In a marker detection system for a vehicle including a magnetic sensor to detect a magnetic marker laid in a road surface, the magnetic sensor can measures, for each axis, magnitudes of magnetic components acting along an axis in a vertical direction and an axis in a forwarding direction, and a detection unit identifies a candidate zone to which a possibility that the magnetic marker belongs is high, based on a change in a forwarding direction of the vehicle of a magnetic measurement value along any of the axes and determines whether the magnetic marker has been detected in accordance with a degree of synchronization between a first signal indicating a change of a magnetic measurement value regarding one axis in the candidate zone and a second signal indicating a change of a magnetic measurement value regarding the other axis in the candidate zone.

In a combine harvester, a travel control portion performs control to enable traveling on a plurality of outermost periphery straight-ahead routes extending along a plurality of sides constituting a farm field outline, respectively. A route creation portion sets, based on machine body information of the combine harvester, a turning necessary area which is necessary for a turn from one outermost periphery straight-ahead route to a next outermost periphery straight-ahead route, and also creates, from a predetermined start point set on the one outermost periphery straight-ahead route toward an unworked land adjacent to an already-worked land which is formed by traveling based on the one outermost periphery straight-ahead route, a predetermined number of inclined routes, which are inclined at a predetermined angle relative to the one outermost periphery straight-ahead route, in the turning necessary area. The travel control portion performs control to enable autonomous straight-ahead traveling along the inclined route.

Disclosed is an image processing method of processing a plurality of images into a single image, including: obtaining at least a left image, a center image, and a right image from a plurality of cameras arranged in a row; generating a left top-view image, a center top-view image, and a right top-view image based on the left image, the center image, and the right image, respectively; generating one wide top-view image by merging the left top-view image, the center top-view image, and the right top-view image; and generating and outputting the wide top-view image as a final wide image. Thus, the images from the plurality of cameras are merged into a single image, thereby reducing fatigue of a robot operator.

Solar power generation panels added on a transportation vehicle have a layout wherein power output of the panels varies according to an azimuth orientation of the vehicle. A controller includes a database of calibration curves relating an expected power output to a respective range of the azimuth orientation according to different solar altitude angles. A self-learning sequence is performed which (a) collects a magnitude of power output while the vehicle traverses the respective range of the azimuth orientation, (b) identifies a current solar altitude angle, and (c) stores a resulting calibration curve. A parking sequence comprises (a) selecting a calibration curve according to solar altitude angle, (b) determining a target vehicle azimuth angle which optimizes a cumulative power output based on the calibration curve and solar azimuth, and (d) initiating a movement of the vehicle to orient it at the target vehicle azimuth angle.

Provided is an autonomous lawn mowing system having improved safety. An autonomous lawn mowing system 1 is provided with: a position-information acquisition unit 14 that acquires position information concerning the position of an autonomous lawn mower 2 that is capable of travelling by itself; a moisture-information acquisition unit 15 that acquires moisture information concerning the moisture content of turf; a wet-ground identification unit 31 that identifies a wet region on the basis of the position information and the moisture information; and a control module 34 that controls the autonomous lawn mower 2 on the basis of the result identified by the wet-ground identification unit 31.

Systems and methods for enhanced MHV operation using an automation processing system for bystander detection and bystander pose estimation to control operation of the MHV.

Systems and methods to increase environment awareness in remote driving applications may include a vehicle having an imaging device and a teleoperator station in communication with each other via a network. For example, audio data may be received from the vehicle and processed to identify known sounds associated with unseen objects in the environment. In addition, imaging data may be received from the vehicle and processed to identify known but unheard objects in the environment. Based on the identified sounds and/or objects, visualizations of the objects may be generated and presented to a teleoperator, and sounds associated with the objects may be amplified, synthesized, and/or emitted to the teleoperator to increase environment awareness.

A method for controlling a robot is provided. The method includes acquiring information on status of communication connections between a plurality of robots located in a serving place, wherein the status of communication connections between the plurality of robots is specified with respect to at least one relay robot among the plurality of robots, and determining a communication scheme to be used between the plurality of robots, with reference to the information on the status of communication connections between the plurality of robots. In the acquiring step, the at least one relay robot is determined with reference to first assessment information on status of communication connections specified with respect to a first robot among the plurality of robots, and second assessment information on status of communication connections specified with respect to a second robot among the plurality of robots.

Systems and methods to ensure safe driving behaviors in remote driving applications may include a vehicle having an imaging device and a teleoperator station in communication with each other via a network. For example, a safety tunnel having various safety tunnel parameters may be generated based on location data, map data, vehicle data, and/or sensor data. Remote operation of the vehicle may be monitored with respect to the safety tunnel parameters, and various visual, audio, and/or haptic alerts or feedback may be presented or emitted for the teleoperator to encourage or enforce vehicle operation within the safety tunnel parameters. Further, various autonomous remote operation programs or control routines may be initiated or instructed to ensure safe driving behaviors of the vehicle based on the safety tunnel parameters.

A device for establishing a communication network and collecting situation information at a site of a collapse disaster is disclosed. The device includes a ground drone 10 deployed at the site of the collapse disaster, the ground drone 10 having a communication device 80 mounted thereon, a flying drone 32 mounted on and carried by the ground drone 10 to fly and photograph the site of the collapse disaster, a camera device 40 mounted on the ground drone 10 to photograph surroundings of the ground drone 10, a storage 50 installed on the ground drone 10, and a plurality of repeater modules 60 connected by the wireless communication network to relay wireless communications between the ground drone 10, the flying drone 32, and a command and control center 100, wherein the storage 50 accommodates the repeater modules 60, and throws the repeater modules 60 in response to an operation signal.