Abstract: Self-healing microvalves are described herein. The self-healing microvalve can move from a first position to a second position using an electrical input and use a soft hydraulic assembly to return from the second position to the first position. The electrical input can create an electrostatic attraction, causing the compression of the soft hydraulic assembly and movement of the valve gate to seal the microvalve. The elasticity of the soft hydraulic assembly can then return the self-healing microvalve to the original state, once the electrical input is removed.

Abstract: The soft bodied structures and systems for controlling such devices are described herein. The soft bodied structures can, through a series of soft hydraulic actuators, move from a first position to a second position by a somersaulting motion. The system can include connecting to a first contact point of the surface using a surface attachment. The rigidity of the controllably resistive material can then be increased. The medial hydraulic actuators can be actuated to expand the exterior medial surface, creating a bend. The device can then attach to a second contact point using the surface attachment and the end portion actuator of the unattached end portion. Then, the surface attachment of the first attached end portion can detach. The medial hydraulic actuators and the controllably resistive material can then relax, followed by detaching the surface attachment of the second attached end portion.

Abstract: The soft bodied structures and systems for controlling such devices are described herein. The soft bodied structures can move from a first position to a second position by an earthworm-like motion. The system can include connecting to a first contact point of the surface using a surface attachment. The medial region can include one or more spacer regions. The medial actuators can be actuated to expand the exterior medial surface at the spacer regions, thus moving the unattached end portion forward. The device can then attach to a second contact point using the surface attachment and the end portion actuator of the unattached end portion. Then, the surface attachment of the first attached end portion can detach. The medial actuators and the spacer regions can then relax, followed by detaching the surface attachment of the second attached end portion.

Abstract: A speaker assembly can include a speaker and one or more actuators operatively positioned to cause the position and/or the orientation of the speaker to be adjusted. The one or more actuators include a bladder. The bladder can include a flexible casing. The bladder can define a fluid chamber. The fluid chamber can contain a dielectric fluid. The one or more actuators can include a first conductor and a second conductor operatively positioned on opposite portions of the bladder. The one or more actuators can be configured such that, when electrical energy is supplied to the first conductor and the second conductor, the first conductor and the second conductor can become oppositely charged. As a result, the first conductor and the second conductor are electrostatically attracted toward each other to cause at least a portion of the dielectric fluid to be displaced to an outer peripheral region of the fluid chamber.

Abstract: Arrangements related to operating an autonomous vehicle in view-obstructed environments are described. At least a portion of an external environment of the autonomous vehicle can be sensed to detect one or more objects located therein. An occupant viewable area of the external environment can be determined. It can be determined whether one or more of the detected one or more objects is located outside of the determined occupant viewable area. Responsive to determining that a detected object is located outside of the determined occupant viewable area, one or more actions can be taken. For instance, the action can include presenting an alert within the autonomous vehicle. Alternatively or in addition, the action can include causing a current driving action of the autonomous vehicle to be modified.

Abstract: A vehicle includes a body and a furniture module. The body defines a passenger compartment, and the furniture module includes a framing system mounted to the body in the passenger compartment and a surfacing system mounted to the framing system. The furniture module is operable to shift between a body-like form factor and a furniture form factor. In the body-like form factor, the furniture module is flattened along the body, with the framing system collapsed along the body, and the surfacing system spatially arranged along the body with the framing system. In the furniture form factor, the furniture module extends beyond the body to render on-demand furniture including a furniture frame and an overlying furniture surface, with the framing system expanded beyond the body to establish the furniture frame, and the surfacing system spatially arranged beyond the body to establish the overlying furniture surface.

Abstract: In an operational mode of a vehicle, a vehicle system can be influenced by a mix of autonomous control inputs and manual control inputs. A first weight can be assigned to manual control inputs, and a second weight can be assigned to autonomous control inputs. While the vehicle is being operated primarily by manual inputs from a human driver, it can be determined whether the human driver of the vehicle has made a driving error and whether a current driving environment of the vehicle is a low complexity driving environment. Responsive to determining that the human driver of the vehicle has made the driving error and to determining that the current driving environment of the vehicle is a low complexity driving environment, the second weight assigned to autonomous control inputs can be automatically increased. Autonomous control inputs can influence the vehicle system in an amount corresponding to the second weight.

Abstract: Various seating arrangements for a vehicle are described. Generally, the vehicle includes an electromagnetic array featured on a floor of the vehicle. The chair includes base having a plurality of magnets featured thereon. The vehicle generates signals for the electromagnetic array to generate a wave and impart a force on the chair in a determined direction via the plurality of magnets.

Abstract: Described herein is an autonomous vehicle comprising a sensor and a driver notification module in communication with the sensor. The driver notification module may be configured to receive first information related to an upcoming event; determine an action for an autonomous vehicle based, at least in part, on the first information; determine one or more characteristics of the action based, at least in part on the first information and a current status of the autonomous vehicle; determine a notification based, at least in part, on the action and the one or more characteristics; and deliver the notification within the autonomous vehicle.

Abstract: A navigation apparatus for an autonomous vehicle includes circuitry configured to receive at least one route between a start location and a destination, display the at least one route on a first screen that allows selection of a first set of routes from the at least one route, receive a plurality of characteristics corresponding to each of the at least one route. Each characteristic of the plurality of characteristics is associated with a measure and a longest block within which each characteristic can be performed continuously. The circuitry further configured to divide a route of the at least one route to generate a plurality of segments based on the plurality of characteristics, and display the first set of routes, the plurality of characteristics corresponding to the first set of routes, the measure and the longest block corresponding to the plurality of characteristics on a second screen.

Abstract: A telepresence drone that is configured to navigate through an environment includes a frame, a propulsion system comprising propellers and motors coupled to the frame, an electronic control unit in communication with the propulsion system, and a hull positioned outside of the frame and the propulsion system. The hull includes a plurality of openings through which the propulsion system acts on air to navigate through the environment.

Abstract: A system for adjusting the position of one or more sensors of an autonomous vehicle includes a plurality of sensor arms, a plurality of sensor manipulators attached to each of the plurality of sensor arms. The system can be configured to receive output from the one or more sensors, and determine if an occlusion zone is detected. Based on the objects creating the occlusion zone, the sensors can be adjusted to decrease the size of the occlusion zone.

Abstract: Various examples of transferring a watercraft between land and water are disclosed. When a vehicle receives a transfer signal, the vehicle locates a launch ramp, and the vehicle moves to the launch ramp. A trailer attached to the vehicle moved into the water using the launch ramp, such that a watercraft can be transferred between land and water via the trailer.

Abstract: Various examples of tilting a human support surface in a vehicle are disclosed. A frame is attached to the surface of the vehicle. The vehicle also includes rotation system mounted between the frame and a vehicle surface. The rotation system can be controlled to tilt a human support surface of the frame towards a direction of acceleration associated with a driving maneuver as the driving maneuver is executed.

Abstract: An adjustable airbag system for a vehicle includes an inflatable airbag and at least one tether formed from a shape memory material. The at least one tether has at least one portion thereof secured to the airbag. The at least one tether is structured to contract so as to control an inflated dimension of the airbag when the at least one tether is heated to a temperature above a transformation temperature of the shape memory material and also above a superelastic temperature range of the shape memory material, prior to airbag deployment.

Abstract: An adjustable airbag system for a vehicle. The system includes an airbag assembly having an inflatable airbag within a housing, and an airbag housing orientation mechanism operatively coupled to the airbag housing. The airbag housing orientation mechanism is structured to enable control of an orientation of the airbag housing so as to enable deployment of the airbag to cushion an occupant positioned in either one of a driver side or a front passenger side of the vehicle.

Abstract: A computing system for a vehicle includes one or more processors and a memory for storing data and program instructions usable by the one or more processors. The one or more processors are configured to execute instructions stored in the memory to determine if a virtual straight line connecting a predetermined location within a vehicle with a light source external to the vehicle passes through a window of the vehicle. If the straight line passes through a window, it is determined if the straight line will pass through any deployable vehicle shade if the shade is deployed. If the straight line will pass through a shade if the shade is deployed and the shade through which the straight line will pass is not already deployed, the vehicle may be operated so as to deploy the shade through which the straight line will pass if the shade is deployed.

Abstract: A computing device for a vehicle proximity condition detection and haptic notification system is provided. The device includes one or more processors for controlling operation of the computing device, and a memory for storing data and program instructions usable by the one or more processors. The one or more processors are configured to execute instructions stored in the memory to enable a user to specify operation of an active suspension system of an ego-vehicle so as to generate at least one pulse at at least one wheel of the vehicle, responsive to a vehicle proximity condition, and operate the active suspension system in accordance with the user's specification.

Abstract: Described herein are systems and methods for multimodal recurrent network processing. In an embodiment, a system for evaluating multimodal data comprising a multimodal data input and a multimodal processing module is described. The multimodal data input may comprise the multimodal data, the multimodal data may comprise a first modality and a second modality. The multimodal processing module may be configured to receive the multimodal data comprising the first modality and the second modality; evaluate the first modality using a first recursive neural network comprising a first transformation matrix; evaluate the second modality using a second recursive neural network comprising the first transformation matrix; and determine an output based, at least in part, on evaluating the first modality and the second modality.

Abstract: A vehicle sensor system includes a first sensor pod mounted to a pillar structure of the vehicle and a second sensor pod mounted to the pillar structure. A sensor pod deployment mechanism is operatively coupled to the first sensor pod and to the second sensor pod for deploying the first and second sensor pods from the pillar structure. The deployment mechanism is operable to move the first sensor pod between a stowed position and a deployed position of the first pod, and operable to move the second sensor pod between a stowed position and a deployed position of the second pod.