Abstract: There is provided an electrically-powered material-transport vehicle having a vehicle-charging contact on one side of the vehicle, and a second vehicle-charging contact on the opposite side of the vehicle. The vehicle has a load-bearing cap that covers the top of the vehicle, and a cap elevator for raising and lowering the cap. The cap can be raised and lowered to a transit position, a payload-engagement position, a charging position, and a maintenance position. In the transit position and payload-engagement position, the cap covers the vehicle-charging contacts so that they are not exposed. In the charging position, the cap is raised so that the vehicle-charging contacts are exposed. The vehicle can enter a charging-dock with the cap in the charging position in order to recharge the vehicle's battery.

Abstract: A system, apparatus and method for automatic environmental data collection and analysis are provided, including a server comprising: a processor and a communication interface, the processor configured to: receive, using the communication interface, a geographic survey request from a first computing device; translate the geographic survey request into mission data for collecting geographic survey data; transmit, using the communication interface, the mission data to a second computing device associated with a geographic survey entity; receive, using the communication interface, the geographic survey data collected by the geographic survey entity using the mission data; analyze the geographic survey data to generate processed geographic survey data; and, transmit, using the communication interface, the processed geographic survey data to the first computing device.

Abstract: An autonomous vehicle is disclosed. The vehicle comprises a chassis, two or more drive wheels extending below the chassis, a drive motor housed within the chassis for driving the drive wheels, and a payload surface on top of the chassis for carrying a payload. An illumination system, for emitting light from at least one portion of the chassis, is mounted substantially around the entire perimeter of the chassis. The illumination system may be implemented using an array of light-emitting diodes (“LEDs”) that are arranged as segments. For example, there may be “headlight” segments on the front left and front right corners of the chassis.

Abstract: Systems and methods for tele-present recovery of self-driving vehicles are disclosed. The system comprises one or more self-driving vehicles, a server, and a master-assistance device. The vehicle operates in a full-autonomous mode until a problem is encountered, triggering a vehicle status associated with a master-assisted intervention. A master-assisted intervention request and associated environment state information are sent from the server to the master-assistance device. A human operator of the master-assisted intervention device provides input indicative of operational commands for the vehicle. The operational commands are received by the vehicle, and the vehicle is operated in a semi-autonomous mode based on the operational commands. When the problem has been resolved, an assistance complete message is sent to the vehicle, and the vehicle returns to operating in the full-autonomous mode.

Abstract: Systems and methods for monitoring a fleet of self-driving vehicles are disclosed. The system comprises one or more self-driving vehicles having at least one sensor for collecting current state information, a fleet-management system, and computer-readable media for storing reference data. The method comprises autonomously navigating a self-driving vehicle in an environment, collecting current state information using the vehicle's sensor, comparing the current state information with the reference data, identifying outlier data in the current state information, and generating an alert based on the outlier data. A notification based on the alert may be sent to one or more monitoring devices according to the type and severity of the outlier.

Abstract: An autonomous vehicle is disclosed. The vehicle comprises a chassis, two or more drive wheels extending below the chassis, a drive motor housed within the chassis for driving the drive wheels, and a payload surface on top of the chassis for carrying a payload. An illumination system, for emitting light from at least one portion of the chassis, is mounted substantially around the entire perimeter of the chassis. The illumination system may be implemented using an array of light-emitting diodes (“LEDs”) that are arranged as segments. For example, there may be “headlight” segments on the front left and front right corners of the chassis.

Abstract: Systems and methods for generating a mission for a self-driving material-transport vehicle are presented. The system comprises at least one self-driving material-transport vehicle, at least one programmable logic controller, at least one field instrument, and at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium in communication with at least one processor. An application signal is received from the programmable logic controller based on an activation signal from the field instrument. A mission is generated by the application signal and a mission template, and the mission is transmitted to the self-driving material-transport vehicle. In some cases, the application signal may be based on OPC-UA, and the mission and/or mission template may be based on a REST protocol.

Abstract: Apparatus, systems and methods for providing smart pick-up and drop-off are presented. The apparatus comprises at least one vertical support member and at least one storage shelf supported by the at least one vertical support member. A payload transfer surface, supported by the vertical support members, is located below the lowest storage shelf. The payload transfer surface has an access channel so that a self-driving material-transport vehicle equipped with a lift appliance can pick up or drop off a payload on the payload transfer surface. A sensor associated with the payload transfer surface senses the presence or absence of a payload on the payload transfer surface, and sends a signal to a fleet-management system in communication with the self-driving material-transport vehicle.

Abstract: An autonomous vehicle is disclosed. The vehicle comprises a chassis, two or more drive wheels extending below the chassis, a drive motor housed within the chassis for driving the drive wheels, and a payload surface on top of the chassis for carrying a payload. An illumination system, for emitting light from at least one portion of the chassis, is mounted substantially around the entire perimeter of the chassis. The illumination system may be implemented using an array of light-emitting diodes (“LEDs”) that are arranged as segments. For example, there may be “headlight” segments on the front left and front right corners of the chassis.

Abstract: A method of controlling an illumination system for an autonomous vehicle is provided. The method includes: storing, in a memory, a plurality of lighting pattern definitions for controlling the illumination system; receiving, at a processor connected to the memory and the illumination system, state data defining a current state of the autonomous vehicle; at the processor, determining whether each of a plurality of ranked sub-states is active in the autonomous vehicle, based on the state data; at the processor, selecting one of the lighting pattern definitions corresponding to the highest ranked sub-state determined to be active in the autonomous vehicle; and controlling the illumination system according to the selected lighting pattern definition.

Abstract: A method of controlling an illumination system for an autonomous vehicle is provided. The method includes: storing, in a memory, a plurality of lighting pattern definitions for controlling the illumination system; receiving, at a processor connected to the memory and the illumination system, state data defining a current state of the autonomous vehicle; at the processor, determining whether each of a plurality of ranked sub-states is active in the autonomous vehicle, based on the state data; at the processor, selecting one of the lighting pattern definitions corresponding to the highest ranked sub-state determined to be active in the autonomous vehicle; and controlling the illumination system according to the selected lighting pattern definition.

Abstract: A system, apparatus and method for automatic environmental data collection and analysis are provided, including a server comprising: a processor and a communication interface, the processor configured to: receive, using the communication interface, a geographic survey request from a first computing device; translate the geographic survey request into mission data for collecting geographic survey data; transmit, using the communication interface, the mission data to a second computing device associated with a geographic survey entity; receive, using the communication interface, the geographic survey data collected by the geographic survey entity using the mission data; analyze the geographic survey data to generate processed geographic survey data; and, transmit, using the communication interface, the processed geographic survey data to the first computing device.

Abstract: A water vessel having variable geometry is described. The water vessel comprises: a frame; a plurality of hulls coupled to the frame, each one of the plurality of hulls coupled to the frame by a folding mechanism and configured to move, relative to the frame, between a deployed configuration and a stowed configuration in which at least one dimension of the water vessel is reduced in respect of the deployed configuration; a plurality of thruster assemblies configured to provide thrust to the water vessel, each one of the plurality of thruster assemblies being coupled to a respective one of the plurality of hulls; and a protective device coupled to a respective one of the plurality of thruster assemblies, the protective device for preventing intake of foreign objects into the respective one of the plurality of thruster assemblies.

Abstract: An advanced technique of user interaction with compact, portable, hand-held devices, larger electronic devices and other surfaces and objects is disclosed. The particular component arrays, configuration modes and analytic methodologies disclosed are optimized and directed toward logical interpretation of device motions resulting from vector impulses as user data inputs and commands. Apparatus, system and method embodiments are described and illustrated by examples.

Abstract: A water vessel having variable geometry is described. The water vessel comprises: a frame; a plurality of hulls coupled to the frame, each one of the plurality of hulls coupled to the frame by a folding mechanism and configured to move, relative to the frame, between a deployed configuration and a stowed configuration in which at least one dimension of the water vessel is reduced in respect of the deployed configuration; a plurality of thruster assemblies configured to provide thrust to the water vessel, each one of the plurality of thruster assemblies being coupled to a respective one of the plurality of hulls; and a protective device coupled to a respective one of the plurality of thruster assemblies, the protective device for preventing intake of foreign objects into the respective one of the plurality of thruster assemblies.

Abstract: A distributed hardware system for unmanned vehicles is provided, comprising a plurality of electronic hardware modules in communication via a vehicle control network. Each module is enabled to: communicate with one another, issue requests for information from a central control module, and transmit data over the network in a common format to perform respective tasks; and at least one of: independently sense one or more of: a respective status of the distributed hardware system and at least one respective environmental parameter; and independently control the respective function of a vehicle. A portion of the modules can enabled to: be removed and inserted from the distributed hardware system as plug and play modules; and determine when at least one of the modules is removed/inserted from the distributed hardware system and transition to a corresponding state. The system also includes a power management system which includes capacity monitoring and hot-swap capabilities.

Abstract: A distributed hardware system for unmanned vehicles is provided, comprising a plurality of electronic hardware modules in communication via a vehicle control network. Each module is enabled to: communicate with one another, issue requests for information from a central control module, and transmit data over the network in a common format to perform respective tasks; and at least one of: independently sense one or more of: a respective status of the distributed hardware system and at least one respective environmental parameter; and independently control the respective function of a vehicle. A portion of the modules can enabled to: be removed and inserted from the distributed hardware system as plug and play modules; and determine when at least one of the modules is removed/inserted from the distributed hardware system and transition to a corresponding state. The system also includes a power management system which includes capacity monitoring and hot-swap capabilities.

Abstract: An advanced technique of user interaction with compact, portable, hand-held devices, larger electronic devices and other surfaces and objects is disclosed. The particular component arrays, configuration modes and analytic methodologies disclosed are optimized and directed toward logical interpretation of device motions resulting from vector impulses as user data inputs and commands. Apparatus, system and method embodiments are described and illustrated by examples.