Abstract: An electro-optic (EO) sensor and a method for detecting a local electric field strength, the EO sensor including: a first optical cavity; a gain medium within the first optical cavity; a mode locking element within the first optical cavity; and an EO material within the first optical cavity, an effective optical path length of the EO material being variable depending on the local electric field strength at the EO sensor, wherein the gain medium, the mode locking element, and the EO material are arranged in a common path of light within the first optical cavity, and wherein during operation, the EO sensor emits pulses of light at a repetition rate characteristic of an effective optical path length of the light within the first optical cavity, the effective optical path length varying depending on the electric field strength local to the EO sensor.

Abstract: Methods are described herein related to enabling users to purchase a product or service by providing a voice request and/or an image. An example method may involve: (a) receiving, by a hybrid response system (“HRS”), a first speech-segment message that comprises a speech segment and is associated with a user-account, (b) the HRS determining that the speech segment indicates a purchase request, (c) the HRS determining a target product/service based on at least the purchase request, (d) the HRS determining a confidence level associated with a purchase of the target product/service, (e) if the confidence level is greater than or equal to a threshold level, then the HRS sending a purchase order, via the associated user-account, for the target product or service, otherwise, the HRS sending the purchase request and the target product/service to at least one guide computing system to facilitate a response to the purchase request.

Abstract: Methods and systems for proactively preventing hazardous or other situations in a robot-cloud interaction are provided. An example method includes receiving information associated with task logs for a plurality of robotic devices. The task logs may include information associated with tasks performed by the plurality of robotic devices. The method may also include a computing system determining information associated with hazardous situations based on the information associated with the task logs. For example, the hazardous situations may comprise situations associated with failures of one or more components of the plurality of robotic devices. According to the method, information associated with a contextual situation of a first robotic device may be determined, and when the information associated with the contextual situation is consistent with information associated with the one or more hazardous situations, an alert indicating a potential failure of the first robotic device may be provided.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus for providing indications of occluded objects. In some aspects a method includes the actions of determining a position of an observer whose view of an object is obstructed by a barrier; determining a position of the object relative to the observer; generating an indication of the position of the object based at least in part on the determined position of the observer; and displaying the indication of the position of the object on a display located between the observer and the barrier.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus for receiving data that represents a portion of a property that was obtained by a robot, identifying, based at least on the data, objects that the data indicates as being located within the portion of the property, determining, based on the objects, a semantic zone type corresponding to the portion of the property, accessing a mapping hierarchy for the property, wherein the mapping hierarchy for the property specifies semantic zones of the property that have corresponding semantic zone types and are associated with locations at the property, and specifies characteristics of the semantic zones, and selecting, from among the semantic zones and based at least on the semantic zone type and the data, a particular semantic zone, and setting, as a current location of the robot at the property, a particular location at the property associated with the particular semantic zone.

Abstract: The subject matter of this specification generally relates to modular vehicles including separable pod and base units. In some implementations, a computing system installed in a vehicle base identifies a vehicle pod that is detachably connected to a chassis on the vehicle base. In response to identifying that the vehicle pod is detachably connected to the chassis on the vehicle base, a communications link can be established between the computing system installed in the vehicle base and a computing system installed in the vehicle pod. Based on information obtained through the communications link, the computing system installed in the vehicle base can determine a particular configuration of the vehicle pod that is detachably connected to the chassis. The computing system can then verify that the vehicle base can safely transport the vehicle pod while the vehicle pod is detachably connected.

Abstract: A fish monitoring system deployed in a particular area to obtain fish images is described. Neural networks and machine-learning techniques may be implemented to periodically train fish monitoring systems and generate monitoring modes to capture high quality images of fish based on the conditions in the determined area. The camera systems may be configured according to the settings, e.g., positions, viewing angles, specified by the monitoring modes when conditions matching the monitoring modes are detected. Each monitoring mode may be associated with one or more fish activities, such as sleeping, eating, swimming alone, and one or more parameters, such as time, location, and fish type.

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: Example embodiments may relate to methods and systems for selecting a grasp point on an object. In particular, a robotic manipulator may identify characteristics of a physical object within a physical environment. Based on the identified characteristics, the robotic manipulator may determine potential grasp points on the physical object corresponding to points at which a gripper attached to the robotic manipulator is operable to grip the physical object. Subsequently, the robotic manipulator may determine a motion path for the gripper to follow in order to move the physical object to a drop-off location for the physical object and then select a grasp point, from the potential grasp points, based on the determined motion path. After selecting the grasp point, the robotic manipulator may grip the physical object at the selected grasp point with the gripper and move the physical object through the determined motion path to the drop-off location.

Abstract: A matrix computation unit includes a systolic array of cells arranged along a first and second dimension, in which the systolic array of cells includes a first multiple of cells, each cell of the first multiple of cells including: a weight register configured to store a weight input; multiple activation registers, each activation register of the multiple activation registers configured to store a corresponding activation input; multiplexer circuitry communicatively coupled to the multiple activation registers and configured to select, from the multiple activation registers, one of the activation inputs as a selected activation input; and multiplication circuitry communicatively coupled to the weight register and to the multiplexer, in which the multiplication circuitry is configured to output a product of the weight input and the selected activation input.

Abstract: An example system includes a robotic device deployed in a warehouse environment including a plurality of inventory items. The system also includes a camera coupled to the robotic device, configured to capture image data. The system also includes a computing system configured to receive the captured image data. The computing system is configured to, based on the received image data, generate a navigation instruction for navigation of the robotic device. The computing system is also configured to analyze the received image data to detect one or more on-item visual identifiers corresponding to one or more inventory items. The computing system is further configured to, for each detected visual identifier, (i) determine a warehouse location of the corresponding inventory item, (ii) compare the determined warehouse location to an expected location, and (iii) initiate an action based on the comparison.

Abstract: A buoyant aerial vehicle system includes a balloon, a ballonet configured to selectively receive and discharge a gas to adjust an altitude of the balloon, and an energy regeneration assembly. The energy regeneration assembly includes a turbine and an electric motor. The turbine is coupled to an outlet of the ballonet, such that gas released by the bayonet activates the turbine. The electric motor is operably coupled to the turbine and is configured to convert mechanical energy received from the turbine into electrical energy and convey the electrical energy to a battery.

Abstract: A motor housing includes a core and a shell having an annular body. The annular body is configured to secure a stator of a motor therein. The annular body includes first and second ends defining first and second openings, respectively. The annular body defines a slot extending along a length of the annular body. The slot is coterminous with the first opening. The core is configured to be in registration with the shell. The core is configured to rotatably support a rotating assembly of the motor including an output shaft. The core includes a base portion, an annular ring, and a guide arm interconnecting the base portion and the annular ring. The core is in registration with the shell when the guide arm is received in the slot of the annular body of the shell to form an interlocking structure.

Abstract: A system includes an optical transceiver configured to transmit/receive at least one optical feed and a beam separator configured to separate the optical feed into a plurality of optical beams, and spatially combine the optical beams into the optical beam. The system also includes a dichroic mirror optically coupled to the beam separator and configured to reflect the optical beams, and allow beacon signals to pass therethrough. A position sensitive detector of the system optically couples to the dichroic mirror and is configured to sense an incidence position of each beacon signal allowed to pass through the dichroic mirror, and output a position error for each optical beam based on the sensed incidence positions. The system also includes a multi-axis optical steering system configured to direct each optical beam based on the corresponding position error outputted from the position sensitive detector and a corresponding transmit/receive target.

Abstract: A bone conduction device includes: an enclosure; and an adhesive applied to a surface of the enclosure, in which the enclosure includes: a bone conduction transducer configured to cause the enclosure to vibrate; at least one sensor configured to sense a non-audible input from a region of the user's skin to which the adhesive adheres and produce a sensor output signal in response to sensing the non-audible input, the sensor output signal being indicative of a current state of the user; and a transceiver coupled to the bone conduction transducer and to the at least one sensor, in which the transceiver is configured to a) receive the output signal from the sensor and transmit the output signal to a remote processor and b) in response to transmitting the output signal, receive the bone-conduction control signal from the remote processor and transmit the bone-conduction control signal to the bone conduction transducer.

Abstract: A valve assembly for use with an unmanned aerial vehicle is provided and includes an inlet tube, a shuttle, a base plate, a screw assembly, and a spacer block. The shuttle is partially disposed within the inlet tube and is configured to be placed in a first position where the shuttle abuts the inlet tube and a second position where the outer surface is disposed in spaced relation to the inlet tube. The base plate extends between a first end portion that defines a cavity therein and a second end portion. The screw assembly is disposed within the cavity of the base plate and is coupled to a portion of the shuttle. The spacer block is interposed between the second end portion of the inlet tube and the first end portion of the base plate and is configured to maintain the inlet tube and the base plate in spaced relation.

Abstract: Example embodiments may relate to robot-cloud interaction. In particular, a cloud-based service may receive a query from a first robotic system including sensor data, a request for instructions to carry out a task, and information associated with a configuration of the first robotic system. The cloud-based service may then identify stored data including a procedure previously used by a second robotic system to carry out the task and information associated with a configuration of the second robotic system. The cloud-based service may then generate instructions for the first robotic system to carry out the task based at least in part on the sensor data, the procedure used by the second robotic system to carry out the task, the information associated with the configuration of the first robotic system, and the information associated with the configuration of the second robotic system.

Abstract: Example implementations may relate to optimization of observer robot locations. In particular, a control system may detect an event that indicates desired relocation of observer robots within a worksite. Each such observer robot may have respective sensor(s) configured to provide information related to respective positions of a plurality of target objects within the worksite. Responsively, the control system may (i) determine observer robot locations within the worksite at which one or more of the respective sensors are each capable of providing information related to respective positions of one or more of the plurality of target objects and (ii) determine a respectively intended level of positional accuracy for at least two respective target objects. Based on the respectively intended levels of positional accuracy, the control system may select one or more of the observer robot locations and may direct one or more observer robots to relocate to the selected locations.

Abstract: Example systems and methods allow for runtime control of robotic devices during a construction process. One example method includes determining at least one sequence of robot operations corresponding to at least one robot actor, causing the at least one robot actor to execute a portion of the at least one sequence of robot operations during a first time period, receiving an interrupt signal from a mobile computing device indicating a modification to the at least one sequence of robot operations, where the mobile computing device is configured to display a digital interface including one or more robot parameters describing the at least one robot actor and one or more tool parameters describing operating characteristics of at least one physical tool, and causing the at least one robot actor to execute a portion of the at least one modified sequence of robot operations during a second time period.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and computer readable media that are related to 3D object detection and pose determination and that may optionally increase the robustness and/or efficiency of the 3D object recognition and pose determination. Some implementations are generally directed to techniques for generating an object model of an object based on model point cloud data of the object. Some implementations of the present disclosure are additionally and/or alternatively directed to techniques for application of acquired 3D scene point cloud data to a stored object model of an object to detect the object and/or determine the pose of the object.