Abstract: A drive system includes a frequency converter, a drive unit, and a power supply. The drive unit includes an electric motor and a further component, including a sensor element, actuator element, and/or data storage element. The frequency converter supplies the further component of the drive unit with energy via at least the power supply. The frequency converter is adapted to obtain a first piece of information about the maximum available electrical energy of the power supply and to obtain a second piece of information about the electrical energy requirement of the further component of the drive unit. The frequency converter is adapted to check the plausibility of the first piece of information with respect to the second piece of information. The decision-making criterion for the plausibility check is formed by a logical comparison of the first piece of information with the second piece of information.

Abstract: One embodiment is a navigation system for an aircraft including a positioning system to generate information related to a position of the aircraft, a group of cameras mounted to a body of the aircraft, each camera of the group of cameras to simultaneously capture images of a portion of an environment that surrounds the aircraft, and a processing component coupled to the positioning system and the group of cameras, the processing component to determine a current position of the aircraft based on the information related to the position of the aircraft and the images.

Abstract: A touch sensation sensor is mounted to a hand part of a robot and includes: an obtaining means, obtaining at least one of visual sensation information, which is target object information relating to a target object operated by using the hand part, and touch sensation information, which is the target object information at a time when the target object operated by using the hand part is gripped; and a control device, changing a sensitivity mode of the touch sensation sensor in accordance with the target object information that is obtained.

Abstract: Disclosed are a kinematics parameter calibration method and system of a multi-axis motion platform. The method comprises the following steps of: collecting calibration board images in different spatial positions according to a position relation between the platform and a camera, recording a corresponding motor motion amount, solving a hand-eye pose relation matrix and a pose matrix of a calibration board coordinate system in a platform tail end coordinate system, further solving a coordinate measured value of an angular point on the calibration board in a platform base coordinate system and a coordinate theoretical value of a position matrix of the tail end of the motion platform, determining a residual error matrix according to the measured value and the theoretical value, and identifying an error parameter by the residual error matrix to complete kinematics parameter calibration of the platform.

Abstract: A robot control system includes circuitry configured to: acquire an input command value indicating a manipulation of a robot by a subject user; acquire a current state of the robot and a target state associated with the manipulation of the robot; determine a state difference between the current state and the target state; acquire from a learned model, a degree of distribution associated with a motion of the robot, based on the state difference, wherein the learned model is generated based on a past robot manipulation; set a level of assistance to be given during the manipulation of the robot by the subject user, based on the degree of distribution acquired; and generate an output command value for operating the robot, based on the input command value and the level of assistance.

Abstract: A positioning controller (50) including an imaging predictive model (80) and inverse control predictive model (70). In operation, the controller (50) applies the imaging predictive model (80) to imaging data generated by an imaging device (40) to render a predicted navigated pose of the imaging device (40), and applies the control predictive model (70) to error positioning data derived from a differential aspect between a target pose of the imaging device (40) and the predicted navigated pose of the imaging device (40) to render a predicted corrective positioning motion of the imaging device (40) (or a portion of the interventional device associated with this imaging device) to the target pose.

Abstract: A measurement apparatus includes a sensor that measures a workpiece, a multi-axis robot that moves the sensor in a three-dimensional space, a position determination part that determines i) a plurality of measurement positions that are positions along a normal direction at each of a plurality of positions to be measured on the workpiece and ii) a direction of the sensor at each of the plurality of measurement positions on the basis of at least either design data or captured image data indicating the geometry of the workpiece, a moving control part that sequentially moves the sensor to the plurality of measurement positions by controlling the robot, and a measurement control part that outputs measured data indicating a result that the sensor measured at each of the plurality of measurement positions in association with the plurality of positions to be measured.

Abstract: Provided are methods for agent prioritization, which can include determining a primary agent set and generating, based on the primary agent set, a trajectory for the autonomous vehicle. Some methods described also include determining an interaction parameter of agents in the environment. Systems and computer program products are also provided.

Abstract: One embodiment can provide a robotic system. The system can include a machine-vision module, a robotic arm comprising an end-effector, a robotic controller configured to control movements of the robotic arm, and an error-compensation module configured to compensate for pose errors of the robotic arm by determining a controller-desired pose corresponding to a camera-instructed pose of the end-effector such that, when the robotic controller controls the movements of the robotic arm based on the controller-desired pose, the end-effector achieves, as observed by the machine-vision module, the camera-instructed pose. The error-compensation module can include a machine learning model configured to output an error matrix that correlates the camera-instructed pose to the controller-desired pose.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for designing and generating a smart object. The technique includes receiving a first input indicating a smart object behavior of a smart object that includes a smart device embedded in a three-dimensional (3D) object; in response to the input, generating computer instructions for the smart device, wherein the computer instructions, when executed by the smart device, cause the smart object to implement the smart object behavior; and transmitting the computer instructions to the smart device.

Abstract: A method of calibrating a coordinate positioning machine is described. The machine is controlled into a pivot pose in which a target point associated with a moveable part of the machine and a pivot point associated with a fixed part of the machine are separated from one another by a known separation. An error value for that pose is determined based on the known separation and a separation expected for that pose from the existing model parameters of the machine. The machine is controlled into a plurality of different target poses, and for each target pose a separation between the target point and the pivot point is measured and an error value for that pose is determined based on the measured separation and a separation expected for that pose from the existing model parameters.

Abstract: A camera assembly, including: an enclosure having at least two mounting surfaces that are orthogonal to each other for alignment with at least two orthogonal surfaces against which the camera assembly is to be mounted; at least one imaging apparatus disposed within the enclosure and having a predetermined orientation with respect to the enclosure; and a communication device disposed within the enclosure; and a server disposed at a location remote from where the camera is mounted. The camera assembly and the server communicate over a computer communication network to identify at least one mounting measurement of the camera assembly to establish a mapping from an image coordinate system for images generated by the imaging apparatus and a real world coordinate system aligned with an orientation defined by the at least two orthogonal surfaces.

Abstract: Systems and methods for collision detection and avoidance are provided. In one aspect, a robotic medical system including a first set of links, a second set of links, a console configured to receive input commanding motion of the first set of links and the second set of links, a processor, and at least one computer-readable memory in communication with the processor. The processor is configured to access the model of the first set of links and the second set of links, control movement of the first set of links and the second set of links based on the input received by the console, determine a distance between the first set of links and the second set of links based on the model, and prevent a collision between the first set of links and the second set of links based on the determined distance.

Abstract: A first characteristic portion of a first workpiece and a second characteristic portion of a second workpiece are previously determined. A characteristic amount detection unit detects a first characteristic amount related to the position of the first characteristic portion and a second characteristic amount related to the position of the second characteristic portion in an image captured by a camera. A calculation unit calculates, as a relative position amount, the difference between the first characteristic amount and the second characteristic amount. A command generation unit generates a movement command for operating a robot based on a relative position amount in the image captured by the camera and a relative position amount in a predetermined reference image.

Abstract: An apparatus capable of accurately determining a robot coordinate system of a robot configured to be moved along an axis. The apparatus of setting the robot coordinate system of the robot configured to be moved along a first axis includes a coordinate system acquisition section configured to determine, from positions of two robot coordinate systems preset along the first axis, a position of another robot coordinate system to be set between the positions of the two robot coordinate systems by calculation. Further, a method of setting a robot coordinate system of a robot configured to be moved along a first axis includes determining, from positions of two robot coordinate systems preset along the first axis, a position of another robot coordinate system to be set between the positions of the two robot coordinate systems by calculation.

Abstract: A method for the autonomous construction and/or design of at least one component part of a component includes the step of determining a state (si) of the component part by a state module, wherein a state (si) is defined by parameters (pi) such as data and/or measured values of at least one property (ei) of the component part. The state (si) is transmitted to a reinforcement learning agent, which uses a reinforcement learning algorithm. A calculation function (ƒi) and/or an action (ai) is selected on the basis of a policy for a state (si) for the modification of at least one parameter (pi) by the reinforcement learning agent. A modeled value for the property (ei) is calculated using the modified parameter (pi). A new state (si+1) is calculated by an environment module on the basis of the modeled value for the property (ei).

Abstract: The robot hand holds a wire harness having a long harness main body and a connector connected to an end of the harness main body. The robot hand includes a fixed holding portion which holds the harness main body a vicinity of the end thereof, a pressing portion movable relative to the fixed holding portion in a longitudinal direction of the harness main body held by the fixed holding portion, and a driving unit which moves the pressing portion in a direction away from the fixed holding portion such that the pressing portion presses the connector outwardly in the longitudinal direction of the harness main body.

Abstract: Disclosed is a transporting robot which executes a mounted artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm and/or machine learning algorithm and communicates with different electronic devices and external servers in a 5G communication environment. The transporting robot includes a wheel driver, a loading box, and a robot controller. The transporting robot is provided such that a transporting service using an autonomous robot may be provided.

Abstract: This control device has: a user information acquisition unit which acquires first user posture information that indicates the posture of a first user operating a robot; a pre-change robot information acquisition unit which, on the basis of the first user posture information, acquires pre-change posture information, which indicates the posture of the robot before the posture of the robot is changed; and a determination unit which determines, as the posture of the robot, a target posture, which is different from the posture of the first user, on the basis of the pre-change posture information and the first user posture information that is acquired by the user information acquisition unit at the time when the robot took the pre-change posture indicated by the pre-change posture information.

Abstract: To reduce the disadvantage caused by low communication quality. A control system includes a controller configured to control an industrial machine, and a terminal device configured to communicate with the controller. The control system includes a communication quality measurement unit configured to measure as index indicating communication quality between the controller and the terminal device, a communication quality determination unit configured to determine the communication quality between the controller and the terminal device on the basis of the index measured by the communication quality measurement unit, a display unit configured to display an operation screen image for the controller, and a display control unit configured to control a display item of the operation screen image to be displayed on the display unit on the basis of result determined by the communication quality determination part.

Abstract: A robot according to the present disclosure may include: a casing that has an internal space; a head unit that protrudes upward from the casing and has a first display; a display unit that is disposed ahead of the casing and has a second display; an ascending and descending motor that is disposed in the casing; an ascending and descending plate that ascends and descends between a first position and a second position higher than the first position by power of the ascending and descending motor; a contact bar that has an upper end connected to the head unit and a lower end being in contact with the ascending and descending plate; a fixing plate that is positioned between the ascending and descending plate and the head unit and has an opening through which the contact bar passes; and a link that connects the ascending and descending plate and the fixing plate to the display unit.

Abstract: A control system 1 includes a first controller, and a second controller. The second controller includes a program storage module that stores two or more coordinate conversion programs, and a control processing module 240 that acquires program designation information for designating one of two or more coordinate conversion programs from the first controller. Additionally, the control processing module may acquire a first operation command in the coordinate system for the first controller from the first controller, and convert the first operation command to an operation target value of two or more joint axes of a multi-axis robot using the coordinate conversion programs according to the program designation information. Driving power according to the operation target value may be output to the joint axes.

Abstract: A teaching device for performing teaching operations of a robot includes a selection unit which, during a teaching operation or after a teaching operation of the robot, moves among a plurality of lines of a program of the robot and selects a single line, an error calculation unit which calculates, after the robot has been moved by hand-guiding or jog-feeding to a teaching point which has already been taught in the selected single line, a position error between the teaching point and a position of the robot after movement, and an instruction unit which instructs to re-teach the teaching point when the position error is within a predetermined range.

Abstract: The described positional awareness techniques employing sensory data gathering and analysis hardware with reference to specific example implementations implement improvements in the use of sensors, techniques and hardware design that can enable specific embodiments to provide positional awareness to machines with improved speed and accuracy. The sensory data are gathered from an operational camera and one or more auxiliary sensors.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods and systems an impact wrench having dynamically tuned drive components, such as an anvil/socket combination, and related methodology for dynamically tuning the drive components in view of inertia displacement, as well as stiffness between coupled components, and with regard to impact timing associated with clearance gaps between the component parts.

Abstract: An example method includes receiving position data indicative of position of a demonstration tool. Based on the received position data, the method further includes determining a motion path of the demonstration tool, wherein the motion path comprises a sequence of positions of the demonstration tool. The method additionally includes determining a replication control path for a robotic device, where the replication control path includes one or more robot movements that cause the robotic device to move a robot tool through a motion path that corresponds to the motion path of the demonstration tool. The method also includes providing for display of a visual simulation of the one or more robot movements within the replication control path.

Abstract: A connector-connecting jig used to connect a first connector disposed at one end of a strip-shaped flexible cable, which has another end fixed to a bottom surface of a housing-shaped electronic device body, to a second connector on a substrate. The first connector is disposed on a surface of the flexible cable opposite to said bottom surface. The connector-connecting jig includes a base having a placement surface on which the electronic device body is placed; a body fixing unit that fixes the electronic device body onto the placement surface; and a connector supporting member that extends over the electronic device body and contacts a surface of the flexible cable on a rear surface side of the first connector when the flexible cable is lifted upward from said bottom surface of the electronic device body fixed onto the placement surface.

Abstract: In an eccentricity error correction method for an angle detector, an output shaft angle is determined in at least three measurement positions. A difference between an arm angle value at each measurement position and the output shaft angle detected at each measurement position is determined as an eccentricity error. An error curve indicates a relationship between the arm angle value and the eccentricity error, and is determined as a function of the arm angle value by approximating the eccentricity error at each measurement position with a sine wave of which a single cycle is a single rotation of the arm. A correction formula that associates the output shaft angle and the arm angle value is determined using the error curve. A correction value corresponds to the detected output shaft angle, and is determined based on the correction formula and correcting the eccentricity error when the arm is rotated.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides an impedance control method for a biped robot as well as an apparatus and a biped robot using the same. The method includes: correcting an impact force on a landing leg in the two legs of the biped robot using a natural attenuation function, and taking the corrected impact force as an input of an impedance control; obtaining an impedance model of the biped robot; determining a transfer function of the impedance control based on the impedance model; calculating an output of the impedance control based on the input of the impedance control and the transfer function of the impedance control; determining a joint angle of each joint based on the output of the impedance control and a planned pose of the biped robot; and transmitting joint angle information of each joint to motor(s) of the joint to perform the impedance control.

Abstract: Implementations are provided for improved robot reachability maps. Multiple reachability maps for a robot may be indexed on a distance of an end effector from a plane and a tilt of the end effector. Each reachability map may include multiple cells, each representing a base pose of the robot. A target pose of the end effector may be used to determine a target distance/tilt, which is used to select a given reachability map. A given cell of the given reachability map may be used to determine a first candidate set of joint parameters for the robot. In some implementations, one or more additional, neighboring cells of the plurality of cells may be used to determine additional candidate set(s) of joint parameters. A given set of joint parameters to be implemented to achieve the target pose of the end effector may be selected and used to operate the robot.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for positioning a camera of a surgical robotic system to capture images inside a body cavity of a patient during a medical procedure are disclosed. In some embodiments, the method involves receiving location information at a controller of a surgical robotic system performing the medical procedure, the location information defining a location of at least one tool with respect to a body cavity frame of reference, and in response to receiving an align command signal at the controller, causing the controller to produce positioning signals operable to cause the camera to be positioned within the body cavity frame of reference to capture images of the at least one tool for display to an operator of the surgical robotic system.

Abstract: A method for controlling the actuation of wing sections of an agricultural implement may include regulating a supply of hydraulic fluid to a wing actuator coupled to a wing section to pivot the wing section relative to a center frame section of the implement from a transport position towards a work position. The method may also include monitoring a wheel load associated with at least one wheel of the wing section as the wing section is being moved towards the work position and detecting when the wheel(s) of the wing section contacts the ground based at least in part on the monitored wheel load. In addition, the method may include adjusting one or more flow parameters of the supply of hydraulic fluid to the wing actuator to reduce an actuation rate at which the wing section is being pivoted after detecting that wheel(s) has contacted the ground.

Abstract: For calibration on a single camera or a stereo camera, a calibration range is set in advance in an image coordinate system and the calibration is performed in an arbitrary range. A visual sensor controller is a calibration device that associates a robot coordinate system at a robot and an image coordinate system at a camera by placing a target mark at the robot, moving the robot, and detecting the target mark at multiple points in a view of the camera. The calibration device comprises: an image range setting unit that sets an image range in the image coordinate system at the camera; and a calibration range measurement unit that measures an operation range for the robot corresponding to the image range before implementation of calibration by moving the robot and detecting the target mark.

Abstract: A robot control system and a method for automatic camera calibration is presented. The robot control system includes a control circuit configured to control a robot arm to move a calibration pattern to at least one location within a camera field of view, and to receive a calibration image from a camera. The control circuit determines a first estimate of a first intrinsic camera parameter based on the calibration image. After the first estimate of the first intrinsic camera parameter is determined, the control circuit determines a first estimate of a second intrinsic camera parameter based on the first estimate of the first intrinsic camera parameter. These estimates are used to determine an estimate of a transformation function that describes a relationship between a camera coordinate system and a world coordinate system. The control circuit controls placement of the robot arm based on the estimate of the transformation function.

Abstract: Methods of controlling a hyper redundant manipulator, the hyper redundant manipulator including: a plurality of sections comprising a first free end section and a second end section; and a base arranged to receive the plurality of sections in a coiled configuration, the base being coupled to the second end section of the plurality of sections, the method comprising: receiving a trajectory for movement of the plurality of sections; determining an error in position and/or orientation relative to the trajectory for one or more sections of the plurality of sections, the error being caused at least in part by the coiled configuration; and controlling movement of the one or more sections using the determined error to compensate for the error in position and/or orientation of the one or more sections.

Abstract: The described positional awareness techniques employing sensory data gathering and analysis hardware with reference to specific example implementations implement improvements in the use of sensors, techniques and hardware design that can enable specific embodiments to provide positional awareness to machines with improved speed and accuracy. The sensory data are gathered from an operational camera and one or more auxiliary sensors.

Abstract: A mobile terminal includes a camera, a display configured to display a real image projected by the camera, and a controller configured to recognize the real image to request a traveling path corresponding to the real image from a robot cleaner, to generate an augmented reality (AR) image of the traveling path based on the traveling path received from the robot cleaner, and to display the AR image to be superimposed on the real image.

Abstract: A robot system includes a conveying device, a robot, a control unit for controlling operation of the robot by transmitting a drive signal to a motor of the robot, and for outputting a driving speed control signal to the conveying device, and an encoder for detecting a conveying speed of the conveying device in a regular operation mode, where, when the robot is to be operated in a teach mode and a test mode, the control unit transmits a drive signal to the robot such that an operation speed is reduced by a received override value, and outputs the driving speed control signal such that the conveying speed of the conveying device is reduced by the override value.

Abstract: A robot control device includes a learning control unit for calculating a learning correction amount, a position storage unit for storing a position of a leading end of a robot mechanism part during the learning control, and a speed storage unit for storing a speed of the leading end of the robot mechanism part during the learning control. The robot control device determines, while the robot mechanism part is operated by a position command after the learning control, whether or not the position and the speed of the leading end are in an abnormal state based on errors with respect to the position and the speed of the leading end stored during the learning control. The robot control device switches a determination as to whether the learning correction amount is applied in accordance with this determination result.

Abstract: An example method includes receiving position data indicative of position of a demonstration tool. Based on the received position data, the method further includes determining a motion path of the demonstration tool, wherein the motion path comprises a sequence of positions of the demonstration tool. The method additionally includes determining a replication control path for a robotic device, where the replication control path includes one or more robot movements that cause the robotic device to move a robot tool through a motion path that corresponds to the motion path of the demonstration tool. The method also includes providing for display of a visual simulation of the one or more robot movements within the replication control path.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system and method of generating, for a given game map, an LOS catalog before gameplay and identifying a spawn location during gameplay based on the LOS catalog. For every unique pair of map nodes in a game map, the LOS catalog may indicate the minimum distance that must be traveled from a first map node of the pair to achieve LOS to a second map node of the pair, an identifier for the first map node, and an identifier for the second map node. When a gameplay session is initiated, the LOS catalog may be retrieved and used to identify relatively safe spawn points based on distances that must be traveled from enemy positions to achieve LOS to potential spawn points.

Abstract: A robot and method for controlling an industrial robot, which has a first robot arm, a second robot arm, a joint defining a kinematic pair between the first and second robot arms, an actuator for generating relative movement between the first and second robot arms, and a robot controller for controlling the movements of the actuator. The method includes the steps of: determining a presence of a first torque indication at the actuator to be interpreted as a first command to the robot controller; repeatedly obtaining an external torque value (?ext) to obtain an external torque behavior; comparing the external torque behavior with the first torque indication; and executing a robot function corresponding to the first command upon detecting that the external torque behavior corresponds to the first torque indication. The obtained external torque behavior depends on a reference torque value (?ref) obtained from a dynamic model of the robot.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus related to robot collision avoidance. One method may include: receiving robot instructions to be performed by a robot; at each of a plurality of control cycles of processor(s) of the robot: receiving trajectories to be implemented by actuators of the robot, wherein the trajectories define motion states for the actuators of the robot during the control cycle or a next control cycle, and wherein the trajectories are generated based on the robot instructions; determining, based on a current motion state of the actuators and the trajectories to be implemented, whether implementation of the trajectories by the actuators prevents any collision avoidance trajectory from being achieved; and selectively providing the trajectories or collision avoidance trajectories for operating the actuators of the robot during the control cycle or the next control cycle depending on a result of the determining.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for protecting a basic input/output system (BIOS) in a computing system. The apparatus includes a BIOS read only memory (ROM), an event detector, and a tamper detector. The BIOS ROM has BIOS contents that are stored as plaintext, and an encrypted message digest, where the encrypted message digest comprises an encrypted version of a first message digest that corresponds to the BIOS contents, and where and the encrypted version is generated via a symmetric key algorithm and a key. The event detector is configured to generate a BIOS check interrupt that interrupts normal operation of the computing system upon the occurrence of an event, where the event includes one or more occurrences of an APIC access.

Abstract: A robot operation apparatus includes touch panel, touch operation detecting unit, action command generating unit, and selection operation detecting unit. The action command generating unit is capable of performing an operation determining process and an action command generating process. The operation determining process is a process for determining a drive axis or an action mode of a robot to be operated based on the selection operation detected by the selection operation detecting unit, and when a touch operation detected by the touch operation detecting unit is a drag operation, determining a movement amount of the drag operation. The action command generating process is a process for determining a movement amount of the robot based on the movement amount determined by in the operation determining process, and generating an action command for moving the robot at the drive axis or in the action mode to be operated by the movement amount.

Abstract: Disclosed are a method, a device and a system for improving system accuracy of an X-Y motion platform, and the method includes: taking a picture of a preset calibration board synchronously as a controlled equipment on an X-Y motion platform moves, and analyzing the picture to obtain pixel coordinates of a calibration point in the picture, where the preset calibration board is taken as a reference; acquiring actual coordinates of the calibration point on the calibration board, and calculating actual position coordinates of the controlled equipment on the X-Y motion platform from the actual coordinates and the pixel coordinates of the calibration point; and adjusting a motion control system of the X-Y motion platform according to the actual position coordinates, to control the motion of the X-Y motion platform to perform motion compensation for the controlled equipment.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for protecting a basic input/output system (BIOS) in a computing system. The apparatus includes a BIOS read only memory (ROM), an event detector, and a tamper detector. The BIOS ROM has BIOS contents that are stored as plaintext, and an encrypted message digest, where the encrypted message digest comprises an encrypted version of a first message digest that corresponds to the BIOS contents, and where and the encrypted version is generated via a symmetric key algorithm and a key. The event detector is configured to generate a BIOS check interrupt that interrupts normal operation of the computing system upon the occurrence of an event, where the event includes one or more occurrences of an operating system call.

Abstract: A robot includes an arm, and the arm is controlled using an offset of a reference point of a tool, the tool being attached to the arm, the offset being set based on a first state, in which a first image, in which the reference point is located at a control point of an image, can be taken by a imaging section, and a second state, in which a second image, in which the tool is rotated around a rotational axis passing through a position of the reference point in the state in which the reference point is located at the control point, can be taken by the imaging section, and controlled based on a third image, which is taken by the imaging section, and in which the control point is shifted from the reference point, in a process of a transition from the first state to the second state.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for protecting a basic input/output system (BIOS) in a computing system. The apparatus includes a BIOS read only memory (ROM), an event detector, and a tamper detector. The BIOS ROM has BIOS contents that are stored as plaintext, and an encrypted message digest, where the encrypted message digest comprises an encrypted version of a first message digest that corresponds to the BIOS contents, and where and the encrypted version is generated via a symmetric key algorithm and a key. The event detector is configured to generate a BIOS check interrupt that interrupts normal operation of the computing system upon the occurrence of an event, where the event includes one or more occurrences of a change in virtual memory mapping.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for protecting a basic input/output system (BIOS) in a computing system. The apparatus includes a BIOS read only memory (ROM), an event detector, and a tamper detector. The BIOS ROM has BIOS contents that are stored as plaintext, and an encrypted message digest, where the encrypted message digest comprises an encrypted version of a first message digest that corresponds to the BIOS contents, and where and the encrypted version is generated via a symmetric key algorithm and a key. The event detector is configured to generate a BIOS check interrupt that interrupts normal operation of the computing system upon the occurrence of an event, where the event includes one or more occurrences of a hard disk access.