Abstract: An autonomous surface cleaning apparatus includes a body including a chassis and an outer shell mounted to the chassis, a drive system carried by the body, a cleaning assembly projecting forward beyond a front surface of the outer shell, the cleaning assembly having a generally planar front surface, and a forward bumper mounted to the front surface of the cleaning assembly. The apparatus further includes a plurality of forwardmost contact sensors disposed behind the forward bumper and arranged to detect displacement of the forward bumper relative to the cleaning assembly, a first plurality of shell contact sensors each being arranged to detect longitudinal displacement of the outer shell relative, and a second plurality of shell contact sensors each being arranged to detect lateral displacement of the outer shell relative to both the chassis and the cleaning assembly.

Abstract: There is provided a mobile robot including a chassis, a drive system, and a collision detection system. The collision detection system includes first and second parts of the mobile robot, the first and second body parts being disconnected and moveable relative to the chassis in response to a collision with an object, and first and second sensors configured to sense relative movement between the chassis and the first and second body parts respectively and, in a collision event, to send a control signal causing the drive system to take corrective action. The mass of the second body part is substantially lower than the mass of the first body part.

Abstract: A cutting mechanism for accurately cutting a notch in a piece of edging, to permit sharp bending of the piece of edging for a picture or plaque, is disclosed. The cutting mechanism comprises a jig secured to a base member, the jig being dimensioned to receive the piece of edging clamped thereto. A cutting blade is mounted on the base member for reciprocating movement between a first retracted position whereat the cutting blade is remote from the jig and a second fully extended position whereat the cutting edge has passed through the jig. The cutting blade has an inverted "V"-shaped cutting edge comprising two blade portions joined one to the other at a central vertex.