Abstract: In various embodiments, an apparatus includes a top portion, a bottom portion adapted to receive the top portion to define a space enclosed within the top portion and bottom portion, where the bottom portion comprises a conductive structure, the conductive structure configured to receive electromagnetic energy from an EM source. The apparatus may also include an electronic tag configured to encode information about contents of the space. In various embodiments, a heating apparatus includes an electromagnetic (EM) source and a controller configured to: receive data associated with a heatable load, determine heating instructions based at least in part on the received data, and control the EM source based on the determined heating instructions.

Abstract: An electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) vehicle is positioned to be in a charging position on the ground, wherein the eVTOL vehicle is capable of performing vertical take-offs and landings. The battery is charged while in the charging position on the ground using a wind turbine that includes the rotor.

Abstract: A vertical landing is performed by an electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) vehicle above a charger where the eVTOL vehicle includes a rotor that is configured to rotate during an occupant change state to keep the eVTOL vehicle stationary during the occupant change state. A vertically-oriented male charging port that is part of the eVTOL vehicle and a female charging port that is part of the charger are detachably coupled and a battery in the eVTOL vehicle is charged using the charger while the vertically-oriented male charging port and the female charging port are detachably coupled.

Abstract: A system includes a higher unmanned multicopter, a lower unmanned multicopter, and a flexible connector. The flexible connector connects the higher unmanned multicopter and the lower unmanned multicopter. The VTM system is configured to carry a payload, including by having the higher unmanned multicopter fly above the lower unmanned multicopter with the flexible connector taut such that both the higher unmanned multicopter and the lower unmanned multicopter contribute to carrying the payload.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to dispatching transportation to a business location. More specifically, an autonomous vehicle may be dispatched to pick up a passenger and transport that passenger to the business location.

Abstract: Autonomous vehicles use various computing systems to transport passengers from one location to another. A control computer sends messages to the various systems of the vehicle in order to maneuver the vehicle safely to the destination. The control computer may display information on an electronic display in order to allow the passenger to understand what actions the vehicle may be taking in the immediate future. Various icons and images may be used to provide this information to the passenger.

Abstract: In various embodiments, a method of decoding a custom cooking program includes using a tag reader to read heating instruction data encoded in an electronic tag, determining heating phases based on the read heating instruction data, and automatically controlling a heating apparatus to execute the determined heating phases.

Abstract: A vertical landing of an aircraft is performed using the first battery where the aircraft is unoccupied when the vertical landing is performed, the unoccupied aircraft includes the first battery, and the unoccupied aircraft excludes a second, removable battery. In response to detecting that the second, removable battery is detachably coupled to the aircraft, a power source for the aircraft is switched from the first battery to the second, removable battery. After switching the switch power source, a vertical takeoff of the aircraft is performed using the second, removable battery, wherein the aircraft is occupied when the vertical takeoff is performed.

Abstract: A system includes a higher unmanned multicopter, a lower unmanned multicopter, and a flexible connector. The flexible connector connects the higher unmanned multicopter and the lower unmanned multicopter. The VTM system is configured to carry a payload, including by having the higher unmanned multicopter fly above the lower unmanned multicopter with the flexible connector taut such that both the higher unmanned multicopter and the lower unmanned multicopter contribute to carrying the payload.

Abstract: A passenger in an automated vehicle may relinquish control of the vehicle to a control computer when the control computer has determined that it may maneuver the vehicle safely to a destination. The passenger may relinquish or regain control of the vehicle by applying different degrees of pressure, for example, on a steering wheel of the vehicle. The control computer may convey status information to a passenger in a variety of ways including by illuminating elements of the vehicle. The color and location of the illumination may indicate the status of the control computer, for example, whether the control computer has been armed, is ready to take control of the vehicle, or is currently controlling the vehicle.

Abstract: A vertical landing of an aircraft is performed using the first battery where the aircraft is unoccupied when the vertical landing is performed, the unoccupied aircraft includes the first battery, and the unoccupied aircraft excludes a second, removable battery. In response to detecting that the second, removable battery is detachably coupled to the aircraft, a power source for the aircraft is switched from the first battery to the second, removable battery. After switching the switch power source, a vertical takeoff of the aircraft is performed using the second, removable battery, wherein the aircraft is occupied when the vertical takeoff is performed.

Abstract: A first and a second aircraft are detachably coupled where the first aircraft is configured to perform a vertical landing using a first battery while the first aircraft is unoccupied and the unoccupied first aircraft includes the first battery. In response to detecting a second, removable battery being detachably coupled to the first aircraft, a power source for the first aircraft is switched from the first battery to the second, removable battery. After the switch, the first aircraft takes off vertically using the second, removable battery while occupied. The detachably coupled first aircraft and second aircraft are flown using the second aircraft (the power to keep the detachably coupled first aircraft and second aircraft airborne comes exclusively from the second aircraft and not the first aircraft).

Abstract: A first and a second aircraft are detachably coupled where the first aircraft is configured to perform a vertical landing using a first battery while the first aircraft is unoccupied and the unoccupied first aircraft includes the first battery. In response to detecting a second, removable battery being detachably coupled to the first aircraft, a power source for the first aircraft is switched from the first battery to the second, removable battery. After the switch, the first aircraft takes off vertically using the second, removable battery while occupied. The detachably coupled first aircraft and second aircraft are flown using the second aircraft (the power to keep the detachably coupled first aircraft and second aircraft airborne comes exclusively from the second aircraft and not the first aircraft).

Abstract: A system includes a first battery in a vehicle. The vehicle is capable of being coupled at least temporarily with a second, removable battery and is powered by at least one of the first or the second battery. The system also includes a controller in the vehicle which is configured to estimate an amount of travel-related charge based at least in part on a pickup and drop off location. It is decided whether to charge the first battery using the second battery based at least in part on the amount of travel-related charge and a measured amount of stored charge in the second battery. If it is decided to do so, the first battery is charged using the second battery.

Abstract: A pickup location and a drop off location are received. An amount of travel-related charge is estimated based at least in part on the pickup and drop off location. An amount of stored charge in a second, removable battery is measured and it is decided whether to charge a first battery from the second, removable battery based at least in part on the amount of travel-related charge and the measured amount of stored charge in the second, removable battery. In response to deciding to charge the first battery from the second, removable battery, the first battery from the second, removable battery is charged. In response to deciding not to charge the first battery from the second, removable battery, the first battery from the second, removable battery is not charged.

Abstract: In an embodiment of the present invention, a GraphSLAM-like algorithm for signal strength SLAM is presented. This algorithm as an embodiment of the present invention shares many of the benefits of Gaussian processes yet is viable for a broader range of environments since it makes no signature uniqueness assumptions. It is also more tractable to larger map sizes, requiring O(N2) operations per iteration. In the present disclosure, an algorithm according to an embodiment of the present invention is compared to a laser-SLAM ground truth, showing that is produces excellent results in practice.

Abstract: In various embodiments, a method of encoding a custom cooking program includes receiving at least one sensor reading associated with food, determining at least one characteristic of the food based on the at least one sensor reading, generating cooking instructions for the food based on the at least one characteristic, and storing data that associates the cooking instructions with the food.

Abstract: Autonomous vehicles use various computing systems to transport passengers from one location to another. A control computer sends messages to the various systems of the vehicle in order to maneuver the vehicle safely to the destination. The control computer may display information on an electronic display in order to allow the passenger to understand what actions the vehicle may be taking in the immediate future. Various icons and images may be used to provide this information to the passenger.

Abstract: Methods and systems involving navigation of a graphical interface are disclosed herein. An example system may be configured to: (a) cause a head-mounted display (HMD) to provide a graphical interface, the graphical interface comprising (i) a view port having a view-port orientation and (ii) at least one navigable area having at least one border, the at least one border having a first border orientation; (b) receive input data that indicates movement of the view port towards the at least one border; (c) determine that the view-port orientation is within a predetermined threshold distance from the first border orientation; and (d) based on at least the determination that the view-port orientation is within a predetermined threshold distance from the first border orientation, adjust the first border orientation from the first border orientation to a second border orientation.

Abstract: In various embodiments, an apparatus includes a top portion, a bottom portion adapted to receive the top portion to define a space enclosed within the top portion and bottom portion, where the bottom portion comprises a conductive structure, the conductive structure configured to receive electromagnetic energy from an EM source. The apparatus may also include an electronic tag configured to encode information about contents of the space. In various embodiments, a heating apparatus includes an electromagnetic (EM) source and a controller configured to: receive data associated with a heatable load, determine heating instructions based at least in part on the received data, and control the EM source based on the determined heating instructions.