Abstract: A piezoelectric debris sensor and associated signal processor responsive to debris strikes enable an autonomous or non-autonomous cleaning device to detect the presence of debris and in response, to select a behavioral mode, operational condition or pattern of movement, such as spot coverage or the like. Multiple sensor channels (e.g., left and right) can be used to enable the detection or generation of differential left/right debris signals and thereby enable an autonomous device to steer in the direction of debris.

Abstract: A piezoelectric debris sensor and associated signal processor responsive to debris strikes enable an autonomous or non-autonomous cleaning device to detect the presence of debris and in response, to select a behavioral mode, operational condition or pattern of movement, such as spot coverage or the like. Multiple sensor channels (e.g., left and right) can be used to enable the detection or generation of differential left/right debris signals and thereby enable an autonomous device to steer in the direction of debris.

Abstract: A method for energy management in a robotic device includes providing a base station for mating with the robotic device, determining a quantity of energy stored in an energy storage unit of the robotic device, and performing a predetermined task based at least in part on the quantity of energy stored. Also disclosed are systems for emitting avoidance signals to prevent inadvertent contact between the robot and the base station, and systems for emitting homing signals to allow the robotic device to accurately dock with the base station.

Abstract: A song-matching system, which provides real-time, dynamic recognition of a song being sung and providing an audio accompaniment signal in synchronism therewith, includes a song database having a repertoire of songs, each song of the database being stored as a relative pitch template, an audio processing module operative in response to the song being sung to convert the song being sung into a digital signal, an analyzing module operative in response to the digital signal to determine a definition pattern representing a sequence of pitch intervals of the song being sung that have been captured by the audio processing module, a matching module operative to compare the definition pattern of the song being sung with the relative pitch template of each song stored in the song database to recognize one song in the song database as the song being sung, the matching module being further operative to cause the song database to download the unmatched portion of the relative pitch template of the recognized song as a dig