Abstract: Example implementations may relate to providing a dynamic jig in a three-dimensional (3D) coordinate system. Specifically, a control system may (i) receive task data specifying a manipulation of one or more parts at a specified location; (ii) determine: (a) one or more work surfaces and (b) a first position of each of the one or more work surfaces, such that the one or more work surfaces collectively provide a jig to facilitate the specified manipulation of the parts; (iii) a plurality of guide end effectors that are positionable by one or more robotic devices such that the end effectors provide the work surfaces at the respectively determined first positions; and (iv) operate the one or more robotic devices to position the guide end effectors to provide the one or more work surfaces at the respectively determined first positions, thereby forming the jig from the one or more work surfaces.

Abstract: A robotic device is provided. The robotic device includes a first detachable digit, including a first connector piece. The robotic device also includes a digit mounting apparatus, including a first pivot joint and a second connector piece coupled to the first pivot joint, where the second connector piece is configured to mate with the first connector piece of the first detachable digit. The robotic device also includes an actuator configured to pivot the first pivot joint about a first axis to cause the second connector piece of the digit mounting apparatus to mate with the first connector piece of the first detachable digit to attach the first detachable digit to the digit mounting apparatus.

Abstract: A transmitter includes a first resonator to generate an oscillating field at a resonant frequency in response to receiving power from a power source. The transmitter includes a first communication interface and a first controller to control the first resonator and to communicate data via the first communication interface. One of a plurality of receivers includes a second resonator to be wirelessly coupled to the first resonator. The second resonator resonates at the common mode resonant frequency in response to the oscillating field. The one receiver includes a second communication interface to establish wireless side-channel communications with the first communication interface and to communicate the data with the first communication interface via the wireless side-channel communications. The first controller identifies the one receiver from the plurality of receivers according to the communicated data, and in response, the first resonator transfers the power to the second resonator.

Abstract: Robotic control systems and methods may include providing an end effector tool of a robotic device configured to perform a task on a work surface within a worksite coordinate frame. Unintended movement over time of the end effector tool with respect to the work surface and with respect to the worksite coordinate frame may be determined based on image data indicative of the work surface, first location data indicative of a first location of the end effector tool with respect to the worksite coordinate frame, and second location data indicative of a second location of the end effector tool with respect to the work surface. One or more control signals for the robotic device may be adjusted in order to counteract the unintended movements of the end effector tool with respect to the work surface and worksite coordinate frame.

Abstract: A method includes receiving an optical signal through an optical link and determining a receiving power for the optical link. The method further includes comparing the receiving power for the optical link to a first receiving power threshold and transitioning a clock and data recovery circuit form a normal mode to a holdover mode when the receiving power is less than the first receiving power threshold. The clock and data recovery circuit, when operating in the holdover mode, configured to hold a recovered clock to a known-good clock frequency. When the receiving power for the optical link is greater than a second receiving power threshold, the method initiates a transition of the clock and data recovery circuit from the holdover mode to the normal mode and reacquires synchronization between the recovered clock and a current rate of the incoming data stream using the known-good clock frequency.

Abstract: An optical correlator includes a first spatial light modulator arranged to receive light from a light source and configured to selectively attenuate the light; a first focusing layer arranged to receive the selectively-attenuated light from the first spatial light modulator and configured to focus the selectively-attenuated light; a first spacer layer substantially transparent to the light from the light source, the first focusing layer being disposed on the first spacer layer; a second spatial light modulator arranged in a Fourier optical relationship with respect to the first spatial light modulator and configured to selectively attenuate the focused light from the first focusing layer to provide twice-attenuated light, the second spatial light modulator being disposed on the first spacer layer opposite the first focusing layer; a second spacer layer substantially transparent to the light from the light source, the second spatial light modulator being disposed on the second spacer layer and positioned betwe

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure provide for a method for determining a position of a beacon. A plurality of frames comprising pixel values is collected. Each frame is an image of a location. A static background of the location is determined by averaging the pixel values of the plurality of frames, pixel difference values are determined for each frame by subtracting the determined static background from the pixel values of each frame. Using the pixel difference values for each frame in the plurality of frames, a first subset of frames and a second subset of frames are identified. An average pixel difference is then determined by averaging the pixel difference values of the first subset of frames and an inverse of the pixel difference values of the second subset of frames. Using the average pixel difference, the position of a beacon at the location is determined.

Abstract: Examples described may enable rearrangement of pallets of items in a warehouse to an optimal layout. An example method includes receiving real-time item information including pallet locations in a warehouse and real-time inventory of items arranged on the pallets; determining a likelihood of demand for future access to the pallets based on a pallet relocation history and item receiving/shipment expectations; based on the real-time item information and the likelihood of demand, determining an optimal controlled-access dense grid layout in which distances of the pallets from a center of the layout are related to the likelihood of demand; receiving real-time robotics information and using the real-time robotics information to determine an amount of time to rearrange the pallets to the optimal layout; and, based on the amount of time to rearrange the pallets being less than a threshold, causing the robotic devices to rearrange the pallets to the optimal layout.

Abstract: A system and method for wireless resonant power transfer is disclosed. The system may include a transmitter that, in addition to being configured for resonantly coupling power into an oscillating electric and/or magnetic field, is also configured to transmit one or more test signals. Test signals can include single frequency continuous wave test signals, frequency sweep test signals, and time-pulsed modulated test signals. By comparing measurements of phase and amplitude of both the transmitted test signal and one or more reflections of the test signal reflected by one or more reflecting entities, electromagnetic properties of the one or more reflecting entities may be determined. The determined properties may then be used to enhance the efficiency and/or effectiveness of power transfer, and/or to distinguish between legitimate and illegitimate consumption of wirelessly transferred power by devices in the oscillating field.

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: 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 implementations relate to a solar panel system including solar cells and an inverter configured to receive electrical energy generated by solar cells and to convert the electrical energy to an electrical signal having an oscillation frequency. The system also include a transmit resonator coupled to the inverter and configured to resonate at the oscillation frequency. Moreover, the transmit resonator may be coupled via a wireless resonant coupling link to a receive resonator that is also configured to resonate at the oscillation frequency. Further, the system may also include a controller configured to determine for the system a mode of operation from among the following modes: (i) a common mode, (ii) a differential mode, and (iii) an inductive mode. And the controller is then configured to instruct the transmit resonator to provide via the wireless resonant coupling link electrical power according to the determined mode of operation.

Abstract: An example fabrication system includes a light source, a resin container, and a base plate on which resin is cured using the light source so as to build up an object one layer at a time. The disclosed base plate includes a build surface and an anchor channel that extends into the base plate from the build surface. The anchor channel is a recess in the base plate configured to have a narrow width that is closer to an opening to the build surface than a broad width. The base plate can also have a light source that emits light into the anchor channel to cure resin within the anchor channel. Resin anchors cured within the anchor channel to conform to the anchor channel resist being extracted, and an object formed on the build surface remains anchored during fabrication via adhesion to the resin anchors.

Abstract: A shaft may be rotated, where the shaft includes an encoder with a first, second, and third logical track, where the first and second logical tracks include bit patterns that are readable to be 90 degrees out of phase with one another, and where the third logical track includes a sequence of n numbers, each number being represented by m bits, where n is greater than 1. While moving the shaft, a number of the sequence from the third logical track and an extent of bits from the first or second logical track may be read. An orientation of the shaft may then be determined based on the number and the extent of bits. The orientation may be a linear position of a linear encoder or an angular position of a rotary encoder.

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 and determining a receiving power for the optical link based on the first optical signal. The method further includes adjusting an output amplification at the first communication terminal based on the receiving power for the optical link. The output amplification is adjusted to provide a second optical signal with a minimum transmission power for maintaining the optical link. The method transmits the second optical signal from the first communication terminal to the second communication terminal through the optical link.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method operable in a balloon network. The method can include determining that a balloon is at a location associated with a first legally-defined geographic area, wherein an area profile identifies a list of geographically-prohibited data that is restricted from being cached in the first legally-defined geographic area. The method can also include receiving first data. The method can also include using the list of geographically-prohibited data to determine whether or not the first data is geographically-prohibited data. If the first data is geographically-prohibited data, then the method can further include refraining from storing the first data in data storage at the first balloon.

Abstract: An example method involves receiving, from at least one camera located in an environment, a plurality of images captured during a first time interval. The method also involves selecting one or more of the plurality of images having a movable platform supporting one or more objects. The method further involves generating a three-dimensional model of the movable platform supporting the one or more objects. The method yet further involves updating the three-dimensional model based on one or more images captured during a second time interval. The method still further involves presenting the three-dimensional model via a display of a user interface, and providing an option to view a history of the three-dimensional model such that the three-dimensional model remains in a fixed position on the display during a viewing of the history.

Abstract: A mobile telepresence system may include a frame, a propulsion system operably coupled to the frame to propel the frame through a designated space, a screen movably coupled to the frame, and an image output device coupled to the frame. The frame may include a central body defining a longitudinal axis of the frame, a first arm at a first end portion of the central body, and a second arm at a second end portion of the central body, opposite the first end portion of the central body. The propulsion system may include rotors at opposite end portions of the first and second arms which propel the frame in response to an external command. The image output device may project an image onto the screen in response to an external command.

Abstract: A color shifting illuminator includes a first luminescent material that absorbs first incident photons having an energy greater than or equal to a first threshold energy, and emits first photons with less energy than the first incident photons. The color shifting illuminator also includes a second luminescent material that absorbs second incident photons having an energy greater than or equal to a second threshold energy, and emits second photons with less energy than the second incident photons and less energy than the first photons. The first luminescent material and the second luminescent material are included in a waveguide, and the waveguide exhibits total internal reflection for the first photons and the second photons satisfying conditions for total internal reflection. An extraction region is coupled to the waveguide to emit the first photons and the second photons.