Abstract: A seat (5) includes a sensor (21) mounted on the seat which is arranged to sense the presence of an object, or movement or position of an object in a non-contact manner, within a sensing region around the seat. A processor is arranged to receive an audio signal and to process the audio signal based on presence, movement or position detected by the first sensor. A processed signal is delivered to a vibro-acoustic transducer mounted within the seat. The processor can also control a lighting effect based on presence, movement or position detected by the first sensor. A user can interact with audio in a personal way, to suit the mood of the user. A seated user can move their body (especially arms or hands) to modify audio, such as music. The seat has a nodule (12) which, in use, fits between the legs of a seated user. The nodule can house the sensor (21) and user controls.

Abstract: A seat (5) includes a sensor (21) mounted on the seat which is arranged to sense the presence of an object, or movement or position of an object in a non-contact manner, within a sensing region around the seat. A processor is arranged to receive an audio signal and to process the audio signal based on presence, movement or position detected by the first sensor. A processed signal is delivered to a vibro-acoustic transducer mounted within the seat. The processor can also control a lighting effect based on presence, movement or position detected by the first sensor. A user can interact with audio in a personal way, to suit the mood of the user. A seated user can move their body (especially arms or hands) to modify audio, such as music. The seat has a nodule (12) which, in use, fits between the legs of a seated user. The nodule can house the sensor (21) and user controls.

Abstract: A robotic machine such as a robotic vacuum cleaner is controlled to carry out a task of cleaning a room. The machine has a plurality of sensors including infrared sensors, ultrasonic sensors and light sensors through which the machine can navigate its way around a room without hitting objects or walls in its path. The machine has an indicator light which changes color depending upon the state of interaction of the various sensors with the environment, indicating the ‘mood’ of the cleaner. The indicator may include three primary color light sources which are combined within a reflective frusto-conical chamber and a translucent lens dome in order to combine the primary colors into a single colored light as viewed by a user. This makes the machine more user-friendly.

Abstract: Portable threshold locators (32B, 32C, 32D) are placed in a room (120) at locations to define at least part of a boundary within which an autonomous vehicular appliance is to be confined. Typically, the threshold locator is placed in a doorway (32B) or at the top of a staircase (32D). The vehicle has a detection system which allows the autonomous vehicular appliance to detect the presence of the portable threshold locator. The detection system receives a signal from the threshold locator and the autonomous vehicular appliance uses the received signal to avoid the threshold marked by the locator (32B, 32C, 32D). The autonomous vehicular appliance is preferably a robotic floor cleaning appliance, such as a robotic vacuum cleaner.

Abstract: A robotic floor cleaning device comprises a chassis (10), motor-driven wheels (11) supporting the chassis (10), a motor-driven suction fan (9), a dirty air inlet (2) and a motor-driven rotatable agitator (4) at the dirty air inlet (2) for agitating the surface. A control system navigates the device around a room and distributes power to the motor-driven wheels (11) and to the agitator (4). The control system detects when the agitator (4) has jammed (100, 102) and, in the event of a jam, attempts to clear the jam (104, 106). After successfully clearing the jam the control system turns the agitator (4) off (114, 116, 118) or navigates the cleaning device around the location at which the jam occurred (119). The cleaning device can store the location of the jam for use in preventing further jams when the cleaning device returns to a similar position in the room.

Abstract: Light detection apparatus for determining the location of a body within a predetermined area comprises at least two light detecting devices (10,10′,10″), supported on the body and capable of receiving light at points which are spaced about a central axis (8). The apparatus further includes means for supplying information representative of the level of light detected by each light detecting device (10, 10′, 10″). Information received from the light detection apparatus is compared with information previously received from the light detection apparatus and stored in a memory so as to identify when the light detected by the light detection apparatus is the same or substantially the same as light previously detected by the light detection apparatus. When used on an autonomous vehicle, this can allow the vehicle to determine when it has returned to a similar position in an area.

Abstract: An autonomous vehicle, such as a robotic cleaning device, includes wheels which support the vehicle and allow the vehicle to traverse a surface. Downward looking wheel sensors sense the presence of a surface in front of the wheels. Another sensor is provided at or near a leading edge of the vehicle for sensing the presence beneath the leading edge of the vehicle. The vehicle is arranged so that movement of the vehicle is possible if the leading edge sensor senses that there is no surface beneath the leading edge of the vehicle, provided that the wheel sensors indicate that there is a surface adjacent to the wheel. When the leading edge sensor senses that there is no surface beneath the leading edge of the vehicle, the vehicle performs an edge following routine.