Abstract: A control device for an autonomous lawn mower is described which receives input signals from a first and/or second hand control and determines a control signal for controlling the autonomous lawn mower. The hand controls may provide for intuitive control of the mower by a user. The control signals may be used to operate the autonomous lawn mower to perform a task such that, when later detached or otherwise decoupled, the autonomous lawn mower may perform the same or similar tasks substantially autonomously based on data (e.g., sensor signals, control signals, etc.), generated during manual operation. In some examples, the control signals may be determined to aid a user in maintaining a straight mow, proximity to a desired pattern for mowing, and/or be otherwise altered based on the presence of a user.

Abstract: Methods for defining a no-go zone for an autonomous mower are provided including: positioning the autonomous mower in a stationary pose having a position and an orientation near an area to avoid mowing; using the position and the orientation to set a perimeter bounding the area to avoid, wherein the perimeter defines the no-go zone for the autonomous mower; and storing the set perimeter as the no-go zone. Methods are also provided for defining a no-go zone for an autonomous mower that include: positioning the autonomous mower at a start point on a desired perimeter around an area to avoid; starting perimeter recording; directing the autonomous mower to trace around the area to avoid while recording positions of the autonomous mower; stopping recording when the autonomous mower returns to or near the start point; and storing the recorded positions of the autonomous mower as a perimeter defining the no-go zone.

Abstract: A method for operating a landscaping device is disclosed. The method includes receiving by a landscaping device controller a task assignment for a landscaping task to be performed at a job site. Also, receiving at the landscaping device a task pattern for operation of the landscaping task, where the task pattern comprises a plurality of waypoints at the job site and one or more control signals for operation of the landscaping device. The method further includes controlling one or more motors based on the one or more control signals to complete the landscaping task.

Abstract: An autonomous lawn mower is described. The autonomous lawn mower comprises a chassis supporting a podium. In some examples, the podium comprises a top portion that may support one or more sensors, antennas and/or cameras that may be used to provide environmental information regarding the surroundings of the autonomous lawn mower. In additional or alternative examples, the autonomous lawn mower receives, via a wireless receiver, a signal from a remote controller, the signal comprising one or more of an emergency stop signal or a pause signal. Based at least in part on the signal comprising the emergency stop signal, causing the autonomous lawn mower to invoke an emergency stop procedure, or based at least in part on the signal comprising the pause signal, causing the autonomous lawn mower to invoke a pause procedure.

Abstract: An autonomous lawn mower is described. The autonomous lawn mower comprises a chassis supporting a podium that is raked forward with respect to a horizontal plane. In some examples, the podium comprises a top portion that may support one or more sensors, antennas and/or cameras that may be used to provide environmental information regarding the surroundings of the autonomous lawn mower. In additional or alternative examples, the podium may facilitate communication services to and/or from the autonomous lawn mower. Such a podium may improve the operation of the mower by a user when manually (or semi-autonomously controlled) while optimizing a field of view of such sensors with respect to the mowable area.

Abstract: Systems and techniques for detecting a difference in orientation between a lawn mower and a surface on which the mower is mowing, or between portions of such surface, based on one or more of sensor data or map data are discussed. The difference in orientation may then be used to control the lawn mower by, for example, raising a deck height or idling a blade speed, though other actuations are contemplated. In some examples, an amount the deck height is raised may be based on the difference in orientation. Based on a subsequent difference detected being at or below a threshold difference, the mower may return to previous operating conditions including, but not limited to, returning a blade speed to a previous blade speed and/or returning the deck height to a previous deck height, among other controls. Such techniques may prevent undercutting turf due to such differences.

Abstract: Techniques and architectures for manually controlling a lawn mower while a user is positioned on or within proximity to the lawn mower are discussed herein. For example, the lawn mower can include a control interface having a handle that the user grips with one or more fingers and a control attached to the handle to receive input from one or more other fingers of the user. The control can include a lever or other element with opposing tabs configured to receive input from fingers of the user.

Abstract: Systems and techniques for generating a set of connected segments for a device or system to traverse in order to reach every point of the region (a coverage plan). Nodes defining the region to be traversed define a polygon. The polygon is decomposed into a mesh and a graph of the mesh is generated. The graph may be used to determine a longest funneled path which, in turn, may be used to either optimize for a longest path or to divide the polygon for eroding sides. The longest path and/or erosions are used to define a set of segments. The segments are connected, which in some examples is done via an optimization to minimize an amount of time or energy to traverse all segments and connections. The resultant coverage plan is sent to a system configured to receive the plan and traverse the region.

Abstract: Systems and techniques for compensating for the forces exerted on the autonomous lawn mower exerted by operating on a sloped region to be mowed are provided herein. In some examples, such systems and techniques may include receiving a coverage plan of an area to be mowed that includes a sloped region, determining, based on data for the one or more sensors, an orientation of the autonomous lawn mower and determining a slope force to compensate for the slope on which the autonomous lawn mower is operating. The slope force is then converted into signals to generate torques at one or more wheels to compensate for the slope.

Abstract: An autonomous lawn mower is described. The autonomous lawn mower comprises a chassis supporting a podium. In some examples, the podium comprises an upper portion and a lower portion, where the upper portion may support one or more sensors, antennas and/or cameras that may be used to provide environmental information regarding the surroundings of the autonomous lawn mower. The upper portion may be detached from the lower portion such that the upper portion is calibrated prior to the upper portion being coupled to the lower portion.

Abstract: A control device for an autonomous lawn mower is described which receives input signals from a first and/or second hand control and determines a control signal for controlling the autonomous lawn mower. The hand controls may provide for intuitive control of the mower by a user. The control signals may be used to operate the autonomous lawn mower to perform a task such that, when later detached or otherwise decoupled, the autonomous lawn mower may perform the same or similar tasks substantially autonomously based on data (e.g., sensor signals, control signals, etc.), generated during manual operation. In some examples, the control signals may be determined to aid a user in maintaining a straight mow, proximity to a desired pattern for mowing, and/or be otherwise altered based on the presence of a user.

Abstract: A vegetative health mapping system which creates two- or three-dimensional maps and associates moisture content, soil density, ambient light, surface temperature, and/or additional indications of vegetative health with the map. Moisture content is inferred using radar return signals of near-field and/or far-field radar. By tuning various parameters of the one or more radar (e.g. frequency, focus, power), additional data may be associated with the map from subterranean features (such as rocks, soil density, sprinklers, etc.). Additional sensors (camera(s), lidar, IMU, GPS, etc.) may be fused with radar returns to generate maps having associated moisture content, surface temperature, ambient light levels, additional indications of vegetative health (as may be determined by machine learned algorithms), etc. Such vegetative health maps may be provided to a user who, in turn, may indicate additional areas for the vegetative health device to scan or otherwise used to recommend and/or perform treatments.

Abstract: Systems and techniques for detecting a difference in orientation between a lawn mower and a surface on which the mower is mowing, or between portions of such surface, based on one or more of sensor data or map data are discussed. The difference in orientation may then be used to control the lawn mower by, for example, raising a deck height or idling a blade speed, though other actuations are contemplated. In some examples, an amount the deck height is raised may be based on the difference in orientation. Based on a subsequent difference detected being at or below a threshold difference, the mower may return to previous operating conditions including, but not limited to, returning a blade speed to a previous blade speed and/or returning the deck height to a previous deck height, among other controls. Such techniques may prevent undercutting turf due to such differences.

Abstract: Systems and techniques for detecting a difference in orientation between a lawn mower and a surface on which the mower is mowing, or between portions of such surface, based on one or more of sensor data or map data are discussed. The difference in orientation may then be used to control the lawn mower by, for example, raising a deck height or idling a blade speed, though other actuations are contemplated. In some examples, an amount the deck height is raised may be based on the difference in orientation. Based on a subsequent difference detected being at or below a threshold difference, the mower may return to previous operating conditions including, but not limited to, returning a blade speed to a previous blade speed and/or returning the deck height to a previous deck height, among other controls.

Abstract: Systems and techniques for generating a set of connected segments for a device or system to traverse in order to reach every point of the region (a coverage plan). Nodes defining the region to be traversed define a polygon. The polygon is decomposed into a mesh and a graph of the mesh is generated. The graph may be used to determine a longest funneled path which, in turn, may be used to either optimize for a longest path or to divide the polygon for eroding sides. The longest path and/or erosions are used to define a set of segments. The segments are connected, which in some examples is done via an optimization to minimize an amount of time or energy to traverse all segments and connections. The resultant coverage plan is sent to a system configured to receive the plan and traverse the region.

Abstract: Systems and techniques for generating a set of connected segments for a device or system to traverse in order to reach every point of the region (a coverage plan). Nodes defining the region to be traversed define a polygon. The polygon is decomposed into a mesh and a graph of the mesh is generated. The graph may be used to determine a longest funneled path which, in turn, may be used to either optimize for a longest path or to divide the polygon for eroding sides. The longest path and/or erosions are used to define a set of segments. The segments are connected, which in some examples is done via an optimization to minimize an amount of time or energy to traverse all segments and connections. The resultant coverage plan is sent to a system configured to receive the plan and traverse the region.

Abstract: Systems and techniques for detecting suboptimal mowing due to impacted vegetation and/or orientation changes are discussed. In some examples, blade speeds, blade heights, torques, and/or a current required to spin the blades of a mower at a determined rate may be calibrated and associated with a lawn mower and/or map. Changes in any one or more of the blade speed, current required, torque, etc. (and/or additional data from one or more sensors on the mower) may be used as an indication for determining whether vegetation has impacted the underside of a mower, whether the blade has struck an object, whether the mower is undergoing an orientation change, whether the mower requires maintenance, and the like. Based on the indication, the mower can perform one or more functions to attempt to remediate the problem autonomously and/or send a signal to a user for additional help.

Abstract: Systems and techniques for compensating for the forces exerted on the autonomous lawn mower exerted by operating on a sloped region to be mowed are provided herein. In some examples, such systems and techniques may include receiving a coverage plan of an area to be mowed that includes a sloped region, determining, based on data for the one or more sensors, an orientation of the autonomous lawn mower and determining a slope force to compensate for the slope on which the autonomous lawn mower is operating. The slope force is then converted into signals to generate torques at one or more wheels to compensate for the slope.