-based technology is provided to optimize a warehouse space, such as warehouse racks. The technology determines a storage duration of a pallet in a warehouse, and further determines an optimal storage location for the pallet in the warehouse. For example, the technology can determine how long an inbound pallet will stay in a warehouse, and locate an optimal area of the warehouse to store the pallet. Such an optimal pallet storage area is selected to reduce labor costs in transporting the pallet in, within, and out of the warehouse and further optimize the management of multiple pallets in the warehouse as a whole. In addition, the technology can consider the size of the pallet in determining the optimal storage location in the warehouse.

Abstract: Systems, methods, devices, and other techniques for heating a lens to mitigate fogging. The methods can include identifying a temperature of the lens, identifying an ambient temperature of an environment of the lens, determining whether the lens is susceptible to fogging based at least on the temperature of the lens and the ambient temperature of the environment of the lens, and in response to determining that the lens is susceptible to fogging, causing a heating element to apply heat to the lens to mitigate fogging of the lens.

Abstract: A blast cell system is provided with simple and scalable designs that prevent short cycling of air flow through any pallets in blast cells. The blast cell includes a plurality of suction channels that provide independent fluid pathways for directing the air drawn from different rows in the blast cell into the fan.

Abstract: Refrigeration management includes determining an optimal operational schedule to control a refrigeration system for a cold storage facility. Various approaches can be used to determine an operational schedule with an optimal operational outcome that satisfies constraints representative of a range of factors, such as thermal characteristics of a refrigeration management system, energy cost, and environmental factors external to the system, which can affect refrigeration management of a cold storage facility.