Abstract: A rear trailer hostler can be used to move a parked trailer without otherwise disengaging pneumatic brakes thereof. For example, the rear trailer hostler can lift the wheels of the trailer off of the ground, thereby allowing a front hostler to move the trailer without a gladhands connection to the trailer pneumatic lines. Alternatively, the rear trailer hostler can move the trailer independently. For example, the trailer can be parked atop the rear trailer hostler and disconnected from the truck. With the rear trailer hostler supporting the locked wheels and the landing gear, the trailer can be moved without requiring the pneumatic brakes to be disengaged. The rear trailer hostler can also provide one or more safety or convenience features, such as a bridging platform or a safety door stop.

Abstract: A control system (202) can directly or indirectly measure force applied between a trailer (112) and a prime mover vehicle (102) coupled to the trailer. Based on the measured force, the control system can determine an operational state of one or more features of the trailer. For example, static resistance, rolling resistance, and/or acceleration rate of the trailer can be measured while applying a specific braking actuation level to the service air brakes of the trailer. Based at least in part on the measured static resistance, rolling resistance, and/or acceleration rate, an operational model (206) for actuation of the service air brakes can be applied. In some examples, the control system can be part of the prime mover vehicle, for example, an autonomous vehicle.

Abstract: Systems and methods for autonomous sterilization of vehicles includes coded logic or processing instructions to determine (i) when sterilization should occur (or not occur), (ii) where sterilization should occur (or not occur), and/or (iii) how sterilization should occur (e.g., which method to use, how long to conduct, and/or which parameter values/settings to employ). The sterilization system may autonomously determine when it is safe to sterilize an environment/location and/or how such sterilization should be carried out. Autonomous sterilization systems and/or processes described herein may permit facilities and/or services to remain open and/or available at higher rates than current offline processes permit, thereby increasing availability.

Abstract: A system can have an electromagnetic radiation (EMR) detection and ranging (DAR) device, such as a LIDAR device. A shock mount can couple the EMR DAR device to a vehicle. The shock mount can isolate the EMR DAR device from impulse shocks experienced by the vehicle. An inertial measurement unit (IMU) can be coupled to the EMR DAR device or a first portion of the shock mount. The IMU can measure movement of the EMR DAR device. Alternatively or additionally, the EMR DAR can detect locations of a reference feature of the vehicle at different times and can use the detected locations to determine movement of the EMR DAR relative to the vehicle. Data of the EMR DAR device indicative of detected features can be adjusted based at least in part on the movement measured by the IMU.

Abstract: Systems and methods for remote Proof-of-Work (PoW) generation.

Abstract: A system can autonomously or semi-autonomously guide a driver to a dock or parking location. The system can include a sensor or sensors that collect data to create a map of the dock or parking location, a user interface that allows the driver to select a dock or a feature in the map and to determine the final pose of the tractor and trailer, and a planner that creates a kinematically-correct and obstacle-free trajectory from the current location to the dock or parking location. The system can provide user aids, such as a ground guide avatar or avatars, that provide the distance to the dock, speed and turning directions, or other guidance.

Abstract: Systems and methods for selective and/or opportunistic GNSS/GPS navigation that actively mask or filter satellite signals based on identified “clear sky” or “obstructed sky” regions.

Abstract: An autonomous truck loading system can have a database that stores a plurality of elementary behaviors for various phases of a process of loading the autonomous truck by the one or more loaders. The stored elementary behaviors can include predetermined maneuvers for the autonomous truck, sensing behaviors; and logic behaviors. An operator can select multiple ones of the stored behaviors via user interface. A controller can assemble the selected behaviors together into an operation script for loading of the autonomous truck by a loader. The controller can control the autonomous truck to perform the operation script.

Abstract: The invention relates to a system (400) comprising a vehicle (402), an arm assembly (408), first and second cable portions (410a, 410b), at least one cable actuator (406), and an air supply line. The vehicle has a pneumatic source of pressurized air. The arm assembly has an end effector releasably coupled to an end of an axially-extendable arm coupled to the vehicle. The end effector has a gladhand coupling portion. The air supply line can be coupled to the end effector and can deliver pressurized air from the pneumatic source to a braking system of the trailer when the gladhand coupling portion is coupled to the gladhand receptacle of a trailer. After coupling to the gladhand receptacle, the end effector can be disconnected from the arm assembly to allow the remainder of the arm assembly to be stowed.

Abstract: An autonomous vehicle can comprise winter servicing equipment, such as a snowplow, salt spreader, etc. A controller can be supported by the vehicle and can be operatively coupled thereto. The controller can be configured to control the vehicle to autonomously move through an area along a planned route to effect servicing (e.g., snow removal or remediation) of the area. For example, the controller can be configured to discretize the area into a plurality of cells and to determine a quantity of snow in each cell. The route through the area can be planned by the controller based at least in part on simulated movements of the snow quantities in the cells.

Abstract: Current foot-launched 2-stroke commercial PPG offerings can meet the specified threshold (and in some cases, objective) requirements for flight ceiling, payload capacity and range with little to no modification. We will discuss those in the next section. The APES system enhances the effectiveness and lethality of the PPG-equipped unit by reducing weight of the PPG, increasing reliability and redundancy, reducing pilot workload, and seamlessly integrating with UAV's and UGV's. System improvements in the following areas is assessed: Series hybrid-electric powertrain, Coaxial propellers. Localization, autopilot, and formations, Auto landing and other advanced features, Integration with unmanned systems, and Launch Considerations.

Abstract: Battery powered quadrotors or drones have a limited operation time. To extend operation time, a powered tether can be used. This tether provides power to the drone allowing it to stay up indefinitely. Most tethered drones are captured to the base station. The tether can reel in and out as the drone moves, but the drone can't go higher or further than the maximum length of the tether. If the tether can be automatically disconnected, the drone could fly off for some remote mission, assuming the drone had an onboard power source such as rechargeable batteries. The present invention relates to a self-powered drone tether that comprises a rechargeable drone in flight which is referred to as the rechargeable drone, a drone that carries a powered tether which is referred to as the tether drone, a coupling mechanism between the rechargeable drone and the tether drone, and a base station with a powered tether and tether deployment system.

Abstract: A system can autonomously or semi-autonomously guide a driver to a dock or parking location. The system can include a sensor or sensors that collect data to create a map of the dock or parking location, a user interface that allows the driver to select a dock or a feature in the map and to determine the final pose of the tractor and trailer, and a planner that creates a kinematically-correct and obstacle-free trajectory from the current location to the dock or parking location. The system can provide user aids, such as a ground guide avatar or avatars, that provide the distance to the dock, speed and turning directions, or other guidance.

Abstract: This invention involves the effect of multiple rules of the road at different elevation profiles on the speed constraints and therefore the overall fuel efficiency. A vehicle designed to optimize fuel consumption that is comprised of the rules of the road that determine maximum speed, minimum speed, stop signs, streetlights, and/or changes in other rules that determine the allowable speeds of the road, a localization mechanism, and an optimization engine to optimize the fuel economy by selecting a speed profile within that maintains the vehicle within the assigned range of speeds and minimizes fuel consumption. A wide variety of methods that typically are used to optimize the fuel efficiency of human drivers operating standard vehicles can also be applied towards autonomous vehicles driving at different speed constraints and with different changes in the elevation.

Abstract: Postal, package, and grocery deliveries are performed routinely everywhere around the world. Currently, the delivery truck drives slowly, and the postman or delivery man goes from one house to another. The postman already has a box that he carries with the sorted letters for a few of the contiguous houses, stops the truck, and walks to the different houses in the bunch, and then moves the truck and goes to the next bunch of houses. In this invention, the package delivery truck will automatically follow the mailman while still staying close to the curb to minimize traffic issues. Here, the autonomous package or delivery truck could actually go in front of the mailman to look for a good spot for the next cluster, or can wait for the mailman that is close to the last house of the current cluster, pick him up, and drop off at the center of the next cluster, or at the first house of the next cluster. In addition, there are robots that replace the function of the human (mailman or grocery delivery man).

Abstract: The invention being presented here automates the functions of the driver of the garbage truck. It involves a waste collection truck designed to follow routes to collect waste using a human to pick up the bins with refuse or other material comprising a truck that includes a drive-by-wire kit, a database storing the collection routes, a mechanism for detecting the position of the human which collects the waste bins and empties them on the back of the truck and a control mechanism that follows the assigned route and speeds or slows down the truck as to minimize the distance that the human will need to walk to empty the trash in the back of the waste collection truck.

Abstract: Military convoys sometimes need to push vehicles or obstacles out of the way in order to proceed with their mission. Selecting if pushing is necessary, what can be pushed, and what cannot be pushed as well as the specific maneuver necessary for pushing or creating a controlled crash are important to minimize the damage to the autonomous vehicles as well as to create pathways that are traversable by other autonomous vehicles in the convoy. These tasks are accomplished by evaluating the costs involved in each trajectory that can be navigated by the autonomous convoy and deciding if pushing the obstacle is the preferred path or navigating around the obstacle is the preferred path for the autonomous vehicles. Also, in some cases, several autonomous vehicles simultaneously push the obstacle at the same time.

Abstract: A system for providing surgical planning and guidance with three-dimensional visualization is disclosed. In particular, the system obtains an image set of an anatomy of interest of a subject, and renders the image set on a user interface using volume rendering. Notably, the system accomplishes the foregoing without generating surface models or conducting bone contouring. The system may, during generation of an implant plan for implanting an implant onto the anatomy of interest, suggest landmark points in the volume rendered image set. Once the landmark points are confirmed, the system may facilitate implant positioning via implant controls. The system conducts a registration process to confirm a match between the physical anatomy of interest and the information contained in volume-rendered image set in the plan. If there is a match, the system may facilitate performance of a surgical procedure for implanting the implant onto the anatomy of interest of the subject.

Abstract: In the present invention, a transformable robot has been developed that can both drive and fly in the air to detect the different safety conditions and is referred to as a hybrid UAV/UGV. The invention relates to a transformable robot capable of flying and driving for survey of humps, visual sight lines, gates, lights, grades, rail deformations, culverts, drainage pipes, or signs at railroad crossings that comprise a ground locomotion system, an air locomotion system, controls, and a sensor that is necessary to do the survey of the different safety related conditions.

Abstract: The present invention presents a vehicle that is capable of utilizing different methods of movement by rotating its propellers to accommodate air, ground, or water locomotion. The present invention includes being able to change the direction of the thrust mechanism, so that it creates thrust in the direction of flight, but it is hinged to provide full protection to the blades in the ground modality. In the case of the water implementation, these propellers are also used to provide horizontal thrust to the vessel.