A method performed by a computing system for driving in a group includes determining a plurality of mobility devices included in a first group for group driving. The method also includes identifying a leading device among the plurality of mobility devices included in the first group. The method additionally includes transmitting first route information set in a navigation of the leading device to a trailing device included in the first group together with the leading device. The method further includes setting a first route based on the first route information in a navigation of the trailing device. The method further still includes transmitting second route information set in the navigation of the leading device to the trailing device in response to the leading device deviating from the first route. The method additionally includes setting a second route based on the second route information in the navigation of the trailing device.

The present invention provides a method and system for preventing a deadlock situation in a system for transporting products. The system comprises a number of vehicles, and a central control server designed to control the vehicles, wherein the central control server comprises a digital representation of the movement area, which representation comprises a plurality of contiguous tiles. The method comprises the method steps of:receiving an order to move a vehicle, in response to the order, associating a vehicle with a movement path, receiving a request from an active vehicle and/or generating for the purpose of an active vehicle a request to carry out a subsequent step of reserving at least one subsequent tile on the latter's movement path; determining that no deadlock situation in the system arises as a result of the active vehicle carrying out the subsequent step. The determining step takes place on the basis of various parameters. The method further comprises:at least on condition that the control server has determined that there is no deadlock situation in the system, the control server reserving the at least one subsequent tile for the active vehicle, at least on condition that the active vehicle has received confirmation of acceptance, moving the active vehicle along its movement path so that the subsequent at least one tile is occupied, the central control server lifting the reservation once a vehicle has completely left a tile reserved for that vehicle.

An embodiment provides unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for infrastructure surveillance and monitoring. One example includes monitoring power grid components such as high voltage power lines. The UAVs may coordinate, for example using swarm behavior, and be controlled via a platform system. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

An embodiment provides unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for infrastructure surveillance and monitoring. One example includes monitoring power grid components such as high voltage power lines. The UAVs may coordinate, for example using swarm behavior, and be controlled via a platform system. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

A remote driving system controls a remote driving vehicle, which is capable of performing a remote driving and an in-vehicle driving. The remote driving system is configured to: sequentially determining occurrence of an abnormality in a remote determination target, the remote determination target being a remote driver or a remote system operated by the remote driver; permit the in-vehicle driving in response to determining occurrence of the abnormality in the remote determination target; and forbid the in-vehicle driving in response to failing to determine occurrence of the abnormality in the remote determination target.

A module for a leader vehicle of a convoy can have a suite of sensors, a communication system, and a controller. The sensor suite can have at least one feature sensor that detects features and/or terrain in an environment and at least one location sensor that determines a location of the leader vehicle. Via the sensor suite, the controller can detect features as the leader vehicle travels along a route through the environment as well as the route of the leader vehicle. The controller can build a map for at least part of the environment with the detected route therethrough. Data indicative of the map and the detected route can then be transmitted to one or more follower vehicles. In some embodiments, the leader vehicle is manually driven while the follower vehicles operate autonomously.

A robot includes: a communication interface, a memory, and a processor configured to: transmit identification information and state information of the robot to an external server; based on receiving, from the external server, first information including identification information, type information and state information of at least one other robot, store the first information in the memory, based on identifying that an error occurred in communication with the external server, determine whether the robot is to operate as a master robot by comparing the type information and the state information of the at least one other device with type information and first state information of the robot; based on the robot operating as the master robot, plan a movement route of the at least one other robot based on task information of the at least one other robot, and transmit he planned movement route to the at least one other robot.

A communication control server includes circuitry to receive, from a first mobile apparatus, status information indicating a status of the first mobile apparatus currently communicating with a communication terminal as a communication destination of the communication terminal. The first mobile apparatus is movable in a real space and remotely operable by the communication terminal. The circuitry switches the communication destination of the communication terminal from the first mobile apparatus to a second mobile apparatus based on the status information. The second mobile apparatus is movable in the real space and remotely operable by the communication terminal.

A system and methods for operating a multi-robot system (MRS) are disclosed. An example method can include receiving at least one transportation task; determining an optimal path for executing the at least one transportation task based at least in part on: (i) one or more transportation task parameters, (ii) a shared global critic function accessible to the first robot and the at least one additional robot, and (iii) a local critic function unique to the first robot; and executing the at least one transportation task in accordance with the determined optimal path.

A mobile robot allocation system includes an obtainer, an allocator, and an outputter. The obtainer obtains task status information regarding a task status of each of a plurality of areas, the plurality of areas each including a plurality of machines. The allocator allocates, based on the task status information obtained by the obtainer, a plurality of mobile robots to the plurality of areas, the plurality of mobile robots each moving and performing a task in an area among the plurality of areas. The outputter outputs allocation information indicating allocation of the plurality of mobile robots performed by the allocator.