Abstract: Autonomous ground vehicles (“AGVs”) are utilized to transport items to delivery locations and may be modular in that a storage compartment portion (e.g., which may hold an ordered item) may be removable (i.e., separable) from a propulsion portion. In various implementations, the storage compartment portion may be securely attached to the propulsion portion during transport (e.g., requiring an access code to remove and/or open), and the storage compartment portion may similarly be securely attached to the delivery location (e.g., at a docking station) when delivered. In various implementations, the storage compartment portion may be refrigerated, heated, etc., and may include various sensors on the inside and outside of the storage compartment portion (e.g., temperature sensors, motion sensors, image sensors to determine the presence and condition of items and/or to assist with navigation and other operations of the propulsion portion, etc.).

Abstract: Autonomous ground vehicles (“AGVs”) may be deployed from facilities (e.g., materials handling facilities, etc.) to deliver items to specified locations (e.g., user residences). In various implementations, AGVs may utilize various techniques for long-range travel between materials handling facilities and delivery locations (e.g., solar charging, strategically placed charging stations, energy efficient travel paths, etc.). In various implementations, AGV facilities (e.g., smaller types of materials handling facilities) may be sized to be more easily located in compressed urban areas (e.g., to be closer to various delivery locations, etc.) and may function as home base locations where AGVs are stationed and/or where items are received (e.g., from transportation vehicles) for delivery to local delivery locations.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to autonomous vehicles, such as autonomous ground vehicles (“AGVs”) that may be utilized to transport items to specified locations (e.g., residences, dormitory rooms, etc.), operate as a safety escort for a human moving from one location to another (e.g., from a campus library to a dormitory room), form ad-hoc wireless networks with other autonomous vehicles, and/or to operate as a mobile security station that can provide direct connection between a person at the location of the autonomous vehicle and security, rescue, and/or other personnel.

Abstract: Autonomous ground vehicles (“AGVs”) are utilized to transport ordered items and may congregate in meeting areas (e.g., to receive items from common sources, utilize common resources, communicate, etc.) and the positions of the AGVs in an area may be coordinated. For example, AGVs waiting to receive ordered items from a transportation vehicle (e.g., a delivery truck) may be lined up according to delivery addresses, or according to an order of items in the transportation vehicle, etc. As another example, AGVs that are in a pickup area (e.g., where users may retrieve ordered items from the AGVs), may be arranged in a configuration that is relatively compact but which provides easy access for the users to retrieve the ordered items, etc. The AGVs may be repositioned based on various events (e.g., an AGV leaving the configuration, an improved arrangement being dynamically determined, etc.).

Abstract: Autonomous ground vehicles (“AGVs”) are utilized to retrieve items from transportation vehicles (e.g., delivery trucks) for delivery to specified locations (e.g., user residences, etc.). In various implementations, the AGVs may be owned by individual users and/or may service a group of users in a given area (e.g., in an apartment building, neighborhood, etc.). The AGVs may travel out (e.g., from a user's residence, apartment building, etc.) to meet a transportation vehicle (e.g., a delivery truck on the street) to receive items, and may be joined by other AGVs that have traveled out to meet the transportation vehicle, and may line up in a particular order (e.g., according to delivery addresses, etc.). After the items are received, the AGVs may travel back (e.g., to the user residences) to deliver the items, and may be equipped to open and close access barriers (e.g., front doors, garage doors, etc.).

Abstract: A modular sorting station includes a frame defining an inbound bay and an outbound bay, each of the inbound and outbound bays being sized to receive an inventory holder containing inventory thereon. A robotic grasper is mounted to the frame and positioned above one of the inbound and outbound bays and operable to transfer inventory items from the inbound bay to the outbound bay, and a sensor mounted to one of the frame or robotic grasper and operable to identify inventory at the inbound bay when the inventory holder is present in the inbound bay. The frame is sized and arranged to align with a material handling grid and permit drive units to transport inventory holders into and out of the inbound bay and/or outbound bays while moving along the material handling grid; and the frame is portable such that the modular sorting station can be moved as a modular unit for rapid deployment.

Abstract: An intermediary device may be configured to allow an authorized visitor to access a secure facility (such as a home) on behalf of an owner. The intermediary device may generate an authenticator and provide the authenticator to a service provider, who may then present the authenticator to the intermediary device upon arriving at the facility. The intermediary device may unlock or open, or lock and close, any doors within the facility as necessary in order to grant access to a specific portion of the facility and restrict access to other portions of the facility. The intermediary device may also capture, or cause the capture of, images or other data regarding actions taken by the service provider, and establish a communications channel with the owner for the exchange of information or data regarding such actions, or any events or conditions of the facility.

Abstract: Robotic enabled lift concepts are described. In one embodiment, a vertical lift includes a vertically directed track assembly and linear actuator that extend between first and second levels. The lift further includes a lift platform having a continuous contact roller such as a continuous belt, for example, a platform guide assembly for engagement with the track assembly, and a motion translation mechanism mechanically coupled between the continuous contact roller and the linear actuator. A robotic drive unit can drive upon and dock with the lift platform. In that docked position, the robotic drive unit can rotate its drive wheels to raise or lower itself between the first and second levels based on the translation of the motive forces of the drive wheels through the motion translation mechanism and to the vertically directed linear actuator. Other embodiments include a lift arm, an inclined track assembly, and a lift carriage.

Abstract: Robotic enabled lift concepts are described. In one embodiment, a vertical lift includes a vertically directed track assembly and linear actuator that extend between first and second levels. The lift further includes a lift platform having a continuous contact roller such as a continuous belt, for example, a platform guide assembly for engagement with the track assembly, and a motion translation mechanism mechanically coupled between the continuous contact roller and the linear actuator. A robotic drive unit can drive upon and dock with the lift platform. In that docked position, the robotic drive unit can rotate its drive wheels to raise or lower itself between the first and second levels based on the translation of the motive forces of the drive wheels through the motion translation mechanism and to the vertically directed linear actuator. Other embodiments include a lift arm, an inclined track assembly, and a lift carriage.

Abstract: Inventory management systems and related methods employ radio frequency based tracking of a worker's hands to monitor performance of inventory tasks. An inventory management system includes inventory bins, a user-wearable unit configured to be worn in proximity to a user's hand, fixed RF antennas configured to transmit at least one RF interrogation signal and receive at least one RF response signal, a RF transceiver operatively coupled with the fixed RF antennas, and a management module operatively coupled with the RF transceiver. The user-wearable unit includes an RF transceiver configured to transmit RF response signals in response to reception of the at least one RF interrogation signal. The management module is configured to process signals generated by the RF transceiver to track locations of the user-wearable unit and identify an inventory bin based on proximity of the user-wearable unit to the identified inventory bin to monitor performance of an inventory system task.

Abstract: Autonomous ground vehicles (“AGVs”) are utilized to retrieve items from transportation vehicles (e.g., delivery trucks) for delivery to specified locations (e.g., user residences, etc.). In various implementations, the AGVs may be owned by individual users and/or may service a group of users in a given area (e.g., in an apartment building, neighborhood, etc.). The AGVs may travel out (e.g., from a user's residence, apartment building, etc.) to meet a transportation vehicle (e.g., a delivery truck on the street) to receive items, and may be joined by other AGVs that have traveled out to meet the transportation vehicle, and may line up in a particular order (e.g., according to delivery addresses, etc.). After the items are received, the AGVs may travel back (e.g., to the user residences) to deliver the items, and may be equipped to open and close access barriers (e.g., front doors, garage doors, etc.).

Abstract: A high lift system for an aircraft comprises a wing structure and a leading edge slat movably supported relative to a leading edge of the wing structure, the leading edge slat comprises a leading edge and a trailing edge, wherein the trailing edge is configured to take different positions to form a gap between the leading edge slat and the wing structure, a skin and enclosing an interior space of the leading edge slat, the skin having a flexible leading skin section facing away from the wing structure, a flexible trailing skin section facing towards the wing structure, at least one actuation arrangement arranged inside the interior space for selectively introducing a normal force onto at least one of the leading skin section and the trailing skin section.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of reconstruction of an object from projections, more particularly to a quantitative reconstruction of an object from projection views of the object. For example, quantitative reconstruction of an image of a human breast from projection views generated by digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT), computed tomography (CT), or standard mammography, and use of the reconstruction to identify densest regions.

Abstract: Inventory management systems and related methods employ radio frequency based tracking of a worker's hands to monitor performance of inventory tasks. An inventory management system includes inventory bins, a user-wearable unit configured to be worn in proximity to a user's hand, fixed RF antennas configured to transmit at least one RF interrogation signal and receive at least one RF response signal, a RF transceiver operatively coupled with the fixed RF antennas, and a management module operatively coupled with the RF transceiver. The user-wearable unit includes an RF transceiver configured to transmit RF response signals in response to reception of the at least one RF interrogation signal. The management module is configured to process signals generated by the RF transceiver to track locations of the user-wearable unit and identify an inventory bin based on proximity of the user-wearable unit to the identified inventory bin to monitor performance of an inventory system task.

Abstract: A two-stage reactor is disclosed for the conversion of solid particulate biomass material. The reactor is designed to maximize conversion of the solid biomass material, while limiting excess cracking of primary reaction products. The two-stage reactor comprises a first stage rector, in which solid biomass material is thermally pyrolyzed to primary reaction products. The primary reaction products are catalytically converted in a second stage reactor.

Abstract: A method of improving the data quality in spatial frequency spectra by acquiring a prism acquisition consisting of echo data that is one or more repetitions of a one-dimensional frequency encoded signal along the length of one or more prism volumes, placed within a sample of a structure to be studied, generating prism profiles from the echo data, and correcting for motion during the acquisition by calculating motion having occurred during the prism acquisition from assessment of the prism profiles for the multiple repetitions, or by indicating a region of sample of structure to be studied on a reference image, using this to segment a map of features in the prism profiles and shifting the location of this region to correct for motion having occurred between the acquisition of the reference image and the prism acquisition.

Abstract: A process for biomass catalytic cracking is disclosed herein. More specifically, the process is in presence of is a mixed metal oxide catalyst represented by the formula (X1O).(X2O)a.(X3YbO4) wherein X1, X2 and X3 are alkaline earth elements selected from the group of Mg, Ca, Be, Ba, and mixture thereof, and Y is a metal selected from the group of Al, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cr, Ga, B, La, P and mixture thereof, wherein the catalyst is formed by calcining at least one compound comprising at least one alkaline earth element and a metal element.

Abstract: A method for determining a state of a component in a high lift system of an aircraft comprises the steps of extending at least one high lift surface, which is coupled with two drive struts, wherein at least one of the two drive struts is a load sensing drive strut, to a first extended position, acquiring a first load sensed by a load sensing drive strut associated with the at least one high lift surface at a first flight state having a first speed, comparing the first load with a known nominal load for the first extended position and the first flight state under consideration of a predetermined threshold, and producing an alarm signal in case the acquired load differs from the nominal load including the predetermined threshold.

Abstract: The disclosure describes techniques for forming nanoparticles including Fe16N2 phase. In some examples, the nanoparticles may be formed by first forming nanoparticles including iron, nitrogen, and at least one of carbon or boron. The carbon or boron may be incorporated into the nanoparticles such that the iron, nitrogen, and at least one of carbon or boron are mixed. Alternatively, the at least one of carbon or boron may be coated on a surface of a nanoparticle including iron and nitrogen. The nano particle including iron, nitrogen, and at least one of carbon or boron then may be annealed to form at least one phase domain including at least one of Fe16N2, Fe16(NB)2, Fe16(NC)2, or Fe16(NCB)2.