Abstract: Disclosed is a system for controlling a robot via a foot-operable controller. The foot-operable controller includes a grid of large pressure-sensitive tiles that are responsive to being stepped on. Signals from the pressure-sensitive tiles are provided to a controller interface that converts the signals to control messages compatible with existing robot control interfaces, such as a universal serial bus. The foot-operable controller may be used to control various robots, including for example a robot equipped with a claw arm or a robot equipped with a ring launcher.

Abstract: Disclosed is a decontamination robot. The robot includes a decontamination box including at least two arrays of ultraviolet LEDs, the two arrays arranged to irradiate an object placed inside the decontamination box from at least two independent directions, the decontamination box further including an interior surface with at least 90% reflectivity of ultraviolet light. The robot also includes a drivetrain including four swerve-drive units, each swerve-drive unit capable of rotating a wheel on an axis of the wheel and capable of orienting the wheel in a plane defined by the axes of the four wheels of the four swerve-drive units, whereby the four swerve-drive units coordinate to generate translational motion of the decontamination robot on a working surface.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system for controlling a robot via a foot-operable controller. The foot-operable controller includes a grid of large pressure-sensitive tiles that are responsive to being stepped on. Signals from the pressure-sensitive tiles are provided to a controller interface that converts the signals to control messages compatible with existing robot control interfaces, such as a universal serial bus. The foot-operable controller may be used to control various robots, including for example a robot equipped with a claw arm or a robot equipped with a ring launcher.

Abstract: Disclosed is a decontamination robot. The robot includes a decontamination box including at least two arrays of ultraviolet LEDs, the two arrays arranged to irradiate an object placed inside the decontamination box from at least two independent directions, the decontamination box further including an interior surface with at least 90% reflectivity of ultraviolet light. The robot also includes a drivetrain including four swerve-drive units, each swerve-drive unit capable of rotating a wheel on an axis of the wheel and capable of orienting the wheel in a plane defined by the axes of the four wheels of the four swerve-drive units, whereby the four swerve-drive units coordinate to generate translational motion of the decontamination robot on a working surface.

Abstract: An apparatus and a process for producing zinc oxide from a zinc-bearing material are provided. The process comprises the steps of leaching the complex sulfide material with hydrochloric acid, ferric chloride, and oxygen; precipitating iron from the leach solution using lime and oxygen; removing copper, silver, cadmium, cobalt and lead from the leach solution by cementation with zinc dust; precipitating zinc oxide from the leach solution using lime; and regenerating HCl from a calcium chloride leach filtrate solution to regenerate hydrochloric acid and precipitate gypsum. Related processes for recovering copper, silver, lead, and iron from complex sulfide materials and for recovering lead from residue by solubilizing lead chloride and precipitating it with lime are also provided.

Abstract: An apparatus and a process for producing zinc oxide from a zinc-bearing material are provided. The process comprises the steps of leaching the complex sulfide material with hydrochloric acid, ferric chloride, and oxygen; precipitating iron from the leach solution using lime and oxygen; removing copper, silver, cadmium, cobalt and lead from the leach solution by cementation with zinc dust; precipitating zinc oxide from the leach solution using lime; and regenerating HCl from a calcium chloride leach filtrate solution to regenerate hydrochloric acid and precipitate gypsum. Related processes for recovering copper, silver, lead, and iron from complex sulfide materials and for recovering lead from residue by solubilizing lead chloride and precipitating it with lime are also provided.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus and a process for producing zinc oxide from a zinc-bearing material. The process according to the present invention comprises the steps of leaching the complex sulfide material with hydrochloric acid and oxygen; precipitating iron from the leach solution using magnesium oxide and oxygen; removing copper, silver, cadmium, cobalt and lead from the leach solution by cementation with zinc dust; precipitating zinc oxide from the leach solution using magnesium oxide; and spray roasting the remaining magnesium chloride leach solution to regenerate hydrochloric acid and magnesium oxide. The present invention further relates to processes for recovering copper, silver, lead, and iron from complex sulfide materials.

Abstract: A process for recovery of copper from a copper residue obtained during purification of a zinc sulfate solution comprises leaching the copper residue in a concentrated sulfuric acid solution in the presence of an oxidant at a temperature of between 60.degree. and 80.degree. C. and separating the solids from the leach solution, electrowinning copper from the leach solution, returning the electrolyte solution to the initial leaching stage to initiate dissolution of the copper residue, and bleeding a portion of the electrolyte solution to reduce the concentration of impurities in the solution.