Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods for docking a mobile robot to a dock using distinct visual fiducial markers on the dock are disclosed. A mobile robot system is provided that includes a dock and a mobile cleaning robot. The dock includes a first fiducial marker in a first plane on the dock and second one or more fiducial markers in a second plane different from the first plane. The mobile cleaning robot includes a visual system to detect the first and the second one or more fiducial markers, and a controller circuit to recognize the dock, and to determine a pose or heading direction of the mobile cleaning robot based on the detected first and the second one or more fiducial markers. The mobile drive system can adjust its heading direction, and drive to the dock according to the adjusted heading direction.

Abstract: An evacuation station for collecting debris from a cleaning robot includes a controller configured to execute instructions to perform one or more operations. The one or more operations includes initiating an evacuation operation such that an air mover draws air containing debris from the cleaning robot, through an intake of the evacuation station, and through a canister of the evacuation station and such that a receptacle received by the evacuation station receives at least a portion of the debris drawn from the cleaning robot. The one or more operations includes ceasing the evacuation operation in response to a pressure value being within a range. The pressure value is determined based at least in part on data indicative of an air pressure, and the range is set based at least in part on a number of evacuation operations initiated before the evacuation operation.

Abstract: A high-voltage junction box module includes: a housing; a plurality of electrical ports disposed at the first side of the housing; a plurality of buses contained within the housing and operatively controlling electrical flow and electrical connection between auxiliary electronic devices that are electrically coupled with the junction box module via the electrical ports; and at least one interface having one or more coupling sections disposed at one or more of the second side, the third side, the fourth side, the first section, or the second section of the housing. The interface physically and electrically couples the junction box module directly with an additional junction box module.

Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods for docking a mobile robot to a dock using distinct visual fiducial markers on the dock are disclosed. A mobile robot system is provided that includes a dock and a mobile cleaning robot. The dock includes a first fiducial marker in a first plane on the dock and second one or more fiducial markers in a second plane different from the first plane. The mobile cleaning robot includes a visual system to detect the first and the second one or more fiducial markers, and a controller circuit to recognize the dock, and to determine a pose or heading direction of the mobile cleaning robot based on the detected first and the second one or more fiducial markers. The mobile drive system can adjust its heading direction, and drive to the dock according to the adjusted heading direction.

Abstract: A foldable container adjustable between an unfolded condition and a folded condition comprises a roof panel and an opposing base panel, a front panel and an opposing door panel which are each hingedly connected to solely the roof panel, a right side panel and an opposing left side panel, a right side roof skirt and an opposing left side roof skirt, a left side compound beam and a right side compound beam extending from the base panel, and a left side hinge-beam structure and a right side hinge-beam structure each having a hinge point. The right side panel and the left side panel are hingedly coupled to their respective hinge-beam structures at the hinge points. The hinge points lie in different horizontal planes. The right side panel and the left side panel couple to their respective roof skirts at roof skirt interior points.

Abstract: A diagnostic system for determining a performance status of a hydraulic system of an electric work machine, the hydraulic system having a first hydraulic pump driven by an electric motor for pumping hydraulic fluid within the hydraulic system, the system comprising: a hydraulic diagnostic module configured to receive a first operating variable of the electric motor, the hydraulic diagnostic module further being configured to compare the first operating variable of the electric motor with a predetermined operational behavior and to derive a performance status of the hydraulic system based on the comparison.

Abstract: A device, and corresponding method, for determining a presence of lead in a material composition of a pipe includes a probe, a resonant frequency measurement circuit, and a material analyzer. The probe includes an oscillator circuit and can be inserted into an interior cavity of the pipe and emit electromagnetic radiation. The frequency measurement circuit operatively communicates with the oscillator circuit and outputs resonant electromagnetic frequency measurement data indicating a resonant electromagnetic frequency of the oscillator circuit. The material analyzer receives the resonant electromagnetic frequency measurement data, and an additional measurement selected from the group consisting of (i) a measurement of power dissipation of the oscillator circuit and (ii) an interior diameter of the pipe, and outputs a positive or negative indication of whether lead is present in the material composition based on the resonant electromagnetic frequency measurement data and the additional measurement.

Abstract: Methods and systems of estimating an end of life of a rechargeable energy storage device in an energy storage system is disclosed. The system includes at least a motor, the energy storage device associated with the motor, a processing unit associated with the energy storage device, and at least one sensor operatively coupled with the processing unit and the energy storage device. The method includes measuring a most recent state of health (SOH) of the energy storage device after the system is started, storing the most recent SOH with at least one previously measured SOH, calculating a new replace-by date of the energy storage device based on the most recent SOH and the at least one previously measured SOH, and replacing a previously calculated old replace-by date with the new replace-by date, the new replace-by date being the same as or shorter than the old replace-by date.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method of selectively charging or discharging a system with multiple battery packs connected in parallel when at least one of the battery packs has a significantly different voltage or states of charge (SOCs) than the other battery packs. The method includes charging or discharging the battery pack(s) with a voltage or state of charge (SOC) farthest from a target value until the voltage(s) or SOC(s) is within a range of another battery pack at which point the battery packs may be connected and charging or discharging can resume for the set of connected packs. This process is repeated until all the battery packs are at a predetermined minimum or maximum voltage or SOC threshold. The present disclosure also provides a method for selectively operating and charging at least one of a plurality of battery packs depending on the respective states of the battery packs.

Abstract: An evacuation station for collecting debris from a cleaning robot includes a controller configured to execute instructions to perform one or more operations. The one or more operations includes initiating an evacuation operation such that an air mover draws air containing debris from the cleaning robot, through an intake of the evacuation station, and through a canister of the evacuation station and such that a receptacle received by the evacuation station receives at least a portion of the debris drawn from the cleaning robot. The one or more operations includes ceasing the evacuation operation in response to a pressure value being within a range. The pressure value is determined based at least in part on data indicative of an air pressure, and the range is set based at least in part on a number of evacuation operations initiated before the evacuation operation.

Abstract: Methods for sterilizing a substrate with radiation and radiation sterilized substrates.

Abstract: An evacuation station for collecting debris from a cleaning robot includes a controller configured to execute instructions to perform one or more operations. The one or more operations includes initiating an evacuation operation such that an air mover draws air containing debris from the cleaning robot, through an intake of the evacuation station, and through a canister of the evacuation station and such that a receptacle received by the evacuation station receives at least a portion of the debris drawn from the cleaning robot. The one or more operations includes ceasing the evacuation operation in response to a pressure value being within a range. The pressure value is determined based at least in part on data indicative of an air pressure, and the range is set based at least in part on a number of evacuation operations initiated before the evacuation operation.

Abstract: Apparatus for cooling an object, space, or tissues of a patient. A vacuum chamber is designed to be placed in thermal contact with the object or space to be cooled, or against a patient to be treated. A water sprayer is configured to spray water into the vacuum chamber or against a cooling wall of the chamber. A vacuum pump and control are designed to maintain vacuum below ambient pressure in the vacuum chamber sufficient to cause accelerated evaporation of the water and cooling to a temperature desired for cooling of the object, space, or patient.

Abstract: In various embodiments, a bimodal polyethylene may include a high molecular weight component and a low molecular weight component. The bimodal polyethylene may have a density of from 0.933 g/cm3 to 0.960 g/cm3, a melt index (I2) of from 0.3 dg/min to 1.2 dg/min, and a melt flow ratio (MFR21) greater than 70.0. The high molecular weight component may have a density of from 0.917 g/cm3 to 0.929 g/cm3, and a high load melt index (I21) of from 0.85 dg/min to 4.00 dg/min. The bimodal polyethylene may include from 40 wt. % to 60 wt % of the high molecular weight component. Methods for producing the bimodal polyethylene and articles manufactured from the bimodal polyethylene are also provided.

Abstract: Irradiation of low-density polyethylene resins with an electron beam produces modified polyethylene resins that have significantly improved melt strength and retain useful melt-index and have few cross-linked gels, if the starting LDPE resin and the level of irradiation are properly selected.

Abstract: A method includes determining, by a controller, a presence of an available electrical energy quantity generated from an energy generation event; comparing, by the controller, the available electrical energy quantity to an available energy capacity of a battery storage system; and responsive to determining the available electrical energy quantity exceeds the available energy capacity of the battery storage system, causing, by the controller, a transmission of at least a portion of the available energy quantity to a heat management system.

Abstract: In an approach to single wire hit detection, an apparatus comprises: a plurality of hit detection patches, each of the plurality of hit detection patches comprising an associated single coiled wire, and each of the plurality of hit detection patches being disposed overlapping at least one other hit detection patch of the plurality of hit detection patches; and a controller coupled to the associated single coiled wire of each hit detection patch of the plurality of hit detection patches, the controller configured to determine a location of one or more of the plurality of hit detection patches impacted by a projectile.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a dual energy backscatter system that uses low energy and high energy radiation sources for object detection, characterization, and defect detection. The dual energy backscatter system may also be used to determine the internal structure of the object. The dual energy backscatter system may be used to detect objects underwater, including objects buried or partially buried in sand or sediment.

Abstract: A device may include a frame having a first beam, a second beam, and a plurality of supports extending therebetween. The device may include a twist lock operably coupled to a first actuator and situated within a hollow corner of the frame. The device may include an arm having a roller, a second actuator being operably coupled to the arm, and a third actuator operably coupled to the roller. The device may include a first powered winch mounted to the first beam, the first powered winch having a first line with a first attachment feature at an end of the first line. The device may include a first pulley mounted to the second beam, the first pulley being operably coupled to the first line.

Abstract: Apparatus for cooling an object, space, or tissues of a patient. A vacuum chamber is designed to be placed in thermal contact with the object or space to be cooled, or against a patient to be treated. A water sprayer is configured to spray water into the vacuum chamber or against a cooling wall of the chamber. A vacuum pump and control are designed to maintain vacuum below ambient pressure in the vacuum chamber sufficient to cause accelerated evaporation of the water and cooling to a temperature desired for cooling of the object, space, or patient.