Abstract: Included is a method for a first robotic device to collaborate with a second robotic device, including: actuating, with a processor of the first robotic device, the first robotic device to execute a first part of a cleaning task; transmitting, with the processor of the first robotic device, information to a processor of the second robotic device upon completion of the first part of the cleaning task; receiving, with the processor of the second robotic device, the information transmitted from the processor of the first robotic device; and actuating, with the processor of the second robotic device, the second robotic device to execute a second part of the cleaning task upon receiving the signal; wherein the first robotic device and the second robotic device are surface cleaning robotic devices with a functionality comprising at least one of vacuuming and mopping.

Abstract: A system and method for performing object detection are presented. The system receives spatial structure information associated with an object which is or has been in a camera field of view of a spatial structure sensing camera. The spatial structure information is generated by the spatial structure sensing camera, and includes depth information for an environment in the camera field of view. The system determines a container pose based on the spatial structure information, wherein the container pose is for describing at least one of an orientation for the container or a depth value for at least a portion of the container. The system further determines an object pose based on the container pose, wherein the object pose is for describing at least one of an orientation for the object or a depth value for at least a portion of the object.

Abstract: A vehicle control apparatus includes at least one processor and at least one memory communicably coupled to the processor. The processor sets a target steering angle every predetermined cycle, on the basis of a curvature radius of a first arc passing through a current position of a vehicle, and controls a steering angle on the basis of the target steering angle. The processor sets the target steering angle by obtaining a second arc passing through the current position and tangent to a traveling direction of the vehicle, on the basis of a sum of minimum distances to the first arc from respective target points on a target path. The processor sets the target steering angle in a second cycle following a first cycle, before the vehicle reaches a position corresponding to the farthest one of the target points used for setting of the target steering angle in the first cycle.

Abstract: The application relates to systems and techniques for remotely navigating a marine vessel. The systems can include a dynamic positioning system and/or a marine location management system for remotely navigating a marine vessel. The marine location management system can include a communication module for receiving a geographic location of the marine vessel and transmitting a navigation plan to a vessel control system. The marine location management system can also include a processor adapted to determine the geographical coordinates of the marine location and the marine vessel. In some cases, the marine vessel can include a thruster system adapted to receive the navigation plan and determine a set of thrust vectors based on the navigation plan.

Abstract: The control device includes a vehicle required braking force acquisition unit that acquires a vehicle required braking force that is a required value of the braking force applied to the vehicle, and a roll control unit that controls the rolling motion of the vehicle by adjusting a distribution ratio of the braking force with respect to a target wheel including at least one of a rear wheel on an inside during turning and a front wheel on an outside during turning of the vehicle when the braking force is applied to the vehicle according to the vehicle required braking force under a situation where the vehicle is turning.

Abstract: Disclosed are solutions for an autonomous vehicle to real-time detect and determine dynamic and/or obscured obstacles to support navigation and services to within a desired proximity of said obstacles. Certain such implementations are specifically directed to autonomous mowers, for example, capable of real-time object detection to determine location and orientation of solar panels in a solar farm, for example, and based on the location and orientation of such solar panels further determine the location of their corresponding posts that may be otherwise obstructed from direct detection by the autonomous mower's other sensing systems possibly due to vegetation growth around the posts or other reasons.

Abstract: The invention relates to a steering assembly (12) for a vehicle (10). The steering assembly (12) comprises a first steering actuator (14) and a second steering actuator (16). The first steering actuator (14) is adapted to be actuated in accordance with at least one signal issued from a motion control system (18) to control a steering angle of at least one steerable ground engaging member (20, 22) of the vehicle (10) to thereby control the steering of the vehicle (10). The first steering actuator (14) is associated with a first nominal steering capability, defining at least one limitation of at least one of the following: steering angle, steering angle rate and steering torque, for the at least one steerable ground engaging member (20, 22).

Abstract: Calibrating and optimizing settings of power equipment devices are detailed throughout this disclosure. A mobile device application can be connected with a control device of a power equipment, and data pertaining to current environmental conditions (e.g., turf moisture), turf characteristics (e.g., type of grass, etc.) or machine parameters can be entered into the mobile device application and utilized for generating improved setting value(s). Also disclosed are algorithms for correlating these conditions, characteristics and parameters with adjustment data for adjusting machine settings to achieve a desired performance of a power equipment device.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a tracking system for tracking a position and orientation of an object, the tracking system including: a tracking base provided in an environment, the tracking base including: a tracking head support; and, at least three tracking heads mounted to the tracking head support, a target system including at least three targets mounted to the object, each target including a reflector that reflects a radiation beam to the base sensor of a respective tracking head; and, a control system that: causes each tracking head to track a respective target as it moves throughout the environment; determines a position of each target with respect to a respective tracking head; determines an orientation of the target system using at least in part the determined position of each target; and, determines the position and orientation of the object using at least in part the position and orientation of the target system.

Abstract: A driving force control system that controls a driving force in line with a driver's intension to propel a vehicle on a slippery road surface without wheel slip. A controller is configured to obtain individual relations of a slip ratio on a road surface to parameters including the driving force, a running resistance of the vehicle, and an accelerating force of the vehicle, and to control the driving force based on the obtained relations of the slip ratio to each of said parameters.

Abstract: A vehicle is provided that includes a cruise control deactivation system. The system includes a cruise control system, and a user control that, when activated, commands deactivation of the cruise control system. The system also includes a processor configured to permit or override the commanded deactivation of the cruise control system while the vehicle is moving, based on at least one criterion. Criteria may include whether or not a first sensor detects a foot of a driver of the vehicle on an accelerator pedal of the vehicle, and whether or not a first computation indicates that the deactivation of the cruise control system will cause a collision with a second vehicle located behind the vehicle.

Abstract: In certain embodiments, a method includes accessing image information for a scene in a movement path of a mobile robot. The image includes image information for each of a plurality of pixels of the scene, the image information comprising respective intensity values and respective distance values. The method includes analyzing the image information to determine whether to modify the movement path of the mobile robot. The method includes initiating, in response to determining according to the image information to modify the movement path of the mobile robot, sending of a command to a drive subsystem of the mobile robot to modify the movement path of the mobile robot.

Abstract: A cruise control system for a motor vehicle. The system includes a setpoint value generator for generating a setpoint value determining the vehicle speed, and an actuating device that controls the speed of the vehicle to a setpoint speed through intervention into the drive and/or braking system. The system automatically adapts the setpoint speed to a predicted roadway curvature. The setpoint value generator includes at least two modules working independently from one another, including a base module for generating a base setpoint value and a curve module for generating a curve setpoint value that represents a maximum speed at which a curve having a given curvature may be negotiated without exceeding a predefined limiting value for the lateral acceleration of the vehicle, and includes a fusion module that forms a final setpoint value for the actuating device from the base setpoint value and the curve setpoint value through minimum selection.

Abstract: An electronic device includes a first set of sensors configured to generate motion information. The electronic device also includes a second set of sensors configured to receive information from multiple anchors. The electronic device further includes a processor configured to generate a path to drive the electronic device within an area. The processor is configured to receive the motion information. The processor is configured to generate ranging information based on the information that is received. While the electronic device is driven along the path, the processor is configured to identify a location and heading direction within the area of the electronic device based on the motion information. The processor is configured to modify the estimate of location and the heading direction of the electronic device based on the ranging information. The processor is configured to drive within the area according to the path, based on the location and heading direction.

Abstract: An automated apparatus can provide pre-analytical processing of samples, racking and forwarding to an adjacent analyzer for analysis. The apparatus may have a controller that implements an auto-learn process to teach robotic handlers the locations within the workspace(s) of the apparatus. A robotic sample handler may include a sensor configured to generate a detection signal when in a near vicinity of a fiducial beacon in the workspace of the apparatus for biological sample preparation, preprocessing and/or diagnostic assay performed by one or more analyzers of the automated apparatus. The controller may control the robotic sample handler to conduct a search pattern so that a location of the fiducial beacon may be detected and thereafter calculated to obtain a more accurate location of the beacon. The calculated positions may then serve as a basis for the controlled movement of samples by the robot to and from locations of the workspace.

Abstract: A lawn vehicle network includes a charging station having a visual identifier, a lawn vehicle having a battery, a blade system, a drive system whose output effects lawn vehicle forward movement, a processor board connected to both systems, the processor board capable of processing image data and sending commands to both systems, and a vision assembly connected to the processor board and able to transmit image data to the processor board, and the processor board, having received the image data, able to, if the image data represent a first object, maintain the drive system's output at the time of that determination, if the image data represent a second object, change the drive system's output at the time of that determination, and if the image data represent the visual identifier, maintain the drive system's output or send a shutoff command to the vision assembly at the time of that determination.

Abstract: Systems and methods for predicting an optimal use level of a driver assist system are provided. The system may collect historical driver behavior and road condition data, and train an optimization prediction model using the historical data, e.g., via machine learning or artificial intelligence. Moreover, the system may collect real-time driver behavior and road condition data, and predict an optimal use level of the driver assist system based on the real-time data using the trained optimization prediction model. The system may then send feedback to the driver assist system when the optimal use level falls outside a predetermined threshold, such that the driver assist system may be unavailable or have reduced functionality until the optimal use level improves.

Abstract: A method for operating a system with a first automatically moving floor processing device and a second automatically moving floor processing device in which the first floor processing device detects environmental features in an environment of the first floor processing device. The first floor processing device or a shared computing device allocated to both the processing devices generates a first area map based on the detected environmental features, and the first floor processing device also detects the second floor processing device, and the position of the second floor processing device is thereupon stored within the generated first area map. The second floor processing device receives information about a current position of the second floor processing device within the first area map, and controls a second floor processing activity as soon as the first floor processing device has detected the second floor processing device.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems and methods for autonomous vehicle operation, in which a processor is configured to receive sensor data collected by a first sensor of a first autonomous vehicle during navigation of the first autonomous vehicle through a particular location and prior to a control signal subsequently generated by a controller of the first autonomous vehicle; determine based on the sensor data an event that triggered the control signal. A communication device coupled to the processor is configured to transmit to a second autonomous vehicle an instruction, based on the determined event, to adjust sensor data collected by a second sensor of the second autonomous vehicle during navigation of the second autonomous vehicle in the particular location.

Abstract: Elements of a machine are moved relative to one another along several axes. A monitoring device receives groups of position values of the axes which specify the relative position of the elements to one another. The surfaces and/or volumes of the elements taking up working space are determined therefrom. The monitoring device checks whether a collision risk between the elements exists. The monitoring device models at least parts of the surfaces of the elements with two-dimensional splines defined by nodes and checkpoints. The monitoring device further determines from the checkpoints of the splines for sections envelopes which envelop respective element in the respective section, and uses the respective envelope as a surface that is taken up by the respective element in the respective section. Boundary lines of faces of the envelopes are straight connecting lines of the checkpoints.