Abstract: Human posture determination is disclosed. Human posture is determined by obtaining range image(s) through a range camera, detecting key points of an estimated skeleton of a human in color data of the range image(s) and calculating positions of the detected key points based on depth data of the range image(s), choosing a feature map from a set of predefined feature maps based on the detected key points among a set of predefined key points, obtaining two features of a body of the human corresponding to the chosen feature map based on the positions of the detected key points, and determining a posture of the human according to the two features in the chosen feature map.

Abstract: A robotic walking assistant includes a wheeled base having a base and one or more position adjustable wheels connected to the base, a body disposed in a vertical direction, positioned on the wheeled base and having a handle, and a control system that receives command instructions. Each of the one or more wheels is slidable with respect to the base between a retracted position and an extended position in a direction that is substantially parallel to a surface where the wheeled base moves. In response to the command instructions, the control system moves the one or more wheels between the retracted positions and the extended positions.

Abstract: Collision avoidance for a mobile machine having a plurality of sensors is disclosed. The mobile machine is avoided from colliding with a collision object by fusing sensor data received from the plurality of sensors to obtain a plurality of data points corresponding to the collision object, calculating a closed-form solution of a distance between the mobile machine and each of the plurality of data points, calculating a maximum allowed velocity of the mobile machine based on the shortest distance between the mobile machine and the plurality of data points and a current velocity of the mobile machine, and controlling the mobile machine to move according to the maximum allowed velocity.

Abstract: On-floor obstacle detection using an RGB-D camera is disclosed. An obstacle on a floor is detected by receiving an image including depth channel data and RGB channel data through the RGB-D camera, estimating a ground plane corresponding to the floor based on the depth channel data, obtaining a foreground of the image corresponding to the ground plane based on the depth channel data, performing a distribution modeling on the foreground of the image based on the RGB channel data to obtain a 2D location of the obstacle, and transforming the 2D location of the obstacle into a 3D location of the obstacle based on the depth channel data.

Abstract: A robotic assistant includes a wheeled base, a body positioned on the base, a foldable seat rotatably connected to the body, an actuator to rotate the foldable seat with respect to the body, and a control system that receives command instructions. The actuator is electrically coupled to the control system. In response to the command instructions, the control system is to control the actuator to rotate the foldable seat to a folded position or an unfolded position. The control system is further to detect whether an external force from a user has applied to the foldable seat, and release the actuator to allow the foldable seat to be manually rotated.

Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure provide methods and systems for continuous regulation of a nonholonomic mobile robot. An exemplary method may include identifying a current pose of the nonholonomic mobile robot in a world frame, where the current pose is represented by a first set of values defining a first set of states of the nonholonomic mobile robot in the world frame; receiving a final goal pose of the nonholonomic mobile robot, where the final goal pose is represented by a second set of values defining a second set of states of nonholonomic mobile robot in the world frame; determining a moving path for moving the nonholonomic mobile robot from the current pose to the final goal pose; and controlling the nonholonomic mobile robot to move from the current pose to the final goal pose according to the moving path, where the nonholonomic mobile robot moves to the final goal pose by converging the nonholonomic mobile robot from the first set of states to the second set of states simultaneously.

Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure provide systems and methods for speech detection. The method may include receiving a multichannel audio input that includes a set of audio signals from a set of audio channels in an audio detection array. The method may further include processing the multichannel audio input using a neural network classifier to generate a series of classification results in a series of time windows for the multichannel audio input. The neural network classifier includes a causal temporal convolutional network (TCN) configured to determine a classification result for each time window based on portions of the multichannel audio input in the corresponding time window and one or more time windows before the corresponding time window. The method may additionally include determining whether the multichannel audio input includes one or more speech segments in the series of time windows based on the series of classification results.

Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure provide systems and methods for speech detection. The method may include receiving a multichannel audio input that includes a set of audio signals from a set of audio channels in an audio detection array. The method may further include processing the multichannel audio input using a neural network classifier to generate a series of classification results in a series of time windows for the multichannel audio input. The neural network classifier includes a causal temporal convolutional network (TCN) configured to determine a classification result for each time window based on portions of the multichannel audio input n the corresponding time window and one or more time windows before the corresponding time window. The method may additionally include determining whether the multichannel audio input includes one or more speech segments in the series of time windows based on the series of classification results.

Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure provide methods and systems for implementing a function for an application using a middleware on a computer. An exemplary method may include initializing an application node in the middleware corresponding to the application, the initializing comprising binding the function to the application node and associating the application node with a cryptor, connecting the middleware to a remote device through a transport layer using the cryptor, publishing a message to invoke the function from the application node, through the middleware, to the cryptor, and communicating with the remote device to invoke the function, using the cryptor, based on the message.

Abstract: A mobile robot control method includes: acquiring a first image that is captured by a camera on a robot when the robot is in a desired pose; acquiring a second image that is captured by the camera on the robot when the robot is in a current pose; extracting multiple pairs of matching feature points from the first image and the second image, and projecting the extracted feature points onto a virtual unitary sphere to obtain multiple projection feature points, wherein a center of the virtual unitary sphere is coincident with an optical center of coordinates of the camera; acquiring an invariant image feature and a rotation vector feature based on the multiple projection feature points, and controlling the robot to move until the robot is in the desired pose according to the invariant image feature and the rotation vector feature.

Abstract: According to one aspect, an actuator of a robotic drawer is disclosed. The actuator may include a plurality of articulation components that form an articulated rack. The actuator may include a plurality of pins each coupled to an exterior of one of the plurality of articulation components. The actuator may include a transformer box coupled to a pinion and configured to move along an exterior of the articulated rack as the pinion moves along the surface. The transformer box may include a first guide configured to apply a first force to an arm of each of the pins as the transformer box moves in a first direction. The first force may cause the pin to rotate in a first rotational direction until the arm is fitted into a cam of the articulated rack such that adjacent articulation components are held in a fixed position, causing the articulated rack to extend.

Abstract: A robotic hand includes a baseplate, a finger having multiple phalanges that are rotatably coupled to one another, a first of the phalanges having a first end rotatably coupled to the baseplate and a second end and a second of the phalanges rotatably coupled to the second end about an axis of rotation, an actuating mechanism mounted on the baseplate, the actuating mechanism configured to actuate rotation of the plurality of phalanges, and a tendon having opposite ends that are respectively attached to the second of the phalanges and the baseplate. The second of the phalanges has an engagement portion arranged around the axis of rotation, and the tendon is wrapped around a portion of the engagement portion to generate a force acting on the second end of the first of the phalanges, causing the first of the phalanges to rotate from a flexed state to an extended state.

Abstract: A display stand includes a frame, an actuated rotary mechanism coupled to the frame, a counterweight coupled to the actuated rotary mechanism and movable in a vertical direction during rotation of the display about the axis of rotation, and an elevation mechanism. The actuated rotary mechanism includes a display holder that is configured to mount a display to the frame and rotate the display about an axis of rotation. The counterweight and the display are located at opposite sides of a vertical plane that passes through the axis of rotation such that a combined center of mass of the display, the display holder, and the counterweight lies on the vertical plane. The frame is coupled to the elevation mechanism, and the elevation mechanism is configured to move the frame up and down.