Abstract: There is provided a mobile device that operates in order to image a subject, the mobile device including an imaging unit, a sensor that recognizes a surrounding environment, and a light emitting unit disposed on a housing in a ring shape or on the entire surface of the housing. The operation of the mobile device includes imaging, based on a set photographing plan, with the imaging unit, the subject recognized by the sensor as the mobile device moves. The light emitting unit performs a light emission expression corresponding to at least one of the photographing plan and the operation of the mobile device.

Abstract: Systems and methods for enhanced vehicle audio seat vibration with individual passenger controls. An example system includes a controller configured to obtain an input audio signal. The controller filters the input audio signal via one or more filters, with the one or more filters including a low-pass filter. The controller is in communication with a multitude of intensity controllers usable by respective persons within a vehicle, with the intensity controllers specifying respective intensities. The controller configures an amplifier based on the respective intensities, and the amplifier causes output from seat exciters configured for mounting on seats of the persons.

Abstract: Techniques and apparatus for adaptively controlling an end-effector of a robotic arm are provided. The end-effector includes at least one articulated finger having multiple facets arranged on a surface of the at least one articulated finger. The robotic arm is moved to engage an item using the at least one articulated finger. At least one of an amount of force or an amount of torque applied to the multiple facets on the surface of the at least one articulated finger is determined while the item is engaged using the at least one articulated finger. At least one of a position and orientation of the at least one articulated finger is adaptively controlled, based on at least one of the determined amount of force or the amount of torque.

Abstract: Provided are systems, methods, and computer program products for data-driven optimization of onboard data collection, comprising identifying a condition in a roadway associated with an operation of autonomous vehicles (AVs) that may be further optimized to improve performance of one or more AVs; and generating condition capture instructions to communicate to the AVs, wherein the condition capture instructions comprise one or more parameters of a storage request in one or more roadways predicted to exhibit the condition in the roadway; and when at least one instruction in the one or more condition capture instructions is received by an AV, the at least one instruction is configured to cause the AV to collect condition information in the roadway at a time when the condition is predicted to be present in the roadway.

Abstract: A manager mounted on a vehicle includes one or more processors configured to receive a plurality of kinematic plans from a plurality of advanced driver assistance system applications, arbitrate the kinematic plans, calculate motion request based on an arbitration result of the kinematic plans regardless of presence or absence of failure of a plurality of actuator systems including steering systems, and distribute the motion request to at least one of the actuator systems according to content of the failure of the actuator systems.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed that enable the generation of predicted sequences of terminals using a generator model portion of a prediction model. Various implementations include controlling actuators of a robot based on the predicted sequences of terminals. Additional or alternative implementations include jointly training the generator model portion of the prediction model using a discriminator model portion of the prediction model using, for example, stochastic adversarial based sampling.

Abstract: A reception section 102 receives a classification of a shape of a target object for a case in which a robot is to perform an action along the target object. An instruction section 104 instructs a user with a number of training points identified for each classification of the shape as training points for training positions of a specific location of the robot to perform the action. An acquisition section 106 acquires positional information of the specific location of the robot as trained by manipulation by the user according to the instruction. A estimation section 108 estimates a shape of the target object based on the acquired positional information. A generation section 110 generates a path for the robot to perform the action along the target object based on the estimated shape of the target object.

Abstract: Systems and methods for automated path planning of a surgical procedure, such that the optimal approach is selected from among a series of potential choices. The system is configured to plan and carry out, using a robotic surgical system, access to a surgical site starting from selection of the skin entry point. The methods select the best surgical approach and plan the physical path for robotically performing a selected surgical procedure. The path finding method uses preoperative MRI or CT images and computer vision or other image processing method to identify specific organs and tissues. The method then assigns values to a variety of parameters that define the tissue compressibility, penetrability, flexibility, and other characteristics. The system then plans an optimal path to reach the surgical target area with minimum danger of tissue damage and maximum patient safety, and encodes this information for execution by a robotic system.

Abstract: One variation of a method for deploying a mobile robotic system to scan inventory structures within a store includes: dispatching the mobile robotic system to navigate along inventory structures within the store during a setup cycle; at the mobile robotic system, while navigating along the inventory structures during the setup cycle, capturing a set of wireless connectivity metrics representing connectivity to a first wireless network; assembling the set of wireless connectivity metrics into a wireless connectivity map of the store; estimating a processing duration from start of the scan cycle to transformation of images of the inventory structures, captured by the mobile robotic system, into a stock condition of the store; and dispatching the mobile robotic system to autonomously capture images of the inventory structures within the store during a scan cycle preceding a scheduled restocking period in the store based on the processing duration.

Abstract: A method of optimizing a plurality of control signals used in operating a vehicle is described. The operation has a plurality of associated measurable parameters. The method includes: for each control signal, selecting a plurality of potential optimum values from a predetermined set; operating the vehicle in at least a first sequence of operation iterations, where for each pair of sequential first and second operation iterations in the first sequence of operation iterations, the potential optimum value of one control signal in the first operation iteration is replaced in the second operation iteration with a next potential optimum value of the control signal, while the potential optimum values of the remaining control signals are maintained; for each operation iteration, measuring each parameter in the plurality of measurable parameters; and generating confidence intervals for the control signals to determine causal relationships between the control signals and the measurable parameters.

Abstract: A method of determining a weight and a center of gravity of a load for a robot manipulator, the method including: gripping the load using an end effector; moving the load into a number n of distinct static poses; determining an external wrench wrench Fext for each of the n static poses; determining, in a base coordinate system, at least components of each external wrench Fext that indicate the external forces; determining a particular estimation of the weight of the load from a particular component pointing in a direction of a gravity vector from among the components of each external wrench Fext that indicate the external forces in the base coordinate system, and from a magnitude of the gravity vector; determining the weight of the load by averaging respective estimations of the weight of the load; determining estimations of coordinates of the center of gravity of the load for each of the n static poses based on the weight of the load or the particular estimation of the weight of the load determined for a par

Abstract: A method for controlling an electric vehicle driven by a plurality of electric motors including a first electric motor, in which a lubricant, which is used for lubricating the electric motors and power transmission systems therefor, is used for cooling the electric motors is provided. The method includes setting torque distributions for the plurality of electric motors on the basis of a driving force required by the electric vehicle controlling the drive of the plurality of electric motors on the basis of the set torque distributions and circulating intermittently the lubricant used for cooling the first electric motor when the torque distribution set for the first electric motor is smaller than a predetermined value which is regarded as a reference value.

Abstract: A surgical system includes a controller and a robotic arm configured to hold a surgical tool at a distal end of the robotic arm. The controller is configured to define, based on a surgical plan, a target pose relative to a tracked position of an anatomical feature, generate a planned path for moving the surgical tool held by the robotic arm from a first pose to the target pose, output control signals configured to cause automated motion of the robotic arm based on the planned path, detect a deviation of the surgical tool from the planned path, and in response to detecting the deviation of the distal end from the planned path, update the control signals to stop the automated motion of the robotic arm.

Abstract: A method of operating a robot manipulator including: ascertaining a wrench or joint torque vector based on a weight force and/or based on an inertial force of a mass of a load on an end effector of the robot manipulator; ascertaining a maximum permissible workspace and/or a maximum permissible kinematic variable, in each case based on the wrench or joint torque vector such that the wrench or joint torque vector does not exceed a predetermined metric within the maximum permissible workspace; and activating the robot manipulator to execute a predetermined task in consideration of the maximum permissible kinematic variable, such that the end effector or the load on the end effector remains within the maximum permissible workspace if, at beginning of execution of the task, the end effector or the load on the end effector is located within the maximum permissible workspace.

Abstract: An in-vacuum twin-arm robot transports substrates in a vacuum space. The in-vacuum twin-arm robot includes a base arm, a first arm, a second arm, a first hand, and a second hand. The base arm can move vertically and can rotate. The first arm can rotate with respect to the base arm. The second arm can rotate with respect to the base arm. The first hand rotates with respect to the first arm and holds and transports the substrate. The second hand rotates with respect to the second arm and holds and transports the substrate. The first arm and the second arm are rotatably mounted on a leading end of the base arm via a joint shaft formed hollow. An angle of the first hand with respect to the first arm and an angle of the second hand with respect to the second arm can be changed independently of each other.

Abstract: A reactive path planner for vehicles is disclosed. The reactive path planner, based on a nominal path from A to B, generates alternative parallel paths which are displaced by a predefined lateral distance from the nominal path using constrained quintic polynomials. Constraints are imposed on the alternative paths to ensure safety and comfort based on dynamic and mechanical feasibilities of the vehicle. A cost function is applied to the nominal path and alternative paths select the path with the least cost. The reactive path planner achieves a complete path planning solution with high computational efficiency, even in highly cluttered and dynamic environments.

Abstract: The robot includes a storage unit and a control unit. The control unit acquires outside stimulus feature amounts that are feature amounts of an outside stimulus acting from outside, stores the acquired outside stimulus feature amounts in the storage unit as a history, compares outside stimulus feature amounts acquired at a certain timing with outside stimulus feature amounts stored in the storage unit to calculate a first similarity degree, and controls operations based on the calculated first similarity degree.

Abstract: Systems and techniques are provided for management of autonomous cargo by autonomous vehicles (AVs). An example method can include determining, based on data from one or more sensors, a location for deploying a ramp that enables robots to enter the AV, the location comprising an area free of obstacles having one or more dimensions above a threshold; generating an instruction configured to trigger the AV to stop at the location; based on a determination that the AV is at the stopping position, deploying the ramp; sending, to the robots, a message instructing the robots to enter a cabin of the AV via the ramp and guiding each robot to a respective location within the cabin; and based on a determination that the AV has reached a destination of one or more robots, deploying the ramp and guiding the one or more robots to exit the cabin via the ramp.

Abstract: A method for activating an automated parking maneuver to be carried out via a parking assistance system with a motor vehicle is provided. The parking assistance system can be operated remotely from outside the motor vehicle by way of a mobile communications device. The method includes outputting an instruction via the mobile communications device for the user-side execution of a predefined activation movement of the mobile communications device; determining first sensor information relating to the activation movement of the communications device by way of a communications-device-side sensor system; detecting an activation movement of the mobile communications device carried out by the mobile communications device based on the first sensor information; and activating the parking maneuver according to the detection of the activation movement of the mobile communications device.

Abstract: A positioning system is provided for insertions and placements with increased accuracy and precision for the placement and insertion of components into elements. The system may utilize one or more sensors to provide individual images or data for each individual insertion of components into elements. The system may use known information to compare the individual images or data to provide increased accuracy and precision for insertion of components into elements.