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: Methods, systems, and devices for managing robot resources are described. A robot receives from an application a request to reserve a particular set of physical resources of the robot. The robot then determines that each of the physical resources in the set are available to the application and, based on the determination, allocates exclusive use of the particular set of resources to the application by (i) generating a token corresponding to the set of resources, (ii) providing the token to the application, and (iii) updating token data that associates the token with the set of resources. The robot then controls access to the particular set of resources such that, while token data indicates that the token is valid, commands from applications that involve the set of resources are only executed when provided with the token corresponding to the allocation of access to the particular set of resources.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer-storage media, for sea lice mitigation. In some implementations, a method includes obtaining multiple observations of a population of reference fish across a period of time, generating, from the multiple observations, a record for each reference fish that indicates an extent of sea lice infestation for the reference fish across the period of time, training, based on the records, a model that determines a predicted health indicator for a fish, obtaining an image of a sample fish that is not in the population of reference fish, determining, based on the image of the sample fish and with the model, a predicted health indicator for the sample fish, and selectively initiating sea lice mitigation based on the predicted health indicator.

Abstract: A sensor positioning system, includes an actuation server for communicating with components of the sensor positioning system. The sensor positioning system additionally includes a first actuation system and a second actuation system, wherein each actuation system includes a pulley system for maneuvering an underwater sensor system. The sensor positioning system includes a dual point attachment bracket that connects through a first line to the first actuation system and connecting through a second line to the second actuation system. The underwater sensor system is affixed to the first pulley system, the second pulley system, and the dual attachment bracket through the first line and the second line.

Abstract: In some embodiments, an archipelago model is provided for distributed execution of evolutionary computing techniques. In some embodiments, an archipelago manager computing device manages a centralized archipelago management queue, and provides population subsets to a plurality of island computing devices. The archipelago manager computing device receives candidate solutions from the island computing devices, stores the candidate solutions in the archipelago management queue, and transmits candidate solutions from the archipelago management queue to the island computing devices in order to exchange candidate solutions between the island computing devices. The use of an archipelago management queue allows transfer of candidate solutions between different island computing devices, is robust to failure of any given island computing device, and does not require homogeneity within the plurality of island computing devices.

Abstract: A method includes creating a publisher configured to send messages over a channel having a shared memory. The method includes creating at least one subscriber configured to receive the messages over the channel by sequentially referencing memory slots of the plurality of memory slots. The method includes determining that the next sequential memory slot is currently referenced by a subscriber. The method includes delaying sending the message by the publisher based on determining that the next sequential memory slot is currently referenced by the subscriber. The method includes receiving an event trigger indicative of message reading by the subscriber. The method includes, responsive to receiving the event trigger, determining that the next sequential memory slot is not currently referenced. The method includes sending the message to the next sequential memory slot based on determining that the next sequential memory slot is not currently referenced.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer-storage media, for a lighting controller for sea lice detection. In some implementations, fish are contained within an elliptical tank filled with water. An imaging station located on the elliptical tank is used to capture an image of a fish from which image analysis can be performed to detect sea lice or other skin features, including lesions, on the fish. Pairs of imaging assemblies coordinate pulsing light of at least a first and a second color and capturing images of the fish while the fish is illuminated by at least the first and the second color. By using the captured images with different color light, computers can detect features on the body of a fish including sea lice, skin lesions, shortened operculum or other physical deformities and skin features. Detection results can aid in mitigation techniques or be stored for analytics.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus for receiving a reference to an object located in an environment of a robot, accessing mapping data that indicates, for each of a plurality of object instances, respective probabilities of the object instance being located at one or more locations in the environment, wherein the respective probabilities are based at least on an amount of time that has passed since a prior observation of the object instance was made, identifying one or more particular object instances that correspond to the referenced object, determining, based at least on the mapping data, the respective probabilities of the one or more particular object instances being located at the one or more locations in the environment, selecting, based at least on the respective probabilities, a particular location in the environment where the referenced object is most likely located, and directing the robot to navigate to the particular location.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatuses, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for machine learning classification based on separate processing of multiple views. In some implementations, a system obtains image data for multiple images showing different views of an object. A machine learning model is used to generate a separate output based on each the multiple images individually. The outputs for the respective images are combined to generate a combined output. A predicted characteristic of the object is determined based on the combined output. An indication of the predicted characteristic of the object is provided.

Abstract: This specification describes trajectory planning for robotic devices. A robotic navigation system can obtain, for each of multiple time steps, data representing an environment of a robot at the time step. The system generates a series of occupancy maps for the multiple time steps, and uses the series of occupancy maps to determine occupancy predictions for one or more future time steps. Each occupancy prediction can identify predicted locations of obstacles in the environment of the robot at a different one of the future time steps. A planned trajectory can be determined for the robot using the occupancy predictions, and the robot initiates travel along the planned trajectory.

Abstract: A sensor device includes a sensor housing defining a channel extending along a channel axis through the housing from a first side of the sensor housing to a second side of the sensor housing opposite the first side, at least one contact electrode extending from the first side of the housing, an electrically-conducting lead attached to the housing in electrical communication with the at least one contact electrode, and a locking mechanism located in the channel permitting one-way axial motion of a thread threaded through the channel from the first side to the second side.

Abstract: In general, innovative aspects of the subject matter described in this specification can be embodied in an electrode headset and methods of using an electrode headset. An exemplary electrode headset includes a head covering, an electrode assembly, and a plurality of electrodes. The head covering has a plurality of holes and the electrode assembly includes a plurality of first connectors arranged to align with the plurality of holes of the head covering. Each electrode has a second connector configured to releasably mate with one of the first connectors of the electrode assembly through one of the plurality of holes of the head covering.

Abstract: A system includes a robotic device, a sensor disposed on the robotic device, and circuitry configured to perform operations. The operations include determining a map that represents stationary features of an environment and receiving, from the sensor, sensor data representing the environment. The operations also include determining, based on the sensor data, a representation of an actor within the environment, where the representation includes keypoints representing corresponding body locations of the actor. The operations also include determining that a portion of a particular stationary feature is positioned within a threshold distance of a particular keypoint and, based on thereon, updating the map to indicate that the portion is to be cleaned. The operations further include, based on the map as updated, causing the robotic device to clean the portion of the particular stationary feature.

Abstract: A method of operating a communication network includes training a neural network and implementing the neural network to determine link availability. Training the neural network includes receiving first images and signal visibility data for first locations for one or more first nodes in the communication network, generating training data based on the first images and the signal visibility data, and training the neural network using the training data to output an attenuation category related to attenuation rate of a link based on a training image and a timestamp for the training image. Implementing the neural network includes receiving second images for second locations for one or more second nodes in the communication network, determining link availability based on the second images and outputs from the neural network, and operating the communication network based on the link availability.

Abstract: A whole cell model may be constructed and used to simulate cell behavior. The whole cell model may have a baseline cell state that can be perturbed by a user in order to understand the behavior and importance of various molecules, processes and/or sub-models within the whole cell model. The simulation data is evaluated according to a variety of heuristics. The simulation data is ranked within each heuristic. The heuristic evaluation of the simulation data is then compared to an input perturbation to determine the relative importance of the heuristics. The output is a visualization of the simulation data according to each heuristic within a dynamic ranked display.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for identifying one or more regions of a brain of a biological organism that are predicted to be functionally-specialized for performing a task. In one aspect, a method comprises: obtaining data defining a synaptic connectivity graph representing synaptic connectivity between neurons in the brain of the biological organism; identifying a plurality of sub-graphs of the synaptic connectivity graph; determining, for each sub-graph of the plurality of sub-graphs, a performance measure characterizing a performance of a neural network having a neural network architecture that is specified by the sub-graph in accomplishing the task; and determining, based on the performance measures, that one or more sub-graphs of the plurality of sub-graphs correspond to regions of the brain of the biological organism that are predicted to be functionally-specialized for performing the task.

Abstract: A system, apparatus, and method for optimizing structural parameters of a physical device are described. The method includes receiving an initial description of the physical device describing the structural parameters within a simulated environment. The method further includes performing a simulation of the physical device in response to an excitation source to determine a performance metric of the physical device. The simulation environment includes one or more absorbing boundaries for attenuation of an output of the excitation source during the simulation. The method further includes recording attenuated field values of the simulated environment associated with the attenuation during the simulation.

Abstract: A robotic device may include a spine defining a yaw axis. The robotic device may also include an arm joint rotatably connected to the spine at a first position along the yaw axis and configured to rotate about the yaw axis. The robotic device may further include an actuator including a ring that defines a bore. The spine may be fixedly connected to the ring at a second position along the yaw axis and may extend through the bore. The actuator may be connected to the arm joint and configured to rotate the arm joint about the yaw axis without rotating the spine.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to techniques for deformulating the spectra of arbitrary compound formulations such as polymer formulations into their chemical components. Particularly, aspects of the present disclosure are directed to obtaining an initial set of spectra for a plurality of samples comprising pure samples and composite samples, constructing a basis set of spectra for a plurality of pure samples based on the initial set of spectra, and providing or outputting the basis set of spectrum. The basis set of spectra is constructed in an iterative process that attempts to decompose, using a decomposition algorithm or model, the spectrum from the initial set of spectra in order to differentiate the pure samples from the composite samples. The basis set of spectra may then be used to deduce the composition of a material from a spectrogram.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for training a student neural network. In one aspect, there is provided a method comprising: processing a training input using the student neural network to generate a student neural network output comprising a respective score for each of a plurality of classes; processing the training input using a brain emulation neural network to generate a brain emulation neural network output comprising a respective score for each of the plurality of classes; and adjusting current values of the student neural network parameters using gradients of an objective function that characterizes a similarity between: (i) the student neural network output for the training input, and (ii) the brain emulation neural network output for the training input.