A method of determining a kinematic state of a load handling device in a storage system. Wheel state data, representative of a state of a wheel of the load handling device, from one or more sensors communicatively coupled to the wheel is obtained. A creep value for the load handling device is determined based on the wheel state data and using a trained model. The kinematic state of the load handling device is determined based on the creep value and kinematic data, representative of the kinematic state of the load handling device, is outputted. A positioning system to employ the method for the load handling device is also provided.

A monitoring system, a monitoring device, a monitoring method, an autonomous traveling vehicle, or a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a monitoring program monitors a blind spot area that is a blind spot of a facility user by using a monitoring sensor while the autonomous traveling vehicle is charging in a traveling facility in which the autonomous traveling vehicle travels, and outputs monitoring data for the blind spot area.

Provided is a robot control method that controls a robot to guide an evacuation route in response to occurrence of an emergency situation. The robot may acquire evacuation route information on a space from a server when an emergency situation occurs in the space, and may move to a first node closest to the robot among nodes defined in the space and a second node indicated by direction information of the first node based on the evacuation route information and a current location of the robot.

A distribution system for distributing carriers has a transport plane with logical positions. The carriers transport objects and a drive system moves the carriers on the transport plane between the logical positions. A controller moves the carriers on a planned route from a start position to a final destination on the transport plane. The planned route is made up of partial routes, and a routing system calculates routing plans for carriers on the transport plane by modeling the transport plane with graphs of nodes. The routing plans are calculated considering moving time periods and waiting time periods. The waiting time periods are assigned based on a reservation of logical positions of the partial routes of other carriers. Thus, if a carrier experiences a time delay during execution of a move, the routing system shifts the experienced time delay to an upcoming waiting time period of a carrier.

A method of operating a distribution system having carriers that carry objects and a transport plane supporting the carriers. A grid of logical positions is defined on the transport plane and a drive system moves the carriers between the logical positions. A router calculates routes for the carriers and applies a global pattern of safe points on the transport plane. Safe points are logical positions selected based on a range of motion for a carrier occupying the logical position, such that on the safe points a carrier can be placed and then moved away. The global pattern is applied onto the transport plane independently of module boundaries. Partial routes for the carriers are calculated so that an end position of each partial route is either a safe point or has a free path to a safe point to be reachable in the next partial route using the router.

A transport robot is disclosed to carry out transport orders for transport of goods in a warehouse with a plurality of transport robots. The transport robot includes a communication interface to receive an environment model of the warehouse and a capability model of the plurality of transport robots. The environment model defines a plurality of key points of the warehouse and, for each key point, at least one neighboring key point. The capability model defines, for each of the key points of the environment model, movement sequence information for an automated movement to the at least one neighboring key point. For each key point of the environment model, the movement sequence information of the capability model is based on at least one movement learned by imitation learning of a manually operated transport robot of the plurality of transport robots between the key point and at least one neighboring key point.

A transport robot is used to carry out transport orders for transport of goods in a warehouse with a plurality of transport robots. The transport robot includes a communication interface configured to receive an environment model of the warehouse and a capability model of the plurality of transport robots. The environment model defines a plurality of key points of the warehouse and, for each key point, at least one neighboring key point. The capability model defines, for each of the key points of the environment model, movement sequence data for an automated movement to the at least one neighboring key point. The transport robot includes a control unit configured to carry out a transport order from a starting key point to a destination key point of the plurality of key points to automatically control movement of the transport robot based on the environment model and the capability model.

A mobile robot that is capable of autonomous movement includes: a reliability determiner that determines reliability of an autonomous travel function of the mobile robot; a safe area obtainer that obtains information on a safe area at which the mobile robot can stop; and a controller that causes the mobile robot to move to the safe area based on the information on the safe area when, during autonomous movement of the mobile robot, an anomaly in the mobile robot is detected and the reliability determiner determines that the autonomous travel function is reliable.

A mobility configured to receive remote support via a management device, the mobility includes one or more processors configured to: calculate a score serving as a basis of an assignment process performed by the management device, the assignment process being a process of assigning at least one of a remote supporter and a remote support terminal to the mobility, and the remote support terminal being used by the remote supporter; and transmit the calculated score to the management device.

According to a method for detecting surroundings, a first image data stream (15) is generated by means of a first camera (2) of an ego vehicle (4) and a second image data stream, which is generated by means of a second camera of a further vehicle (5), is received by means of the ego vehicle (4), wherein a first visual field (8) represented by the first image data stream (15) overlaps with a second visual field (9) represented by the second image data stream. A region (14) which is obscured for the first camera (2) is identified in the first visual field (8), which region is not obscured for the second camera. On the basis of the second image data stream, substitute image data (17) is generated which corresponds to the region (14) that is obscured for the first camera (2). On the basis of the first image data stream (15), a combined image data stream is generated which represents the first visual field, wherein the substitute image data (17) is displayed in a region (14) of the combined image data stream (16), which corresponds to the region (14) obscured for the first camera (2).