A lift system for an automated storage system of the type where storage containers are stacked in storage columns arranged in a grid, and where automated container handling vehicles retrieve and replace containers from a top level of the grid. The lift system has a platform vertically movable adjacent to a face of the grid, arranged for receiving and transporting one or more containers. A dedicated mechanical device is arranged for grabbing, lifting and moving the storage containers from a staging area at the top of the grid and placing containers on the platform and vice versa.

A collision avoidance method for a water-based vessel, including: obtaining real time data relating to the path of two or more vessels; identifying a collision risk between the two or more vessels; determining if the collision risk is above a predetermined threshold, wherein when the collision risk is above the predetermined threshold, determining one or more collision avoidance manoeuvres on the basis of historical navigational data which corresponds to the real-time data; providing the one or more collision avoidance manoeuvres to an operator of the one or more vessels.

This traveling system includes: a setting processing unit that sets a travel route corresponding to each of the plurality of automatic traveling devices; a calculation processing unit that, when a first automatic traveling device interferes with a travel of other automatic traveling devices, calculates an evaluation value representing an influence level that the first automatic traveling device imposes on the travel of the other automatic traveling devices; and a change processing unit that, when the evaluation value calculated by the calculation processing unit is greater than or equal to a threshold, changes the travel route that is set to the first automatic traveling device by the setting processing unit.

Techniques are provided which may be implemented using various methods and/or apparatuses in a vehicle to utilize vehicle external sensor data, vehicle internal sensor data, vehicle capabilities and external V2X input to determine, send, receive and utilize V2X information and control data, sent between the vehicle and a road side unit (RSU) to determine intersection access and vehicle behavior when approaching the intersection.

The invention relates to a system for identifying at least one object at least partially immerged in a water area, said system comprising a capturing module comprising at least one camera, said at least one camera being configured to generate at least one sequence of images of said water area, and a processing module being configured to receive at least one sequence of images from said at least one camera and comprising at least one artificial neural network, said at least one artificial neural network being configured to detect at least one object in said at least one received sequence of images, extract a set of features from said at least one detected object, compare said extracted set of features with at least one predetermined set of features associated with a predefined object, identify the at least one detected object when the extracted set of features matches with the at least one predetermined set of features.

Methods and systems for assessing, detecting, and responding to malfunctions involving components of autonomous vehicles and/or smart homes are described herein. Autonomous operation features and related components can be assessed using direct or indirect data regarding operation. Such assessment may be performed to determine the robustness of autonomous systems, including the use of virtual assessment of software components within a simulated environment. To this end, a server may retrieve one or more routines associated with autonomous operation. The server may also generate a set of test data associated with test conditions. The server may also execute an emulator that virtually simulates autonomous environment. The test data may be presented to the routines executing in the emulator to generate output data. The server may then analyze the output data to determine a quality metric.

A method for handling malfunctioning vehicles (240,340) on a rail system (108,308) constituting part of a storage and retrieval system (1) configured to store a plurality of stacks (107) of storage containers (106), wherein the storage and retrieval system (1) comprisesa plurality of remotely operated vehicles (230,330,240,340,250,350) configured to move laterally on the rail system (108,308) anda control system (109) for monitoring and controlling wirelessly movements of the plurality of vehicles (230,330,240,340,250,350), the control system (109) forms by wireless data communication at least the following steps: A. registering an anomaly in an operational condition of a vehicle (this 240,340) on the rail system (108,308), B. registering the vehicle with the anomalous operational condition as a malfunctioning vehicle (240,340), C. bringing the malfunctioning vehicle (240,340) to a halt, D. registering a halt position of the malfunctioning vehicle (240,340) relative to the supporting rail system (108,308), E. setting up a two-dimensional shutdown zone (225) within the rail system (108,308) into which the malfunctioning vehicle (240,340) is halted and F. updating movement pattern of the plurality of remotely operated vehicles (230,330, 250,350) outside the two-dimensional shutdown zone (225) such that entrance into the two-dimensional shutdown zone (225) is avoided.

Methods and systems autonomously parking and retrieving vehicles are disclosed. Available parking spaces or parking facilities may be identified, and the vehicle may be navigated to an available space from a drop-off location without passengers. Special-purpose sensors, GPS data, or wireless signal triangulation may be used to identify vehicles and available parking spots. Upon a user request or a prediction of upcoming user demand, the vehicle may be retrieved autonomously from a parking space. Other vehicles may be autonomously moved to facilitate parking or retrieval.

Methods and systems for assessing, detecting, and responding to malfunctions involving components of autonomous vehicles and/or smart homes are described herein. Autonomous operation features and related components can be assessed using direct or indirect data regarding operation. Vehicle collision and/or smart home incident monitoring, damage detection, and responses are also described, with particular focus on the particular challenges associated with incident response for unoccupied vehicles and/or smart homes. Operating data associated with the autonomous vehicle and/or smart home may be received. Within the operating, an unusual condition indicative of a likelihood of incident may be detected. Based on the unusual condition, it may be determined that the incident occurred. Accordingly, a response to the incident may be determined. The response may be implemented by the autonomous vehicle and/or smart home.

Methods and systems for identifying autonomous vehicle users are described herein. An autonomous vehicle may receive a request to pick up a user at a starting location and transport the user to a destination location. Accordingly, the autonomous vehicle may travel to the starting location. Upon arriving at the starting location, the autonomous vehicle may detect whether a person approaching the vehicle is the user by detecting a biometric identifier for the person. The biometric identifier may then be compared to a biometric fingerprint for the user, and if there is a match, the autonomous vehicle may determine that the person is the user. As a result, the user may be allowed to enter the autonomous vehicle and/or the autonomous vehicle may begin travelling to the destination location. Otherwise, the person may be denied entry to the autonomous vehicle.