Abstract: In some examples, an autonomous robotic welding system comprises a workspace including a part having a seam, a sensor configured to capture multiple images within the workspace, a robot configured to lay weld along the seam, and a controller. The controller is configured to identify the seam on the part in the workspace based on the multiple images, plan a path for the robot to follow when welding the seam, the path including multiple different configurations of the robot, and instruct the robot to weld the seam according to the planned path.

Abstract: Systems, methods and apparatuses for inspecting a tank containing a flammable fluid are provided. The system includes a vehicle having a propeller, a latch mechanism, a pressure switch, and an inspection device. The system includes a control unit in communication with the propeller, the latch mechanism, and the inspection device, and electrically connected to the pressure switch. The control unit powers on responsive to the pressure switch detecting an ambient pressure greater than a minimum threshold. The control unit receives, from the latch mechanism, an indication of a state of the latch mechanism. The control unit determines that the cable used to lower the vehicle into the tank containing the flammable fluid is detached from the vehicle. The control unit commands the propeller to move the vehicle through the flammable fluid. The control unit determines a quality metric of a portion of the tank.

Abstract: A method for maintaining inventory within a store includes: accessing an image (e.g., a color image, depth image) depicting an inventory structure; detecting a slot region of the image depicting a slot; identifying a product type assigned to the slot; accessing a product dimension of the product type; defining a target region within the slot in the image based on the product dimension; defining a product region within the slot in the image based on the product dimension and the target region; defining a back-of-shelf plane intersecting the target region of the image; detecting a surface within the product region; and, in response to the surface intersecting the back-of-shelf plane, identifying the slot as empty and generating a prompt to restock the slot with product units of the product type.

Abstract: An example system includes a nozzle having an inlet: an outlet mechanism disposed longitudinally adjacent to the nozzle; a conduit longitudinally adjacent to the outlet mechanism where the conduit includes a distal chamber, a middle chamber, and a proximal chamber, that; are longitudinally disposed along a length of the conduit; a partition block configured to move between (i) a first position at which the partition block: is disposed laterally adjacent to the middle chamber, such that the partition block is offset from a longitudinal axis of the conduit, and (ii) a second position at which the partition block resides in the middle chamber between the distal chamber and the proximal chamber; and a deceleration structure disposed at a proximal, end of the conduit and bounding the proximal chamber, where the deceleration structure is configured to decelerate fruit feat has traversed the conduit.

Abstract: Various approaches to ensuring safe operation of industrial machinery in a workcell include disposing multiple image sensors proximate to the workcell and acquiring, with at least some of the image sensors, the first set of images of the workcell; registering the sensors to each other based at least in part on the first set of images and, based at least in part on the registration, converting the first set of images to a common reference frame of the sensors; determining a transformation matrix for transforming the common reference frame of the sensors to a global frame of the workcell; registering the sensors to the industrial machinery; acquiring the second set of images during operation of the industrial machinery; and monitoring the industrial machinery during operation thereof based at least in part on the acquired second plurality of images, transformation, and registration of the sensors to the industrial machinery.

Abstract: A method for controlling a robot is provided. The method includes the steps of: determining a target robot to travel to a first loading station among a plurality of robots, on the basis of information on a location of the first loading station and a task situation of each of the plurality of robots, when a first transport target object is placed at the first loading station; and determining a travel route of the target robot with reference to information on the location of the first loading station and a location of a first unloading station associated with the first transport target object.

Abstract: A mobile robot is configured for operation in a commercial or industrial setting, such as an office building or retail store. The mobile robot may include cameras for capturing images and videos and include microphones for capturing audio of its surroundings. To improve privacy by preventing confidential information from being transmitted, the mobile robot may detect text in images and modify the images to make the text illegible before transmitting the images. The mobile robot may also detect human voice in audio and modify audio to make the human voice unintelligible before transmitting the audio.

Abstract: Disclosed is a console for operating an actuating mechanism, relating to the technical filed of automatic control, and being for use in resolving the technical problem of shift of a controller under the influence of gravity. The console for operating an actuating mechanism includes a controller and a support base. The controller is constrained in both the longitudinal direction and the vertical direction, so that connection between the controller and the support base is tight and reliable, and no displacement would occur in any of three directions (i.e., the longitudinal direction, the horizontal direction, and the vertical direction). Thus, the phenomenon that position information given by the controller is inaccurate due to shift of the controller under the influence of the gravity after long-term usage can be avoided, thereby removing the factors affecting success of surgery, and ensuring the success rate of the surgery.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for positioning a mobile robot inside a vertical cylindrical Aboveground Storage Tank filled with a liquid is described. No additional hardware is needed other than the robot itself. The only piece of information needed is the tank's diameter which is known by construction. The robot carries proprioceptive sensors needed to propagate its position estimate as well as exteroceptive sensors needed to control the dead reckoning positional drift. Proprioceptive and exteroceptive data are merged using data fusion algorithms adapted to the sensor suite integrated in the vehicle, which can take different forms.

Abstract: A control device for a dishwashing system includes processing circuitry configured to control operation of a work device that performs an operation related to a washing rack that is placeable on each of a plurality of support surfaces extending in substantially the same plane, the plurality of support surfaces including a first support surface, a second support surface disposed in association with a dishwasher capable of washing a dish in the washing rack, and a third support surface; and control the work device to operate such that the washing rack is transferred from the first support surface and returned to the first support surface via the second support surface and via the third support surface. A direction in which the washing rack is carried into the dishwasher and a direction in which the washing rack is carried out of the dishwasher form a substantially right angle as viewed from above.

Abstract: A method for controlling a robot is provided. The method includes the steps of: acquiring information on status of communication connections between a plurality of robots located in a serving place, wherein the status of communication connections between the plurality of robots is specified with respect to at least one relay robot among the plurality of robots; and determining a communication scheme to be used between the plurality of robots, with reference to the information on the status of communication connections between the plurality of robots.

Abstract: A robot includes a body coupled to a wheel assembly and a container retrieval device. The wheel assembly has a plurality of wheels and a drive mechanism arranged to move the body along a first set of parallel rails and along a second set of parallel rails. The container retrieval device includes an extendable and retractable grapple arranged to selectively secure an engagement feature positioned between a rim and a bottom surface of a container. The grapple thus allows the robot to lift multiple containers in a single lift.

Abstract: A cooking system comprises a robot; and a memory storing computer executable instructions which, when executed, cause the robot to execute a plurality of operations comprising: a first operation including picking up a cooking auxiliary tool in which a cooking target is set in a first section, conveying the cooking auxiliary tool to a second section, and causing the cooking target in the cooking auxiliary tool to undergo first cooking processing in the second section; and a second operation including conveying the cooking auxiliary tool storing the cooking target having undergone the first cooking processing in the second section to a third section. A duct is arranged in an upper space of the second section, the robot has a proximal end that is fixed to a vertical wall member, and the proximal end of the robot is attached to the wall member at a location away from the second section.

Abstract: An automated kitchen assistant system inspects a food preparation area in the kitchen environment using a plurality of sensors or cameras. A trained model computes the identity and the location of the food item. In embodiments, the food items are on a grill, and the automated kitchen assistant system is operable to compute the time remaining to remove or flip each of the food items. The output may further be utilized to command a robotic arm, kitchen worker, or otherwise assist in food preparation. Related methods are also described.

Abstract: Systems and methods for operating robotic equipment in a controlled zone are presented. The system comprises one or more self-driving material-transport vehicles having at least one sensor, non-transitory computer-readable media, and a processor in communication with the at least one sensor and media. The media stores computer instructions that configure the processor to move the vehicle towards the controlled zone in a normal mode of operation, capture environmental data associated with the controlled zone using the at least one sensor, determine environmental-change data based on comparing the captured environmental data with known-good environmental data, and operating the vehicle in a safe mode of operation based on the environmental-change data.

Abstract: Systems and methods for process tending with a robot arm are presented. The system comprises a robot arm and robot arm control system mounted on a self-driving vehicle, and a server in communication with the vehicle and/or robot arm control system. The vehicle has a vehicle control system for storing a map and receiving a waypoint based on a process location provided by the server. The robot arm control system stores at programs that is executable by the robot arm. The vehicle control system autonomously navigates the vehicle to the waypoint based on the map, and the robot arm control system selects a target program from the stored programs based on the process location and/or a process identifier.

Abstract: System and methods for traversing an obstacle with an inspection robot are disclosed. An example system may include an inspection robot including an obstacle sensor to interrogate an inspection surface. The example may further include an obstacle sensory data circuit to interpret obstacle sensory data provided by the obstacle sensor, an obstacle processing circuit to determine refined obstacle data, and an obstacle notification circuit to generate and provide obstacle notification data to a user interface device. The example system may further include a user interface circuit to interpret a user request value from the user interface device, and to determine an obstacle response command value in response to the user request value; and an obstacle configuration circuit to provide the obstacle response command value to the inspection robot during the interrogating of the inspection surface.

Abstract: This description provides an autonomous or semi-autonomous excavation vehicle that is capable of navigating through a dig site and carrying an excavation routine using a system of sensors physically mounted to the excavation vehicle. The sensors collect one or more of spatial, imaging, measurement, and location data representing the status of the excavation vehicle and its surrounding environment. Based on the collected data, the excavation vehicle executes instructions to perform an excavation routine by excavating earth from a hole using an excavation tool positioned at a single location within the site. The excavation vehicle is also able to carry out numerous other tasks, such as checking the volume of excavated earth in an excavation tool, navigating the excavation vehicle over a distance while continuously excavating earth from a below surface depth, and preparing a digital terrain model of the site as part of a process for creating the excavation routine.

Abstract: Systems, apparatus and methods for providing an inspection map are disclosed. An apparatus for performing an inspection may include an inspection data circuit to interpret inspection data, a robot positioning circuit to interpret position data, and a processed data circuit to link the inspection data with the position data to determine position-based inspection data. The apparatus may further include a user interaction circuit to interpret an inspection visualization request for an inspection map and an inspection visualization circuit to determine the inspection map based on the position-based inspection data, and a provisioning circuit structured to provide the inspection map to a user device.

Abstract: One variation of a method for deploying fixed cameras within a store includes: dispatching a robotic system to autonomously navigate along a set of inventory structures in the store and generate a spatial map of the store during a scan cycle; generating an accessibility heatmap representing accessibility of regions of the store to the robotic system based on the spatial map; generating a product value heatmap for the store based on locations and sales volumes of products in the store; accessing a number of fixed cameras allocated to the store; generating a composite heatmap for the store based on the accessibility heatmap and the product value heatmap; identifying a subset of inventory structures occupying a set of locations within the store corresponding to critical amplitudes in the composite heatmap; and generating a prompt to install the number of fixed cameras facing the subset of inventory structures in the store.