Abstract: Systems and methods for operating robotic equipment in a controlled zone are presented. The system comprises one or more self-driving material-transport vehicles having at least one sensor, non-transitory computer-readable media, and a processor in communication with the at least one sensor and media. The media stores computer instructions that configure the processor to move the vehicle towards the controlled zone in a normal mode of operation, capture environmental data associated with the controlled zone using the at least one sensor, determine environmental-change data based on comparing the captured environmental data with known-good environmental data, and operating the vehicle in a safe mode of operation based on the environmental-change data.

Abstract: A distributed hardware system for unmanned vehicles is provided, comprising a plurality of electronic hardware modules in communication via a vehicle control network. Each module is enabled to: communicate with one another, issue requests for information from a central control module, and transmit data over the network in a common format to perform respective tasks; and at least one of: independently sense one or more of: a respective status of the distributed hardware system and at least one respective environmental parameter; and independently control the respective function of a vehicle. A portion of the modules can enabled to: be removed and inserted from the distributed hardware system as plug and play modules; and determine when at least one of the modules is removed/inserted from the distributed hardware system and transition to a corresponding state. The system also includes a power management system which includes capacity monitoring and hot-swap capabilities.

Abstract: The various embodiments described herein generally relate to an autonomous material transport vehicle, and systems and methods for operating an autonomous material transport vehicle. The autonomous material transport vehicle comprises: a sensing system operable to monitor an environment of the vehicle; a drive system for operating the vehicle; a processor operable to: receive a location of a load; initiate the drive system to navigate the vehicle to the location; following initiation of the drive system, operate the sensing system to monitor for one or more objects within a detection range; and in response to the sensing system detecting the one or more objects within the detection range, determine whether the load is within the detection range; and when the load is within the detection range, operate the drive system to position the vehicle for transporting the load, otherwise, determine a collision avoidance operation to avoid the one or more objects.