Abstract: A method for operating a robot, including: capturing images of a workspace; capturing data indicative of movement of the robot; capturing LIDAR data as the robot moves within the workspace; generating a map of the workspace based on the LIDAR data; actuating the robot to drive; discriminating between an object on a floor surface along a path of the robot and the floor surface based on the captured images; actuating the robot to drive until determining all areas of the workspace are discovered and included in the map; and executing a cleaning function.

Abstract: A robot that recognizes a user by identifying elements in a captured image that match elements in at least one previously captured image of the user, identifying biometric data that matches previously captured biometric data of the user, or identifying voice data that matches previously captured voice data of the user. Upon recognition of the user, the user is authorized to use the robot, control the robot, modify settings of the robot, add or delete or modify access of users to the robot, actuate the robot, program the robot, and assign a task to the robot.

Abstract: A method for operating a robot, including: capturing images of a workspace; capturing data indicative of movement of the robot; capturing LIDAR data as the robot moves within the workspace; generating a map of the workspace based on the LIDAR data; actuating the robot to drive; discriminating between an object on a floor surface along a path of the robot and the floor surface based on the captured images; actuating the robot to drive until determining all areas of the workspace are discovered and included in the map; and executing a cleaning function.

Abstract: Provided is a medium storing instructions that when executed by a processor of a first wheeled device effectuates operations including: capturing sensor readings of an environment; finding a position of the first wheeled device within a map of the environment based on at least some of the sensor readings; and generating a new map of the environment when the processor is unable to load the previously generated map or cannot find the position of the first wheeled device within the previously generated map; wherein: the map is previously generated with the processor of the first wheeled device or a processor of a second wheeled device; the map is loaded into a memory of the first wheeled device at a beginning of each work session; and the processor of the first wheeled device iteratively tracks the position of the first wheeled device while performing a task.

Abstract: Some aspects include a method for operating a cleaning robot, including: capturing LIDAR data; generating a first iteration of a map of the environment in real time; capturing sensor data from different positions within the environment; capturing movement data indicative of movement of the cleaning robot; aligning and integrating newly captured LIDAR data with previously captured LIDAR data at overlapping points; generating additional iterations of the map based on the newly captured LIDAR data and at least some of the newly captured sensor data; localizing the cleaning robot; planning a path of the cleaning robot; and actuating the cleaning robot to drive along a trajectory that follows along the planned path by providing pulses to one or more electric motors of wheels of the cleaning robot.

Abstract: Provided is a method for operating a robot, including: capturing images of a workspace; capturing movement data indicative of movement of the robot; capturing LIDAR data as the robot performs work within the workspace; comparing at least one object from the captured images to objects in an object dictionary; identifying a class to which the at least one object belongs; generating a first iteration of a map of the workspace based on the LIDAR data; generating additional iterations of the map based on newly captured LIDAR data and newly captured movement data; actuating the robot to drive along a trajectory that follows along a planned path by providing pulses to one or more electric motors of wheels of the robot; and localizing the robot within an iteration of the map by estimating a position of the robot based on the movement data, slippage, and sensor errors.

Abstract: Some aspects include a method for operating a cleaning robot, including: capturing LIDAR data; generating a first iteration of a map of the environment in real time; capturing sensor data from different positions within the environment; capturing movement data indicative of movement of the cleaning robot; aligning and integrating newly captured LIDAR data with previously captured LIDAR data at overlapping points; generating additional iterations of the map based on the newly captured LIDAR data and at least some of the newly captured sensor data; localizing the cleaning robot; planning a path of the cleaning robot; and actuating the cleaning robot to drive along a trajectory that follows along the planned path by providing pulses to one or more electric motors of wheels of the cleaning robot.

Abstract: Provided is a robot including a chassis; a set of wheels coupled to the chassis; a plurality of sensors; a processor; and a tangible, non-transitory, machine readable medium storing instructions that when executed by the processor effectuates operations. The operations include capturing, with an image sensor disposed on the robot, a plurality of images of an environment of the robot as the robot navigates within the environment; identifying, with the processor, an obstacle type of an obstacle captured in an image based on a comparison between features of the obstacle and features of obstacles with different obstacles types stored in a database; and determining, with the processor, an action of the robot based on the obstacle type of the obstacle.

Abstract: Provided is a robot including: a chassis; wheels; electric motors; a network card; sensors; a processor; and a tangible, non-transitory, machine readable medium storing instructions that when executed by the processor effectuates operations including: capturing, with at least one exteroceptive sensor, a first image and a second image; determining, with the processor, an overlapping area of the first image and the second image by comparing the raw pixel intensity values of the first image to the raw pixel intensity values of the second image; combining, with the processor, the first image and the second image at the overlapping area to generate a digital spatial representation of the environment; and estimating, with the processor using a statistical ensemble of simulated positions of the robot, a corrected position of the robot to replace a last known position of the robot within the digital spatial representation of the environment.

Abstract: Some aspects include a method for operating a wheeled device, including: capturing, by a primary sensor coupled to the wheeled device, primary sensor data indicative of a plurality of radial distances to objects; transforming, by a processor of the wheeled device, the plurality of radial distances from a perspective of the primary sensor to a perspective of the wheeled device; generating, by the processor, a partial map of visible areas in real-time at a first position of the wheeled device based on the primary sensor data and some secondary sensor data, wherein: the partial map is a bird's eye view; and the processor iteratively completes a full map of the environment based on new sensor data captured by sensors as the wheeled device performs work within the environment and new areas become visible to the sensors; and executing, by the wheeled device, a movement path to a second position.

Abstract: Provided is a wheeled device, including: a chassis; a set of wheels coupled to the chassis; one or more electric motors to rotate the set of wheels; a network card for wireless connection to the internet; a plurality of sensors; a processor electronically coupled to the plurality of sensors; and a tangible, non-transitory, machine readable medium storing instructions that when executed by the processor effectuates operations including: capturing, with at least one exteroceptive sensor, measurement readings of the environment; and estimating, with the processor using a statistical ensemble of simulated positions of the wheeled device and the measurement readings, a corrected position of the wheeled device to replace a last known position of the wheeled device.

Abstract: Provided is a method for operating a robot, including: capturing images of a workspace; capturing movement data indicative of movement of the robot; capturing LIDAR data as the robot performs work within the workspace; comparing at least one object from the captured images to objects in an object dictionary; identifying a class to which the at least one object belongs; generating a first iteration of a map of the workspace based on the LIDAR data; generating additional iterations of the map based on newly captured LIDAR data and newly captured movement data; actuating the robot to drive along a trajectory that follows along a planned path by providing pulses to one or more electric motors of wheels of the robot; and localizing the robot within an iteration of the map by estimating a position of the robot based on the movement data, slippage, and sensor errors.

Abstract: Some aspects include a method for operating a cleaning robot, including: capturing LIDAR data; generating a first iteration of a map of the environment in real time; capturing sensor data from different positions within the environment; capturing movement data indicative of movement of the cleaning robot; aligning and integrating newly captured LIDAR data with previously captured LIDAR data at overlapping points; generating additional iterations of the map based on the newly captured LIDAR data and at least some of the newly captured sensor data; localizing the cleaning robot; planning a path of the cleaning robot; and actuating the cleaning robot to drive along a trajectory that follows along the planned path by providing pulses to one or more electric motors of wheels of the cleaning robot.

Abstract: Provided is a tangible, non-transitory, machine readable medium storing instructions that when executed by a processor effectuates operations including: capturing, with at least one exteroceptive sensor, readings of an environment and capturing, with at least one proprioceptive sensor, readings indicative of displacement of a wheeled device; estimating, with the processor using an ensemble of simulated positions of possible new locations of the wheeled device, the readings of the environment, and the readings indicative of displacement, a corrected position of the wheeled device to replace a last known position of the wheeled device; determining, by the processor using the readings of the exteroceptive sensor, a most feasible position of the wheeled device as the corrected position; and, transmitting, by the processor, status information of tasks performed by the wheeled device to an external processor, wherein the status information initiates a second wheeled device to perform a second task.

Abstract: Provided is a method for establishing and maintaining a user loyalty metric to accesses a plurality of robotic device functions including: receiving biometric data associated with a user; authenticating the user; providing a time access memory, wherein the time access memory comprises a plurality of memory cells; assigning a predetermined time slot to each of the plurality of memory cells, wherein each of the plurality of memory cells is available for writing only during the predetermined time slot, after which each memory cell is made read-only; storing the biometric data of the user if the user is authenticated within a currently available memory cell of the time access memory; increasing the user loyalty metric if the user is authenticated; and, providing access to the plurality of robotic device functions in accordance with the user loyalty metric.

Abstract: Methods for automated robotic movement for a robotic device using an electronic computing device are presented, the methods including: causing the electronic computing device to establish a working zone; measuring distances to all obstacles in the working zone thereby detecting all obstacles in the working zone; establishing a coverage path that accounts for all detected obstacles; executing the coverage path such the robotic device covers the working zone at least once; if a new obstacle is detected, establishing an adapted coverage path that accounts for the new obstacle; and executing the adapted coverage path. In some embodiments, methods further include: bypassing the new obstacle; and returning to the coverage path.

Abstract: The present invention proposes a method for robotic devices to accurately identify authorized users. Biometric data of users is supplied to the system through biometric scanners. Biometric profiles of authorized users are identified to the system during an initial set-up phase. Subsequently, users provide biometric data to the system through the scanners in order to be authenticated. Received data is compared to the original stored profiles, and when a match is found, that user is authenticated. In another aspect of the invention, a time-activated memory storage process is utilized to prevent malicious attempts to overcome the authentication process. Memory cells become writable in successive time slots, after which point the memory cells are converted to read-only. If a user is authenticated during a particular time slot, their biometric data is written in the available memory cell. If no user is authenticated, the available memory cell is written with junk data.

Abstract: Methods for automated robotic movement for a robotic device using an electronic computing device are presented, the methods including: causing the electronic computing device to establish a working zone; measuring distances to all obstacles in the working zone thereby detecting all obstacles in the working zone; establishing a coverage path that accounts for all detected obstacles; executing the coverage path such the robotic device covers the working zone at least once; if a new obstacle is detected, establishing an adapted coverage path that accounts for the new obstacle; and executing the adapted coverage path. In some embodiments, methods further include: bypassing the new obstacle; and returning to the coverage path.

Abstract: A spherical or ovoid design for a robotic vacuum in which the housing of the vacuum also serves as the means by which the device moves. Steering of the device is controlled by adjusting the center of gravity within the housing. Perforations in the housing allow debris to be vacuumed into the device.

Abstract: A robotic vacuum wherein the housing of the system is cylindrical in form with two wheels of diameter larger than the diameter of the housing supporting the housing on either end. Larger wheels permit the device to more easily travel over small bumps or obstacles and changes in elevation. Furthermore, the design requires less power to drive the housing, so more energy is available for the primary function of vacuuming.