A synchronization primitive provides robots with locks, monitors, semaphores, or other mechanisms for reserving temporary access to a shared limited set of resources required by the robots in performing different tasks. Through non-conflicting establishment of the synchronization primitives across the set of resources, robots can prioritize the order with which assigned tasks are completed and minimize wait times for resources needed to complete each of the assigned tasks, thereby maximizing the number of tasks simultaneously executed by the robots and optimizing task completion. The synchronization primitives and resulting resource allocation can be implemented with a centralized coordinator or with peer-to-peer robotic messaging, whereby private keys and blockchains secure the precedence and establishment of synchronization primitives by different robots. Moreover, synchronization primitives can be established with queues to further optimize the immediate and future allocation of resources to different robots.

A system for localizing a swarm of robotic platforms utilizing ranging sensors. The swarm is localized by purposely leaving some of the platforms of the swarm stationary, providing localization to the moving ones. The platforms in the swarm can alternate between a stationary and moving state.

Industrial robotic platforms are described. The robotic platform includes a universal platform configured to attach to interchangeable task-specific tooling systems and mobility systems. The robots may be mining robots, with a mining-specific tooling system attached to the universal platform, and configured for mining tasks. The platform is modular and may be used for other industrial applications and/or robot types, such as construction, satellite swarms, fuel production, disaster recovery, communications, remote power, and others. The robot may be included in a swarm or colony as part of an overall autonomous architecture. The robot may be part of an architecture having a colony or remote control center that communicates with and monitors the robots.

A robot control system includes: plural robots that are disposed in a region; a generating unit that divides the region into plural small regions and generates disposition position information for specifying disposition positions of each of the plural robots in the region based on a value indicating a use possibility of a robot in each small regions; and a disposition unit that disposes the plural robots in the region in accordance with the disposition position information generated by the generating unit.

A method of coordinating automated systems, the method includes providing a first automated system that is programmed with a set of predetermined operating instructions that correspond with automated system processing requirements, monitoring an operational status of the first automated system with a second automated system, automatically generating a second system action, with the second automated system, that is complementary to a first system action of the first automated system, where the first system action corresponds to the set of predetermined operating instructions and the second system action depends on the operational status of the first automated system, and performing the second system action with the second automated system so that the second automated system cooperates with the first automated system to perform a predetermined operation.

Disclosed are a tracking and identification method and system and an aircraft. The method includes: obtaining, by a first aircraft, a first feature parameter of a target object; if image data captured by the first aircraft does not match the first feature parameter, adjusting the first aircraft to a predetermined high-altitude area relative to the target object according to location information of a second aircraft that is sent by the second aircraft or location information of the target object, where the second aircraft is in a predetermined low-altitude area relative to the target object, and image data captured by the second aircraft matches a second feature parameter of the target object. The first aircraft in the predetermined high-altitude area and the second aircraft in the predetermined low-altitude area in embodiments of the present invention form high-low altitude cooperation and are respectively configured to track and identify the target object, thereby implementing transfer of location information between two or more aircrafts as well as tracking and identifying the target object.

A robot control apparatus that performs communication with a plurality of robots R according to a communication environment includes: a wireless communication environment map creation unit that collects communication environment data transmitted from the plurality of robots and creates a wireless communication environment map; a service determination unit that determines change in services to be performed by the plurality of robots on the basis of the created wireless communication environment map; and a communication interface that performs communication with the plurality of robots using the wireless communication environment such as a wireless communication access point. The service determination unit determines a change process of dispositions of the plurality of robots, a stop process and a restoration process of functions thereof, or a change process of the service scenarios thereof on the basis of the wireless communication environment map.

This disclosure relates generally to autonomous devices, and more particularly to method and system to optimally allocate warehouse procurement tasks to distributed autonomous devices. The method includes obtaining, at a coordinating agent, a global task associated with the warehouse and information associated with the robotic agents. The information includes a count and status of the robotic agents. The global task is profiled to obtain a set of sub-tasks and constraints associated with the set of sub-tasks are identified. The constraints include utilization constraint and/or pricing constraints. A distributed, decentralized optimal task allocation is performed amongst the robotic agents based on constraints to obtain optimal performance of robotic agents. The distributed optimal task allocation includes performing primal or dual decomposition of the set of sub-tasks by each robotic agent and updating corresponding primal/dual variables by the coordinating agent when the optimization is performed based on utilization constraint and pricing constraints, respectively.

A robotic system receives from a first agent included in a plurality of robotically controlled agents a request to be provided a motion plan to perform a first pick and place task assigned to the first agent. A first motion plan is determined for the first agent, including by taking into consideration a second motion plan associated with a second agent included in the plurality of robotically controlled agents to perform a second pick and place task assigned to the second agent, at least in part by considering a swept volume associated with at least a remaining uncompleted portion of the second motion plan as an obstacle with which the first agent will not collide while implementing the first motion plan.

Approaches presented herein enable maneuvering collaborative robots to rescue persons in a hydrological disaster. A plurality of robots are dispersed in a body of water to spread out and seek victims using cooperative foraging techniques within resource constraints. A location of victims located by a robot using sensing techniques is communicated to other robots. A situational assessment is performed using victim location information to determine a number of robots to deploy to the location. The deployed robots are directed to perform coordinated maneuvers to create a connected floatation unit to support floatation of victims for rescue.