Abstract: An autonomous weed treating device for treating weeds on grassy terrain has a chassis and a plurality of rotating members driven to move the chassis along the grassy terrain. The device includes a camera to acquire images of the grassy terrain and a dispenser to dispense a substance, such as a herbicide. A processing circuit drives the rotating members to move the chassis along the grassy terrain, processes the images to identify a weed, and controls the dispenser to dispense the substance on the weed.

Abstract: A docking station for a robotic cleaner may include a housing, at least one charging contact coupled to the housing, and at least three optical emitters disposed within the housing. The at least three optical emitters may include a first optical emitter configured to generate a first optical signal within a first field of emission, a second optical emitter configured to generate a second optical signal within a second field of emission, and a third optical emitter configured to generate a third optical signal within a third field of emission. The third optical emitter may be disposed between the first and second optical emitters. The first, second, and third optical signals may be different from each other. The third optical signal may be configured to guide a robotic cleaner in a direction of the housing.

Abstract: A docking station for a robotic cleaner may include a base having a support and a suction housing, a docking station suction inlet defined in the suction housing, wherein the docking station suction inlet is configured to fluidly couple to the robotic cleaner, and an alignment protrusion defined in the support. The alignment protrusion may be configured to urge the robotic cleaner towards an orientation in which the robotic cleaner fluidly couples to the docking station suction inlet.

Abstract: A robotic cleaner for autonomously cleaning a cleaning surface. The cleaner may include an agitation module configured to directly agitate a forward edge of cleaning pad. According to another aspect the cleaning pad may have a rigid strip at a leading edge thereof for slidably engaging a channel in a wet cleaning module to removably couple the cleaning pad to the wet cleaning module. According to another aspect, the cleaner may include wheels having a gapless tread configuration.

Abstract: A docking station for a robotic cleaner may include a housing, at least one charging contact coupled to the housing, and at least three optical emitters disposed within the housing. The at least three optical emitters may include a first optical emitter configured to generate a first optical signal within a first field of emission, a second optical emitter configured to generate a second optical signal within a second field of emission, and a third optical emitter configured to generate a third optical signal within a third field of emission. The third optical emitter may be disposed between the first and second optical emitters. The first, second, and third optical signals may be different from each other. The third optical signal may be configured to guide a robotic cleaner in a direction of the housing.

Abstract: A docking station for a robotic cleaner may include a base having a support and a suction housing, a docking station suction inlet defined in the suction housing, wherein the docking station suction inlet is configured to fluidly couple to the robotic cleaner, and an alignment protrusion defined in the support. The alignment protrusion may be configured to urge the robotic cleaner towards an orientation in which the robotic cleaner fluidly couples to the docking station suction inlet.

Abstract: The invention relates to novel CD4-independent HIV Envelope proteins and uses therefor.