Abstract: A hand-held robot operating device combination has: an autonomous safety-related basic control device that includes a housing, a safety-relevant switching means on the housing, and a communication device for connecting the autonomous safety-related basic control device for control purposes to a controller of a robot; an autonomous mobile terminal that includes a terminal controller and at least one terminal position sensor designed to sense positional data in respect of the autonomous mobile terminal in at least one of the degrees of freedom thereof; and a holder designed to mechanically connect the autonomous safety-related basic control device to the autonomous mobile terminal in a manually detachable combined arrangement so as to form the hand-held robot operating device combination; the autonomous safety-related basic control device includes at least one basic-control position sensor which is designed to sense positional data in respect of the autonomous safety-related basic control device in at least one

Abstract: A manipulator system configured to perform a work to a workpiece being moved by a moving device, includes a robotic arm, having one or more joints and to which a tool configured to perform the work to the workpiece is attached, an operating device configured to operate the robotic arm, a first imaging means configured to image the workpiece, while following the movement of the workpiece, a second imaging means fixedly provided in a work area to image a situation of the work to the workpiece, a displaying means configured to display an image imaged by the first imaging means and an image imaged by the second imaging means, and a control device configured to control the operation of the robotic arm based on an operating instruction of the operating device, while detecting a moving amount of the workpiece being moved by the moving device and carrying out a tracking control of the robotic arm according to the moving amount of the workpiece.

Abstract: A vehicle control system is configured to control a braking operation of a hitch ball to a coupler on a trailer. The system comprises a controller in communication with a maneuvering system and a sensor system. The controller is configured to control the maneuvering system to maneuver the vehicle along a vehicle path and monitor a coupler distance from the hitch ball to the coupler via the sensor system. The controller is further configured to control a deceleration procedure configured to decrease a velocity of the vehicle along a deceleration profile and stop the vehicle with the hitch ball aligned with the coupler. During the procedure, the controller may detect a premature stop condition of the vehicle, where the coupler distance is greater than zero.

Abstract: A foot controller includes a stationary portion and a cradle member that can receive a foot of a user. The cradle member is moveable to of different positions along paths, such as a left position, a right position, a front position, or a back position. One or more paths have a left-right direction of the controller and at least one of the paths has a forward-back direction of the controller. Sensors sense the cradle member at a particular position and output sensor signals indicative of that position. A function provided by a system is activated based on the sensed position.

Abstract: A robot controller and a robot control method, by which a human can be prevented from being sandwiched between a collaborative robot and a workpiece conveyed by a conveyor. The robot controller controls the robot configured to perform a predetermined operation for the workpiece conveyed by a convey section moving in a convey direction. The robot controller has: a receive section configured to receive a signal representing that an abnormality of the robot is detected or contact against the robot is detected; and a motion control section configured to control a motion of robot so that, after the receive section receives the signal, a minimum distance between a movable section of the robot and the workpiece is not less than a predetermined safe distance.

Abstract: A setting-up arrangement and a method for setting up a mobile automaton includes at least the steps of a) coupling a movable element of the mobile automaton to a movable guide element of a guide device, b) exerting a force on the movable element via the movable guide element by operating the guide device, by which the movable element is moved in a guided manner along a predetermined movement profile via the guide element, c) acquiring a setup dataset characterizing the movement profile and, as a result, setting up the mobile automaton.

Abstract: An apparatus for de-icing a pathway, the apparatus comprising a frame including a set of wheels, a salt dispenser, a servo attached to the salt dispenser, one or more motors, the motors attached to at least one of the set of wheels, and a microcontroller communicatively coupled to the servo and the one or more motors, wherein the microcontroller instructs the servo to operate the salt dispenser and activates the one or more motors to drive the at least one of the set of wheels.

Abstract: The present invention provides an autonomous vehicle, comprising: a housing; a driving module, mounted on the housing; a limit detecting module, mounted on the housing and detecting a distance between the autonomous vehicle and a limit; an energy module, mounted on the housing and providing energy for the autonomous vehicle; a control module, electrically connected to the driving module and the limit detecting module, the control module enables to the driving module to execute steering according to a signal representing an angle relationship between the autonomous vehicle and the limit and sent by the limit detecting module, such that an acute angle or right angle is always formed between the central axis of the autonomous vehicle and one lateral side of the limit when the steering is finished, and an acute angle or right angle is formed between the central axis of the autonomous vehicle and another lateral side of the limit when the steering begins; and if judging that the driving of the autonomous vehicle m

Abstract: The control device for controlling a robot having a force detector includes an input device, a display, a memory, and a processor. The processor executes a program to repeat receiving of an input via the input device, selecting of an object of operation objects based on the input, and displaying of the selected object a predetermined number of times to complete an object operation flow. The processor converts the completed object operation flow into a control program for controlling the operations of the robot. The display displays a selection for selecting whether an integrator is applied to a difference between time series target force and time series measuring force for a specific control direction. The processor receives an adjusting input via the input device for adjusting an integral gain of the integrator when a result of the execution of the control program is in a predetermined condition.

Abstract: In the following, a system having an autonomous mobile robot and a base station for the robot is described. In accordance with one example, the robot comprises a navigation module with a navigation sensor for detecting geometric features of objects in the environment of the robot. The base station has at least one geometric feature which can be detected by the robot by means of the navigation sensor. The robot includes a robot controller that is coupled with the navigation module, the robot controller being configured to identify and/or localize the base station and/or to determine a docking position of the robot based on the at least one geometric feature of the base station.

Abstract: Provided are a computer program product, moveable robot block, and method for a moveable robot block deployed to form a barrier and sense environmental conditions. A command is received to couple to a location in a coordinate system comprising the barrier formed of a plurality of moveable robot blocks. Movement motors are controlled to cause the moveable robot block to move to the location in the coordinate system to couple to the barrier according to the command. An environmental sensor senses an environmental condition related to water sensed external to the moveable robot block when the moveable robot block is coupled to the barrier. The environmental condition is transmitted to the assembly management system over the network.

Abstract: Techniques for fingertip design are disclosed that leverage how most grasp contacts can share a few classes of local geometries. In order to maximize the contact areas for achieving more robust grasps, contact primitives, which represent a set of contacts of similar local geometries, are identified. A uniform cost algorithm, which can be formulated as a decision making process in a tree structure, can be utilized to cluster a set of example grasp contacts into a finite set of one or more contact primitives. Fingertips can be designed by optimization to match the local geometry of each contact primitive, and then fingertips can be 3D printed using soft materials to compensate for optimization residuals. For novel objects, an approach to generate grasp contacts that match the fingertip geometries while together forming stable grasps can be utilized.

Abstract: Systems and methods for sending scheduling information to a mobile robotic device from an application of a communication device. The application of the communication device generates at least one scheduling command and transmits the at least one scheduling command to a router using a first wireless communication channel. The router is configured to transmit and receive the at least one scheduling command to and from at least one cloud service. A charging station of the robotic device receives the at least one scheduling command from the router using the first wireless communication channel and stores the at least one scheduling command on the charging station. The charging station transmits the at least one scheduling command to a processor of the robotic device using a second wireless communication channel and the processor of the robotic device modifies its scheduling information based on the at least one scheduling command.

Abstract: A virtual creature control system, including: a communication unit configured to receive information of current states of a plurality of virtual creatures and transmit a signal for controlling operations of the plurality of virtual creatures, at least one virtual creature among the plurality of virtual creatures being hardware; and a control unit configured to generate a signal for controlling an operation of the at least one virtual creature among the plurality of virtual creatures such that the plurality of virtual creatures are not visually recognized at a same time by a specific user and control the communication unit such that the signal is transmitted to the one virtual creature. The virtual creature control system and virtual creature control method can control the plurality of virtual creatures in conjunction and promote indirect communication among a plurality of spots using the virtual creatures.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for controlling a robot are provided. According to one aspect of the present disclosure, the method can include receiving information on a work type of robot motion performed by the robot; generating workflow of the robot motion based upon the received information on the work type of the robot motion; measuring information on work environment in which the robot motion is performed in accordance with the work type and the workflow of the robot motion by controlling the robot; receiving work information on the robot motion in accordance with the work type and the workflow of the robot motion by controlling the robot; and performing the robot motion in accordance with the work type and the workflow of the robot motion by controlling the robot based upon the measured information on the work environment and the received work information on the robot motion.

Abstract: A method for operating a brake system of a motor vehicle includes actuating a first actuating device of the brake system, exerting an electromechanical braking force to decelerate the motor vehicle in an event of a fault in the hydraulic braking device and when the first actuating device is actuated, and generating the electromechanical braking force after a start of the actuation of the first actuating device for a minimum generation period and/or generating the electromechanical braking force after an end of the actuation of the first actuating device for an additional continued generation period. The brake system includes a hydraulic braking device, an electromechanical braking device, and a first actuating device, in particular a brake pedal.

Abstract: A processor associated with a vehicle receives sensor data from a plurality of sensors associated with a vehicle, where each sensor generates data corresponding to a different parameter of a passenger in the vehicle. Based on the sensor data, one or more primitive emotional indications are generated. The processor applies a model to the one or more primitive emotional indications that when applied outputs a contextualized emotional indication associated with the passenger that includes an assessment of an emotional state of the passenger and a reason for the emotional state. A contextual response is selected based on the contextualized emotional indication, and the processor causes an output by the vehicle to enact the contextual response.

Abstract: A vehicle controller is applied to a vehicle having an engine, a transmission, a clutch connecting and disconnecting a crankshaft of the engine and an input shaft of the transmission to each other, a vehicle wheel connected to a drive axle of the transmission, and an electric motor disposed to be capable of transmitting torque to the crankshaft The vehicle controller controls driving of the electric motor such that a rotation speed of the engine is reduced when an operation state of the engine shifts from operation to stop. The vehicle controller controls rotation of the crankshaft so as to avoid coincidence between a crank angle and a top dead center angle of the engine in a vibration amplification region amplifying an amplitude of vibration generated when the operation state of the engine shifts to the stop.

Abstract: A vehicle maneuvering apparatus comprises a steering control system configured to control a steering angle of a plurality of steered wheels of a vehicle. The controller is further configured to control the vehicle to stop in a stopped position upon completing a vehicle alignment routine and identify an alignment error distance between the hitch and the coupler position in the stopped position. The controller is further configured to calculate a change distance of the hitch based on the steering angle and calculate an aligned steering error distance. The aligned steering error distance is calculated by comparing the change distance to the alignment error. Based on the aligned steering error distance, the controller may selectively suppress the steering angle alignment routine.

Abstract: A vehicle control device capable of improving safety, even when abnormality in the operation of an arithmetic processing unit occurs. A second microcomputer receives trajectory information transmitted from a first microcomputer via a communication line and calculates control commands to actuators to synchronize the arithmetic processing unit allowing the first and second microcomputers to be synchronized. The second microcomputer performs a calculation and compares the result with the calculation result of the first microcomputer so that the second microcomputer can accurately determine whether or not the first microcomputer is abnormal. When the abnormality occurs in the first microcomputer based on the determination, the actuators are controlled by switching to the control commands calculated by the second microcomputer which is synchronized with the arithmetic processing unit. Thus, the device performs seamless self-driving control without the occurrence of abrupt control gaps.