Abstract: A method for automatically moving a vessel along a desired path, the method comprising: providing an irregular pattern of indicia remote from the vessel; imaging the indicia by an imaging device carried by the vessel and thereby estimating the location and orientation of the vessel with respect to the indicia; driving the vessel in dependence on the estimated location and orientation in order to cause the vessel to move along the path.

Abstract: A method for joining primary and secondary members includes providing a primary member, a secondary member and a heating element which is joined to one of the primary and secondary members. The heating element includes an electrically insulating matrix material and an electrically conductive reinforcing element extending through the matrix material. The method further includes bringing the other of the primary and secondary members and the heating element into engagement and controlling a flow of electrical current in the reinforcing element so as to resistively heat and fuse at least some of the matrix material of the heating element with a matrix material of the other of the primary and secondary members. The method may be used to join a primary member such as a composite tubular and a secondary member such as a component for terminating the composite tubular.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an inventory storage system has at least one storage module having a shelving system, a conveyor, and a robotic transport system. The shelving system has a plurality of shelves that are spaced from one another along a vertical direction and that define a plurality of inventory storage locations. The conveyor is positioned alongside the shelving system and is configured to convey inventory items along a longitudinal direction. The robotic transport system is positioned alongside the shelving system and spaced above the conveyor along the vertical direction. The robotic transport system has a track, and a trolley that translates along the track and that includes a robotic manipulator. The trolley moves the robotic manipulator along the track to a position that is adjacent a select one of the inventory storage locations so as to stow an inventory item to, or retrieve the item from, the select storage location.

Abstract: A method for monitoring a work process in which a workpiece is worked on by a tool, the method comprising: providing an irregular pattern of indicia remote from the workpiece and the tool; imaging the indicia by an imaging device carried by the workpiece and thereby estimating the location of the workpiece with respect to the indicia; imaging the indicia by an imaging device carried by the tool and thereby estimating the location of the tool with respect to the indicia; and correlating the location of the workpiece and the tool to estimate an operation performed by the tool on the workpiece.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an inventory storage module has a pair of upper tracks and a pair of lower tracks that are connected to one another so as to define a closed movement path in a vertical plane. The module has a plurality of carriers arranged end-to-end along the upper and lower tracks. Each carrier is elongate along a direction that extends between a pair of the upper or lower tracks so as to carry a set of the storage containers that are arranged side-by-side. Each carrier has first and second first wheel assemblies that couple the carrier to the pairs of upper tracks and lower tracks when supported by the pairs of upper tracks and lower tracks, respectively. The storage module can move the inventory carriers around the movement path until a desired one of the inventory carriers is presented at one of the first and second ends.

Abstract: A composite fluid conduit assembly with a fluid conduit having a wall defining a fluid flow path is disclosed. The wall has an inner region and an outer region. The outer region includes a composite material having reinforcing elements within a matrix material and the inner region having a material which is substantially devoid of reinforcing elements. The inner region of the wall defines a first sealing surface around the fluid flow path at one end of the fluid conduit. The composite fluid conduit assembly has an interface member substantially devoid of reinforcing elements and located at the end of the fluid conduit. The interface member defines an aperture in fluid flow communication with the fluid flow path and a second sealing surface. A compression arrangement forces the interface member and the fluid conduit together forming a seal around the fluid flow path between the first and second sealing surfaces.

Abstract: Described are systems, methods, and apparatus for injecting dunnage into a container after an item has been placed in the container and the container has been sealed or otherwise closed. A dunnage injection apparatus is configured to penetrate a surface of the sealed container and expel gas and dunnage into an interior space of the container. The gas fills the expelled dunnage forming gas-filled pouches of dunnage that fill voids within the interior space of the container and secure and protect the item within the container.

Abstract: A method for recording and predicting position data for a self-propelled wheeled vehicle (1) carrying a load (14) is provided whereby the vehicle (1) is caused to move along a ground surface (5) along a predominantly straight line trajectory (17) by rotating at least one load carrying wheel (3) in frictional engagement with the surface (5), angular rotation data of at least one wheel (3) is obtained, absolute position data are obtained at different predetermined fixed positions Pn of the vehicle (1) with respect to the surface (5) along the straight line trajectory (17), whereby the distance travels is measured independently and used to calibrate motion sensors on board the vehicle. The invention also comprises a delivery or pick up system, a program for an on-board computing device and an on-board computing device.

Abstract: A motion tracking system for tracking the motion of a subject in an environment, the system comprising: an imaging device adapted to be worn by the subject; an accelerometer adapted to be worn by the subject; and a processor configured to receive a series of images of the environment captured by the imaging device and to form, in dependence on the images an estimate of the subject's position in the environment, and to receive acceleration data from the accelerometer and to, form an estimate of the motion of a part of the subject's body carrying the accelerometer in dependence on the acceleration data and the estimated position.

Abstract: A motion tracking system configured to determine a rendering of a simulation object representing a real object (1) in a real environment (5, 6, 7, 8, 9), the positioning system comprising: an imaging device (24) mounted to the real object and configured to capture a series of images of a plurality of irregularly positioned markers (30) located in the real environment; an image processing unit communicatively coupled to the imaging device for receiving the series of images; the image processing unit being configured to determine the real location of the real object by: creating a three-dimensional model of a constellation formed by the markers visible in the series of images; and mapping the patterns of markers visible in successive images captured by the imaging device to the model and thereby determining the motion of the imaging device relative to the markers; and to determine the rendering of the simulation object so that the rendering mimics the determined motion of the imaging device.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an storage module has first and second guide rails that are spaced from one another along a lateral direction. Each guiderail has an upper track and a lower track spaced from one another along a vertical direction, and first and second connecting tracks that connect the upper track to the lower track at first and second ends, respectively. A plurality of inventory carriers that are supported between the guiderails and are arranged end-to-end along the upper and lower tracks. A drivetrain drives the carriers to translate along the upper and lower tracks at a first speed, and drives the carriers to translate along the connecting tracks at a second speed, faster than the first speed. Increasing the speed of the carriers at the connecting tracks can prevent the carriers from colliding with one another when transitioning between the upper track and the lower track.

Abstract: A system includes a first computer, a second computer, and an active computer system determining module. The first computer receives a second computer health signal from the second computer indicating a fault in the second computer and generates a first computer system health signal indicating a fault in the first and/or second computer. The active computer system determining module receives the first computer system health signal and generates a standby signal based on the first computer system health signal. The second computer receives the standby signal and disables one or more of its output ports based on the standby signal.

Abstract: A system includes a central processing unit (CPU), a first input/output (I/O) module, and a second I/O module. The first I/O module includes a first module health controller operatively connected to the CPU. The second I/O module includes a second module health controller operatively connected to the first module health controller and the CPU. One of the first module health controller and the second module health controller is configured to assert a paired module health signal to the CPU indicating that the first I/O module and the second I/O module are health.

Abstract: An optical navigation system comprising a camera oriented to face towards a plurality of markers located at spaced apart locations from the camera, calculating means adapted to calculate an angle subtended between pairs of markers, the subtended angles being calculated by monitoring the pixel locations of the markers in a series of images captured by the camera, the optical navigation system additionally comprising means for creating a three-dimensional model whereby the location of the camera relative to the markers is determined by triangulating the subtended angles in the three-dimensional model.

Abstract: A laundry treatment composition comprising: i) at least 5 wt % amphiphilic material, preferably selected from the group consisting of detersive surfactants and quaternary ammonium compounds, ii) from 0.1 to 5 wt % perfume, iii) 0.

Abstract: Nuclear fuel elements may include: a fuel zone including fuel particles disposed in parallel layers in a matrix including graphite powder; and a shell comprising graphite and surrounding the fuel zone. The fuel particles may include fissile particles, burnable poison particles, breeder particles, or a combination thereof. The fuel zone may include a central region and a peripheral region surrounding the central region, and a fuel particle density of the peripheral region may be greater than a fuel particle density of the central region.

Abstract: Described are systems, methods, and apparatus for managing the movement of inventory items within a materials handling facility using rollable containers and a gravity feed conveyance system. Inventory items are placed in the rollable containers and are routed to different locations within the materials handling facility along the gravity feed conveyance system, through use of gravitational forces that cause the rollable containers to roll. By using gravity to route inventory items within the materials handling facility, the energy and power requirements for the materials handling facility are reduced, which reduces overhead costs and which is better for the environment.

Abstract: A section of a busbar trunking system, referred to herein as “a BTS section”, comprising: a plurality of conducting bars; and a female electrical connector at a first end of the BTS section; wherein the female electrical connector is arranged to receive a male electrical connector of an adjacent BTS section to electrically connect the conducting bars of the BTS section to conducting bars of the adjacent BTS section as part of a plug-and-play connection.

Abstract: Clock signal control circuitry comprises a clock selector to output a current clock signal selected from two or more candidate clock signals and to execute a clock signal change operation to select a different one of the two or more candidate clock signals for output as the current clock signal; a counter to generate a count value by counting clock pulses of the current clock signal multiplied by a scaling value; and control logic to execute a scaling value change operation to change the scaling value in response to initiation of a clock signal change operation; in which the clock selector and the control logic are configured to cooperate to inhibit the output of the current clock signal during a scaling value change operation.

Abstract: Described herein is an inventory management system, and corresponding methods, in which robotic units are configured to execute at least a portion of a set of instructions in an automated manner. During execution of the set of instructions, robotic units may encounter tasks that they are unable to complete in an automated manner. The robotic units, upon encountering these tasks, may submit a request for manual operation to a control unit. In some embodiments, the request may be assigned to an available operator, which may take over control of the robotic unit using a remote manipulation device, to complete the task manually. Once the task has been completed manually, automated execution of the instructions may be resumed.