Abstract: There are provided a communication terminal, a server device, a movement guidance system, and a computer program that can provide movement guidance based on a new version of map information soon after starting up the communication terminal. Specifically, a communication terminal 5 is configured to identify, after its startup, update target areas which are areas whose terminal-side map information 48 included in the communication terminal 5 is an older version of map information than device-side map information 25 included in a server device 3; request the server device 3 for movement guidance information 26 targeted for at least update target areas around a current location, the movement guidance information 26 being used to provide movement guidance for a mobile unit; and provide movement guidance for the mobile unit using movement guidance information 26 transmitted from the server device 3 in response to the request.

Abstract: Robotic processor embodiments determine via graphical image analysis physical attributes of an engagement area of a work-piece that a specified tool physically engages to execute a specific action. The processors identify a model set plurality of alternate substitute tools that are each available within a physical environment of the engagement area and have a body portion with physical dimensions that conform to physical dimensions of the work-piece engagement area, and thereby select a substitute tool that has a body portion that best conforms to the physical dimensions of the work-piece engagement area and meets constraints for substitute tool selection for executing the specific action.

Abstract: A robot system includes a robot body, a memory, an operation controlling module, a manipulator, and a limit range setting module configured to set a limit range of the corrective manipulation by the manipulator. The operation controlling module executes a given limiting processing when a corrective manipulation is performed beyond the limit range from an operational position based on automatic operation information. The limit range setting module calculates a positional deviation between the operational position based on the automatic operation information before the correction and an operational position based on the corrected operation information, and when the positional deviation is at or below a first threshold, narrows the limit range in the next corrective manipulation by the manipulator.

Abstract: A method of controlling a robotic arm in a surgical system comprises manually applying a force to a body of the robotic arm. Force information is received from ae force sensor on the robotic arm and a controller determines, using the force information, whether the force is a gesture force input. If the force is determined to be a gesture force input, the controller initiates electromechanical movement of the manipulator arm to a draping configuration, instrument attachment configuration, storage configuration, or home configuration.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for planning an optimized motion path. The optimized motion path is determined applying a sampling-based motion-planning algorithm depending on a sample node set including sample nodes. The sample nodes in the sample node set are deterministically selected from a configuration node set including all obstacle free nodes. The sample nodes are selected to optimize a given dispersion criterion. The dispersion criterion selects the sample nodes so that the largest uncovered area/space within the configuration node set is as small as possible.

Abstract: An autonomous mobile robot (AMR) for transferring a component part in a process line of a production factory may include, a sensor unit configured to detect an obstacle in a travel path, an interface unit configured to identify coordinates of a waypoint and set an accuracy zone having a circular area around the waypoint, an omni-directional waypoint generation unit configured to obtain the travel path in a curved line which is aligned to tangentially meet a tangent vector of the circular area, a driving unit configured to generate a driving torque for driving the AMR, and a controller electrically connected to the sensor unit, the interface unit, the omni-directional waypoint generation unit and the driving unit and configured to control the driving unit to move the AMR along the travel path toward the waypoint, and when a current position of the AMR enters an effective range of the accuracy zone, to move the AMR toward the destination point without further moving toward the waypoint.

Abstract: A programmable motion system is disclosed that includes a dynamic end effector system. The dynamic end effector system includes a plurality of acquisition units that are provided at an exchange station within an area accessible by the programmable motion device, and a coupling system for coupling any of the plurality of acquisition units to an end effector of the programmable motion device such that any of the acquisition units may be automatically selected from the exchange station and used by the programmable motion device without requiring any activation or actuation by the exchange station and without requiring any intervention by a human.

Abstract: Techniques control a utility vehicle. Such techniques involve storing electric power in a lithium battery of the utility vehicle. Such techniques further involve operating a motor controller of the utility vehicle in a normal mode in which the motor controller provides electric power from a lithium battery of the utility vehicle to an electric motor of the utility vehicle to turn one or more ground engaging members of the utility vehicle. Such techniques further involve, after operating the motor controller in the normal operating mode, operating the motor controller in a walkaway mode in which the motor controller configures the electric motor to provide braking torque.

Abstract: A controller of a robot includes an operation device for an operator to perform an operation of manually changing a position and an orientation of the robot. The operation device includes a movable part configured to perform a pushing operation, a pulling operation, and a tilting operation in a predetermined direction, and an operation detection unit configured to detect the operation of the movable part. The processing device includes a manual control unit that controls an inching operation that changes the position and the orientation of the robot by a predetermined minute amount. The manual control unit determines whether or not the inching operation is performed based on the magnitude of the force with which the movable part is operated.

Abstract: A robot and a method for controlling the robot are provided. The robot includes: at least one motor provided in the robot; a camera configured to capture an image of a door; and a processor configured to determine, on the basis of at least one of depth information and a feature point identified from the image, a target position not overlapping with a moving area of the door, and control the at least one motor such that predetermined operations are performed with respect to the target position. The feature point includes at least one of a handle and a hinge of the door.

Abstract: A method includes identifying, based on grade data of a route of an autonomous vehicle (AV), a segment of the route that has a grade value that meets a threshold grade value. Responsive to identifying the segment, the method further includes generating, based on the grade data and physical vehicle data of the AV, driving constraint data for the segment of the route. The method further includes causing a routing module of the AV to generate, based on the driving constraint data for the segment of the route, short time horizon routing data corresponding to a portion of the segment. The AV is to travel the portion of the segment of the route based on the short time horizon routing data.

Abstract: A method for locating a vehicle involves detecting an elevation profile of a roadway of the vehicle and in which image features on the roadway are detected as landmarks and are compared with landmarks stored on a digital map. A transformation of the detected and/or stored landmarks into a common perspective performed to compare the landmarks. The transformation is carried out based on model parameters of a parametric model of the elevation profile of the roadway and a parametric model of a vehicle inclination. The model parameters are determined by determining an expected elevation profile of the roadway from the parametric models of the elevation profile and the vehicle inclination and minimizing a difference between the expected elevation profile and the detected elevation profile by varying the model parameters.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a steering control apparatus, a method therefor and a steering system, wherein, when a vehicle slips, the steering control apparatus increases traction by steering a road wheel to the left and right along a current steering direction. Particularly, the steering control apparatus comprises: a slip occurrence determination unit for determining whether or not the vehicle has slipped; a steering angle determination unit for, when it is determined that the vehicle has slipped, determining a current steering angle of a steering wheel as a reference steering angle; and a control unit for controlling a driving shaft so that the road wheel may be steered to the left and right within a first angle range on the basis of the reference steering angle.

Abstract: Provided are robots that autonomously detect and correct individualized anomalies resulting from deviations in the sensors and/or actuators of individual robots, and environmental anomalies resulting from deviations in the environment elements that the robots rely on or use in the execution of different tasks. To do so, a robot may receive a task, may determine expected kinematics that include expected activations of a set of sensors and actuators by which the robot executes the task, may activate the set of sensors and actuators according to the expected kinematics, may track the actual kinematics resulting from activating the set of sensors and actuators according to the expected kinematics and continuing the activations until detecting one or more environment elements signaling completion of the task, and may adjust one or more sensors, actuators, or environment elements in response to the actual kinematics deviating from the expected kinematics.

Abstract: A navigation system for aiding a human navigating, the navigation system includes a belt having a belt length and opposite belt ends, and includes an elongated compartment; a belt coupling arranged to the belt for coupling the belt ends; a compass sensor arranged to the belt and for sensing the compass direction based on the earth's magnetic field; a tactile unit arranged for tactile communicating a direction to the human; additional tactile actuators arranged to the belt and for communicating a direction to the human. The additional tactile actuators are distributed over the length of the belt. An elongated mesh is provided for arranging the elongated mesh inside the elongated compartment, the additional tactile actuators being arranged to the mesh. A processing unit is configured for controlling the navigation system.

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to controlling a vehicle having an autonomous driving mode. For instance, a current state of a traffic light may be determined. One of a plurality of yellow light durations may be selected based on the current state of the traffic light. When the traffic light will turn red may be predicted based on the selected one. The prediction may be used to control the vehicle in the autonomous driving mode.

Abstract: An inverse kinematics solving method for redundant robot as well as a redundant robot using the same are provided. The method includes: obtaining an expression of a Jacobian matrix null space of a current configuration of each robotic arm of the redundant robot corresponding to a preset end pose of the robotic arm according to the preset end pose, and obtaining a relation between an angular velocity of the joints of the redundant robot in the Jacobian matrix null space of the current configuration based on the obtained expression; traversing the Jacobian matrix null space using the relation, and building an energy cost function of the redundant robot based on the relation; obtaining a target joint angle of each joint of the redundant robot based on the optimal inverse kinematics solution to transmit to the servo of the joint so as to control the joint.

Abstract: An autonomous moving transfer robot, including a main body with a base and a vertical plate; a traveling mechanism having a driving wheel and a driven wheel mounted on the base; a working mechanism having two manipulators, each with a mechanical arm, a proximal end of which is connected to the vertical plate, and a clamp pivotally connected to a distal end of the mechanical arm; the mechanical arms enable the clamps to reach a desired position, and the manipulators drive the clamps to grip and release a target object; a carrying mechanism having a plurality of plate-shaped carrying members for carrying the target object, the carrying members being fixed on the same side of the vertical plate, and arranged at intervals along the vertical direction; and a control system for controlling the walking/stopping and steering of the traveling mechanism and the movement of the manipulators.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a regulating device for regulating the steering angle for a vehicle, comprising a first controller unit with a controller superposed thereon, the controller having a feedback path and a prefilter. The feedback path provides a first adjustment variable based on actual steering angle information which is provided by the first controller unit as an output variable and the prefilter provides a second adjustment variable based on nominal steering angle information. The controller is configured to form input information for the first controller unit based on the first and the second adjustment variables, wherein the feedback path has a first correction element, the transfer behavior of which can be adjusted. The prefilter has a second correction element, the transfer behavior of which can be adjusted. The controller is configured such that at least the controller gain of the first controller unit can be adjusted.

Abstract: A control system for a base supporting a boom assembly comprises long telescopic boom and telescopic stick. Mounted to the remote end of the stick is an end effector that supports a robot arm that moves a further end effector to manipulate the items. The robot arm has a robot base, and mounted above the robot base is a first target in the form of a position sensor, that provides position coordinates relative to a fixed ground reference. Mounted on the end of the robot arm immediately above the end effector is a second target that provides position coordinates relative to the fixed around reference. The fixed ground reference tracks the sensors and feeds data to the control system to move the stick with slow dynamic response and to control movement of the robotic arm and end effector with fast dynamic response.