Abstract: A method of mowing with an autonomous robot lawnmower includes traversing a mowable area with the autonomous robot lawnmower carrying a cutter and a vegetation characteristic sensor. The vegetation characteristic sensor is configured to generate sensor data in response to detecting a vegetation characteristic of the mowable area. The vegetation characteristic is selected from the group consisting of a moisture content, a grass height, and a color. The method includes storing position-referenced data representing the vegetation characteristic detected across the mowable area. The position-referenced data is based at least in part on the sensor data and position data. The method includes sending data to a remote device to cause the remote device to display a map including information based on the position-referenced data.

Abstract: A method of mowing with an autonomous robot lawnmower includes traversing a mowable area with the autonomous robot lawnmower carrying a cutter and a vegetation characteristic sensor. The vegetation characteristic sensor is configured to generate sensor data in response to detecting a vegetation characteristic of the mowable area. The vegetation characteristic is selected from the group consisting of a moisture content, a grass height, and a color. The method includes storing position-referenced data representing the vegetation characteristic detected across the mowable area. The position-referenced data is based at least in part on the sensor data and position data. The method includes sending data to a remote device to cause the remote device to display a map including information based on the position-referenced data.

Abstract: An autonomous robot lawnmower includes a blade assembly including blades, a drive system to drive the blades through a cutting area having a cutting width, and a lateral blade guard including at least four bars spaced apart from one another by no less than 1 mm and no more than 15 mm. The at least four bars are positioned between the blades and a mowable area when the robot lawnmower is supported on the mowable area. The at least four bars extend across a portion of the cutting width and extending rearward and forward of the cutting area.

Abstract: A method of mowing with an autonomous robot lawnmower includes traversing a mowable area with the autonomous robot lawnmower carrying a cutter and a vegetation characteristic sensor. The vegetation characteristic sensor is configured to generate sensor data in response to detecting a vegetation characteristic of the mowable area. The vegetation characteristic is selected from the group consisting of a moisture content, a grass height, and a color. The method includes storing position-referenced data representing the vegetation characteristic detected across the mowable area. The position-referenced data is based at least in part on the sensor data and position data. The method includes sending data to a remote device to cause the remote device to display a map including information based on the position-referenced data.

Abstract: A method of mowing with an autonomous robot lawnmower includes traversing a mowable area with the autonomous robot lawnmower carrying a cutter and a vegetation characteristic sensor. The vegetation characteristic sensor is configured to generate sensor data in response to detecting a vegetation characteristic of the mowable area. The vegetation characteristic is selected from the group consisting of a moisture content, a grass height, and a color. The method includes storing position-referenced data representing the vegetation characteristic detected across the mowable area. The position-referenced data is based at least in part on the sensor data and position data. The method includes sending data to a remote device to cause the remote device to display a map including information based on the position-referenced data.

Abstract: A mobile robot includes a chassis, a shell moveably mounted on the chassis, and a cutting assembly mounted to the chassis. The mobile robot also includes a communication system that includes an antenna module disposed on a rear portion of the mobile robot. The antenna module includes a base assembly, and an antenna assembly mounted to the base assembly by a spring. The antenna assembly includes a ranging antenna, and at least three angle antennas arranged axisymmetrically about the ranging antenna, such that the ranging antenna and the three angle antennas define a tetrahedral geometry for determining an angle of arrival for one or more incident signals.

Abstract: An autonomous robot lawnmower includes a blade assembly including blades, a drive system to drive the blades through a cutting area having a cutting width, and a lateral blade guard including at least four bars spaced apart from one another by no less than 1 mm and no more than 15 mm. The at least four bars are positioned between the blades and a mowable area when the robot lawnmower is supported on the mowable area. The at least four bars extend across a portion of the cutting width and extending rearward and forward of the cutting area.

Abstract: A grass cutting mobile robot includes a body and a blade assembly connected to the body and rotatable about a drive axis. The blade assembly includes blades, a housing to hold the blades, and a spring that connects the blade to the housing. The housing includes a slot in which to mount a blade so that a portion of the blade is movable through the slot towards another blade in response to an impact. The slot slopes upwards in the housing towards the body, thereby enabling the blade to move upwards relative to a ground surface toward the body in response to the impact. The spring is for constraining movement of the blade relative to the housing.

Abstract: A robot lawnmower includes a robot body, a drive system, a localizing system, a teach monitor, and a controller in communication with one another. The drive system is configured to maneuver the robot lawnmower over a lawn. The teach monitor determines whether the robot lawnmower is in a teachable state. The controller includes a data processing device and non-transitory memory in communication with the data processing device. The data processing device executes a teach routine when the controller is in a teach mode for tracing a confinement perimeter around the lawn as a human operator pilots the robot lawn mower, when the robot lawnmower is in the teachable state, the teach routine stores global positions determined by the localizing system in the non-transitory memory, and when the robot lawnmower is in the unteachable state, the teach routine issues an indication of the unteachable state.

Abstract: A mobile surface cleaning robot that includes a robot body having a forward drive direction and a drive system supporting the robot body above a floor surface. The drive system includes right and left drive wheels and a caster wheel assembly disposed rearward of the drive wheels. The caster wheel assembly includes a caster wheel supported for vertical movement and a suspension spring biasing the caster wheel toward the floor surface. The robot also includes a cleaning system supported by the robot body forward of the drive wheels and having at least one cleaning element that engages the floor surface. The suspension spring has a spring constant sufficient to elevate a rear end of the robot body above the floor surface to maintain engagement of the at least one cleaning element with the floor surface.

Abstract: A robot lawnmower includes a robot body, a drive system, a localizing system, a teach monitor, and a controller in communication with one another. The drive system is configured to maneuver the robot lawnmower over a lawn. The teach monitor determines whether the robot lawnmower is in a teachable state. The controller includes a data processing device and non-transitory memory in communication with the data processing device. The data processing device executes a teach routine when the controller is in a teach mode for tracing a confinement perimeter around the lawn as a human operator pilots the robot lawn mower, when the robot lawnmower is in the teachable state, the teach routine stores global positions determined by the localizing system in the non-transitory memory, and when the robot lawnmower is in the unteachable state, the teach routine issues an indication of the unteachable state.

Abstract: A grass cutting mobile robot includes a body and a blade assembly connected to the body and rotatable about a drive axis. The blade assembly includes blades, a housing to hold the blades, and a spring that connects the blade to the housing. The housing includes a slot in which to mount a blade so that a portion of the blade is movable through the slot towards another blade in response to an impact. The slot slopes upwards in the housing towards the body, thereby enabling the blade to move upwards relative to a ground surface toward the body in response to the impact. The spring is for constraining movement of the blade relative to the housing.

Abstract: A method of mowing with an autonomous robot lawnmower includes traversing a mowable area with the autonomous robot lawnmower carrying a cutter and a vegetation characteristic sensor. The vegetation characteristic sensor is configured to generate sensor data in response to detecting a vegetation characteristic of the mowable area. The vegetation characteristic is selected from the group consisting of a moisture content, a grass height, and a color. The method includes storing position-referenced data representing the vegetation characteristic detected across the mowable area. The position-referenced data is based at least in part on the sensor data and position data. The method includes sending data to a remote device to cause the remote device to display a map including information based on the position-referenced data.

Abstract: A robot lawnmower includes a robot body, a drive system, a localizing system, a teach monitor, and a controller in communication with one another. The drive system is configured to maneuver the robot lawnmower over a lawn. The teach monitor determines whether the robot lawnmower is in a teachable state. The controller includes a data processing device and non-transitory memory in communication with the data processing device. The data processing device executes a teach routine when the controller is in a teach mode for tracing a confinement perimeter around the lawn as a human operator pilots the robot lawn mower, when the robot lawnmower is in the teachable state, the teach routine stores global positions determined by the localizing system in the non-transitory memory, and when the robot lawnmower is in the unteachable state, the teach routine issues an indication of the unteachable state.

Abstract: A method of mowing with an autonomous robot lawnmower includes traversing a mowable area with the autonomous robot lawnmower carrying a cutter and a vegetation characteristic sensor. The vegetation characteristic sensor is configured to generate sensor data in response to detecting a vegetation characteristic of the mowable area. The vegetation characteristic is selected from the group consisting of a moisture content, a grass height, and a color. The method includes storing position-referenced data representing the vegetation characteristic detected across the mowable area. The position-referenced data is based at least in part on the sensor data and position data. The method includes sending data to a remote device to cause the remote device to display a map including information based on the position-referenced data.

Abstract: A grass cutting mobile robot includes a body and a blade assembly connected to the body and rotatable about a drive axis. The blade assembly includes blades, a housing to hold the blades, and a spring that connects the blade to the housing. The housing includes a slot in which to mount a blade so that a portion of the blade is movable through the slot towards another blade in response to an impact. The slot slopes upwards in the housing towards the body, thereby enabling the blade to move upwards relative to a ground surface toward the body in response to the impact. The spring is for constraining movement of the blade relative to the housing.

Abstract: A rotatable coupling includes an input housing rotatably coupled to an output housing by a tube fixed to the output housing and on which tube the input housing rotates. The coupling includes two magnetic flux concentrators disposed about the tube and defining therebetween an annular cavity, a first concentrator fixed to the input housing and a second concentrator fixed to the output housing, such that relative rotation of the housings causes relative rotation of the concentrators on either side of the annular cavity. The coupling includes concentric coils disposed within the annular cavity that permit power transfer across the coupling, a first coil fixed to the input housing and a second coil fixed to the output housing; an emitter fixed to the input housing; and a receiver fixed to the output housing and positioned to receive the signals from the emitter during the relative rotation of the housings.

Abstract: A mobile robot includes a chassis, a shell moveably mounted on the chassis, and a cutting assembly mounted to the chassis. The mobile robot also includes a communication system that includes an antenna module disposed on a rear portion of the mobile robot. The antenna module includes a base assembly, and an antenna assembly mounted to the base assembly by a spring. The antenna assembly includes a ranging antenna, and at least three angle antennas arranged axisymmetrically about the ranging antenna, such that the ranging antenna and the three angle antennas define a tetrahedral geometry for determining an angle of arrival for one or more incident signals.

Abstract: A grass cutting mobile robot includes a body and a blade assembly connected to the body and rotatable about a drive axis. The blade assembly includes blades, a housing to hold the blades, and a spring that connects the blade to the housing. The housing includes a slot in which to mount a blade so that a portion of the blade is movable through the slot towards another blade in response to an impact. The slot slopes upwards in the housing towards the body, thereby enabling the blade to move upwards relative to a ground surface toward the body in response to the impact. The spring is for constraining movement of the blade relative to the housing.