Abstract: A method of maintaining a rechargeable battery pack having a plurality of rechargeable batteries. The method includes measuring charge-level for the rechargeable batteries; and selecting a first battery set including a donor battery having a high charge-level, and a recipient battery having a low charge-level that is less than the high charge-level of the donor battery. The method also includes: rebalancing the first battery set; measuring a rest profile of the recipient battery after rebalancing the first battery set; and determining battery health of the recipient battery based on at least the rest profile.

Abstract: A mushroom trimming and sorting system comprises a stem trimming device, a positioning system, an imager set, and a controller operable to control the positioning system to move a single mushroom into view of the imager set, to generate an image set of the mushroom, and to process the image set (and optionally other sensor data) to determine mushroom properties of the mushroom. The positioning system may include a SCARA robot with suction-type end effector and single-mushroom elevator with gripping mandibles. The processing may employ a trained machine-learning model. The mushroom properties may include a length of an end portion of the stem bearing soil, and a sorting category of the mushroom based on parameters of the cap including degree of gill opening. The end portion is them trimmed to eliminate soil and other defects, and sorting the mushroom into one of a plurality of receptacles.

Abstract: A harvesting program system iteratively generates current harvesting programs for performance by harvesting equipment on a mushroom bed. The system receives current mushroom bed data corresponding to the mushroom bed including growing mushrooms at the current times. The system processes the current mushroom bed data using a mushroom bed model to generate current virtual mushroom beds corresponding to current states of the mushroom bed at the current times. The mushroom bed model is trained using labelled training mushroom bed data including known values of the mushroom bed, and using previously-generated virtual mushroom beds corresponding to predicted states of the mushroom bed. The system generates using the mushroom bed model predicted virtual mushroom beds corresponding to predicted states of the mushroom bed at future times. The system generates current harvesting programs based on the predicted virtual mushroom beds, and transmits them performance by the harvesting equipment on the mushroom bed.

Abstract: A harvesting program system iteratively generates current harvesting programs for performance by harvesting equipment on a mushroom bed. The system receives current mushroom bed data corresponding to the mushroom bed including growing mushrooms at the current times. The system processes the current mushroom bed data using a mushroom bed model to generate current virtual mushroom beds corresponding to current states of the mushroom bed at the current times. The mushroom bed model is trained using labelled training mushroom bed data including known values of the mushroom bed, and using previously-generated virtual mushroom beds corresponding to predicted states of the mushroom bed. The system generates using the mushroom bed model predicted virtual mushroom beds corresponding to predicted states of the mushroom bed at future times. The system generates current harvesting programs based on the predicted virtual mushroom beds, and transmits them performance by the harvesting equipment on the mushroom bed.

Abstract: An electric vehicle noise sniffer and methods of mitigating packet flow interruptions by noise cancellation and avoidance of noise region envelopes are provided. A vehicle comprises: electrical component(s) that operate according to data indications: and a power line that conveys the data indications and power to the electrical component(s). A method comprises: determining an electrical characteristic of the data indications on the power line: determining a present electrical characteristic of noise on the power line and/or estimating a future electrical characteristic of the noise on the power line: and causing the data indications to change to a new electrical characteristic different from the present electrical characteristic and the future electrical characteristic of the noise on the power line to avoid interference of the noise with the data indications. The electrical characteristics are one or more of in frequency space, amplitude space and direct current offset space.

Abstract: A robotic mushroom crop manager periodically or continuously receives mushroom bed data corresponding to a mushroom bed including growing mushrooms at a plurality of times, and uses a trained mushroom bed model to process the mushroom bed data to generate mushroom bed state vectors respectively characterizing corresponding states of the mushroom bed. Control crop management equipment is used to perform a crop management program comprising a sequence of actions on the mushroom bed, the sequence of actions including culling actions on at least some of mushrooms determined for culling based on the mushroom bed state vectors. A trained mushroom thinning model determines mushrooms for culling based on the mushroom bed state vectors, and/or mushrooms are determined for culling when a stem-cap growth rate ratio exceeds a preconfigured threshold. An end effector for culling mushrooms has a minimum probe height-width ratio to able culling without contacting or damaging neighbouring mushrooms.

Abstract: A robotic mushroom crop manager periodically or continuously receives mushroom bed data corresponding to a mushroom bed including growing mushrooms at a plurality of times. A trained mushroom bed model is used to process the mushroom bed data to generate mushroom bed state vectors respectively characterizing corresponding states of the mushroom bed at the plurality of times. Crop management equipment is controlled to perform a crop management program comprising a sequence of actions to be performed by crop management equipment comprising, for each current action in the sequence of actions, selecting, based on corresponding a current mushroom bed state vector, a selected crop management tool from a plurality of crop management tools. The crop management equipment is controlled to use the selected crop management tool to perform the current action on the mushroom bed.

Abstract: There are provided methods and systems for operating electric vehicles. One example method includes generating a first digital message at a source component of the electric vehicle. The source component is connected to a first bus comprising one of a Power Communication Network bus (PCN bus) and a Vehicle Communication Network bus (VCN bus) of the electric vehicle. The PCN and VCN buses are each connected to a Vehicle Control Module (VCM) of the electric vehicle. The method also includes transmitting the first digital message from the source component to the VCM over the first bus, and generating at the VCM a second digital message based on the first digital message. In addition, the method includes transmitting the second digital message from the VCM to a destination component of the electric vehicle. The destination component is connected to a second bus comprising one of the PCN and VCN buses.

Abstract: A robotic mushroom crop manager periodically or continuously receives mushroom bed data corresponding to a mushroom bed including growing mushrooms at a plurality of times. A trained mushroom bed model is used to process the mushroom bed data to generate mushroom bed state vectors respectively characterizing corresponding states of the mushroom bed at the plurality of times. Crop management equipment is controlled to perform a crop management program comprising a sequence of actions to be performed by crop management equipment comprising, for each current action in the sequence of actions, selecting, based on corresponding a current mushroom bed state vector, a selected crop management tool from a plurality of crop management tools. The crop management equipment is controlled to use the selected crop management tool to perform the current action on the mushroom bed.

Abstract: A robotic mushroom crop manager periodically or continuously receives mushroom bed data corresponding to a mushroom bed including growing mushrooms at a plurality of times. A trained mushroom bed model is used to process the mushroom bed data to generate mushroom bed state vectors respectively characterizing corresponding states of the mushroom bed at the plurality of times. Crop management equipment is controlled to perform a crop management program comprising a sequence of actions to be performed by crop management equipment comprising, for each current action in the sequence of actions, selecting, based on corresponding a current mushroom bed state vector, a selected crop management tool from a plurality of crop management tools. The crop management equipment is controlled to use the selected crop management tool to perform the current action on the mushroom bed.

Abstract: A mushroom trimming and sorting system comprises a stem trimming device, a positioning system, an imager set, and a controller operable to control the positioning system to move a single mushroom into view of the imager set, to generate an image set of the mushroom, and to process the image set (and optionally other sensor data) to determine mushroom properties of the mushroom. The positioning system may include a SCARA robot with suction-type end effector and single-mushroom elevator with gripping mandibles. The processing may employ a trained machine-learning model. The mushroom properties may include a length of an end portion of the stem bearing soil, and a sorting category of the mushroom based on parameters of the cap including degree of gill opening. The end portion is them trimmed to eliminate soil and other defects, and sorting the mushroom into one of a plurality of receptacles.

Abstract: There are provided robot swarms and methods of operating thereof. Such a swarm may include two or more robots each having a microphone, a speaker, and a communication terminal for sending or receiving an electromagnetic signal to or from a communication partner to affect electromagnetic communication with the communication partner. Upon detection of a disruption to the electromagnetic communication, a given robot of the two or more robots may switch from electromagnetic communication to acoustic communication by exchanging an acoustic signal between one of the speaker and the microphone of the given robot and one of a corresponding microphone and a corresponding speaker of a corresponding communication partner.

Abstract: Electric vehicles with battery management and sensors are provided. An electric vehicle may be configured to charge individual main batteries using individual intermediate batteries while the electric vehicle is in operation via suitable control of switches. An electric vehicle may be configured to charge batteries using a regeneration current based on sensor data from sensors, such one or more of a camera, an accelerometer, a gyroscope an atmospheric pressure sensor and a Hall sensor. An electric vehicle may be configured to avoid rear end collisions based on images from a rear-facing camera.

Abstract: A harvesting program system iteratively generates current harvesting programs for performance by harvesting equipment on a mushroom bed. The system receives current mushroom bed data corresponding to the mushroom bed including growing mushrooms at the current times. The system processes the current mushroom bed data using a mushroom bed model to generate current virtual mushroom beds corresponding to current states of the mushroom bed at the current times. The mushroom bed model is trained using labelled training mushroom bed data including known values of the mushroom bed, and using previously-generated virtual mushroom beds corresponding to predicted states of the mushroom bed. The system generates using the mushroom bed model predicted virtual mushroom beds corresponding to predicted states of the mushroom bed at future times. The system generates current harvesting programs based on the predicted virtual mushroom beds, and transmits them performance by the harvesting equipment on the mushroom bed.

Abstract: A protective warning system for a vehicle is provided. A device comprises: a long-range camera and a stereoscopic camera positioned in a housing to image external objects in a rear-facing direction when the housing is mounted to a vehicle. A controller detects, using images from the long-range camera, an external object in the rear-facing direction and processes stereoscopic images from the stereoscopic camera to determine when the external object is located within a first zone or a second zone extending in the rear-facing direction, the second zone being closer to the stereoscopic camera than the first zone. In response to determining that the external object is located within the first zone or the second zone, the controller controls the one or more notification devices to provide one or more first or second notifications associated with a first or second urgency level.

Abstract: An electric vehicle noise sniffer and methods of mitigating packet flow interruptions by noise cancellation and avoidance of noise region envelopes are provided. A vehicle comprises: electrical component(s) that operate according to data indications: and a power line that conveys the data indications and power to the electrical component(s). A method comprises: determining an electrical characteristic of the data indications on the power line: determining a present electrical characteristic of noise on the power line and/or estimating a future electrical characteristic of the noise on the power line: and causing the data indications to change to a new electrical characteristic different from the present electrical characteristic and the future electrical characteristic of the noise on the power line to avoid interference of the noise with the data indications. The electrical characteristics are one or more of in frequency space, amplitude space and direct current offset space.

Abstract: There are provided methods and systems for operating electric vehicles. One example method includes generating, at a first component of the electric vehicle, a message in a first communication protocol and converting, at a first conversion module associated with the first component, the message into a power line communication protocol to form a first converted message. The method also includes transmitting the first converted message over a power line connecting the first component to a second component of the electric vehicle, and converting, at a second conversion module associated with the second component, the first converted message into a second communication protocol to form a second converted message. The second communication protocol is used by the second component. In addition, the method includes receiving the second converted message at the second component.

Abstract: There are provided methods and systems for operating electric vehicles. One example method includes generating a first digital message at a source component of the electric vehicle. The source component is connected to a first bus comprising one of a Power Communication Network bus (PCN bus) and a Vehicle Communication Network bus (VCN bus) of the electric vehicle. The PCN and VCN buses are each connected to a Vehicle Control Module (VCM) of the electric vehicle. The method also includes transmitting the first digital message from the source component to the VCM over the first bus, and generating at the VCM a second digital message based on the first digital message. In addition, the method includes transmitting the second digital message from the VCM to a destination component of the electric vehicle. The destination component is connected to a second bus comprising one of the PCN and VCN buses.

Abstract: Electric vehicles with battery management and sensors are provided. An electric vehicle may be configured to charge individual main batteries using individual intermediate batteries while the electric vehicle is in operation via suitable control of switches. An electric vehicle may be configured to charge batteries using a regeneration current based on sensor data from sensors, such one or more of a camera, an accelerometer, a gyroscope an atmospheric pressure sensor and a Hall sensor. An electric vehicle may be configured to avoid rear end collisions based on images from a rear-facing camera.

Abstract: There is provided a method of operating an electric device. The method includes receiving one or more operating power levels being used by one or more loads on a given circuit of the electric device, and setting a power threshold based on the one or more operating power levels. The method also includes receiving an output power level being delivered to the given circuit by a power source connected to the given circuit, and comparing the output power level with the power threshold. Furthermore, the method includes, if the output power level exceeds the power threshold, reducing the output power level to less than or equal to the power threshold. A related power regulator is also provided.