Abstract: A physical voxel, a volumetric testbed, and method for physically simulating a photonic device are described herein. The volumetric testbed comprises a simulation stage and a controller. The simulation stage includes a three-dimensional array of physical voxels configurable to represent the photonic device operating in response to electromagnetic radiation. The physical voxels include a field detector to measure a local field response and an impedance adjuster to adjust an impedance to the electromagnetic radiation. The controller is coupled to memory, which stores instructions that when executed by one or more processors included in the controller causes the volumetric testbed to perform operations including determining a global field response of the photonic device and adjusting the impedance of the physical voxels to refine a design of the photonic device.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer-storage media, for controlling a camera to observe aquaculture feeding behavior. In some implementations, a method includes moving a camera to a first position, obtaining an image captured by the camera at the first position, determining a feeding observation mode, and based on the feeding observation mode and analysis of the image, determining a second position to move the camera.

Abstract: The disclosure provides for a communication system that includes one or more sensors and one or more processors. The one or more processors are configured to receive, during a first timeframe, a first indication of an error rate of a communication link, a second indication of an amount of received power at a remote communication system, and one or more measurements related to the state of the communication system. The one or more processors are then configured to estimate a plurality of disturbance values to the communication system according to the one or more measurements and the second indication. Each disturbance value is associated with a set of components of the communication system. The one or more processors are configured to adjust a beam divergence of a beacon beam or a communication beam transmitted from the communication system based on the plurality of disturbance values and the first indication.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and computer readable media applicable to balancing robots. Some implementations are directed to maintaining a given end effector pose (relative to a world frame) of an end effector of a balancing robot when there is a disturbance to a balancing base of the balancing robot. Some implementations are additionally or alternatively directed to transitioning a balancing robot from a fallen configuration to a balanced configuration. Some implementations are additionally or alternatively directed to mitigating the risk that a balancing robot will fall when interacting with actuable environmental objects (e.g., doors) and/or to lessen the disturbance to a balancing base when interacting with actuable environmental objects.

Abstract: A multi-channel photonic demultiplexer includes an input region to receive a multi-channel optical signal including four distinct wavelength channels, four output regions, each adapted to receive a corresponding one of the four distinct wavelength channels demultiplexed from the multi-channel optical signal, and a dispersive region optically disposed between the input region and the four output regions. The dispersive region includes a first material and a second material inhomogeneously interspersed to form a plurality of interfaces that each correspond to a change in refractive index of the dispersive region and collectively structure the dispersive region to optically separate each of the four distinct wavelength channels from the multi-channel optical signal and respectively guide each of the four distinct wavelength channels to the corresponding one of the four output regions.

Abstract: Implementations are described herein for utilizing various image processing techniques to facilitate tracking and/or counting of plant-parts-of-interest among crops. In various implementations, a sequence of digital images of a plant captured by a vision sensor while the vision sensor is moved relative to the plant may be obtained. A first digital image and a second digital image of the sequence may be analyzed to determine one or more constituent similarity scores between plant-parts-of-interest across the first and second digital images. The constituent similarity scores may be used, e.g., collectively as a composite similarity score, to determine whether a depiction of a plant-part-of-interest in the first digital images matches a depiction of a plant-part-of-interest in the second digital image.

Abstract: An optical communication system includes an optical transmitter and one or more processors. The optical transmitter is configured to output an optical signal, and includes an average-power-limited optical amplifier, such as an erbium-doped fiber amplifier (EDFA). The one or more processors are configured to receive optical signal data related to a received power for a communication link from a remote communication system and determine that the optical signal data is likely to fall below a minimum received power within a time interval. In response to the determination, the one or more processors are configured to determine a duty cycle of the optical transmitter based on a minimum on-cycle length and a predicted EDFA output power and operate the optical transmitter using the determined duty cycle to transmit an on-cycle power that is no less than the minimum required receiver power for error-free operation of the communication link.

Abstract: A method for energy generation includes receiving, at a carbon negative energy generation system, input including calcium oxide and water and reacting, within a reaction chamber of the carbon negative energy generation system, the calcium oxide and water to release energy and generate calcium hydroxide. The method further includes directing, by the carbon negative energy generation system, the released energy to facilitate propulsion or onboard electricity generation and dispensing, by the carbon negative energy generation system, the calcium hydroxide into the ocean to sequester atmospheric CO2.

Abstract: Techniques are described herein for using artificial intelligence to “learn,” statistically, a target programming style that is imposed in and/or evidenced by a code base. Once the target programming style is learned, it can be used for various purposes. In various implementations, one or more generative adversarial networks (“GANs”), each including a generator machine learning model and a discriminator machine learning model, may be trained to facilitate learning and application of target programming style(s). In some implementations, the discriminator(s) and/or generator(s) may operate on graphical input, and may take the form of graph neural networks (“GNNs”), graph attention neural networks (“GANNs”), graph convolutional networks (“GCNs”), etc., although this is not required.

Abstract: Implementations are described herein for predicting a future climate condition in an agricultural area. In various implementations, a teleconnection model may be applied to a dataset of remote climate conditions such as water surface temperatures to identify one or more of the most influential remote climate conditions on the future climate condition in the agricultural area. A trained machine learning model may be applied to the one or more most influential remote climate conditions and to historical climate data for the agricultural area to generate data indicative of the predicted future climate condition. Based on the data indicative of the predicted future climate condition, one or more output components may be caused to render output that conveys the predicted future climate condition.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems, and computer-readable media are provided for optimizing robot-implemented tasks based at least in part on historical task and location correlated duration data collected from one or more robots. Historical task and location correlated duration data may, in some implementations, include durations of different tasks performed in different locations by one or more robots in one or more particular environments, and knowledge of such durations may be used to optimize tasks performed by the same or different robots in the future.

Abstract: A method and system for optimizing structural parameters of a physical device is described. The method includes receiving an initial description of the physical device that describes structural parameters of the physical device within a simulated environment. The method further includes performing an operational simulation of the physical device in response to an excitation source, performing an adjoint simulation by backpropagating a placeholder metric through a simulated environment to determine a loss gradient, updating the loss gradient based, at least in part, on a loss metric determined from the operational simulation. Additionally, the method further comprises computing a structural gradient corresponding to an influence of changes in the structural parameters on the loss metric and generating a revised description of the physical device by updating the structural parameters based on the structural gradient to reduce the loss metric.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for generating personalized exosuits. In some implementations, sensor data indicating a three-dimensional shape of stretchable template garment while the template garment is worn by a person and has been stretched to align with the person's anatomy is obtained. The template garment can include indicators corresponding to positions for components of an exosuit, and can correspond to an exosuit design. The sensor data is analyzed to determine locations of the indicators of the template garment. A personalized exosuit design is generated for the person by adjusting a computer model for the exosuit design to locate components of the exosuit at regions corresponding to the identified locations of the indicators of the template garment. The personalized exosuit design is provided to one or more manufacturing devices.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatuses, including computer programs encoded on a computer-readable storage medium for estimating the shape, size, and mass of fish are described. A pair of stereo cameras may be utilized to obtain right and left images of fish in a defined area. The right and left images may be processed, enhanced, and combined. Object detection may be used to detect and track a fish in images. A pose estimator may be used to determine key points and features of the detected fish. Based on the key points, a three-dimensional (3-D) model of the fish is generated that provides an estimate of the size and shape of the fish. A regression model or neural network model can be applied to the 3-D model to determine a likely weight of the fish.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems, and computer-readable media are provided that relate to using one or more vision sensors to capture images of a loaded pallet in association with application of stretch wrap to the loaded pallet by an automated pallet wrapping machine. The images are used to generate an image-based identifier for the loaded pallet that is then used for pallet identification by mobile robots and/or other automated agents in a warehouse or other environment. In some implementations, the images are captured by the vision sensor when the pallet is in the wrapping area of the automated pallet wrapping machine and while the vision sensor and/or the pallet are rotating. In some implementations, the image-based identifier may be assigned to pallet attributes and/or a de-palletizing scheme of the loaded pallet.

Abstract: Example implementations may relate to a robotic system configured to provide feedback. In particular, the robotic system may determine a model of an environment in which the robotic system is operating. Based on this model, the robotic system may then determine one or more of a state or intended operation of the robotic system. Then, based one or more of the state or the intended operation, the robotic system may select one of one or more of the following to represent one or more of the state or the intended operation: visual feedback, auditory feedback, and one or more movements. Based on the selection, the robotic system may then engage in one or more of the visual feedback, the auditory feedback, and the one or more movements.

Abstract: Mitigating the reality gap through optimization of one or more simulated hardware parameters for simulated hardware components of a simulated robot. Implementations generate and store real navigation data instances that are each based on a corresponding episode of locomotion of a real robot. A real navigation data instance can include a sequence of velocity control instances generated to control a real robot during a real episode of locomotion of the real robot, and one or more ground truth values, where each of the ground truth values is a measured value of a corresponding property of the real robot (e.g., pose). The velocity control instances can be applied to a simulated robot, and one or more losses can be generated based on comparing the ground truth value(s) to corresponding simulated value(s) generated from applying the velocity control instances to the simulated robot. The simulated hardware parameters and environmental parameters can be optimized based on the loss(es).

Abstract: Methods and systems for depth sensing are provided. A system includes a first and second optical sensor each including a first plurality of photodetectors configured to capture visible light interspersed with a second plurality of photodetectors configured to capture infrared light within a particular infrared band. The system also includes a computing device configured to (i) identify first corresponding features of the environment between a first visible light image captured by the first optical sensor and a second visible light image captured by the second optical sensor; (ii) identify second corresponding features of the environment between a first infrared light image captured by the first optical sensor and a second infrared light image captured by the second optical sensor; and (iii) determine a depth estimate for at least one surface in the environment based on the first corresponding features and the second corresponding features.

Abstract: A communication device is provided that estimates one or more disturbance values associated with one or more components of the communication device, and adjusts the communication device to change a received power of the output signal. The communication device includes a transmitter having a seed laser configured to provide an amount of bandwidth for an output signal, an Erbium-doped fiber amplifier (EDFA) configured to increase an amplitude of the output signal, and a single mode variable optical attenuator (SMVOA) configured to decrease the amplitude of the output signal.