Abstract: Systems, methods, and software can be used to provide inter-vehicle data communications for drafting operations. In some aspects, a method is disclosed comprising: selecting, by a hardware processor of a first vehicle, a second vehicle as a candidate for a drafting group; receiving, from the second vehicle, a drafting capability indication; in response to receiving the drafting capability indication, transmitting, from the first vehicle to the second vehicle, a drafting request; receiving, from the second vehicle, a drafting response; determining, by the hardware processor of the first vehicle, to establish the drafting group including the first vehicle and the second vehicle; and transmitting, from the first vehicle to the second vehicle, a drafting confirmation, wherein the drafting confirmation indicates that the first vehicle agrees to establish the drafting group with the second vehicle.

Abstract: Provided is a robot-implemented process to create a coverage plan for a work environment, including obtaining, with a robotic device, raw data values of a work environment pertaining to likelihood of operational success and presence or absence of operational hazards contained within the work environment; determining, with one or more processors, the most efficient coverage plan for the robotic device based on the raw data values; and enacting the coverage plan based on the values from the data.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and a system for recording data from the borescopic inspection meaning checking whether defects occur in equipment consists of components with a borescope, the method comprising: (1) constructing the hierarchical structure of components in the equipment; the hierarchical structures of components include two levels of Module and Part, the Module comprising one or more Part(s); (2) defining the general description template of the defects; (3) defining the evaluation template for the inspection results of the Part(s); (4) defining the conclusion template of defects on Module; (5) standardizing input of data from the borescopic inspection; (6) concluding based on data from the borescopic inspection. According to the present invention, it provides an excellent measurement method for improving the reliability of modular mechanical products through quantizing the overall trend of internal defects.

Abstract: A robotic apparatus including a plurality of rigid body sections that move relative to each other by one or more multi-degree of freedom joints. The robotic apparatus can traverse a fixed frame by attaching its distal ends to the frame and moving the rigid body sections relative to each other.

Abstract: A remote control robot system includes a slave arm configured to perform a given work, a master arm having a motor configured to drive a joint, and configured to receive from an operator an operation to manipulate the slave arm, an instruction generating module configured to generate an instruction to apply to the master arm an imaginary external force in a given direction that is independent from a force received by the slave arm from the exterior, and a motor controller configured to supply, to the motor, drive current corresponding to the instruction sent from the instruction generating module.

Abstract: A master-slave manipulator according to the present invention includes a remote operation device, serving as a master, that provides operation information corresponding to multiple degrees of freedom, a slave manipulator having a plurality of joints corresponding to multiple degrees of freedom and including a redundant joints among the joints, and a controller that controls the operation of the joints in accordance with the operation information, in which, when it is determined that a distal end of the slave manipulator operates, the controller determines, among the redundant joints, drive ratios ? of a joint disposed on a base end side and a joint disposed on a distal end side within a range of 0<?<1, respectively, and drives the joints.

Abstract: A robot control device that controls a robot and includes a processor which extracts a contour of a target based on an image of the target captured by an imaging device, generates a point sequence corresponding to the contour, and converts coordinates of the point sequence into coordinates in a robot coordinate system. Further, a robot control device that controls a robot includes a processor which extracts a contour of a target based on an image of the target captured by an imaging device and a predetermined instruction, generates a point sequence corresponding to the contour, and converts coordinates of the point sequence into coordinates in a robot coordinate system.

Abstract: One aspect of the present invention provides a robot controller for end portion control of a multi-degree-of-freedom robot. The robot controller comprises: a first control interface, which is positioned at a first position around the robot end portion and receives a first control input for at least for directions; a second control interface, which is positioned at a second position around the robot end portion and receives a second control input for at least four directions; and an encoder, which interprets the combination of the first and second control inputs as a third control input about the robot end portion and provides the robot with a signal according to the third control input.

Abstract: An interference determination apparatus includes: an acquisition unit that acquires region information indicating regions set in a configuration space in which the angles of rotation of two or three specific joints of an articulated robot are indicated by coordinate axes, the regions including an interference region in which the robot is determined to interfere with itself or an obstacle based on the magnitudes of the angles of rotation of the specific joints, and a non-interference region in which the robot is determined to not interfere with itself or an obstacle based on the magnitudes of the angles of rotation of specific joints; and a determination unit that determines whether the robot interferes with itself or an obstacle, by determining whether coordinates indicating a posture determined by the angles of rotation of the specific joints belong to the interference region or the non-interference region indicated by the acquired region information.

Abstract: A robotic cleaning device having an inertia measurement unit and a controller. The inertia measurement unit is arranged to sense a displacement of the robotic cleaning device and the controller is arranged to determine a characteristic of the displacement of the robotic cleaning device, and to set the robotic cleaning device in an operational mode being associated with the determined characteristic of the displacement.

Abstract: An apparatus for labeling support structures includes: a chassis having a locomotive assembly; an effector assembly having a first end coupled to the chassis and a second end movable relative to the chassis; a label modification unit at the second end of the effector assembly, the label modification unit including an image sensor; and a controller coupled to the locomotive assembly, the effector assembly and the label modification unit, the controller configured to: obtain label modification data defining a location of a low powered display relative to a reference feature on a support structure for modifying content displayed by the display; control the locomotive assembly to travel to the support structure; detect the reference feature via image data captured at the image sensor; control the effector assembly to place the label modification unit at the location; and control the effector assembly and the label modification unit to modify the content.

Abstract: A robot system includes: a robot having a robot arm; a robot controller configured to move the robot arm based on a motion program stored in a memory; a display screen; and a display controller configured to generate and display a constant velocity area of a control point path for the robot arm. The motion program instructs the robot controller to move a control point on the robot arm along the control point path. The display controller being configured to display the constant velocity area by generating a path display image depicting the control point path, displaying the path display image on a display screen, and superimposing a constant velocity area on the path display image.

Abstract: Convenience and usefulness of a tele-existence system are enhanced taking notice of the possibility by collaboration of tele-existence and a head-mounted display apparatus. A movable member is supported for pivotal motion on a housing. In the housing, a driving motor and a transmission member for transmitting rotation of the driving motor to the movable member are provided. A state information acquisition unit acquires facial expression information and/or emotion information of a user who wears a head-mounted display apparatus. A driving controlling unit controls rotation of the driving motor on the basis of the facial expression information and/or the emotion information.

Abstract: A method for operating a communication network comprising a plurality of motor vehicles, wherein the motor vehicles each have a sensor device having at least one environmental sensor, wherein at least one motor vehicle, when a malfunction of an environmental sensor is found by its sensor device, transmits the status data describing the malfunction and including position data of the motor vehicle to at least one external evaluation device for determining interference area information describing an interference area for environmental sensors of the motor vehicles.

Abstract: The vehicle dispatching system accepts a dispatch request from a user, selects an autonomous vehicle matching with the dispatch request from among a plurality of autonomous vehicles, and dispatches a selected autonomous vehicle to the user. The plurality of autonomous vehicles include a plurality of battery-mounted vehicles having an in-vehicle battery capable of being charged externally as an energy source. Each of the plurality of battery-mounted vehicles performs charging at a charging station when a charging level of the in-vehicle battery decreases. The vehicle dispatching system comprises a management server including a processor for executing programs stored in memory, the management server programmed to act as a charging planning unit that changes an upper limit charging level of the in-vehicle battery when charging at the charging station according to a time slot.

Abstract: In some implementations, techniques are described for automatically providing service/maintenance-related content to a resident of a property in response to receiving a service request from the resident. Data indicating a service request submitted by a computing device of a user is initially obtained. The service request identifies a property associated with the computing device. Contents of the service request are processed. A service topics indicated by the service request and a request type of the service request are identified based on processing the contents of the service request. Content is selected among a collection of content for the property based on the identified service topic and the identified request type. A communication that includes the communications is provided for output on the computing device.

Abstract: A method of assembling a plurality of subcomponents to form a finished component comprises gripping a first subcomponent with a first end-of-arm tool, wherein the first end-of-arm tool is attached to a first robot arm and grasping a second subcomponent with a second end-of-arm tool, wherein the second end-of-arm tool is attached to a second robot arm. Moving the first and second end-of-arm tools to position the first subcomponent relative to the second subcomponent in a pre-assembly position and then moving the first and second end-of-arm tools to engage interface surfaces of the first and second subcomponents. Forming a joint between the first subcomponent and the second subcomponent with a joining tool attached to a joining robot arm to thereby assemble the finished component.

Abstract: A navigation system, method and computer program product are provided to provide navigational assistance at a venue. The navigation system is configured to obtain information regarding the venue to be navigated by a user including a plurality of waypoints at the venue. The navigation system is also configured to determine a time to be expended by the user between respective pairs of the waypoints at the venue. Based on the time and a rate of travel of the user, the navigation system is configured to determine one or more points of interest that are accessible by the user between at least one pair of waypoints. The navigation system is further configured to cause presentation of a representation of the venue including the plurality of waypoints and the one or more points of interest that are accessible by the user between the at least one pair of waypoints.

Abstract: A method includes presenting a virtual representation of an environment of a robot, receiving a first user command to control the robot within the environment, rendering a predicted version of the virtual representation during a period of latency in which current data pertaining to the environment of the robot is not available, updating the predicted version of the virtual representation based upon a second user command received during the period of latency, and upon conclusion of the period of latency, reconciling the predicted version of the virtual representation with current data pertaining to the environment of the robot.

Abstract: An automatic calibration method of a robot system comprises providing a ball-rod member including a connection rod and a sphere connected to the connection rod, fixing the connection rod to an end execution tool mounted on a flange of a robot, providing distance sensors around a target point, and sensing an actual distance from each of the distance sensors to the sphere. The robot is controlled to move a center of the sphere to the target point in different poses based on the actual distances sensed by the distance sensors. A first transformation matrix of the center of the sphere with respect to a center of the flange is calculated based on pose data of the robot at the target point. A second transformation matrix of a center of the end execution tool with respect to the center of the flange is calculated based on the first transformation matrix.