Abstract: Solutions for multi-robot configurations are co-optimized for wear, collision and optionally for performance and/or energy expenditure, across a set of non-homogenous parameters based on a set of tasks to be performed by a set of robots. Non-homogenous parameters may include two or more of: the respective base position and orientation of the robots, an allocation of tasks to respective robots, respective target sequences and/or trajectories for the robots. Such may be executed pre-runtime. Output may include for each robot: workcell layout, an ordered list or vector of targets, optionally dwell time durations at respective targets, and paths or trajectories between each pair of consecutive targets. Output may provide a complete, executable, solution to the problem, which in the absence of variability in timing, can be used to control the robots without any modification. A genetic algorithm, e.g., Differential Evolution, may optionally be used in generating a population of candidate solutions.

Abstract: A robot control system determines which of a number of discretizations to use to generate discretized representations of robot swept volumes and to generate discretized representations of the environment in which the robot will operate. Obstacle voxels (or boxes) representing the environment and obstacles therein are streamed into the processor and stored in on-chip environment memory. At runtime, the robot control system may dynamically switch between multiple motion planning graphs stored in off-chip or on-chip memory. The dynamically switching between multiple motion planning graphs at runtime enables the robot to perform motion planning at a relatively low cost as characteristics of the robot itself change. Various aspects of such robot motion planning are implemented in particular systems and methods that facilitate motion planning of the robot for various environments and tasks.

Abstract: A robot control system determines which of a number of discretizations to use to generate discretized representations of robot swept volumes and to generate discretized representations of the environment in which the robot will operate. Obstacle voxels (or boxes) representing the environment and obstacles therein are streamed into the processor and stored in on-chip environment memory. At runtime, the robot control system may dynamically switch between multiple motion planning graphs stored in off-chip or on-chip memory. The dynamically switching between multiple motion planning graphs at runtime enables the robot to perform motion planning at a relatively low cost as characteristics of the robot itself change. Various aspects of such robot motion planning are implemented in particular systems and methods that facilitate motion planning of the robot for various environments and tasks.

Abstract: A vertical or block chain connector for linking between two closed chain links includes a lower element and an upper element configured to engage with the lower element to form the chain connector in an assembled condition. In use the lower element is disposed vertically below the upper element in the assembled connector. The upper element is a sliding fit with the lower element and the direction of the sliding connection is in a straight line perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the connector and in a plane which is parallel to the horizontal axis when the connector is vertically oriented in use.

Abstract: A robot control system determines which of a number of discretizations to use to generate discretized representations of robot swept volumes and to generate discretized representations of the environment in which the robot will operate. Obstacle voxels (or boxes) representing the environment and obstacles therein are streamed into the processor and stored in on-chip environment memory. At runtime, the robot control system may dynamically switch between multiple motion planning graphs stored in off-chip or on-chip memory. The dynamically switching between multiple motion planning graphs at runtime enables the robot to perform motion planning at a relatively low cost as characteristics of the robot itself change. Various aspects of such robot motion planning are implemented in particular systems and methods that facilitate motion planning of the robot for various environments and tasks.

Abstract: A robot control system determines which of a number of discretizations to use to generate discretized representations of robot swept volumes and to generate discretized representations of the environment in which the robot will operate. Obstacle voxels (or boxes) representing the environment and obstacles therein are streamed into the processor and stored in on-chip environment memory. At runtime, the robot control system may dynamically switch between multiple motion planning graphs stored in off-chip or on-chip memory. The dynamically switching between multiple motion planning graphs at runtime enables the robot to perform motion planning at a relatively low cost as characteristics of the robot itself change. Various aspects of such robot motion planning are implemented in particular systems and methods that facilitate motion planning of the robot for various environments and tasks.

Abstract: A composting system comprising a composting bin containing a composting material: the bin embedded at least partially below a ground surface in a root zone; the bin forming an enclosure including porous side portions and a non-porous base portion; the side portions provided with holes to allow ingress and egress of worms while excluding vermin; the holes further allowing nutrients exuded by composting material in the bin to leach into surrounding soil: the bin embedded in a root zone in a soil mass.

Abstract: A robot control system determines which of a number of discretizations to use to generate discretized representations of robot swept volumes and to generate discretized representations of the environment in which the robot will operate. Obstacle voxels (or boxes) representing the environment and obstacles therein are streamed into the processor and stored in on-chip environment memory. At runtime, the robot control system may dynamically switch between multiple motion planning graphs stored in off-chip or on-chip memory. The dynamically switching between multiple motion planning graphs at runtime enables the robot to perform motion planning at a relatively low cost as characteristics of the robot itself change. Various aspects of such robot motion planning are implemented in particular systems and methods that facilitate motion planning of the robot for various environments and tasks.

Abstract: A metal detector apparatus having a balanced coil system, a receiver unit, a drive coil with at least one capacitor forming a series resonant circuit connected to a transmitter unit having a converter, and a drive controller. The metal detector apparatus configuration generates a first square wave signal set to a fixed/selectable operating frequency which is applied to a first drive switch connected on one side to a first voltage potential and on another side to a centre tap of a half-bridge circuit. A second square wave signal set is generated to the fixed/selectable operating frequency and is applied to a second drive switch connected on one side to a second voltage potential and on another side to the centre tap, via which a drive current is supplied to the drive coil.

Abstract: Disclosed is a self-resetting pest control apparatus to incapacitate a target pest species and reset itself after such incapacitation. The trap has a kill engine to at least in part deliver incapacitating energy to the target species, whereby the kill engine does not require electricity, the kill engine using an inflammable gas charge, the kill engine when triggered, will actuate and then reset itself. Present also is a source of compressed inflammable gas, connected to and supplying the kill engine. A force delivery hammer, driven by the kill engine, that when actuated linearly delivers the incapacitating energy to the target pest species by impacting thereon. There is also a trap enclosure from which the kill engine is at least in part mounted, the trap enclosure having an entry point for the target pest species into an interior of the trap enclosure, a bait station, and trigger mechanism to trigger the kill engine.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of incapacitating a target pest species. The method having the steps of providing a trap enclosure, the trap enclosure having an entry point for the target pest species into an interior of the trap enclosure, and a bait station to attract the target pest species. Provided also is a kill engine, at least in part mounted from the trap enclosure, to at least in part deliver incapacitating energy to the target species, whereby the kill engine does not require electricity, the kill engine using an inflammable gas charge, the kill engine when triggered actuates and then resets itself. A source of compressed inflammable gas is connected to and supplies the kill engine. Present is a species adapter connected at least in part to the trap enclosure to adapt the trap enclosure to the target pest species, the species adapter based on the size, habits or travel, nature of the target pest species. A kill zone is defined within an interior of the trap enclosure and or the species adapter.

Abstract: A monitoring device wearable by a person to be monitored, comprising: one or more sensing means for sensing cardio, respiratory, physiological and/or other information from the person; processing means for analysing the sensed information; memory means for storing the sensed and/or analysed information; and communication means for transmitting at least the analysed information. At least one waveform acquired from the sensed cardio, respiratory, physiological and/or other information is digitised in real time; analysis of the sensed and/or digitised information is performed in real-time and a welfare indication of the person computed in real-time; and the computed welfare indication of the person is transmitted by the communication means and/or stored in the memory means.

Abstract: A robot control system determines which of a number of discretizations to use to generate discretized representations of robot swept volumes and to generate discretized representations of the environment in which the robot will operate. Obstacle voxels (or boxes) representing the environment and obstacles therein are streamed into the processor and stored in on-chip environment memory. At runtime, the robot control system may dynamically switch between multiple motion planning graphs stored in off-chip or on-chip memory. The dynamically switching between multiple motion planning graphs at runtime enables the robot to perform motion planning at a relatively low cost as characteristics of the robot itself change. Various aspects of such robot motion planning are implemented in particular systems and methods that facilitate motion planning of the robot for various environments and tasks.

Abstract: A metal detector and method of operation are disclosed, wherein the metal detector includes a balanced coil system, a receiver unit, a drive coil with at least one capacitor forming a series resonant circuit connected to a transmitter unit having a converter, and a drive controller generating: a first square wave signal set to a fixed/selectable operating frequency and applied to a first drive switch connected on one side to a first voltage potential and on another side to a centre tap of a half-bridge circuit, and a second square wave signal set to the fixed/selectable operating frequency applied to a second drive switch connected on one side to a second voltage potential and on another side to the centre tap, via which a drive current is supplied to the drive coil.

Abstract: A vertical or block chain connector for linking between two closed chain links includes a lower element and an upper element configured to engage with the lower element to form the chain connector in an assembled condition. In use the lower element is disposed vertically below the upper element in the assembled connector. The upper element is a sliding fit with the lower element and the direction of the sliding connection is in a straight line perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the connector and in a plane which is parallel to the horizontal axis when the connector is vertically oriented in use.

Abstract: A mobile telecommunications network includes a core, a radio access network, and a platform control unit. The platform control unit is capable of identifying a network path of a communication that originated from a mobile terminal. Based on certain characteristics of the communication, the platform control unit will determine whether the communication should be offloaded from its network route. If the communication is to be offloaded, then the platform control unit causes the communication to bypass the network's core.

Abstract: A monitoring device wearable by a person to be monitored, comprising: one or more sensing means for sensing cardio, respiratory, physiological and/or other information from the person; processing means for analysing the sensed information; memory means for storing the sensed and/or analysed information; and communication means for transmitting at least the analysed information. At least one waveform acquired from the sensed cardio, respiratory, physiological and/or other information is digitised in real time; analysis of the sensed and/or digitised information is performed in real-time and a welfare indication of the person computed in real-time; and the computed welfare indication of the person is transmitted by the communication means and/or stored in the memory means.

Abstract: A monitoring device wearable by a person to be monitored, comprising: one or more sensing means for sensing cardio, respiratory, physiological and/or other information from the person; processing means for analysing the sensed information; memory means for storing the sensed and/or analysed information; and communication means for transmitting at least the analysed information. At least one waveform acquired from the sensed cardio, respiratory, physiological and/or other information is digitised in real time; analysis of the sensed and/or digitised information is performed in real-time and a welfare indication of the person computed in real-time; and the computed welfare indication of the person is transmitted by the communication means and/or stored in the memory means.

Abstract: To allow devices to authenticate to a wide area mobile network when they temporarily do not have a connection to a SIM card and to authenticate the base station and so protect against false base stations, a system is provided where certain authentication credentials are pre-fetched while connection to the SIM card and the authentication subsystem of the wide area mobile network are in signaling connection. These advance credentials are then presented by the devices in authentication requests without requiring access via the mobile network or the connected presence of the SIM card being necessary for successful authentication.