A solar concentrating system and installation has a plurality of solar collectors configured for receiving, reflecting, and concentrating radiation in a focal point. The solar concentrating system and installation increases the efficiency of current solar concentrating systems, such as those based on linear Fresnel collectors, by reducing focal distances and increasing the effective surface of the system.

Techniques described herein relate to using reduced-dimensionality embeddings generated from robot sensor data to identify predetermined semantic labels that guide robot interaction with objects. In various implementations, obtaining, from one or more sensors of a robot, sensor data that includes data indicative of an object observed in an environment in which the robot operates. The sensor data may be processed utilizing a first trained machine learning model to generate a first embedded feature vector that maps the data indicative of the object to an embedding space. Nearest neighbor(s) of the first embedded feature vector may be identified in the embedding space. Semantic label(s) may be identified based on the nearest neighbor(s). A given grasp option may be selected from enumerated grasp options previously associated with the semantic label(s). The robot may be operated to interact with the object based on the pose and using the given grasp option.

A secure lockable enclosure having a compartment therein, includes an electronically-actuated latching mechanism coupled to a door; a network interface; a sensor for sensing a characteristic related to a user attempting to gain access to the compartment; an environmental controller for heating and/or cooling the compartment; and a processor. The processor being adapted to (i) cause the network interface to transmit information indicative of a sensed characteristic of a user attempting to gain access to the compartment and capable of processing an unlock signal, and (ii) control the environmental controller based on a characteristic of an item placed in the compartment. An exemplary method controlling access by a user to the enclosure includes the steps of receiving identification information of the user from sensors associated with the enclosure; receiving identification information of an account holder; verifying the received identification information of the user against the account holder information and providing an unlock code to the lock device if the identification information of the user and account holder matches.

A method includes: storing, by a server, data associated with at least one manufacturing step of a manufacturing process used to make a product; scanning an encoded image on a physical object to obtain at least one parameter associated with the product; accessing, using the at least one parameter, the stored data to obtain first data associated with the manufacturing process; and configuring, based on the first data, the at least one manufacturing step.

A processing system is disclosed for processing objects. The processing system includes a perception system for providing perception data regarding an object, and a primary transport system for providing transport of the object along a primary direction toward a processing location that is identified based on the perception data.

A drop perception system is disclosed that includes an open housing structure having an internal volume, an open top and an open bottom, and a plurality of perception units positioned to capture perception data within the internal volume at a plurality of locations between the open top and the open bottom of the open housing.

A method for assembling a cooling apparatus having a cabinet which houses an inner casing defining at least one compartment for the storage of products to be cooled and one or more objects configured to be connected to the inner casing. The method includes: providing the inner casing; automatically univocally identifying the model of the inner casing among various known inner casing models by using a detecting device and performing a step of connecting the one or more objects to the inner casing based on the model of inner casing identified in the identifying step.

A method includes: scanning a first QR code on a first physical object to obtain first parameters, wherein the first parameters include specifications for making a product using a manufacturing process, and the specifications include at least one material used to build the product. The method further includes scanning a second QR code on a second physical object to obtain second parameters, wherein the second parameters correspond to the manufacturing process; comparing, by a computing device, the first parameters and the second parameters; based on comparing the first parameters and the second parameters, determining whether the first object corresponds to the second object; and in response to determining that the first object corresponds to the second object, building the product using the at least one material.

Transport of physical objects is controlled based on scanning of encoded images. In one approach, an encoded image on a physical object is scanned to obtain parameters. The parameters include specifications for a product to be made by a manufacturing process. One or more rules are generated using the parameters and then stored in a database. The database is queried to determine whether the product conforms to the one or more rules. For example, the query may include data regarding characteristics of the final product and/or the manufacturing process. In response to determining that the product conforms to the rules, the product is transported to a distribution facility.

A method includes: storing, by a server, data associated with at least one manufacturing step of a manufacturing process used to make a product; scanning an encoded image on a physical object to obtain at least one parameter associated with the product; accessing, using the at least one parameter, the stored data to obtain first data associated with the manufacturing process; and configuring, based on the first data, the at least one manufacturing step.