Embodiments relate to a device and method for determining a status of an environment and/or a status or condition of a person therein. The method may comprise: receiving an output of a sensor to monitor said environment; commencing a time window after the sensor detects activity in the environment; upon expiry of the time window, activating an active reflected wave detector to measure wave reflections from the environment, the detector consuming more power in an activated state than the sensor in an activated state; and determining a status of the environment and/or of a person therein based on an output of the active detector indicative of one or more of the measured reflections. The method comprises delaying expiry of the time window in response to the sensor detecting activity in the environment during the time window.

The technology relates to autonomous vehicles having hitched or towed trailers for transporting cargo and other items between locations. Aspects of the technology provide a smart hitch connection between the fifth-wheel of a tractor unit and the kingpin of a trailer. This avoids requiring a person to make physical pneumatic and electrical connections between the fifth-wheel and kingpin using external hoses and cables. Instead, the necessary connections are made internally, autonomously. For instance, the fifth-wheel may provide air pressure via one or more slots arranged on a connection surface, and the trailer is configured to receive the air pressure through one or more openings on a contact surface of the kingpin. An electrical connection section of the fifth-wheel may also provide electrical signals and/or power to an electrical contact interface of the kingpin. Rotational information about relative alignment of the trailer to the tractor unit may also be provided.

The technology relates to autonomous vehicles having hitched or towed trailers for transporting cargo and other items between locations. Aspects of the technology provide a smart hitch connection between the fifth-wheel of a tractor unit and the kingpin of a trailer. This avoids requiring a person to make physical pneumatic and electrical connections between the fifth-wheel and kingpin using external hoses and cables. Instead, the necessary connections are made internally, autonomously. For instance, the fifth-wheel may provide air pressure via one or more slots arranged on a connection surface, and the trailer is configured to receive the air pressure through one or more openings on a contact surface of the kingpin. An electrical connection section of the fifth-wheel may also provide electrical signals and/or power to an electrical contact interface of the kingpin. Rotational information about relative alignment of the trailer to the tractor unit may also be provided.

To determine spatial orientation of a vehicle, a set of illuminators is mechanically coupled to the vehicle so as to emit light toward a roadway. A set of sensors is mechanically coupled to the vehicle to receive the emitted light as reflected from the roadway. A timer determines times of flight between emission of the light by the set of illuminators and reception of the reflected light by the set of sensors. A processor determines the spatial orientation of the vehicle from a difference in the times of flight.

A vehicle position and velocity estimation based on camera and LIDAR data are disclosed. A particular embodiment includes: receiving input object data from a subsystem of an autonomous vehicle, the input object data including image data from an image generating device and distance data from a distance measuring device; determining a two-dimensional (2D) position of a proximate object near the autonomous vehicle using the image data received from the image generating device; tracking a three-dimensional (3D) position of the proximate object using the distance data received from the distance measuring device over a plurality of cycles and generating tracking data; determining a 3D position of the proximate object using the 2D position, the distance data received from the distance measuring device, and the tracking data; determining a velocity of the proximate object using the 3D position and the tracking data; and outputting the 3D position and velocity of the proximate object relative to the autonomous vehicle.

A vehicle position and velocity estimation based on camera and LIDAR data are disclosed. A particular embodiment includes: receiving input object data from a subsystem of an autonomous vehicle, the input object data including image data from an image generating device and distance data from a distance measuring device; determining a two-dimensional (2D) position of a proximate object near the autonomous vehicle using the image data received from the image generating device; tracking a three-dimensional (3D) position of the proximate object using the distance data received from the distance measuring device over a plurality of cycles and generating tracking data; determining a 3D position of the proximate object using the 2D position, the distance data received from the distance measuring device, and the tracking data; determining a velocity of the proximate object using the 3D position and the tracking data; and outputting the 3D position and velocity of the proximate object relative to the autonomous vehicle.

A networked monitoring apparatus, and a monitoring system and monitoring method based on the apparatus, are disclosed. The apparatus includes at least one sensor, a wireless networking module and a processor operably connected to each other and to a power source, within a housing shielding the apparatus components from environmental conditions, which is attachable to at least one mounting point adjacent a plurality of discrete surface areas. The apparatus periodically monitors each of the discrete surface areas, detects a respective occupancy state thereof by a respective entity with the or each sensor, determines a start and/or end of occupancy state by each respective entity, and communicates respective occupancy state data to at least one remote data processing terminal with the wireless networking module. The monitoring system comprises at least one apparatus in data communication with the remote data processing terminal.

A robotic work tool system (200) for defining a working area perimeter (105). The robotic work tool system (200) comprises a robotic work tool (100) and a controller (210). The robotic work tool (100) comprises a position unit (175) and a sensor unit (170). The controller (210) is configured to receive, from the sensor unit (170), edge data indicating whether the robotic work tool (100) is located next to a physical edge (430). The controller (210) is further configured to control the robotic work tool (100) to travel along the physical edge (430) while the edge data indicating that the robotic work tool (100) is located next to the physical edge (430) and to receive, from the position unit (175), position data while the robotic work tool (100) is in motion. The controller (210) is configured to determine, based on the edge data and position data, positions representing the physical edge (430) and to define, based on the determined positions, at least a portion of the working area perimeter (105).

A measurement apparatus, a measurement compensation system, a measurement method and a measurement compensation method are provided. The measurement apparatus includes a jig wafer including: a wafer; a distance measuring sensor disposed on a front surface of the wafer and configured to measure a distance between the jig wafer and an upper electrode on the top of a reaction chamber after the jig wafer is placed on a wafer chuck of the reaction chamber; a horizontal sensor disposed on the front surface of the wafer and configured to measure the horizontal condition of the wafer chuck after the jig wafer is placed on the wafer chuck; and a data transmitting device connected with the distance measuring sensor and the horizontal sensor and configured to transmit the data measured by the distance measuring sensor and the data measured by the horizontal sensor.

A measurement apparatus, a measurement compensation system, a measurement method and a measurement compensation method are provided. The measurement apparatus includes a jig wafer including: a wafer; a distance measuring sensor disposed on a front surface of the wafer and configured to measure a distance between the jig wafer and an upper electrode on the top of a reaction chamber after the jig wafer is placed on a wafer chuck of the reaction chamber; a horizontal sensor disposed on the front surface of the wafer and configured to measure the horizontal condition of the wafer chuck after the jig wafer is placed on the wafer chuck; and a data transmitting device connected with the distance measuring sensor and the horizontal sensor and configured to transmit the data measured by the distance measuring sensor and the data measured by the horizontal sensor.