Abstract: A free space optical communication system transmits and receives optical signals in a colorless manner using an optical circulator. The system installs the optical circulator with a single mode (SM) fiber at port 1, a double clad (DC) fiber at port 2, and a multimode (MM) fiber at port 3. The system injects a first optical signal into a core of the SM fiber. The system then routes the first optical signal at port 1, using the optical circulator, into a SM core of the DC fiber via Port 2. Further, the system injects a second optical signal into a first cladding of the DC fiber. The system then routes the second optical signal at port 2, using the optical circulator, into the MM fiber via Port 3.

Abstract: Example systems and methods are disclosed for implementing vehicle operation limits to prevent vehicle load failure during vehicle teleoperation. The method may include receiving sensor data from sensors on a vehicle that carries a load. The vehicle may be controlled by a remote control system. The load weight and dimensions may be determined based on the sensor data. In order to prevent a vehicle load failure, a forward velocity limit and an angular velocity limit may be calculated. Vehicle load failures may include the vehicle tipping over, the load tipping over, the load sliding off of the vehicle, or collisions. The vehicle carrying the load may be restricted from exceeding the forward velocity limit and/or the angular velocity limit during vehicle operation. The remote control system may display a user interface indicating to a remote operator the forward velocity limit and the angular velocity limit.

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure provide for a method of forming a communication link between two communication devices using a primary search pattern and a secondary search pattern. A misalignment between a first optical system of a first communication device and a second optical system of a second communication device is detected. The first optical system is rotated according to the primary search pattern, and the second optical system according to the secondary search pattern. At the second communication device, a set of frames is captured. Then, it is determined whether a beacon beam transmitted from the first communication device is detected in the one or more of the captured frames. When it is determined that the beacon beam is detected, the communication link is formed between the first communication device and the second communication device.

Abstract: Example systems and methods are disclosed for determining work offset data for a robot in a work environment. A robot operating in a work environment may receive an indication to determine a work offset. The work offset may describe the location and angular orientation of a working plane of the work environment relative to a base plane of the robot. In response to the indication, the robot may identify the working plane. The robot may be controlled to contact one or more points of the working plane. The robot may determine respective point locations of the contacted points relative to the base plane based on the respective positions of the robot at respective times of contact. The robot may determine the location and angular orientation of the working plane relative to the base plane based on the determined respective point locations of the contacted points.

Abstract: An example system includes a disk that is rotatable and has a plurality of ferromagnetic elements disposed in a radial array on a surface of the disk; and at least one electro-permanent magnet (EPM) mounted adjacent to the disk such that a gap separates the disk from the EPM. Applying an electric pulse to the at least one EPM changes a magnetic state thereof, thereby generating an external magnetic field that traverses the gap between the disk and the EPM and interacts with a ferromagnetic element of the plurality of ferromagnetic elements, and causing a rotational speed of the disk to change as the disk rotates.

Abstract: Examples described may enable consolidating pallets of items in a warehouse. An example method includes receiving real-time item information including pallet locations in a warehouse and inventory of items arranged on the pallets; based on the real-time item information, identifying a set of pallets of which at least one pallet includes less than a threshold quantity of a type of item; receiving real-time robotics information and determining, based on the real-time item and robotics information, an amount of time to condense the items on the set of pallets into a single pallet and a quantity of pallets that will become empty as a result of condensing the items; and, based on the amount of time being less than a threshold time and the quantity of pallets exceeding a threshold quantity of pallets, causing robotic devices to condense the items into the single pallet.

Abstract: The behavior and/or internal activities of a microorganism can be simulated using a model of the microorganism. Such simulations can be used to determine the efficacy of treatments, disinfectants, antibiotics, chemotherapies, or other methods of interacting with the microorganism, or to provide some other information about the microorganism. Systems and methods are provided herein for fitting, refining, or otherwise improving such models in an automated fashion. Such systems and methods include performing whole-cell experiments to determine a correspondence between the predictions of such models and the actual behavior of samples of the microorganism. Such systems and methods also include, based on such determined correspondences, directly assessing determined discrete sets of properties of the microorganism and/or of constituents of the microorganism and updating parameters of the model corresponding to the properties of the discrete set such that the overall accuracy of the model is improved.

Abstract: Example implementations relate to determining depth information using stereo sensor data. An example system may include at least one projector coupled to a robotic manipulator and configured to project a texture pattern onto an environment. The system may further include a displacer coupled to the at least one texture projector and configured to repeatedly change a position of the texture pattern within the environment. The system may also include at least two optical sensors configured to capture stereo sensor data for the environment. And the system may include a computing device configured to determine, using the stereo sensor data, an output including a virtual representation of the environment.

Abstract: A flexible sensor that includes a printed circuit board (PCB), a capacitive structure on the PCB, and mechanical coupling sites. The PCB includes a slot extending from an outer edge of the PCB to an inner portion of the PCB, and the slot defines a first edge and a second edge facing the first edge. The first and second edges are separated by a gap when the PCB is in an unflexed state. The slot is configured to permit the PCB to flex so as to vary a relative position of the first edge with respect to the second edge. The capacitive structure on the PCB includes a first edge electrode on a portion of the first edge of the PCB, and a second edge electrode on a portion of a second edge of PCB. The second edge electrode is aligned with the first edge electrode across the slot.

Abstract: The disclosure may provide for a communication method and system. A transmitter of the communication system may include an interleaver and a first encoder for determining parity bits. The transmitter also may include a multiplexer for joining the parity bits with the data. A second encoder may be positioned after the multiplexer for implementing an error correcting code. A receiver of the communication system may include a decoder followed by an interleaver. When errors are detected in received data at the decoder, one or more processors of the receiver may be configured to correct portions of the received data and combine the corrected portions with the received data.

Abstract: A system for motion control is presented. In one embodiment, a motion control 3D projection system includes a projector; and a projection surface coupled to a robotic arm, where the robotic arm moves the projection surface through a set of spatial coordinates, and a 3D projection from the projector is projected onto a set of coordinates of the projection surface and matches the 3D projection to the set of coordinates of the projection surface as the projection surface moves through the set of spatial coordinates. In additional embodiments, a master control system may integrate additional robotic arms and other devices to create a motion control scene with a master timeline.

Abstract: A device is provided. The device includes a worm drive comprising a worm and a worm gear. The device also includes an actuator comprising a motor, a shaft, and the worm, wherein the shaft is configured to rotate about a shaft axis, and the actuator is configured to (i) drive the worm drive, and (ii) move linearly along the shaft axis. The device also includes a first spring and a second spring, wherein the second ends are fixed, and wherein the first and second springs are configured to resist movement of the actuator along the shaft axis in opposite directions as a result of forces transmitted through the worm drive. The device further includes a linear position encoder configured to determine a position of the actuator along the shaft axis.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described include a robot and/or an associated computing system that can use various cues about an environment of the robot to apply a bias to increase the accuracy of speech transcription. In some implementations, audio data corresponding to a spoken instruction to a robot is received. Candidate transcriptions of the audio data are obtained. A respective action of the robot corresponding to each of the candidate transcriptions of the audio data is determined. One or more scores indicating characteristics of a potential outcome of performing the respective action corresponding to the candidate transcription of the audio data are determined for each of the candidate transcriptions of the audio data. A particular candidate transcription is selected from among the candidate transcriptions based at least on the one or more scores. The action determined for the particular candidate transcription is performed.

Abstract: The subject matter of this specification generally relates to object recognition for robots. In some implementations, a method includes navigating a robot through an area to identify objects located in the area. The robot detects the presence of the objects in the area using one or more sensors. A determination is made that an object detected by the robot is not recognized by the robot. In response to determining that the object is not recognized by the robot, a user interface that includes data describing the object that is not recognized is provided. The user interface can be configured to receive user input that identifies the object. In response to interaction with the user interface, data identifying the object is received. A database for the robot is updated with the data identifying the object.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus related to receiving a request that includes robot instructions and/or environmental parameters, operating each of a plurality of robots based on the robot instructions and/or in an environment configured based on the environmental parameters, and storing data generated by the robots during the operating. In some implementations, at least part of the stored data that is generated by the robots is provided in response to the request and/or additional data that is generated based on the stored data is provided in response to the request.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus for receiving a command for controlling a robot, the command referencing an object, receiving sensor data for a portion of an environment of the robot, identifying, from the sensor data, a gesture of a human that indicates a spatial region located outside of the portion of the environment described by the sensor data, accessing map data indicating locations of objects within a space, searching the map data for the object, wherein the search of the map data is restricted to the spatial region, determining, based at least on searching the map data for the object referenced in the command, that the object referenced in the command is present in the spatial region, and in response to determining that the object referenced in the command is present in the spatial region, controlling the robot to perform an action with respect to the object referenced in the command.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for changing a distributed mode loudspeaker's fundamental frequency. One of the systems may include a light emitting diode display that includes an array of pixels, each pixel including, for each color of multiple colors, a directional light emitter and a wide-angle light emitter, a first combination of all the directional light emitters configured to generate a first display image viewable within a first viewing angle, and a second combination of all the wide-angle light emitters configured to generate a second display image concurrently with the generation of the first display image that is viewable within a second viewing angle. The first display image is a different image than the second display image and the first viewing angle is a narrower viewing angle than, and included within, the second viewing angle.

Abstract: A process for producing a light emitting diode device, the process including: forming a plurality of quantum dots on a surface of a layer including a first area and a second area; exposing the first area of the surface to light having a first wavelength while exposing the first area to a first etchant that causes the quantum dots in the first area to be etched at a first etch rate while the quantum dots have a dimension at or greater than a first threshold dimension; exposing the second area of the surface to light having a second wavelength while exposing the second area to a second etchant that causes the quantum dots in the second area to be etched at a third etch rate while the quantum dots have a dimension at or greater than a second threshold dimension; and processing the etched layer to form the LED device.

Abstract: An example traction drive includes a first ring having an inclined surface that is inclined at a first angle; a second ring having a respective inclined surface that is inclined at a second angle different from the first angle, such that the inclined surface of the first ring and the respective inclined surface of the second ring form a groove; a third ring disposed opposite to the first ring and the second ring, and having a respective groove disposed on a surface of the third ring; and a plurality of rollers disposed between, and configured to roll within, (i) the groove formed by the inclined surface of the first ring and the respective inclined surface of the second ring, and (ii) the respective groove of the third ring.

Abstract: A method includes receiving a first optical signal at a first communication terminal from a second communication terminal through a free space optical link. The received optical signal contains a modulated unique frequency tone. The method also includes mixing the modulated unique frequency tone with a reference signal to provide a mixed output signal and determining a signal strength of the modulated unique frequency tone based on the mixed output signal. The reference signal includes a same frequency as the modulated unique frequency tone. The method adjusts an optical head of the first communication terminal to establish acquisition and optical beam pointing with the second communication terminal based on the signal strength of the modulated unique frequency tone received from the second communication terminal.