Abstract: A method is provided for generating and updating a simulation of one or more objects from sensory data. The method includes: (i) receiving sensory data; (ii) detecting one or more objects in the sensory data; (iii) initializing both a simulator geometry of the one or more objects in a simulator and simulator parameters used in the simulator; (iv) predicting the simulator geometry using the simulator parameters; (v) computing predicted sensory data from the predicted simulator geometry; (vi) computing a loss between the predicted sensory data and the received sensory data; (vii) updating the simulator geometry and the simulator parameters by minimizing the computed loss; (viii) repeating (i)-(viii) if new sensory data is received; and (ix) providing a simulation of the one or more objects using the updated simulator geometry and the updated simulator parameters.

Abstract: A method includes receiving position information and force information, providing control commands to a steering mechanism of a continuum manipulator based on the position information and the force information, updating a control matrix based on the position information and the provided control commands, and providing updated control commands to the steering mechanism based on the updated control matrix. A continuum manipulator includes a body, a steering mechanism configured to steer the body, sensors, and a controller. The sensors include a position sensor to detect a position of the body and a force sensor to detect a force against the body. The controller is configured to receive position information from the position sensor and force information from the force sensor, provide control commands to the steering mechanism based on the position information and the force information, and update a control matrix based on the position information and the provided control commands.

Abstract: A method includes receiving position information and force information, providing control commands to a steering mechanism of a continuum manipulator based on the position information and the force information, updating a control matrix based on the position information and the provided control commands, and providing updated control commands to the steering mechanism based on the updated control matrix. A continuum manipulator includes a body, a steering mechanism configured to steer the body, sensors, and a controller. The sensors include a position sensor to detect a position of the body and a force sensor to detect a force against the body. The controller is configured to receive position information from the position sensor and force information from the force sensor, provide control commands to the steering mechanism based on the position information and the force information, and update a control matrix based on the position information and the provided control commands.

Abstract: A system and method for fast and reliable failure notification and accelerated switchover for path protection in a communications network having several overlapping areas of nodes interconnected by communications links is described. Upon a failure event involving one of the communications links, a failure message is broadcast identifying the failed link, the broadcast being confined within the areas which include the failed link. A reliable transmission protocol is provided wherein at one or more of the nodes, a LAPD protocol unnumbered information frame containing the failure message is sent to connected nodes. The failure message is resent in another unnumbered information frame after a time interval unless an unnumbered acknowledgment frame containing or referencing the failure message is received from the connected node. A method of path protection includes establishing plural working paths through the nodes. For each working path, an associated protection path is precalculated.