Abstract: A system for enabling a user to remotely control a robotic medical device system includes a motion capture apparatus to capture motion of a user in a sensing volume and generate indicative output data. The system includes a control unit configured to execute gesture recognition logic that recognizes a user gesture based on analysis of the indicative output data. The control unit executes interpreter logic that is configured to translate the recognized user gesture into a corresponding robotic medical device control command configured to control an aspect of the operation of the robotic medical device system.

Abstract: Techniques described herein include a system and method for switching an airbag on or off based on determining that an object situated in a vehicle seat meets one or more conditions. In some embodiments, the vehicle seat may be fitted with a weight sensor configured to detect an object situated in the vehicle seat. The system may include a camera device configured to capture image information associated with the object situated in the vehicle seat. The image information may be processed to determine if the object is a person meeting one or more threshold conditions for activating the airbag. Upon processing the image information, the airbag may be provided with instructions to either activate or deactivate.

Abstract: Various methods of detecting or controlling vehicle stability are disclosed. Certain embodiments provide a method for performing hill hold control for a vehicle, a method for detecting a vehicle sliding into loss of control, and/or a method for controlling a vehicle's sliding into loss of control. Methods for detecting sliding into loss of control may include comparing the vehicle's longitudinal velocity gradient with a reference speed computed from wheel speed sensors inputs and/or detecting a lateral velocity of the vehicle and a longitudinal velocity of the vehicle when vehicle sliding is detected. Methods for control may include calculating a vehicle pitch angle from the lateral acceleration, the longitudinal acceleration, the yaw rate, the roll rate, and the pitch rate, calculating a longitudinal velocity gradient from the vehicle pitch angle, and/or calculating a sideslip angle.

Abstract: A robotic surgical systems and methods of operating the same are provided. The system comprises a surgical tool, a manipulator having a plurality of joints and supporting the surgical tool, and a controller. A virtual simulation represents the surgical tool as a virtual rigid body having a virtual mass including an inertia about at least one of the joints. The controller determines an expected joint torque for the joint. The expected joint torque is compared to an actual joint torque of the joint to determine a joint torque difference. The inertia of the virtual mass about the joint is determined. An angular acceleration about the joint is computed using the joint torque difference and the inertia. The angular acceleration is projected to the virtual mass to determine an external force. The controller simulates dynamics of the surgical tool in the virtual simulation in response to the external force.

Abstract: Provided is a method and device for positioning a vehicle attachment point in a vehicle environment. On retrieving a plurality of object parameters relating to an object, a determination is made for a vehicle distance value relative to the vehicle attachment point in order to accommodate an object distance parameter that was retrieved from the plurality of object parameters. A vehicle environment assessment is then made relating to accommodating the physical characteristics of the object and the vehicle associated with the vehicle attachment point. Based on the assessment, vehicle attachment point positional data may be generated for positioning the vehicle attachment point relative to a vehicle environment based on at least the object distance parameter and the vehicle distance value.

Abstract: A surgical system for control of a surgical mechanical arm, which system comprises: at least one input arm comprising: a plurality of sections; a plurality of joints sequentially coupling said plurality of sections; at least one sensor configured to measure movement of one or more of said sections; and a weight attached to one of said plurality of sections which biases said one of said plurality of sections to a null configuration, by movement under gravity of said one of said plurality of sections about one or more of said joints; and circuitry configured to receive a measurement signal from said at least one sensor and to generate a control signal, based on said measurement signal for control of movement of said surgical mechanical arm.

Abstract: A robot control system includes: plural robots that are disposed in a region; a generating unit that divides the region into plural small regions and generates disposition position information for specifying disposition positions of each of the plural robots in the region based on a value indicating a use possibility of a robot in each small regions; and a disposition unit that disposes the plural robots in the region in accordance with the disposition position information generated by the generating unit.

Abstract: A method for positioning a truck for loading by a loading machine includes setting a loading spot location by the loading machine via a truck spotting system. The loading spot location is broadcast to trucks within a broadcast range. The loading spot location is displayed only to a truck that is in reverse gear.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are techniques for implementing vehicle ECU reprogramming, so the ECU programming, which plays a large role in vehicle performance characteristics, is tailored to current operational requirements, which may be different than the operational characteristics selected by the manufacturer when initially programming the vehicle ECU (or ECUs) with specific instruction sets, such as fuel maps. In one embodiment, a controller monitors the current operational characteristics of the vehicle, determines the current ECU programming, and determines if a different programming set would better suited to the current operating conditions. In the event that the current programming set should be replaced, the controller implements the ECU reprogramming. In a related embodiment, users are enabled to specify the ECU programming to change, such as changing speed limiter settings.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a computer-implemented method of sensor planning for acquiring samples via an apparatus including one or more sensors. The computer-implemented method includes defining, by one or more computing devices, an area of interest; identifying, by the one or more computing devices, one or more sensing parameters for the one or more sensors; determining, by the one or more computing devices, a sampling combination for acquiring a plurality of samples by the one or more sensors based at least in part on the one or more sensing parameters; and providing, by the one or more computing devices, one or more command control signals to the apparatus including the one or more sensors to acquire the plurality of samples of the area of interest using the one or more sensors based at least on the sampling combination.

Abstract: An example implementation for determining mechanically-timed footsteps may involve a robot having a first foot in contact with a ground surface and a second foot not in contact with the ground surface. The robot may determine a position of its center of mass and center of mass velocity, and based on these, determine a capture point for the robot. The robot may also determine a threshold position for the capture point, where the threshold position is based on a target trajectory for the capture point after the second foot contacts the ground surface. The robot may determine that the capture point has reached this threshold position and based on this determination, cause the second foot to contact the ground surface.

Abstract: A power distribution method and system for a fuel cell vehicle is provided. The method includes deducing an amount of moisture in a stack of a fuel cell, when a supply amount of air of the stack of the fuel cell is decreased and determining a state of the fuel cell based on the amount of moisture. Additionally, the method includes deducing allowance power of a regenerative braking of a driving motor using maximum power of the regenerative braking of an air compressor and chargeable power of a high voltage battery based on the determined state. The regenerative braking of the driving motor is then adjusted to prevent actual power of the regenerative braking of the driving motor from exceeding the allowance power of the regenerative braking.

Abstract: A robot includes a tractor, a walker, an input device, and a controller. The tractor includes a connector and pulls a user through the connector. The walker includes wheels for moving the tractor and one or more brakes for the wheels and is coupled to the tractor. The input device receives an instruction to operate at least one of the tractor and the walker. In response to reception of the instruction by the input device, the controller determines whether or not to permit the tractor and/or the walker to perform a process based on the instruction, in accordance with a current state of the robot, the current state being one of a plurality of states of the robot. Each state is represented by using values of items, one of the items being an item indicating whether or not the one or more brakes are applied to the wheels.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are techniques for implementing vehicle ECU reprogramming, so the ECU programming, which plays a large role in vehicle performance characteristics, is tailored to current operational requirements, which may be different than the operational characteristics selected by the manufacturer when initially programming the vehicle ECU (or ECUs) with specific instruction sets, such as fuel maps. In one embodiment, a controller monitors the current operational characteristics of the vehicle, determines the current ECU programming, and determines if a different programming set would better suited to the current operating conditions. In the event that the current programming set should be replaced, the controller implements the ECU reprogramming. In a related embodiment, users are enabled to specify the ECU programming to change, such as changing speed limiter settings.

Abstract: A robot control system includes: a plurality of conversation-type robots including an acquiring unit configured to acquire conversation information including conversation content during conversation with the user, background information during the conversation with the sure, and information on emotional reaction of a user during the conversation with the user; a collector configured to collect the acquired conversation information; and a generator configured to generate control information for controlling the plurality of conversation-type robots by using the collected conversation information. The plurality of conversation-type robots have a conversation with the user by using the control information to acquire new conversation information from the user.

Abstract: Example methods and devices for touch-down detection for a robotic device are described herein. In an example embodiment, a computing system may receive a force signal due to a force experienced at a limb of a robotic device. The system may receive an output signal from a sensor of the end component of the limb. Responsive to the received signals, the system may determine whether the force signal satisfies a first threshold and determine whether the output signal satisfies a second threshold. Based on at least one of the force signal satisfying the first threshold or the output signal satisfying the second threshold, the system of the robotic device may provide a touch-down output indicating touch-down of the end component of the limb with a portion of an environment.

Abstract: A method of deriving autonomous control information involves receiving one or more sets of associated environment sensor information and device control instructions. Each set of associated environment sensor information and device control instructions includes environment sensor information representing an environment associated with an operator controllable device and associated device control instructions configured to cause the operator controllable device to simulate at least one action taken by at least one operator experiencing a representation of the environment generated from the environment sensor information.

Abstract: An electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes a processor configured to receive an input for executing an application that provides a map service, sense a selection input event associated with a creation image item of a map of interest provided in the application, receive an inputting of title information of the map of interest, allowed regional scope information, and access right information that allows access to the map of interest, generate map-of-interest data based on the received input, and control a display module to display a map-of-interest user interface (UI) based on the generated map-of-interest data, and a communication module configured to transmit the generated map-of-interest data to a server.

Abstract: A battery system includes an electricity storage device including a plurality of battery units. The electronic control device is configured to switch a travel mode of the vehicle between a CD mode and a CS mode. The electronic control device is configured to calculate a vehicle state of charge at a higher value than an average state of charge when the average state of charge is higher than a threshold value, and calculate the vehicle state of charge at a lower value than the average state of charge when the average state of charge is lower than the threshold value. The threshold value is set at a lower value than a center value between an upper limit value and a lower limit value of the vehicle state of charge.

Abstract: A control section is configured to perform a high-degree abnormal state control in which the control section terminates a specified shifting step for shifting a vehicle to an operable state and shifts the vehicle to an operation inhibiting state when an operation checking section determines that the vehicle is in a predetermined high-degree abnormal state, and the control section is configured to perform a low-degree abnormal state control different from a normal state control without terminating the specified shifting step, when the operation checking section determines that the vehicle is in a predetermined low-degree abnormal state different from the predetermined high-degree abnormal state, and perform the normal state control, when the operation checking section determines that the vehicle has been restored from the predetermined low-degree abnormal state to a state in which the vehicle is operable normally.