Abstract: A vehicle comprises a speed-sensing device outputting a signal indicating a velocity of the vehicle, a brake system outputting a signal for indicating when the brake system is being commanded to a brake torque providing state, and a trailer brake controller coupled to the speed-sensing device and the brake system. The trailer brake controller utilizes the signal of the speed-sensing device to determine when the vehicle is in a zero-velocity state and utilizes the signal of the brake system to determine when the brake system is being commanded to the brake torque providing state. The trailer brake controller transitions a brake-actuating output signal thereof from a speed-dependent zero-velocity output signal value to a trailer hold zero-velocity output signal value greater than the speed-dependent zero-velocity output signal value when it is determined that the brake system is in the brake torque providing state while the vehicle is in the zero-velocity state.

Abstract: In a vehicle, an optimal path curvature limited by one or more constraints may be determined. The constraints may be related to lateral jerk and one or more vehicle dynamics constraints. Based on the optimal path curvature, an optimal vehicle path around an object may be determined. The optimal vehicle path may be output to a collision avoidance control system. The collision avoidance control system may cause the vehicle to take a certain path.

Abstract: Methods of controlling a gripping force of an end effector of a robotically-controlled surgical instrument are provided. The method includes receiving a first input signal indicative of a high grip level input at a master gripping mechanism that controls a slave gripping force of the end effector; receiving a second input signal indicative of a user's readiness to operate the surgical instrument to perform a surgical procedure; and outputting an actuation signal in response to receiving the first input signal and the second input signal together to increase the slave gripping force from a first level to a second level higher than the first level during the surgical procedure.

Abstract: A remote workstation for the control of percutaneous intervention devices is provided. The remote workstation includes a control system for remotely and independently controlling at least two percutaneous intervention devices. The control system includes at least one input device to control the percutaneous intervention devices. The control system controls movement of at least one of the percutaneous intervention devices along at least two degrees of freedom. The remote workstation also includes a graphical user interface for displaying icons representative of the operational status of each of the percutaneous intervention devices.

Abstract: Robotic devices may be trained by a user guiding the robot along target action trajectory using an input signal. A robotic device may comprise an adaptive controller configured to generate control signal based on one or more of the user guidance, sensory input, performance measure, and/or other information. Training may comprise a plurality of trials, wherein for a given context the user and the robot's controller may collaborate to develop an association between the context and the target action. Upon developing the association, the adaptive controller may be capable of generating the control signal and/or an action indication prior and/or in lieu of user input. The predictive control functionality attained by the controller may enable autonomous operation of robotic devices obviating a need for continuing user guidance.

Abstract: A method of controlling motion on the ground of a device having at least two legs comprising: obtaining current values of dynamic state variables of the device; optimizing a movement command for the device under constraints while taking account of said current values and of a movement setpoint for the device, said optimization being performed by modeling a movement of the device between a current state and a second state, the device being supported during said movement by at least on a first leg, and then from an instant in which the center of pressure on the ground is changed, at least on a second leg; and applying said movement command; wherein said optimization is performed on the assumption that the gravity potential energy of the device in the second state is a local maximum as a function of time.

Abstract: A piezoelectric actuator includes a vibrating body including a piezoelectric device; a driving circuit that supplies a driving signal to the piezoelectric device; a phase difference detecting circuit that detects a phase difference between the driving signal and a detection signal detected based on vibration of the vibrating body; and a frequency controller that controls the frequency and power of the driving signal, wherein the frequency controller sets the power to an upper limit voltage value when the frequency is changed so that the phase difference falls within a predetermined range and sets the voltage to a lower limit voltage value smaller than the upper limit voltage value when the phase difference is outside the predetermined range.

Abstract: A method of creating an indoor environment map includes acquiring encoded position information by detecting revolutions of wheels when a mobile unit travels using encoders to predict a position of the mobile unit based on the encoded position information, acquiring a measured distance from the mobile unit to an object existing in a surrounding environment using the distance measuring sensor, predicting a position of the mobile unit to be moved, estimating a distance from the mobile unit to the object at the predicted position of the mobile unit, determining whether the estimated distance is matched with the measured distance, correcting the predicted position of the mobile unit to estimate a position of the mobile unit to be moved by the matching of the predicted position with the measured position, and creating the indoor environment map using the corrected position and the measured distance.

Abstract: A method of controlling a vehicle washing mode for a vehicle equipped with shift-by-wire shifting device, may include performing an N-range-off determining step that determines whether a shift lever is in an N-range when an engine stops, performing an ACC determining step that determines whether the vehicle is in an ACC state, and performing a shifting step that shifts a P-range state of a transmission to a N-range state thereof by operating an actuator, when the N-range-off determining step determines that the shift lever is in the N-range when the engine was stopped, and when the ACC determining step determines that the vehicle is in the ACC state.

Abstract: A method of inferring intentions of an operator to move a robotic system includes monitoring the intention of the operator, with a controller. The intention of the operator is inferred to be one of a desired acceleration and a desired deceleration. The intention of the operator is also as a desired velocity. Admittance parameters are modified as a function of at least one of the inferred acceleration, deceleration, and velocity.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for evaluating a group of robotic platforms is present. The method controls the group of robotic platforms to perform operations in an operating area. Environmental signals are generated in the operating area. A response of the group of robotic platforms to an input is identified. A determination is made as to whether the response is a desired response.

Abstract: The disclosed Auditory RRC-Humanoid Robot equipped with a verbal-phoneme sound generator is a computer-based system programmed to reach high levels of human-like verbal-AI. Behavioral programming techniques are used to reach human-like levels of identification-AI, recognition-AI, and comprehension-AI of all the words and sentences presented to the robot as verbal input signals. An innovative behavioral speech processing methodology is used to recognize and repeat the acoustic sequential set of phoneme signals that comprise the verbally generated speech of human speakers. The recognized and repeated sequential set of phoneme signals are then mapped onto a unique phonetic structure such as all the words and clauses listed in a 50,000 word lexicon that may then make up the vocabulary of the RRC-Robot. The system is programmed to hear and understand verbal speech with its auditory sensors, and intelligently responds by verbally talking with its verbal-phoneme sound generator.

Abstract: An Electronic Stability Control (ESC) system for a vehicle is disclosed. An electronic control unit (ECU) is programmed to reduce vehicle lateral skidding by reducing differences between an intended vehicle direction and/or yaw rate and an actual vehicle direction and/or yaw rate by applying modifications to operation of the vehicle brakes and/or throttle. The ESC system receives inputs from wheel speed sensors, a steering wheel position sensor, a yaw rate sensor and a lateral acceleration sensor. The ESC system also receives input that indicates at least a property of the road upon which the vehicle is located, wherein the road upon which the vehicle is located is determined from a positioning system that uses a map database and the property is determined from the map database. The ESC system incorporates the road property information in determining when and/or how to modify operation of the vehicle to reduce vehicle skidding.

Abstract: According to an exemplary embodiment, a device (12) for assisting in the preparation of an operation on the human eye (14) for the purpose of generating a corneal flap by means of a microkeratome system (10) includes: an input interface arrangement (50) that permits at least the input of data relating to a set value of at least one flap parameter and also to at least one patient-related parameter; a computer (46) that has been set up to access a stored data collection (44) of several surgical data records, each of which includes a post-operative actual value of at least one flap parameter, a value for at least one patient-related parameter and configuration data of the microkeratome system, the computer (46) having been set up to ascertain, on the basis of the data collection (44) in a manner depending on the input data, configuration information that represents a proposed configuration of the microkeratome system (10); an output interface arrangement (48) for outputting the configuration information.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and systems for performing minimally invasive surgery through an aperture of a patient. In accordance with a method, parameters are received from an input device associated with a surgeon, the parameters indicating a desired state of an end effector of a surgical instrument oriented through the aperture. The surgical instrument is included in a mechanical assembly having a first set of joints. Instructions are then computed for controlling the mechanical assembly using the received parameters by computing instructions for controlling a second set joints, the second set of joints including the first set of joints and an additional joint, the additional joint being absent from the mechanical assembly. The mechanical assembly is then driven so as to move the end effector toward the desired state based on the computed instructions.

Abstract: A robot has an operation mode setting unit that sets an operation mode of the robot. The operation mode setting unit changes a correction factor multiplied by the maximum acceleration and the maximum deceleration of an arm and the servo gain of a servo circuit, and thereby selectively sets the operation mode to one of a first operation mode, a second operation mode in which the arm operates faster than in the first operation mode, and a third operation mode in which the arm vibrates less than in the first operation mode.

Abstract: A robot cleaner and a method for controlling a robot cleaner are provided. The method may include sensing a stored value of a pulse width modulation (PWM) duty ratio based on a voltage of a battery; comparing a measured value of the PWM duty ratio with the stored value to calculate a difference between the measured value and the stored value; upon determining that the difference between the measured value and the stored value is equal to or greater than a first set value, calculating a distributed value of acceleration on a substantially vertically extending axis of the robot cleaner; and, upon determining that the distributed value of acceleration deviates from a range of a second set values, increasing a force to suction foreign matter.

Abstract: A method and a system of integrating a new robot into a work environment are provided. A controller receives a signal indicating a presence of a new robot in the work environment. The controller then establishes a negotiation channel between the controller and the new robot and begins to negotiate with the new robot a set of robotic functions controllable by the controller. Based on a comparison between a set of function attributes the new robot and interface attributes of the controller, the controller generates a new robot user interface for controlling the set of robotic functions of the new robot.

Abstract: A mining vehicle is provided, which is capable of appropriately recognizing a condition of a traveling road in front of the vehicle, preventing an obstacle on a roadside from being erroneously detected by a distance detector, and controlling the speed of the vehicle in a stable manner even when the vehicle is approaching a curved portion of the road from a linear portion of the road.

Abstract: A navigation method, apparatus, and a computer readable medium for a mobile terminal support a display mode that provides a good field of view and enhanced readability. An input signal for enabling a route guidance function is received. Map data for route guidance is outputted when the route guidance function is enabled. Whether to activate a heads-up display (HUD) mode is determined. When the HUD mode is activated, only preset guidance information items that are extracted from the map data are displayed. Hence, the driver does not have to look away from the road to view the map on the screen, significantly reducing the risk of traffic accidents. Simplified route guidance information is provided to solve poor map readability due to screen size limitations of a mobile terminal.