Abstract: Provided is a parallelized and modular planning system that controls multiple actors in performing different tasks simultaneously without conflict based on plans that are modularly created and/or updated. The system may update different parts of different plans at the same time without redefining those plans anew. The system may include a first subsystem that generates a first plan based on an assignment of a first task to a first actor, while a second subsystem provides a path for a second plan assigned to a second actor, while a third subsystem determines access ordering by which a third actor accesses a first resource from a path of a third plan, and while a fourth subsystem controls operation of a fourth actor in accessing a second resource from a path of a fourth plan based on an access ordering determined for the second resource by the third subsystem.

Abstract: Disclosed is a robot for performing three-dimensional (“3D”) or multi-plane sortation and/or order fulfillment. The robot may include a motorized base to move about a first plane, a lift that raises and lowers a dispensing receptacle atop the lift about a second plane, and one or more actuators that modify a position of the dispensing receptacle from an upright position to a first tilted position in which the dispensing receptacle is tilted towards a first side of the robot and to a second tilted position in which the dispensing receptacle is tilted towards an opposite second side of the robot. The robot may receive and carry items when the dispensing receptacle is in the upright position, and may dispense the items to a destination on either side of the robot by tilting the dispensing receptacle to the first tilted position or the second tilted position.

Abstract: Provided is a robotic retrieval system that adapts robot operations to different densities with which containers are stored. The system determines a position of a particular container in a slot. The system selects a first side of the slot from which to gain access to the particular container based on the particular container being blocked from the first side by a first number of containers and from an opposite second side by a larger second number of containers. The system uses robots to advance the particular container to the frontmost position at the first side of the particular slot by removing the first number of containers from the first side, and by inserting the first number of containers into the second side, and to transfer the particular container to a target destination after advancing the particular container to the frontmost position at the first side.

Abstract: Disclosed is a robot for performing three-dimensional (“3D”) or multi-plane sortation and/or order fulfillment. The robot may include a motorized base to move about a first plane, a lift that raises and lowers a dispensing receptacle atop the lift about a second plane, and one or more actuators that modify a position of the dispensing receptacle from an upright position to a first tilted position in which the dispensing receptacle is tilted towards a first side of the robot and to a second tilted position in which the dispensing receptacle is tilted towards an opposite second side of the robot. The robot may receive and carry items when the dispensing receptacle is in the upright position, and may dispense the items to a destination on either side of the robot by tilting the dispensing receptacle to the first tilted position or the second tilted position.

Abstract: A container with an alignment correcting end is provided. The alignment correcting end has angled side walls that extend from parallel flat square or rectangular sides of the container. Each angled side wall extends at an angle between 5 and 70 from one of the parallel walls towards the center of the container. Nubs may be disposed about an exterior of the angled side walls. Also, a passive displacing robotic element for performing misaligned or off-axis placement of the container with the alignment correcting end is provided. The passive displacing robotic element provides displacement of the one or more robotic actuators that are used to engage and place the container into the slot in response to the alignment correcting end of the container contacting the slot edge, wall, or other barrier.

Abstract: Provided are systems and methods by which robots predictively detect objects that may obstruct robotic tasks prior to the robots performing those tasks. For instance, a robot may receive a task, and may obtain dimensions of a task object based on a first identifier obtained with the task or with a sensor of the robot. The robot may determine a first boundary for moving the task object based on the task object dimensions and an added buffer of space that accounts for imprecise robotic operation. The robot may detect a second identifier of a neighboring object, and may obtain dimensions of the neighboring object using the second identifier. The robot may compute a second boundary of the neighboring object based on the dimensions of the neighboring object and a position of the second identifier, and may detect an obstruction based on the second boundary crossing into the first boundary.

Abstract: A system, a machine-readable storage medium storing instructions, and a computer-implemented method are described herein for a System Tuner for defining an in-game event requiting accumulation of a pre-defined set of virtual objects in a virtual game (or online game) prior to termination of the in-game event. The System Tuner determines a head-start subset from the pre-defined set of virtual objects for a target player account based on a difference between a reference player skill level for the virtual game and a player skill level of the target player account. The System Tuner determines, based on the player skill level of the target player account and a pre-defined duration of the in-game event, a drop rate for virtual objects remaining in the pre-defined set of virtual objects. The System Tuner sends the head-start subset and the drop rate to a client device associated with the target player account.

Abstract: A container with an alignment correcting end is provided. The alignment correcting end has angled side walls that extend from parallel flat square or rectangular sides of the container. Each angled side wall extends at an angle between 5 and 70 from one of the parallel walls towards the center of the container. Nubs may be disposed about an exterior of the angled side walls. Also, a passive displacing robotic element for performing misaligned or off-axis placement of the container with the alignment correcting end is provided. The passive displacing robotic element provides displacement of the one or more robotic actuators that are used to engage and place the container into the slot in response to the alignment correcting end of the container contacting the slot edge, wall, or other barrier.

Abstract: Provided is a parallelized and modular planning system that controls multiple actors in performing different tasks simultaneously without conflict based on plans that are modularly created and/or updated. The system may update different parts of different plans at the same time without redefining those plans anew. The system may include a first subsystem that generates a first plan based on an assignment of a first task to a first actor, while a second subsystem provides a path for a second plan assigned to a second actor, while a third subsystem determines access ordering by which a third actor accesses a first resource from a path of a third plan, and while a fourth subsystem controls operation of a fourth actor in accessing a second resource from a path of a fourth plan based on an access ordering determined for the second resource by the third subsystem.

Abstract: A container with an alignment correcting end is provided. The alignment correcting end has angled side walls that extend from parallel flat square or rectangular sides of the container. Each angled side wall extends at an angle between 5 and 70 from one of the parallel walls towards the center of the container. Nubs may be disposed about an exterior of the angled side walls. Also, a passive displacing robotic element for performing misaligned or off-axis placement of the container with the alignment correcting end is provided. The passive displacing robotic element provides displacement of the one or more robotic actuators that are used to engage and place the container into the slot in response to the alignment correcting end of the container contacting the slot edge, wall, or other barrier.

Abstract: Provided are systems and methods by which robots predictively detect objects that may obstruct robotic tasks prior to the robots performing those tasks. For instance, a robot may receive a task, and may obtain dimensions of a task object based on a first identifier obtained with the task or with a sensor of the robot. The robot may determine a first boundary for moving the task object based on the task object dimensions and an added buffer of space that accounts for imprecise robotic operation. The robot may detect a second identifier of a neighboring object, and may obtain dimensions of the neighboring object using the second identifier. The robot may compute a second boundary of the neighboring object based on the dimensions of the neighboring object and a position of the second identifier, and may detect an obstruction based on the second boundary crossing into the first boundary.

Abstract: Provided are systems and methods by which robots predictively detect objects that may obstruct robotic tasks prior to the robots performing those tasks. For instance, a robot may receive a task, and may obtain dimensions of a task object based on a first identifier obtained with the task or with a sensor of the robot. The robot may determine a first boundary for moving the task object based on the task object dimensions and an added buffer of space that accounts for imprecise robotic operation. The robot may detect a second identifier of a neighboring object, and may obtain dimensions of the neighboring object using the second identifier. The robot may compute a second boundary of the neighboring object based on the dimensions of the neighboring object and a position of the second identifier, and may detect an obstruction based on the second boundary crossing into the first boundary.

Abstract: A magnetically-displacing charging station includes a front wall with an opening about its center, and a charging interface with a back wall, at least one support extension, a magnet, and a charging plug. The back wall is disposed behind the front wall and is larger than the opening. The at least one support extension extends through the opening with a proximal end connected to the back wall, and a distal end that extends out in front of the front wall and that retains the magnet and charging plug. The charging station further includes springs connected to the front wall at one end, and to the back wall at an opposite end. The springs provide a default position for the charging interface within the opening, and further provide for a displacement of the charging interface about the opening in response to magnetic or other forces.

Abstract: Provided are systems and methods by which robots predictively detect objects that may obstruct robotic tasks prior to the robots performing those tasks. For instance, a robot may receive a task, and may obtain dimensions of a task object based on a first identifier obtained with the task or with a sensor of the robot. The robot may determine a first boundary for moving the task object based on the task object dimensions and an added buffer of space that accounts for imprecise robotic operation. The robot may detect a second identifier of a neighboring object, and may obtain dimensions of the neighboring object using the second identifier. The robot may compute a second boundary of the neighboring object based on the dimensions of the neighboring object and a position of the second identifier, and may detect an obstruction based on the second boundary crossing into the first boundary.

Abstract: A magnetically-displacing charging station may include a front wall with an opening about its center, and a charging interface with a back wall, at least one support extension, a magnet, and a charging plug. The back wall may be disposed behind the front wall and may be larger than the opening. The support extension may extend through the opening with a proximal end connected to the back wall, and a distal end that extends out in front of the front wall and that retains the magnet and charging plug. The charging station may further include springs connected to the front wall at one end, and to the back wall at an opposite end. The springs provide a default position for the charging interface within the opening, and further provide for displacement of the charging interface about the opening in response to magnetic or other forces.

Abstract: A system, a machine-readable storage medium storing instructions, and a computer-implemented method are described herein for a System Tuner for defining an in-game event requiting accumulation of a pre-defined set of virtual objects in a virtual game (or online game) prior to termination of the in-game event. The System Tuner determines a head-start subset from the pre-defined set of virtual objects for a target player account based on a difference between a reference player skill level for the virtual game and a player skill level of the target player account. The System Tuner determines, based on the player skill level of the target player account and a pre-defined duration of the in-game event, a drop rate for virtual objects remaining in the pre-defined set of virtual objects. The System Tuner sends the head-start subset and the drop rate to a client device associated with the target player account.

Abstract: A container with an alignment correcting end is provided. The alignment correcting end has angled side walls that extend from parallel flat square or rectangular sides of the container. Each angled side wall extends at an angle between 5 and 70 from one of the parallel walls towards the center of the container. Nubs may be disposed about an exterior of the angled side walls. Also, a passive displacing robotic element for performing misaligned or off-axis placement of the container with the alignment correcting end is provided. The passive displacing robotic element provides displacement of the one or more robotic actuators that are used to engage and place the container into the slot in response to the alignment correcting end of the container contacting the slot edge, wall, or other barrier.

Abstract: A system, a machine-readable storage medium storing instructions, and a computer-implemented method are described herein for a System Tuner for defining an in-game event requiring accumulation of a pre-defined set of virtual objects in a virtual game (or online game) prior to termination of the in-game event. The System Tuner determines a head-start subset from the pre-defined set of virtual objects for a target player account based on a difference between a reference player skill level for the virtual game and a player skill level of the target player account. The System Tuner determines, based on the player skill level of the target player account and a pre-defined duration of the in-game event, a drop rate for virtual objects remaining in the pre-defined set of virtual objects. The System Tuner sends the head-start subset and the drop rate to a client device associated with the target player account.

Abstract: An optical transmitter may include a chip stack that includes an electrical IC that is mounted using solder balls to a photonic chip. These solder connections permit the electrical IC and the photonic chip to communicate. In addition, the transmitter may include a PCB coupled to the stack so that electrical signals in the PCB are transmitted to the IC and photonic chip (and vice versa). Instead of coupling the PCB to the stack using wire bonds attached to pads on a surface of the photonic chip, at least a portion of the PCB is disposed between the photonic chip and electrical IC. The PCB may also include bond pads used to form a direct solder connection to the electrical IC. As such, the electrical IC may include direct solder connections to both the PCB and the photonic chip.

Abstract: Embodiments include an optical apparatus and associated method of assembling. The optical apparatus comprises a substrate defining a first surface and a channel formed relative thereto, the substrate including one or more waveguides extending to a sidewall partly defining the channel, a plurality of first electrical contacts formed on the first surface. The optical apparatus further comprises a carrier member defining a second surface and at least a third surface, the second surface coupled with the first surface of the substrate. The optical apparatus further at least one optical component coupled with the second surface and at least partly disposed within the channel, wherein the at least one optical component is optically coupled with the one or more waveguides and electrically connected with the first electrical contacts via a plurality of second electrical contacts at the third surface of the carrier member.