Abstract: A method of synthesizing fuel from an aqueous solution includes pumping the aqueous solution, containing dissolved inorganic carbon, from a body of water into a carbon extraction unit. The method further includes extracting the dissolved inorganic carbon from the aqueous solution to create CO2 by changing a pH of the aqueous solution in the carbon extraction unit. The CO2 derived in the carbon extraction unit is received by a fuel synthesis unit, and the CO2 is converted into fuel including at least one of a hydrocarbon, an ether, or an alcohol using the fuel synthesis unit.

Abstract: A method of extracting hydrocarbons from a hydrocarbon well includes receiving an aqueous solution including dissolved inorganic carbon, and extracting the dissolved inorganic carbon from the aqueous solution to create CO2 by changing a pH of the aqueous solution. The method also includes pumping the CO2 into the hydrocarbon well and, in response to pumping the CO2 into the hydrocarbon well, extracting the hydrocarbons from the hydrocarbon well.

Abstract: A robotic gripping device with a preshaper is provided. The robotic gripping device includes two opposable fingers, each finger having a deformable gripping surface, a base, and a fingertip. The robotic gripping device also includes an actuator coupled to the base of each of the fingers, wherein the actuator is configured to move the fingers toward and away from each other. The robotic gripping device also includes a preshaper component positionable between the fingers, wherein when the fingers are moved toward each other by the actuator and the deformable gripping surface of each finger contacts the preshaper component, the deformable gripping surface of each finger is deformed by the preshaper component such that the fingertips of each finger are curled inward toward each other.

Abstract: An example system includes a robotic device, at least one invisible fiducial marker on the robotic device that is detectable within a particular band of invisible light, a camera that is configured to detect the particular band of invisible light, and a control system. The control system may be configured to receive an image of the robotic device within an environment, identify at least one position within the image of the at least one invisible fiducial marker on the robotic device, determine a position of the robotic device relative to the camera, determine one or more positions within the image to overlay one or more virtual annotations, and provide for display of the image of the robotic device within the environment with the one or more virtual annotations overlaid at the one or more determined positions within the image.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems, and computer-readable media are provided for visually debugging robotic processes. In various implementations, a graphical user interface may be rendered that includes a flowchart representing a robotic process. A plurality of different logical paths through the robotic process may be represented by a plurality of different visible paths through the flowchart. In various implementations, robot operation data indicative of one or more implementations of the robotic process may be determined. Based on the robot operation data, a first logical path through the robotic process that satisfies a criterion may be identified. In various implementations, a first visual path through the flowchart may be selected that corresponds to the identified first logical path. In various implementations, the first visible path through the flowchart may be visually distinguished from a second visible path through the flowchart.

Abstract: Example pallet-conveyor systems may include a conveyor system configured with a delivery track arranged to move pallets to a delivery area, a recirculation loop, and a diverter mechanism. The system may include a computing system that selects an item for the recirculation loop based on future demand and causes a robotic device to maintain pallets of the selected item in the recirculation loop. The computing system may further receive an item request and determine that a requested item is available from the recirculation loop and responsively cause the diverter mechanism to divert the requested item from the recirculation loop to the delivery track. The computing system may also cause robotic devices to obtain and load pallets of remaining requested items onto the conveyer system for the delivery area, and cause pickers to remove one or more items from pallets at the delivery area in order to fulfill the item request.

Abstract: A system for collection of rainwater in the open ocean may include: (a) one or more ocean-going vessels, wherein each ocean-going vessel is configured for collection and storage of rainwater, wherein each ocean-going vessel is configured to drift with surface ocean currents in order to navigate to one or more delivery locations, wherein each delivery location is on or near to a land mass; and (b) one or more delivery stations located at the one or more delivery locations, wherein each delivery station is configured to receive stored rainwater from one or more of the ocean-going vessels.

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to terminating flight of a balloon that may include separating a connection between a balloon envelope and a payload of the balloon. In one example, a payload separation apparatus includes a first shaft configured to attach to the envelope, a second shaft configured to attach to the payload, a pair of arms, and a bracket arranged to secure the pair of arms to the first shaft. In another example, a system includes a flight termination assembly having a cutting edge configured to cut an opening in the envelope and a payload separation apparatus. The apparatus includes a first shaft configured to attach to the envelope, a second shaft configured to attach to the payload, a pair of arms, and a bracket configured to secure the pair of arms to the first shaft. The system also includes a controller configured to activate the cutting edge.

Abstract: A method for constructing a balloon assembly includes inserting balloon envelope material which will become an apex of a balloon envelope into a platen opening of a platen; flaring the balloon envelope material outward over the top surface of the platen; positioning a termination plate over the platen opening and within the apex opening; and folding at least some of the balloon envelope that overlies the platen onto the termination plate. The balloon envelope material further includes an apex opening.

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: Aspects of the disclosure provide anti-tilt assemblies for reducing the strain of an air ballast when used to change the direction of a high altitude balloon. For instance, in one example, a balloon includes a balloon envelope having an air ballast and a plurality of support tendons and a payload assembly. The balloon also includes an anti-tilt assembly arranged between the balloon envelope and the payload assembly. The anti-tilt assembly includes a support structure having a plurality of line connections arranged at a top end of the support structure and a connection member at a bottom end of the support structure. The connection member is attached to the payload assembly. The anti-tilt assembly also includes a plurality of support lines connected at to one of the support tendons and to the connection member. In addition, each support line is arranged to pass through a corresponding one of the line connections.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems, and computer-readable media are provided for visually annotating rendered multi-dimensional representations of robot environments. In various implementations, an entity may be identified that is present with a telepresence robot in an environment. A measure of potential interest of a user in the entity may be calculated based on a record of one or more interactions between the user and one or more computing devices. In some implementations, the one or more interactions may be for purposes other than directly operating the telepresence robot. In various implementations, a multi-dimensional representation of the environment may be rendered as part of a graphical user interface operable by the user to control the telepresence robot. In various implementations, a visual annotation may be selectively rendered within the multi-dimensional representation of the environment in association with the entity based on the measure of potential interest.

Abstract: A method for navigating an airborne device relative to a target comprises detecting, at an optical detector on the airborne device, an optical signal generated by one or more LEDs on the target. The method also comprises comparing, by a processor on the airborne device, the detected optical signal with a previously-detected optical signal. The method further comprises determining, by the processor based on the comparison, a change in location of at least one of the airborne device or the target. The method also comprises adjusting a position of the airborne device based on the determined change in location. The method also comprises predicting, by the processor, a movement of the target based on information indicative of at least one of a position, a rotation, an orientation, an acceleration, a velocity, or an altitude of the target, wherein the position of the airborne device is adjusted based on the predicted movement of the target.

Abstract: An airborne tethered flight system including a base unit, a tether having a first end attached to the base unit and a second end attached to a kite, wherein the kite comprises a main wing, a tail wing, and a tail boom attached to said main wing on a first end, said tail boom coupled to said tail wing on a second end, a plurality of vertical pylons attached to the main wing, said pylons comprising vertical airfoils adapted to provide lift, turbine driven generators mounted on the vertical airfoils attached to the main wing, and an additional vertical airfoil extending between the tail boom and tail wing.

Abstract: Disclosed embodiments may help an aerial vehicle network to provide substantially continuous service in a given geographic area. An example method may be carried out at an aerial vehicle that is at a location associated with the first geographic area in an aerial network that includes a plurality of geographic areas. The balloon may determine that it should update its vehicle-state in accordance with a vehicle-state profile for the first geographic area. Then, in response, the balloon may determine the vehicle-state profile for the first geographic area, which may include one or more state parameters for balloons operating in the first geographic area. The balloon may then operate according to the vehicle-state profile for the first geographic area.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems, and computer-readable media are provided for calculating a trajectory corridor for a robot end effector. In some implementations, a seed path may be determined between first and second sites that is traversable by a reference point associated with an end effector of a robot. Then, a trajectory corridor may be calculated that encompasses and expands the seed path. In some implementations, a plurality of candidate paths may be determined through the trajectory corridor that are traversable by the reference point. In some implementations, a candidate path that satisfies a criterion may be selected.

Abstract: Methods and systems for robot cloud computing are described. Within examples, cloud-based computing generally refers to networked computer architectures in which application execution and storage may be divided, to some extent, between client and server devices. A robot may be any device that has a computing ability and interacts with its surroundings with an actuation capability (e.g., electromechanical capabilities). A client device may be configured as a robot including various sensors and devices in the forms of modules, and different modules may be added or removed from robot depending on requirements. In some example, a robot may be configured to receive a second device, such as mobile phone, that may be configured to function as an accessory or a “brain” of the robot. A robot may interact with the cloud to perform any number of actions, such as to share information with other cloud computing devices.

Abstract: A tether may include a core, a plurality of electrical conductors wound around the core, and a jacket surrounding the plurality of electrical conductors. The plurality of electrical conductors may include at least two groups of electrical conductors. Each group of electrical conductors of the at least two groups of electrical conductors may define a respective electrical path, where the respective electrical path is different from the electrical paths defined by other groups of electrical conductors of the at least two groups of the electrical conductors. Moreover, each group of electrical conductors of the at least two groups of electrical conductors is located around a respective portion of the core, such that a cross-section of each group of electrical conductors of the at least two or more electrical conductors defines a respective arc around the respective portion of the core.

Abstract: An example system includes a robotic arm coupled to a mobile base. The robotic arm includes a plurality of segments coupled via at least one joint, which includes at least one joint angle sensor. The system also includes a controller configured to carry out operations including receiving, from the at least one joint angle sensor, information indicative of a pose of the robotic arm. The operations include, based on the information indicative of the pose of the robotic arm, determining that a torque induced by the robotic arm is above a predetermined torque threshold. The operations also include causing an adjustable support member to extend out of the mobile base in an orientation that counteracts the torque.