Abstract: Provided is a method for determining a coverage path of a robotic device, including: capturing, with a sensor, spatial data of the environment; detecting, with a processor, at least one obstacle within the environment based on the spatial data; determining, with the processor, a first working zone within the environment; determining, with the processor, a coverage path within the first working zone that accounts for at least one of the obstacles detected within the first working zone; actuating, with the processor, a robotic device to drive along the coverage path within the first working zone; and wherein the processor determines an adapted coverage path when a new obstacle is detected and wherein the processor actuates the robotic device to drive along the adapted coverage path.

Abstract: A method for autonomously servicing a first cleaning component of a battery-operated mobile device, including: inferring, with a processor of the mobile device, a value of at least one environmental characteristic based on sensor data captured by a sensor disposed on the mobile device; actuating, with a controller of the mobile device, a first actuator interacting with the first cleaning component to at least one of: turn on, turn off, reverse direction, and increase or decrease in speed such that the first cleaning component engages or disengages based on the value of at least one environmental characteristic or at least one user input received by an application of a smartphone paired with the mobile device; and dispensing, by a maintenance station, water from a clean water container of the maintenance station for washing the first cleaning component when the mobile device is docked at the maintenance station.

Abstract: Provided is a system including a robot and an application of a communication device. The robot includes a medium storing instructions that when executed by a processor of the robot effectuate operations including: obtaining first data indicative of a relative position of the robot in a workspace; actuating the robot to drive within the workspace to form a map including mapped perimeters that correspond with physical perimeters of the workspace while obtaining second data indicative of movement of the robot; and forming the map of the workspace based on at least some of the first data, wherein the map of the workspace expands as new first data are obtained, until all perimeters of the workspace are included in the map. The application is configured to display information, such as the map, and receive user input.

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: Provided is a robot, including: a plurality of sensors; a processor; a tangible, non-transitory, machine readable medium storing instructions that when executed by the processor effectuates operations including: capturing, with an image sensor, images of a workspace as the robot moves within the workspace; identifying, with the processor, at least one characteristic of at least one object captured in the images of the workspace; determining, with the processor, an object type of the at least one object based on characteristics of different types of objects stored in an object dictionary, wherein possible object types comprise a type of clothing, a cord, a type of pet bodily waste, and a shoe; and instructing, with the processor, the robot to execute at least one action based on the object type of the at least one object.

Abstract: Some aspects include a method for operating a robot in a workspace, including: capturing, with an image sensor, image data of the workspace including objects within the workspace as the robot moves within the workspace; identifying, with a processor of the robot, at least one characteristic in the image data, wherein the at least one characteristic comprises one of: an edge, a shape, and a color; determining, with the processor, an object type of an object; and instructing, with the processor, the robot to execute at least one action based on the at least one characteristic, wherein the at least one action comprises one of: driving along a modified path and driving around the object.

Abstract: A robotic cleaner executing operations such as capturing data indicative of locations of objects in a workspace through which the robot moves; generating or updating a map of at least a part of the workspace based on at least the data; and navigating based on the map or an updated map of the workspace. The robotic cleaner may include a side brush with a main body with at least one attachment point and at least one bundle of bristles attached to the at least one attachment point of the main body.

Abstract: Some aspects include a schedule development method for a robotic floor-cleaning device that recognizes patterns in user input to automatically devise a work schedule.

Abstract: A robot configured to perceive a model of an environment, including: a chassis; a set of wheels; a plurality of sensors; a processor; and memory storing instructions that when executed by the processor effectuates operations including: capturing a plurality of data while the robot moves within the environment; perceiving the model of the environment based on at least a portion of the plurality of data, the model being a top view of the environment; storing the model of the environment in a memory accessible to the processor; and transmitting the model of the environment and a status of the robot to an application of a smartphone previously paired with the robot.

Abstract: A robot for transporting items, including: a chassis; a cavity within which items are stored for transportation; a set of wheels coupled to the chassis; a control system to actuate movement of the set of wheels; a power supply; at least one sensor; a processor electronically coupled to the control system and the at least one sensor; and a tangible, non-transitory, machine readable medium storing instructions that when executed by the processor effectuates operations including: capturing, with the at least one sensor, data of an environment and data indicative of movement of the robot; generating or updating, with the processor, a map of the environment based on at least a portion of the captured data; inferring, with the processor, a current location of the robot; and actuating, with the processor, the robot to execute a transportation task.

Abstract: A method for perceiving a model of an environment, including: capturing a plurality of data while the robot moves within the environment, wherein: the plurality of data comprises at least a first data and a second data captured by a first sensor of a first sensor type and a second sensor of a second sensor type, respectively; the first sensor type is an imaging sensor; the second senor type captures movement data; an active source of illumination is positioned adjacent to the imaging sensor such that reflections of illumination light illuminating a path of the robot fall within a field of view of the imaging sensor; perceiving the model of the environment based on at least a portion of the plurality of data; storing the model of the environment in a memory; and transmitting the model of the environment to an application of a smartphone.

Abstract: A method for operating a robotic device. Usage data and a first location of the robotic device are determined. A first sensor of the robotic device captures first data indicative of an environmental characteristic of the first location. A first operational parameter of a first actuator is adjusted based on the first data while the robotic device is at the first location. A debris map of the environment is formed based on debris data output by a second sensor configured to sense debris on a floor. A request for cleaning service at a location is received, wherein the robotic device is one of a plurality of robotic devices that provides surface cleaning services to a plurality of users. The robotic device to respond to the request is determined based on location, fill volume of a debris container, battery charge, and availability of each of the plurality of robotic devices.

Abstract: A method executed by a robot, including: starting, from a starting position, a work session in which the robot maps a workspace, wherein a front of the robot faces towards a forward direction in a frame of reference of the robot; the robot traversing, from the starting position, to a first position, a first distance from the starting position in a backward direction in the frame of reference of the robot; after traversing the first distance, the robot rotating; after rotating, the robot traversing a coverage path of at least one area of the workspace, the coverage path including a boustrophedon movement pattern; and the robot cleaning the at least one area of the workspace with a cleaning tool of the robot while traversing the coverage path.

Abstract: A method for an autonomous robot to empty refuse. A sensor positioned on the robot captures sensor data of an environment of the robot as the robot navigates within the environment and a processor of the robot generates a map of the environment based on at least the sensor data. The processor receives a schedule for emptying refuse stored in a container of the robot at a refuse collection location from an application of a communication device. The processor determines a path of the robot from a storage location of the robot to the refuse collection location and actuates the robot to autonomously drive along the path according to the schedule.

Abstract: Provided is a robot including a media storing instructions that when executed by the processor of the robot effectuates operations including: obtaining sensor data indicative of operational hazards within a work environment; generating a map of the work environment based on data obtained from at least some sensors of the robot; identifying at least one room in the map; determining an object type of an operational hazard based on extracted features of the operational hazard and a database of various object types and their features; updating the map to include the object type of the operational hazard at a location in which the operational hazard was encountered by the robot; generating a coverage plan for areas of the work environment; and executing the coverage plan by the robot.

Abstract: A removable mop attachment module, including a frame; a reservoir positioned within the frame; at least one drainage aperture positioned at a bottom of the reservoir; at least one breathing aperture positioned on the reservoir; and a pressure actuated valve positioned at least partially on an inner surface of the reservoir, covering the at least one breathing aperture.

Abstract: A distance estimation system comprised of a laser light emitter, two image sensors, and an image processor are positioned on a baseplate such that the fields of view of the image sensors overlap and contain the projections of an emitted collimated laser beam within a predetermined range of distances. The image sensors simultaneously capture images of the laser beam projections. The images are superimposed and displacement of the laser beam projection from a first image taken by a first image sensor to a second image taken by a second image sensor is extracted by the image processor. The displacement is compared to a preconfigured table relating displacement distances with distances from the baseplate to projection surfaces to find an estimated distance of the baseplate from the projection surface at the time that the images were captured.

Abstract: A robot including a main brush; a peripheral brush; a first actuator; a first sensor; processors; and memory storing instructions that when executed by the processors effectuate operations. The operations include determining a first location of the robot in a working environment; obtaining first data from the first sensor or another sensor indicative of a value of an environmental characteristic of the first location; adjusting a first operational parameter of the first actuator based on the sensed first data; and forming or updating a debris map of the working environment based on data output by the first sensor or the another sensor configured to collect data indicative of an existence of debris on a floor of the working environment over at least one cleaning session.

Abstract: A method for localizing an electronic device, including: capturing data of surroundings of the electronic device with at least one sensor of the electronic device; and inferring a location of the electronic device based on at least some of the data of the surroundings, wherein inferring the location of the electronic device includes: determining a probability of the electronic device being located at different possible locations within the surroundings based on the at least some of the data of the surroundings; and inferring the location of the electronic device based on the probability of the electronic device being located at different possible locations within the surroundings.

Abstract: Provided is a medium storing instructions that when executed by one or more processors of a robot effectuate operations including: obtaining, with a processor, first data indicative of a position of the robot in a workspace; actuating, with the processor, the robot to drive within the workspace to form a map including mapped perimeters that correspond with physical perimeters of the workspace while obtaining, with the processor, second data indicative of displacement of the robot as the robot drives within the workspace; and forming, with the processor, the map of the workspace based on at least some of the first data; wherein: the map of the workspace expands as new first data of the workspace are obtained with the processor; and the robot is paired with an application of a communication device.