Abstract: Disclosed is a robot apparatus with a capable and highly maneuverable drive system incorporating two differential swerve drive pods. The robot apparatus further includes a claw mechanism for grasping an object, a passthrough mechanism for moving the object horizontally and a lift mechanism for moving the object vertically. The robot apparatus allows for rapid manipulation and movement of objects such as cones.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system for controlling a robot via a foot-operable controller. The foot-operable controller includes a grid of large pressure-sensitive tiles that are responsive to being stepped on. Signals from the pressure-sensitive tiles are provided to a controller interface that converts the signals to control messages compatible with existing robot control interfaces, such as a universal serial bus. The foot-operable controller may be used to control various robots, including for example a robot equipped with a claw arm or a robot equipped with a ring launcher.

Abstract: An ortho-mode transducer is disclosed having a common waveguide and two orthogonal port waveguides, each of which is also orthogonal to the common waveguide. Each port waveguide is coupled to the common waveguide with a coupling aperture which will pass signals having a particular polarity and cut off orthogonally polarized signals. The common waveguide is terminated in a shorting plane about one-quarter of the excepted signal wavelength from the vertical midpoint of the port waveguides. The short directs energy from the common waveguide into the port waveguides and directs energy from the port waveguides into the common waveguide.