Abstract: A sensor retrieval system includes a self-propelled unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) having a control system including a navigation controller, an excavator controller and an extractor controller. The navigation controller has instructions to move the UGV to proximate a geodetic position of a sensor disposed proximate a surface of the ground. The UGV further comprises a sensor position locator arranged to determine distance, direction and relative elevation of the sensor with respect to the UGV. An extractor is in signal communication with the extractor controller. The extractor comprises means for lifting the sensor from the ground to a predetermined depth. An excavator is in signal communication with the excavator controller. The excavator comprises means for removing overburden from above the sensor to leave the overburden to at most the predetermined depth.

Abstract: A robot collision avoidance motion planning technique using a worst state search and optimization. The motion planning technique begins with a geometric definition of obstacles, start and goal points, and an initial set of waypoints which may be sparsely spaced. Given an inter-point interpolation method such as linear or spline, a continuous trajectory can be described as a function of the waypoints and an arc length parameter. A worst state search is then performed which finds a location between each adjacent pair of waypoints having a worst state of distance to obstacle, considering all parts of the robot and tool. A collision avoidance constraint is defined using the worst state locations, and an optimization of the waypoint locations is then performed to improve the worst states until all collisions are eliminated and an obstacle avoidance minimum distance criteria is met.

Abstract: Some autonomous cleaning robots include a drive configured to maneuver the autonomous cleaning robot about a floor surface. The robots include a cleaning system to clean the floor surface as the autonomous cleaning robot is maneuvered about the floor surface. The robots include a robot button positioned on the autonomous cleaning robot. The robots include a controller in electrical communication with the drive and the robot button. The controller is configured to perform operations including selecting a behavior of the autonomous cleaning robot from a plurality of behaviors of the autonomous cleaning robot responsive to a duration of actuation of the robot button and causing the autonomous mobile robot to initiate the behavior.

Abstract: A method for moving an exoskeleton from a seated position to a standing position (and vice versa) in which none of the degrees of freedom of the exoskeleton is non-actuated. The method includes the implementation by a data processor of steps of: (a) generating a trajectory of the exoskeleton from the seated position to the standing position (and vice versa), the trajectory being parameterised as a function of time; (b) applying to the trajectory a set of virtual constraints on the actuated degrees of freedom, the virtual constraints being parameterised by a phase variable; and (c) running a controller of the exoskeleton associated with the set of virtual constraints such that the exoskeleton moves from the seated position to the standing position (and vice versa), the controller being capable of generating commands for the actuators so as to comply with the virtual constraints during the trajectory.

Abstract: A reactive media system includes a motion control system having an animated figure with a body and actuators configured to adjust a figure portion of the body in response to interactive data received from one or more interactive data sources. The reactive media system includes a media control system having a tracking camera configured to generate signals indicative of a current position and orientation of the figure portion based on a set of trackers coupled to the figure portion. The media control system includes a media controller configured to receive the signals, determine the current position and orientation based on the signals, and generate data indicative of images to be projected onto an external surface of the figure portion having the current position and orientation. The media control system also includes a projector configured to receive the data from the media controller and project the images onto the external surface.

Abstract: A calibration method, in a robot having a robot arm, of obtaining a position relationship between a first control point set for an end effector attached to a distal end of the robot arm and a second control point set on the distal end of the robot arm, includes a sixth step of calculating a second position relationship between a second reference position obtained from a position of the second control point in a third state and a position of the second control point in a fourth state and a first feature point in the fourth state, and a seventh step of calculating coordinates of the first feature point in a robot coordinate system based on a first position relationship and the second position relationship.

Abstract: A method of calibrating a system including a camera, the method including detecting a robot navigating within an environment modeled as a geo-polygon space, including a transit of the robot through a scene of the environment captured by the camera, mapping a plurality of points occupied by the robot in images of the scene to the geo-polygon space, recording data about the mapping, and configuring at least one alert using the data recorded about the mapping, the alert executed by the computing system and configured to be triggered by an object transiting the scene.

Abstract: A control method for a cleaning system, comprising the following steps: first control step—controlling a transfer robot to move a cleaning robot to a cleaning area; cleaning control step—controlling the cleaning robot to perform a cleaning operation on a upper surface of the cleaning area; second control step—controlling a transfer robot to move the cleaning robot away from the cleaning area.

Abstract: A robot control system includes a state candidate generation unit that generates a state candidate that is a state transition destination of a robot at next time, a control amount estimation unit that estimates a control amount for transitioning to the state candidate, a state candidate evaluation unit that calculates a distance between the target state of the robot and the state candidate, calculates a coincidence degree between (i) a state at next time estimated from a state at current time of the robot and the control amount and (ii) the state candidate, and sets a sum of the distance and the coincidence degree to be an evaluation value, and a selection unit that selects a state candidate with a minimum evaluation value from state candidates and generate a motion corresponding to the selected state candidate.

Abstract: An exoskeleton system includes a first exoskeleton unit configured to support a first body part, a second exoskeleton unit configured to support a second body part, and a control device. The first exoskeleton unit and the second exoskeleton unit are mechanically decoupled from each other. The control device is configured to control, based on a control model, at least one of the first exoskeleton unit and the second exoskeleton unit. The control model is based on a multibody system that models the first exoskeleton unit, the second exoskeleton unit, and at least one of the first body part and the second body part.

Abstract: Robotic devices are provided that can be operated in an autonomous mode. In various embodiments, the devices comprise lighting elements that are capable of displaying information to humans within a robotic environment. A variety of future and near-future actions are expressed through different operations and sequences of the lighting elements. The lighting elements further enable the device to express a current status.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a conveyance control system and the like that enable a scheduled recipient of a conveyance object to reliably receive the conveyance object even when a destination of a conveyance robot is changed for any reason. The conveyance control system is a conveyance control system configured to control a conveyance robot to autonomously move and convey a conveyance object to a destination, including: a change unit configured to change the destination after the conveyance robot starts conveying the conveyance object; and a notification unit configured to notify an information terminal of a scheduled recipient of the conveyance object about destination information regarding the destination that has been changed by the change unit.

Abstract: A method for navigating a robot within an environment based on a planned route includes providing the planned route to the robot, where the planned route is based on a destination of the robot and an origin of the robot. The method includes determining whether an object obstructs the robot as the robot travels along the planned route, where the environment includes the object. The method includes moving the object from the planned route in response to the robot obstructing the object.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a moving robot including a body which forms an appearance, a traveler which moves the body, a boundary signal detector which detects a boundary signal generated in a boundary area of a traveling area, and a controller which controls a traveler so that the traveler performs pattern traveling a plurality of times in the traveling area, and controls the traveler so that a traveling angle during first pattern traveling and a traveling angle during second pattern traveling are different from each other. Accordingly, when the pattern traveling is performed a plurality of times, the pattern traveling is performed at angles different from each other based on a reference axis, and it is possible to minimize an area which cannot be mowed and improve efficiency.

Abstract: Provided is a collision avoidance control apparatus including a first sensor; a second sensor; a controller configured to execute collision avoidance control; and a memory configured to, when a specific object has been detected, record information on the detected specific object, the specific object being an object which has been detected by both of the first sensor and the second sensor, in which the controller is configured to execute the collision avoidance control when determining that there is an object based on any one of the first sensor and the second sensor, and determining that the object has been already recorded as the specific object in the memory.

Abstract: A position correction device according to an embodiment includes a movable part and a pressing part. The movable part is capable of moving a holding part that holds a connection object back and forth in each of a second direction that is orthogonal to a first direction where the holding part is moved therein in order to connect the connection object to a target connector, and a rotational direction where the holding part is rotated therein around an axis along a third direction that is orthogonal to each of the first direction and the second direction as a center. The pressing part presses the movable part that moves in the second direction to move the movable part to a neutral position in the second direction and presses the movable part that moves in the rotational direction to move the movable part to a neutral position in the rotational direction.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are a robot navigating based on obstacle avoidance and a navigation method. In the robot or the navigation method of the robot according to an embodiment, a navigation route may be generated on the basis of position information on a waypoint and on objects sensed by a sensor, such that the robot may move via one or more waypoints.

Abstract: A control apparatus for a motor includes an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit includes a first controller, a second controller, a third controller, and a fourth controller. The first controller is configured to, through execution of feedback control, compute a feedback control torque to be generated by the motor. The second controller is configured to compute a disturbance torque based on the feedback control torque and a predetermined angle. The third controller is configured to correct the feedback control torque by using the disturbance torque. The fourth controller is configured to compensate a transfer lag to the second controller between the feedback control torque and the predetermined angle.

Abstract: Systems and methods relating to generations of models to facilitate safe, automated handling and maneuvering of vehicles, such as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), by robotic systems, such as a robotic arm. The described systems and methods can include a robotic system, such as a robotic arm, having a load cell to measure certain forces and torques to generate models representing the behavior of vehicles and surfaces on which the vehicles may be placed and/or from which the vehicles may be removed.

Abstract: A traffic control system for an automatic driving vehicle includes a vehicle control system and a management and control system. The management and control system collects snow removal information by a snow removal information collector, and calculates traveling environment information of the snow-removed area by a snow-removed area traveling environment information calculator. The vehicle control system performs, by a first automatic driving controller, first automatic driving control that is made redundant by a control system based on map information and location information and by a control system based on external environment recognition information.