Abstract: In one embodiment, a method is disclosed for a robot (e.g., cleaning robot) to produce a bird's eye view (planar) map by transforming from a robot camera view and stitching together images tagged by location. The planar map can then be presented on a user interface as a floorplan, showing the location of objects (such as rugs). A camera is mounted in the cleaning robot sufficiently high in the cleaning robot housing to provide an angled view downward at a floor. The camera's field of view is captured as an image, and a portion or segment of that image is cropped. The cropped segment is transformed from the camera perspective to a planar view (before or after cropping), and is combined with other images to form a map of a floorplan.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method is disclosed for a robot (e.g., cleaning robot) to produce a bird's eye view (planar) map by transforming from a robot camera view and stitching together images tagged by location. The planar map can then be presented on a user interface as a floorplan, showing the location of objects (such as rugs). A camera is mounted in the cleaning robot sufficiently high in the cleaning robot housing to provide an angled view downward at a floor. The camera's field of view is captured as an image, and a portion or segment of that image is cropped. The cropped segment is transformed from the camera perspective to a planar view (before or after cropping), and is combined with other images to form a map of a floorplan.

Abstract: Embodiments provide methods and apparatus for asynchronously classifying images provided by a robot. In a reconnaissance/exploratory or first cleaning pass, unidentified objects are avoided. Images of the object are uploaded over the Internet to a remote object detection and classification system, and the location is indicated by the cleaning robot. When the remote system subsequently returns an object identification or classification, the object can be indicated as something to be avoided, or the cleaning robot can return to the location and clean over the object if it is determined not to be a hazard. In one embodiment, the object is passed over at reduced speed or with a cleaning brush turned off.