Abstract: A method in accordance with at least some embodiments of the present technology includes generating a first motion command for changing a pose of a mobile robot. This occurs via a computer system operably associated with the mobile robot. The method further includes determining an indication of a fault-state fall property of the mobile robot corresponding to the first motion command. The indication is based at least partially on joint-encoder data and inclinometer data from the mobile robot. The method still further includes generating a second motion command for changing the pose of the mobile robot based at least partially on the indication. The method also includes executing movement of the mobile robot corresponding to the second motion command. Executing this movement occurs via an actuator of the mobile robot and causes the fault-state fall property to move toward a target range.

Abstract: A method includes: at a mobile robot, travelling according to a current path; using a sensor of the mobile robot, capturing sensor data representing a vicinity of the mobile robot; detecting, based on the sensor data, an obstacle obstructing the current path; in response to detecting the obstacle, outputting a request for a status change corresponding to the obstacle; receiving at the mobile robot, in response to the request for a status change, data defining an updated status of the obstacle; selecting, based on the updated status data, a navigational action between (i) continuing to travel according to the current path and (ii) generating a new path circumventing the obstacle; and executing the selected navigational action.

Abstract: A method in accordance with at least some embodiments of the present technology includes determining first hazard information about a human in an environment at a first time. The method further includes decelerating a mobile robot in the environment based at least partially on the first hazard information. The method further includes determining second hazard information about the human at a second time after the first time. The method further includes reconfiguring the mobile robot based at least partially on the second hazard information. Reconfiguring the mobile robot includes moving the mobile robot from a standing configuration to a non-standing configuration. The method further includes determining third hazard information about the human at a third time after the second time. Finally, the method includes causing a safe operating stop of the mobile robot based at least partially on the third hazard information.

Abstract: A method includes: obtaining a task definition for a mobile robot, the task definition including (i) a position on an item support carried by the mobile robot, and (ii) an identifier of an item to be placed at the position to form a unit load with the item support; controlling the mobile robot carrying the item support to travel to a pick location for receiving the item from a picker; controlling an output device to render an indication of the position for the picker at the pick location; responsive to placement of the item at the position by the picker, controlling the mobile robot to travel to a handling location.

Abstract: A method includes: obtaining a batch of item group definitions, each item group definition having one or more item identifiers and corresponding quantities; for each item identifier, retrieving (i) a location of a corresponding item in a facility, and (ii) a dimensional attribute of the corresponding item; based on the locations and dimensional attributes, assigning sets of the item group definitions to respective receptacle configurations, each receptacle configuration including, for each item group definition in the set, a receptacle type with a predefined capacity; monitoring availability of a plurality of transporters in the facility, each transporter having a chassis configured to support a selectable set of receptacles; and responsive to detecting that a transporter is available, selecting one of the receptacle configurations, and presenting the selected receptacle configuration via an output device, to initiate placement of receptacles onto the chassis of the transporter according to the selected recep

Abstract: A method in accordance with at least some embodiments of the present technology includes determining first hazard information about a human in an environment at a first time. The method further includes decelerating a mobile robot in the environment based at least partially on the first hazard information. The method further includes determining second hazard information about the human at a second time after the first time. The method further includes reconfiguring the mobile robot based at least partially on the second hazard information. Reconfiguring the mobile robot includes moving the mobile robot from a standing configuration to a non-standing configuration. The method further includes determining third hazard information about the human at a third time after the second time. Finally, the method includes causing a safe operating stop of the mobile robot based at least partially on the third hazard information.

Abstract: A method in accordance with at least some embodiments of the present technology includes determining first hazard information about a human in an environment at a first time. The method further includes decelerating a mobile robot in the environment based at least partially on the first hazard information. The method further includes determining second hazard information about the human at a second time after the first time. The method further includes reconfiguring the mobile robot based at least partially on the second hazard information. Reconfiguring the mobile robot includes moving the mobile robot from a standing configuration to a non-standing configuration. The method further includes determining third hazard information about the human at a third time after the second time. Finally, the method includes causing a safe operating stop of the mobile robot based at least partially on the third hazard information.

Abstract: A mobile robot includes: a chassis supporting a locomotive assembly; a sensor; a processor configured, in a guided travel mode, to: detect an external force applied to the chassis in a first direction; control the sensor to capture sensor data corresponding to a physical environment of the mobile robot; detect, based on the sensor data, an operational constraint in the physical environment; determine, based on the detected operational constraint, a feedback force in a second direction opposite the first direction; and controlling the locomotive assembly according to the feedback force.

Abstract: A method includes: obtaining a pose of a mobile computing device associated with a worker in a facility; detecting a trigger event to initiate presentation, at the mobile computing device, of visual guidance corresponding to one of a plurality of mobile robots in the facility; in response to detecting the trigger event, selecting one of the mobile robots; determining, based on the pose of the mobile computing device and a map of the facility, whether the selected one of the mobile robots is visually obstructed from the pose of the mobile computing device; and when the selected one of the mobile robots is visually obstructed, providing visual guidance via the mobile computing device, the visual guidance indicating a current location of the selected mobile robot behind an obstruction.

Abstract: A method includes: capturing, via a navigational sensor of a mobile automation apparatus, three-dimensional point cloud data depicting a portion of an aisle containing a support structure, the support structure having a forward plane facing into the aisle; generating, from the point cloud data, a two-dimensional projection in a facility coordinate system; retrieving, from a stored map, an expected location of the forward plane of the support structure in the facility coordinate system; selecting, from the projection, a subset of regions satisfying a positional criterion relative to the location of the forward plane; determining, based on the selected subset of regions from the projection, an actual location of the forward plane of the support structure in the facility coordinate system; and providing the actual location of the forward plane to a navigational controller of the mobile automation apparatus.

Abstract: A method includes: at a mobile robot, travelling according to a current path; using a sensor of the mobile robot, capturing sensor data representing a vicinity of the mobile robot; detecting, based on the sensor data, an obstacle obstructing the current path; in response to detecting the obstacle, outputting a request for a status change corresponding to the obstacle; receiving at the mobile robot, in response to the request for a status change, data defining an updated status of the obstacle; selecting, based on the updated status data, a navigational action between (i) continuing to travel according to the current path and (ii) generating a new path circumventing the obstacle; and executing the selected navigational action.

Abstract: A method includes: storing, at a mobile robot, a local repository of self-assigned task definitions; determining, at a processor of the mobile robot, that a local activity metric associated with tasks assigned to the mobile robot by a central server meets an idle criterion; in response to determining that the local activity metric meets the idle criterion, selecting, by the processor, one of the self-assigned task definitions from the local repository; and initiating execution of a self-assigned task corresponding to the selected self-assigned task definition at the mobile robot.

Abstract: A mobile robot includes: a chassis supporting a locomotive assembly; a sensor; a processor configured, in a guided travel mode, to: detect an external force applied to the chassis in a first direction; control the sensor to capture sensor data corresponding to a physical environment of the mobile robot; detect, based on the sensor data, an operational constraint in the physical environment; determine, based on the detected operational constraint, a feedback force in a second direction opposite the first direction; and controlling the locomotive assembly according to the feedback force.

Abstract: A method includes: maintaining data handling settings at a mobile robot; generating operational data at the mobile robot, the operational data defining a current state of the mobile robot; storing the operational data in a memory of the mobile robot; selecting, based on the data handling settings, a portion of the operational data; transmitting the selected portion of the operational data; in response to a determination that the operational data meets a condition, obtaining updated data handling settings; and selecting a subsequent portion of the operational data for transmission according to the updated data handling settings.

Abstract: A method includes: receiving, at a mobile robot from a central server, a rescue command including a rescue location corresponding to an incapacitated mobile robot; controlling a locomotive assembly of the mobile robot to travel towards the rescue location; capturing, using a sensor of the mobile robot, sensor data representing the rescue location; at the mobile robot, identifying the incapacitated mobile robot from the sensor data; controlling the locomotive assembly to position the mobile robot in a predetermined pose relative to the incapacitated robot; and controlling a charging interface of the mobile robot to transfer energy from a battery of the mobile robot to a battery of the incapacitated mobile robot.

Abstract: A server for scheduling mobile robots to perform tasks includes: a memory; and a processor configured to: obtain a planning period divided into a plurality of timeslots; obtain input constraints including (i) a number of mobile robots in a robot pool, (ii) a number of docks and (iii) a target number of active robots; obtain robot parameters and generate a robot agent based on the robot parameters for each mobile robot; define a work weight and a charge weight for each timeslot; determine, by each respective robot agent, a schedule portion based on the work weights, the charge weights and the robot parameters, the schedule portion selecting, for each timeslot for the mobile robot to work or to charge; and in response to determining that a finalization condition and the input constraints are satisfied by the schedule portions, send the schedule portions to each mobile robot.

Abstract: A method in a computing device includes: storing an initial map representing objects within a facility; receiving sensor data from a mobile robot deployed in the facility, the sensor data representing a portion of the facility within a field of view of the mobile robot; determining, based on the received sensor data, whether a map update criterion is satisfied; in response to determining that the map update criterion is satisfied, generating a map update representing updated objects within the facility; applying the map update to the initial map to generate an updated map; and storing the updated map.

Abstract: A method includes: obtaining a pose of a mobile computing device associated with a worker in a facility; detecting a trigger event to initiate presentation, at the mobile computing device, of visual guidance corresponding to one of a plurality of mobile robots in the facility; in response to detecting the trigger event, selecting one of the mobile robots; determining, based on the pose of the mobile computing device and a map of the facility, whether the selected one of the mobile robots is visually obstructed from the pose of the mobile computing device; and when the selected one of the mobile robots is visually obstructed, providing visual guidance via the mobile computing device, the visual guidance indicating a current location of the selected mobile robot behind an obstruction.

Abstract: A method includes: storing an occupancy map for a facility, the occupancy map defining: for each of a plurality of regions in the facility, a current occupancy for a present time value, and for each of at least a subset of the regions, a future occupancy for a subsequent time value; generating a path from a current pose of a mobile robot in the facility to a target pose, based on the current and future occupancies; in response to execution of the path at the mobile robot, capturing sensor data representing a vicinity of the mobile robot; detecting an obstacle from the sensor data; and transmitting occupancy data for generating an updated occupancy map including an updated future occupancy for at least one of the subset of regions, the occupancy data including obstacle data indicating a location of the obstacle, and path data defining the path.

Abstract: A method includes: storing, at a mobile robot, a local repository of self-assigned task definitions; determining, at a processor of the mobile robot, that a local activity metric associated with tasks assigned to the mobile robot by a central server meets an idle criterion; in response to determining that the local activity metric meets the idle criterion, selecting, by the processor, one of the self-assigned task definitions from the local repository; and initiating execution of a self-assigned task corresponding to the selected self-assigned task definition at the mobile robot.