Abstract: An aerial vehicle may receive electrical power from power modules that may be installed into or removed from the aerial vehicle during flight operations. Such power modules may be inserted into a chamber from below the aerial vehicle and may come into contact with one or more terminals or leads for powering propulsion motors or other electrical loads. Such power modules may also be removed from above the aerial vehicle, thereby uncoupling the power modules from the electrical loads. Power modules may be installed into or removed from a chamber using tension members that are guided into the chamber from lateral slots extending between a perimeter of the aerial vehicle and the chamber. The tension members may be used to not only engage and remove a power module within the chamber but also to install a power module into the chamber.

Abstract: An aerial vehicle may receive electrical power from power modules that may be installed into or removed from the aerial vehicle during flight operations. Such power modules may be inserted into a chamber from below the aerial vehicle and may come into contact with one or more terminals or leads for powering propulsion motors or other electrical loads. Such power modules may also be removed from above the aerial vehicle, thereby uncoupling the power modules from the electrical loads. Power modules may be installed into or removed from a chamber using tension members that are guided into the chamber from lateral slots extending between a perimeter of the aerial vehicle and the chamber. The tension members may be used to not only engage and remove a power module within the chamber but also to install a power module into the chamber.

Abstract: A method and system for detecting and recovering from hostile takeovers of aerial vehicles is described. In some examples, this can include receiving, at an aerial device at a first time, a first signal expected according to a communication scheme. It can be determined that a second signal was not received at a second time based at least in part on the communication scheme. In response, an alarm signal can be generated.

Abstract: Battery carriages are provided herein that interface with batteries in the correct polarization, regardless of the orientation in which the batteries are inserted in the battery carriages. Such battery carriages may be advantageously used with any device that uses batteries. Such a device may include two or more battery carriages, wherein each of the battery carriages includes first and second dual-contact assemblies disposed on a substrate. Each of the two dual-contact assemblies may have a positive contact and a negative contact. The positive contacts may each be configured to contact a positive terminal of a battery and to be connected to a positive circuit connection, and the negative contacts may each be configured to contact a negative terminal of a battery and to be connected to a negative circuit connection.

Abstract: A battery carriage is provided, including first and second dual-contact assemblies. The first dual contact assembly is disposed on a body portion of the battery carriage and the second dual contact assembly is disposed on a separable portion of the battery carriage. Each dual contact assembly includes a positive contact configured to contact a positive terminal of a battery and a negative contact configured to contact a negative terminal of the battery. The separable portion of the battery carriage is selectively moveable into and out of a coupled state with the body portion. When the separable portion is moved into the coupled state, the dual contact assemblies are held spaced apart to define a receptacle in which the dual contact assemblies hold opposing ends of the battery.

Abstract: A mobile device includes a processor, a memory that stores components executable by the processor, and a projection assembly. The projection assembly includes a projector, a lens, a movable mirror, and a first projection surface integral with a surface of the mobile device. The components include a projection component and a control component. The projection component determines the projection parameters, and projects the image onto the movable minor, dependent upon the projection parameters. The control component causes the projector and the lens to focus the image onto the first projection surface, and further causes the movable mirror to reflect the image onto the first projection surface.

Abstract: A mobile device such as a robot includes a processor, a memory that stores components executable by the processor, and a projection assembly. The projection assembly includes a projector, a lens, a movable mirror, and a first projection surface integral with a surface of the mobile device. The components include a projection component and a control component. The projection component determines the projection parameters, and projects the image onto the movable mirror, dependent upon the projection parameters. The control component causes the projector and the lens to focus the image onto the first projection surface, and further causes the movable mirror to reflect the image onto the first projection surface.

Abstract: Described is detecting touch on a compound curve surface that displays content for touch-based interaction. Touch may be detected by processing an infrared image to detect a shadow corresponding to the touch, and/or by detecting infrared reflection corresponding to the touch. Also described is providing a curved surface with capacitive sensing. Also described is the use of frustrated total internal reflection to detect touch.

Abstract: Described herein are technologies pertaining to autonomously docking a mobile robot at a docking station for purposes of recharging batteries of the mobile robot. The mobile robot uses vision-based navigation and a known map of the environment to navigate toward the docking station. Once sufficiently proximate to the docking station, the mobile robot captures infrared images of the docking station, and granularly aligns itself with the docking station based upon the captured infrared images of the docking station. As the robot continues to drive towards the docking station, the robot monitors infrared sensors for infrared beams emitted from the docking station. If the infrared sensors receive the infrared beams, the robot continues to drive forward until the robot successfully docks with the docking station.

Abstract: A user input device for use with a computing device is provided. The user input device may include a housing with a bottom portion including a substrate that includes a transparent portion. The user input device may further include an optical tracking engine mounted in the housing proximate the substrate and being configured to transmit and/or detect light for tracking movement of the user input device through the transparent portion of the substrate.

Abstract: Embodiments are disclosed herein related to the avoidance of undesirable optical effects in a liquid crystal display used with a touch-sensitive display input device. For example, one embodiment provides a user interface comprising a body, a light source disposed within the body, and a liquid crystal display configured to create an image displayable on one or more display surfaces coupled to the body. The user interface device further includes a light delivery system positioned optically between the light source and the liquid crystal display to deliver light produced by the light source to the liquid crystal display. The light delivery system comprises a light exit surface spaced from the liquid crystal display to form a gap positioned between the light exit surface of the light delivery system and the liquid crystal display.

Abstract: A keyboard key has a key portion that forms a cantilevered beam pivotable about an axis. A switch is disposed relative to the cantilevered beam, such that rotation of the cantilever beam about the axis causes depression of the switch. The switch is offset from an applied force-receiving portion of the key portion. A touch sensitive key also includes a touch sensor detecting contact with the key portion of the key. The invention can be extended such that the key portion is formed of transparent or semi-transparent material. The invention can also be extended to include touch sensitive areas on any portion of an upper case of the computer keyboard.

Abstract: A battery receptacle system is provided to accept various types or sizes of batteries in different orientations. The battery receptacle system includes a first radial notch for positioning a first positive terminal of a first battery to electrically connect with the first positive contact at a first position, and a second radial notch for positioning a second positive terminal of a second battery of a different size and/or type than the first battery to electrically connect with the first positive contact at a second position, different from the first position. The second radial notch is configured to prevent the first positive terminal of the first battery from electrically connecting with the first positive contact at the second position.

Abstract: Various embodiments related to automatically exchanging a discharged battery for a charged battery in an autonomous device are disclosed. For example, one disclosed embodiment provides a method of operating an autonomous device, the method including autonomously moving to and operatively engaging with a battery exchange dock such that a discharged battery in the autonomous device is automatically removed from the autonomous device and placed into a charging receptacle on the battery exchange dock and a charged battery is automatically received from the battery exchange dock by the autonomous device. The method further includes autonomously disengaging from the battery exchange dock after receiving the charged battery.

Abstract: A mobile device such as a robot includes a processor, a memory that stores components executable by the processor, and a projection assembly. The projection assembly includes a projector, a lens, a movable mirror, and a first projection surface integral with a surface of the mobile device. The components include a projection component and a control component. The projection component determines the projection parameters, and projects the image onto the movable minor, dependent upon the projection parameters. The control component causes the projector and the lens to focus the image onto the first projection surface, and further causes the movable mirror to reflect the image onto the first projection surface.

Abstract: There is provided a robot that includes a processor executing instructions that determine a desired image to be displayed. The processor issues control signals corresponding to the desired image to be displayed. The robot also comprises a display assembly including a plurality of light sources, and a display surface. Selected ones of the plurality of light sources are activated depending at least in part upon the control signals. The display assembly includes a plurality of first light-carrying members. Each of the first light-carrying members transfers light from a corresponding one of the light sources to a light-carrying member to produce the desired image to be displayed on the display surface.

Abstract: Described herein are technologies pertaining to autonomously docking a mobile robot at a docking station for purposes of recharging batteries of the mobile robot. The mobile robot uses vision-based navigation and a known map of the environment to navigate toward the docking station. Once sufficiently proximate to the docking station, the mobile robot captures infrared images of the docking station, and granularly aligns itself with the docking station based upon the captured infrared images of the docking station. As the robot continues to drive towards the docking station, the robot monitors infrared sensors for infrared beams emitted from the docking station. If the infrared sensors receive the infrared beams, the robot continues to drive forward until the robot successfully docks with the docking station.

Abstract: A computer peripheral is provided in which depressible keys are situated over a display device. A region on the display device is associated with each key. Each key includes a keycap with a central viewing window for viewing changeable display imagery produced by the display region associated with the key. Each key has a mechanical understructure that guides and constrains movement of the keycap toward and away from the display device. The mechanical understructure is configured to not optically obstruct through-keycap viewing of changeable display imagery produced on the associated region of the display. In many examples, the mechanical understructure is positioned outside of the display region to provide such unobstructed viewing.

Abstract: This disclosure provides for a computer peripheral having displayable output in addition to keyboard-type input functionality. A plurality of keycaps are situated over a display device, and each keycap is movable downward and upward relative to the display device. Associated with each of the keycaps is a display region on the display device. The display region produces imagery which is viewable through transparent portions of the keycap. For each of the keycaps, a particulate barrier is provided to prevent particulate from entering into the display regions associated with the keycaps.

Abstract: Various methods of making an interactive keyboard in which a plurality of mechanically-depressible keys are situated over a display device, each of the mechanically-depressible keys being configured to permit through-key viewing of images produced by the display device, is provided. One example method includes providing a mold which defines a mold cavity. The method further includes introducing keycap material into the mold cavity. In such an example, the keycap material and the mold interact to produce a molded keycap having a viewing portion with one or more optical layers that are at least partially see-through and configured to provide one or more optical effects in connection with light that is incident upon the one or more optical layers.