Abstract: A system includes: a mobile robot comprising a sensor, the robot further comprising a computer, the robot operating in an environment; a server operably connected to the robot via a communication system, the server configured to manage the robot; a controller operably connected to the robot, the controller operably connected to the server, the controller configured to control the robot; and an object of interest marked with a marker at one or more of an approximate height and an approximate field of view of the sensor, the sensor generating data describing the object of interest, the computer configured to identify one or more of the object of interest and the location using one or more of a shape of the object of interest and an intensity of data describing the object of interest.

Abstract: A system includes: a cart including: four legs; at least one shelf, each shelf attached to each of the legs; the cart having a generally rectangular shape, a width of the cart being longer than a length of the robot, a length of the cart being longer than a length of the robot; four wheels, each wheel attached to a different leg at a bottom of the leg, the wheels configured to roll to facilitate movement of the cart; and a robotic dock, the robotic dock comprising four docking receptacles at ninety degree angles from adjacent docking receptacles; and a robot comprising: a sensor; and a docking module, the docking module comprising retractable docking pins, each retractable docking pin configured, when extended upward, to mate with a corresponding docking receptacle, thereby securing the robot to a bottom shelf of the cart.

Abstract: A method for selecting a preferred robotic grasp of an object-of-interest using pairwise ranking includes: identifying a robotic candidate grasp usable to grasp the object-of-interest, the object-of-interest situated in an environment; receiving a grasp preference for a preferred candidate grasp of the object-of-interest; calculating a heuristic to describe a relationship of the candidate grasp to one or more of the object-of-interest and the environment; and using the heuristic and using the grasp preference, computing a pairwise ranking of two candidate grasps to determine an ordering of the at least two candidate grasps.

Abstract: A cart-based workflow system includes: a robot operating in a facility; a server, the server operably connected to the robot, the server configured to do one or more of send the robot a cart transfer location usable for transferring the cart and instruct the robot to specify the cart transfer location; a graphic user interface (GUI) comprising a map of the facility, the GUI operably connected to the server, the GUI configured to do one or more of receive input from a human user and provide output to the human user, the GUI further configured to be usable by the user to coordinate movement of one or more of robots and carts.

Abstract: A cart-based workflow system includes: a robot operating in a facility; a server, the server operably connected to the robot, the server configured to do one or more of send the robot a cart transfer location usable for transferring the cart and instruct the robot to specify the cart transfer location; a graphic user interface (GUI) comprising a map of the facility, the GUI operably connected to the server, the GUI configured to do one or more of receive input from a human user and provide output to the human user, the GUI further configured to be usable by the user to coordinate movement of one or more of robots and carts.

Abstract: A system includes: a cart including: four legs; at least one shelf, each shelf attached to each of the legs; the cart having a generally rectangular shape, a width of the cart being longer than a length of the robot, a length of the cart being longer than a length of the robot; four wheels, each wheel attached to a different leg at a bottom of the leg, the wheels configured to roll to facilitate movement of the cart; and a robotic dock, the robotic dock comprising four docking receptacles at ninety degree angles from adjacent docking receptacles; and a robot comprising: a sensor; and a docking module, the docking module comprising retractable docking pins, each retractable docking pin configured, when extended upward, to mate with a corresponding docking receptacle, thereby securing the robot to a bottom shelf of the cart.

Abstract: A method for selecting a preferred robotic grasp of an object-of-interest using pairwise ranking includes: identifying a robotic candidate grasp usable to grasp the object-of-interest, the object-of-interest situated in an environment; receiving a grasp preference for a preferred candidate grasp of the object-of-interest; calculating a heuristic to describe a relationship of the candidate grasp to one or more of the object-of-interest and the environment; and using the heuristic and using the grasp preference, computing a pairwise ranking of two candidate grasps to determine an ordering of the at least two candidate grasps.

Abstract: A system includes: a cart including: four legs; at least one shelf, each shelf attached to each of the legs; the cart having a generally rectangular shape, a width of the cart being longer than a length of the robot, a length of the cart being longer than a length of the robot; four wheels, each wheel attached to a different leg at a bottom of the leg, the wheels configured to roll to facilitate movement of the cart; and a robotic dock, the robotic dock comprising four docking receptacles at ninety degree angles from adjacent docking receptacles; and a robot comprising: a sensor; and a docking module, the docking module comprising retractable docking pins, each retractable docking pin configured, when extended upward, to mate with a corresponding docking receptacle, thereby securing the robot to a bottom shelf of the cart.

Abstract: A method for selecting a preferred robotic grasp of an object-of-interest using pairwise ranking includes: identifying a robotic candidate grasp usable to grasp the object-of-interest, the object-of-interest situated in an environment; receiving a grasp preference for a preferred candidate grasp of the object-of-interest; calculating a heuristic to describe a relationship of the candidate grasp to one or more of the object-of-interest and the environment; and using the heuristic and using the grasp preference, computing a pairwise ranking of two candidate grasps to determine an ordering of the at least two candidate grasps.

Abstract: A robot management system includes: a server; a plurality of robots operably connected to the server over a network, at least one robot including a sensor; and a graphic user interface (GUI) operably connected to the server, the GUI configured to display a map of a facility comprising the plurality of robots, the map configured to receive from a user the user's instructions to manage the robot.

Abstract: A system includes: a cart including: four legs; at least one shelf, each shelf attached to each of the legs; the cart having a generally rectangular shape, a width of the cart being longer than a length of the robot, a length of the cart being longer than a length of the robot; four wheels, each wheel attached to a different leg at a bottom of the leg, the wheels configured to roll to facilitate movement of the cart; and a robotic dock, the robotic dock comprising four docking receptacles at ninety degree angles from adjacent docking receptacles; and a robot comprising: a sensor; and a docking module, the docking module comprising retractable docking pins, each retractable docking pin configured, when extended upward, to mate with a corresponding docking receptacle, thereby securing the robot to a bottom shelf of the cart.

Abstract: A system for semantically identifying one or more of an object of interest and a location of a mobile robot in an environment of the robot includes: a mobile robot comprising a sensor, the robot further comprising a computer, the robot operating in an environment; a server operably connected to the robot via a communication system, the server configured to manage the robot; a controller operably connected to the robot, the controller operably connected to the server, the controller configured to control the robot; and an object of interest marked with a marker at one or more of an approximate height and an approximate field of view of the sensor, the sensor generating data describing the object of interest, the computer configured to identify one or more of the object of interest and the location using one or more of a shape of the object of interest and an intensity of data describing the object of interest.

Abstract: A method for selecting a preferred robotic grasp of an object-of-interest using pairwise ranking includes: identifying a robotic candidate grasp usable to grasp the object-of-interest, the object-of-interest situated in an environment; receiving a grasp preference for a preferred candidate grasp of the object-of-interest; calculating a heuristic to describe a relationship of the candidate grasp to one or more of the object-of-interest and the environment; and using the heuristic and using the grasp preference, computing a pairwise ranking of two candidate grasps to determine an ordering of the at least two candidate grasps.