Abstract: A system and method of collision avoidance includes determining first positions of first joints of a first repositionable arm and second positions of second joints of a second repositionable arm. Distal ends of the first and second repositionable arms are configured to support first and second instruments, respectively. The system and method further include determining first and second virtual boundaries around the first and second repositionable arms, determining an overlap between the first and second virtual boundaries, determining an overlap force on the first repositionable arm due to the overlap, mapping the overlap force to virtual torques on the first joints proximal to the overlap, determining a tip force on a distal end of the first instrument, and applying the tip force as feedback on the first instrument.

Abstract: Robotic devices may be trained by a trainer guiding the robot along a target trajectory using physical contact with the robot. The robot may comprise an adaptive controller configured to generate control commands based on one or more of the trainer input, sensory input, and/or performance measure. The trainer may observe task execution by the robot. Responsive to observing a discrepancy between the target behavior and the actual behavior, the trainer may provide a teaching input via a haptic action. The robot may execute the action based on a combination of the internal control signal produced by a learning process of the robot and the training input. The robot may infer the teaching input based on a comparison of a predicted state and actual state of the robot. The robot's learning process may be adjusted in accordance with the teaching input so as to reduce the discrepancy during a subsequent trial.

Abstract: A safety exit assist system and a method therefor are provided. The system includes a plurality of child lock latches configured to be respectively located in left and right doors of a vehicle and execute child lock or child lock release and a controller configured to control the plurality of child lock latches and instruct the plurality of child lock latches to execute the child lock if receiving a proximity warning signal relative to a rear of the vehicle from a blind spot detection (BSD) device.

Abstract: An electronic power control assembly for a bicycle electronic device, a system having the same, and a control method thereof are disclosed. The electronic power control assembly is adapted to be electrically connected to a power source and a control module for controlling at least one electronic device on a bicycle to operate and includes a sensing unit for sensing a motion state of the bicycle, a first timing unit adapted to count a first predetermined time period, and a first control unit. When the sensing unit senses that the bicycle is in a moving state, the first control unit controls the first timing unit to recount and controls the power source to supply electricity to the control module. When the first timing unit finishes counting the first predetermined time period, the first control unit controls the power source to stop supplying electricity to the control module.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a robot comprising a horizontal or horizontally slanted transparent experiment layer being adapted to support items at arbitrary positions on or in the experiment layer, and a moveable sensor arranged below the transparent experimental layer said sensor being configured for providing a sensor signal indicative of item(s)' location on the experiment layer, an actuator arranged for being moved into different positions above the horizontal transparent layer a display device being configured for visually representing located item(s) a user input device configured for receiving information as to operation of the actuator.

Abstract: A method of surgical robot operation includes moving a surgical instrument through a medium using the surgical robot, where the surgical robot attempts to move the surgical instrument to a desired position. The method further includes measuring an actual position of the surgical instrument, and calculating a difference between the actual position and the desired position. The actual position of the surgical instrument is adjusted to the desired position using the surgical robot.

Abstract: A target-following carrier is disclosed. The target-following carrier includes a target-end device, a moving carrier and a target following assembly. The target-following carrier provided by the present invention utilizes two techniques to detect the distance between a target and the moving carrier. When said detected distance is shorter than a control exchange distance, distance data from laser rangefinders replace that from two RF modules. Therefore, a relative-distanced following can be applied to the target. Meanwhile, the target following assembly can be made compact to mount on any moving carriers, such as a smart luggage or a golf cart, fulfilling the requirements from the market.

Abstract: A system and a method for following a target are disclosed. The system includes steps of: A. providing a signal transmitting RF module mounted on a target, a signal receiving RF module on a moving carrier, and at least 3 laser rangefinders aside the signal receiving RF module; B. calculating an estimated distance and a directional angle; C. driving the moving carrier toward the target while maintaining the directional angle substantially 0 degree; D. repeating step B and step C until the estimated distance is shorter than a control exchange distance; E. dynamically tracking the target by one of the laser rangefinders so that a relative distance between said laser rangefinder and the target can be successively calculated while calculating the estimated distance and the directional angle; and F. driving the moving carrier to keep the relative distance within a predetermined range and maintain the normal direction substantially toward the target.

Abstract: A robot system is provided in which various kinds of articles can be treated only with a small number of articles registered in advance, and an unknown article can be further treated as long as the article has a shape close to that of the article registered in advance. A robot system is disclosed which includes: a mechanism unit that manipulates an article to be manipulated; a shape measurement unit that measures a shape of an object; a basic operation storage unit that stores basic operation representing basic operation of the mechanism unit; an operation method calculation unit that deforms the stored basic operation to calculate an operation method on the basis of the shape of the object measured by the shape measurement unit; and a control unit that executes a control of the mechanism unit on the basis of the operation method calculated by the operation method calculation unit.

Abstract: A method of controlling a holding apparatus configured to hold plural kinds of target objects by plural fingers in plural relative postures includes calculating, on a basis of information about holding force of the fingers in a relative posture for a target object, an amount of positional deviation of the target object held by the fingers, and correcting, on a basis of the amount of positional deviation calculated in the calculating, a position of the target object held by the fingers.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for training and operating of robotic devices. Robotic controller may comprise a predictor apparatus configured to generate motor control output. The predictor may be operable in accordance with a learning process based on a teaching signal comprising the control output. An adaptive controller block may provide control output that may be combined with the predicted control output. The predictor learning process may be configured to learn the combined control signal. Predictor training may comprise a plurality of trials. During initial trial, the control output may be capable of causing a robot to perform a task. During intermediate trials, individual contributions from the controller block and the predictor may be inadequate for the task. Upon learning, the control knowledge may be transferred to the predictor so as to enable task execution in absence of subsequent inputs from the controller. Control output and/or predictor output may comprise multi-channel signals.

Abstract: The invention relates to a system for monitoring air quality in an environment, including at least one mobile robot (20) in the environment, a docking station (10) placed in the environment and including a parking area for receiving the robot, air quality sensors on board the mobile robot, air quality sensors fitted in the docking station, and a calibration manager for collecting measures carried out by at least one air quality sensor on board the mobile robot (20) while the mobile robot is received in the parking area of the docking station (10), and measures carried out at the same time by another air quality sensor fitted in the docking station, of the same type as the on-board air quality sensor.

Abstract: An unmanned conveyance vehicle includes a monitoring section which includes, as monitoring regions for detecting obstacles, a first monitoring region and a second monitoring region which is capable of detecting obstacles that are more distant than the first monitoring region, and a light emitting section which emits light in the first monitoring region, in which when an obstacle is detected within the first monitoring region, a vehicle is caused to perform an emergency stop. Ordinarily, when the unmanned conveyance vehicle stops the light emission of the light emitting section and detects an obstacle within the second monitoring region, the unmanned conveyance vehicle causes the light emitting section to emit light. Accordingly, when an operator enters the second monitoring region, the operator is capable of recognizing a distance at which, when reached by the unmanned conveyance vehicle, the unmanned conveyance vehicle will perform the emergency stop.

Abstract: A new drive includes a plurality of instances of location data that are received. The location data was captured by a probe apparatus onboard a vehicle as the vehicle traversed a lane network. The plurality of instances of location data are map matched using a lane level map matcher. The matched nodes (e.g., nodes of the LNG model representing the lane network to which an instance of location data was map matched) are identified and updated based on the new drive. Unmatched instances of location data (e.g., instances of location data that cannot be satisfactorily matched to a node of the LNG model) may be used to generate new nodes of the LNG model. A portion of the LNG model may be updated based on an update to a linked localization layer.

Abstract: A device for positioning a processing tool: a processing tool for processing the to-be-processed workpiece's surface while pressing the surface to be processed; a movement mechanism able to displace processing tool's distal end in a first direction orthogonal to the surface to be processed and/or a second direction parallel with the surface to be processed; a force sensor able to detect a force in the first and second direction applied to the processing tool's distal end pressed onto the surface to be processed; and a control device for executing a correction step for controlling the movement mechanism so the surface to be processed is pressed while the distal end's position of the processing tool is aligned with a processing reference position on the surface to be processed, and correcting the processing tool's position so that the force in the second direction is within a specific value or less.

Abstract: A method of operating a robotic cleaning device over a surface to be cleaned, the method being performed by the robotic cleaning device. The method includes: following a boundary of a first object while registering path markers including positional information at intervals on the surface; tracing previously registered path markers at an offset upon encountering one or more of the previously registered path markers; and switching from tracing the previously registered path markers to following an edge of a second object upon detection of the second object.

Abstract: A robotic surgical system employs a surgical instrument (20), a robot (40) for navigating the surgical instrument (20) relative to an anatomical region (10) within a coordinate system (42) of the robot (40), and a robot controller (43) for defining a remote center of motion for a spherical rotation of the surgical instrument (20) within the coordinate system (42) of the robot (40) based on a physical location within the coordinate system (42) of the robot (40) of a port (12) into the anatomical region (10). The definition of the remote center of rotation is used by the robot controller (43) to command the robot (40) to align the remote center of motion of the surgical instrument (20) with the port (12) into the anatomical region (10) for spherically rotating the surgical instrument (20) relative to the port (12) into the anatomical region (10).

Abstract: In one or more embodiments, one or more systems, methods, and/or processes may receive respective service center candidacy information from service center computers; determine that an autonomous vehicle requires service work; determine a pool of service centers that are capable of providing the service work for the autonomous vehicle; select, based at least on a reduction in a utilization of at least one resource, a service center from the pool of service centers; and provide, to the autonomous vehicle computing device associated with the autonomous vehicle, location information of the selected service center.

Abstract: During an operation of a mobile robot 1, observed values of a plurality of reference parameters including at least one of contact reaction forces) of one or more movable links 3, 4 and a contact reaction force function value expressed as a function value of contact reaction force(s) of one or more movable links 3, 4 are acquired based on outputs from force detectors 31 mounted on the respective movable links 3, 4 of the mobile robot 1, and the observed values of the reference parameters are used to detect presence or absence of occurrence of abnormal contact of the mobile robot 1 by a contact detecting model Ai.

Abstract: Systems and methods for operating a robotic surgical system are provided. The system includes a surgical tool, a manipulator comprising a base supporting links for controlling the tool, a navigation system comprising a tracker coupled to the tool and a localizer to monitor a state of the tracker. A controller acquires raw kinematic measurement data about a state of the tool relative to the base from the manipulator, known relationship data about the state of the tracker relative to the tool, and raw navigation data about the state of the tracker relative to the localizer from the navigation system. The controller combines this data to determine a raw relationship between the base and the localizer. The raw relationship is filtered for controlling the manipulator. The raw relationship or a less filtered version of the raw relationship is utilized to determine whether an error has occurred in the system.