Abstract: A base station may include a parking plate on which the drone is to be landed. The base station may include a plurality of pushers slidable on the parking plate, the plurality of pushers configured to push the legs of the drone to move the drone towards a reference location on the parking plate. The base station may include a gripper carried by the parking plate, the gripper configured to removably secure the body of the drone in place relative to the reference location. The base station may include an alignment sensor carried by the parking plate and positioned at the reference location, the alignment sensor configured to detect whether a marker on the drone is in alignment with the reference location.

Abstract: A base station may include a parking plate for receiving a drone. The base station may include a gripper carried by the parking plate, the gripper configured to secure the drone in place at a parking position at the parking plate. The base station may include a plurality of chargers, each charger comprising a battery latch and a power port, the battery latch configured to mechanically hold a battery pack in place with the charger and the power port configured to provide power to the battery pack being charged. The base station may include a battery pack carrier movable among the plurality of chargers and the parking position, the battery pack carrier configured to: remove a first battery pack from the drone and move the first battery pack to a first charger, and carry and install a second battery pack to the drone.

Abstract: An aerial robot includes an image sensor for capturing images of an environment. The robot receives a first image captured at a first location. The robot identifies one or more first pixels in the first image. The first pixels correspond to one or more targeted features of an object identified in the first image. The robot receives a second image captured at the second location. The robot receives its distance data that estimates a movement of the robot from the first location to the second location. The robot identifies second pixels in the second image. The second pixels corresponding to the targeted features of the object as appeared in the second image. The robot determines an estimated distance between the robot and the object based on the changes of locations of the second pixels from the first pixels relative to the movement of the robot provided by the distance data.

Abstract: An aerial robot includes an image sensor for capturing images of an environment. The robot receives a first image captured at a first location. The robot identifies one or more first pixels in the first image. The first pixels correspond to one or more targeted features of an object identified in the first image. The robot receives a second image captured at the second location. The robot receives its distance data that estimates a movement of the robot from the first location to the second location. The robot identifies second pixels in the second image. The second pixels corresponding to the targeted features of the object as appeared in the second image. The robot determines an estimated distance between the robot and the object based on the changes of locations of the second pixels from the first pixels relative to the movement of the robot provided by the distance data.

Abstract: A computing device may generate a command for performing inventory management of a storage site based on inventory management data. The computing device may cause the inventory aerial robot to perform an inventory management trip based on the command. The inventory management trip may include receiving an input that includes coordinates of a plurality of target locations in the storage site, departing from a base station, navigating through the storage site to the plurality of target locations, capturing an image associated with an inventory item location at the one of the target locations, and returning to the base station. The computing device may perform an analysis of the image captured by the inventory aerial robot. The base station may perform swapping of a battery pack of the inventory aerial robot at the base station to prepare the inventory aerial robot for another inventory management trip.

Abstract: Embodiments relate to a drone and a base station. The drone is adapted to navigate a storage site and carry a swappable battery. The base station is adapted to receive the drone to perform a battery swap. As such, the base station may include charging ports to recharge the swappable battery and may be adapted to predict a return timing of the drone, charge a battery to a level in anticipation of the return timing, and subsequent to the drone returning to the base station, swapping the battery of the drone with the charged battery.

Abstract: A base station may include a frame configured to provide mechanical support to the base station. The base station may include a parking plate carried by the frame, the parking plate comprising a landing surface configured to be in contact with the drone when the drone is landed and a component-carrying surface opposing the landing surface. The base station may include a plurality of chargers carried on the component-carrying surface of the parking plate. The base station may include a battery pack carrier carried on the component-carrying surface of the parking plate, the battery pack carrier movable to carry a battery pack connected to one of the chargers to the drone. The base station may include a shutter on the parking plate, the shutter openable to provide access of the battery pack carrier from the component-carrying surface to the landing surface.

Abstract: An aerial drone may include a cabinet comprising a parking plate and one or more walls forming an enclosure for one or more internal components of the base station, the parking plate configured to receive the drone. The drone may include a plurality of chargers carried within the enclosure, each charger configured to provide power to a battery pack being charged at the charger. The drone may include a temperature sensor carried within the enclosure, the temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature within the enclosure. The drone may include a temperature regulator configured to regulate the temperature within the enclosure to maintain the temperature of a plurality of battery packs charged at the plurality of chargers within a temperature range.

Abstract: A base station may include a parking plate for receiving a drone. The base station may include a gripper carried by the parking plate, the gripper configured to secure the drone in place at a parking position at the parking plate. The base station may include a plurality of chargers, each charger comprising a battery latch and a power port, the battery latch configured to mechanically hold a battery pack in place with the charger and the power port configured to provide power to the battery pack being charged. The base station may include a battery pack carrier movable among the plurality of chargers and the parking position, the battery pack carrier configured to: remove a first battery pack from the drone and move the first battery pack to a first charger, and carry and install a second battery pack to the drone.

Abstract: A drone may include a drone body for carrying a battery pack. The drone may include a slide guide carried by the drone body, wherein the slide guide suspends from a surface of the drone body and creates a channel between the slide guide and the surface, and wherein the battery pack is slidable along the channel. The drone may include a slide-guide contact sensor carried on the surface of the drone body, the slide-guide contact sensor configured to detect whether the battery pack is in contact with the surface. The drone may include a connection port carried by the drone body. The drone may include a port contact sensor carried by the drone body, the port contact sensor is configured to detect whether the battery pack is slid in to the connection port.

Abstract: A base station may include a parking plate on which the drone is to be landed. The base station may include a plurality of pushers slidable on the parking plate, the plurality of pushers configured to push the legs of the drone to move the drone towards a reference location on the parking plate. The base station may include a gripper carried by the parking plate, the gripper configured to removably secure the body of the drone in place relative to the reference location. The base station may include an alignment sensor carried by the parking plate and positioned at the reference location, the alignment sensor configured to detect whether a marker on the drone is in alignment with the reference location.

Abstract: An aerial drone may include a drone body having a longitudinal housing carrying a processing circuit and a battery, the longitudinal housing extending in a first direction. The drone may include a sensor rod carried by the drone body and extending from the drone body in a second direction different from the first direction, the sensor rod carrying a sensor at a distal end of the sensor rod. The drone may include a propeller guard connected to the distal end of the sensor rod and supported at least partially by the sensor rod, the propeller guard forming part of a periphery of the aerial drone.

Abstract: A robotic control system may be configured to translate a first set of location coordinates based on a first location numbering system to a second set of location coordinates based on a unified location numbering system. A robotic control system may receive layout data of a warehouse, the layout data containing a plurality of location coordinates of racks and storage locations. The location coordinates may be of a first format based on the first location numbering system that is specific to the warehouse. The robotic control system may analyze the format of the location coordinates to select, from a plurality of candidate conversion algorithms, a suitable conversion algorithm to translate the plurality of location coordinates of the first format to a second format based on the unified numbering system. The robotic control system may store the translated location coordinates for use in generating a topometric map of the warehouse.

Abstract: A robot includes an image sensor that captures the environment of a storage site. The robot visually recognizes regularly shaped structures to navigate through the storage site using various object detection and image segmentation techniques. In response to receiving a target location in the storage site, the robot moves to the target location along a path. The robot receives the images as the robot moves along the path. The robot analyzes the images captured by the image sensor to determine the current location of the robot in the path by tracking a number of regularly shaped structures in the storage site passed by the robot. The regularly shaped structures may be racks, horizontal bars of the racks, and vertical bars of the racks. The robot can identify the target location by counting the number of rows and columns that the robot has passed.

Abstract: A robot includes an image sensor that captures the environment of a storage site. The robot visually recognizes regularly shaped structures to navigate through the storage site using various object detection and image segmentation techniques. In response to receiving a target location in the storage site, the robot moves to the target location along a path. The robot receives the images as the robot moves along the path. The robot analyzes the images captured by the image sensor to determine the current location of the robot in the path by tracking a number of regularly shaped structures in the storage site passed by the robot. The regularly shaped structures may be racks, horizontal bars of the racks, and vertical bars of the racks. The robot can identify the target location by counting the number of rows and columns that the robot has passed.

Abstract: A height adjustment device and a swivel device for a vehicle seat are configured to adjust seat height and swivel the vehicle seat. The height adjustment device includes a first reduction gear device disposed at a bottom of the vehicle seat and configured to increase output torque of a first motor and a lifting device engaged with the first reduction gear device and configured to move the seat upwards or downwards, and the swivel device includes a motor driving unit disposed at a bottom of the height adjustment device and a second reduction gear device configured to increase output torque of the motor driving unit, thereby making it possible not only to selectively perform seat height adjustment and swivel operation, but also to perform a monopost function of the seat in a state in which the height adjustment device and the swivel device are stacked in a vertical direction.

Abstract: A power swivel device for a vehicle seat is configured to perform both swivel and monopost functions of the vehicle seat. The power swivel device includes a motor configured to swivel the seat and a reduction gear device configured to increase output torque of the motor, which are stacked in a vertical direction on a bottom of the seat. The power swivel device includes a lower housing; an upper housing stacked on and assembled to the lower housing; an eccentric shaft rotatably disposed relative to the lower housing and the upper housing; a motor driving unit mounted between the lower housing and the eccentric shaft; the reduction gear device installed between the upper housing and the eccentric shaft; and a swivel plate rotatably mounted on the reduction gear device and connected to a seat cushion frame.

Abstract: A device for height adjustment and swivel of a seat for a vehicle has a structure in which a first motor for height adjustment of the seat, a first reduction gear device for increasing output torque of the first motor, and a lifting device configured to lift or lower the seat by being connected to the first reduction gear device are stacked in a vertical direction, and a second motor for driving of seat swivel, a second reduction gear device for increasing output torque of the second motor, a brake device configured to stop the seat are vertically stacked between a bottom of the seat and the first motor, in order to adjust the height of the seat, enable accurate swiveling, and carry out a monopost function of the seat.

Abstract: A power swivel apparatus of a seat for a vehicle includes a motor having an eccentric shaft, a reduction gear device connected to the eccentric shaft of the motor, a brake device configured such that braking of the brake device is released by eccentric rotational force of the reduction gear at a time of driving the motor and the brake device exhibits braking force configured to stop the seat at a time of stopping driving of the motor, and a swivel plate connected to the brake device and configured to transmit rotational force so as to swivel the seat.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for the measurement and transmission of data pertaining to the tissue of an animal. In one embodiment, there is an implantable device that is wirelessly powered and also wirelessly transmits data. Preferably, the implant measures neuromuscular activity.