Some embodiments include a motorized transport unit providing customer assistance at a shopping facility, comprises: a transceiver; a control circuit; a motorized wheel system; a lift system; and a memory coupled to the control circuit and storing computer instructions that when executed by the control circuit cause the control circuit to: activate a motorized wheel system, while continuing to monitor location information, to position the motorized transport unit under the item container and aligned, based on the location information, relative to a frame of the item container; and activate the lift system to lift on the frame of the item container lifting a first portion of the item container such one or more wheels of the item container are lifted off of a floor while two or more other wheels of the item container remain in contact with the floor.

Described in detail herein are methods and systems for detecting absent physical objects using autonomous robot devices. In exemplary embodiments, the system includes shelving units disposed throughout a facility storing sets of physical objects. A first set of machine readable representations can be disposed on the front surface of the shelving unit and a second set of machine readable representations can be disposed on the back wall of the shelving unit. The first and second set of machine readable representations can be encoded with identifiers associated with the sets of physical objects. An autonomous robot device can be configured to detect and read a first set of machine-readable representations in response to successfully detecting and reading the second set of machine readable representations the autonomous robot device can determine the absence of a set of like physical objects.

A device may obtain, from one or more cameras, an image that depicts one or more encoded decals positioned on a body of a vehicle. The device may process the image and may identify, based on processing the image, one or more characteristics of the one or more encoded decals. The device may determine, based on the one or more characteristics of the one or more encoded decals, positioning information to be used to position a loading bridge relative to the body of the vehicle. The device may determine one or more control signals based on the positioning information. The device may provide the one or more control signals to one or more actuators to automatically position the loading bridge relative to the body of the vehicle.

A vehicle body tracking system of a vehicle assembly line provided at a conveyor unit for transferring a vehicle body may include: a mounting frame to be installed at a power rail of the conveyor unit; a pair of rotating bodies installed at the mounting frame; a driven chain to be combined to the pair of rotating bodies and combined with a drive chain that travels along the power rail; and an encoder sensor installed at the mounting frame and connected to at least one rotating body of the rotating bodies. In particular, the driven chain travels on an endless track, and the encoder sensor detects a rotation amount of the at least one rotating body to output the detected rotation amount to a controller.

Some embodiments include a track system comprising: an elevated track system comprising a series of elevated tracks that are positioned elevated above a sales floor and products distributed over at least a portion of the sales floor of a retail store, and configured such that multiple motorized transport units travel along the series of elevated tracks in traversing at least portions of the retail store.

Systems, apparatuses, and methods are provided herein for store management. A system for store management comprises: a storage system in a backroom area, a conveyor system, a return sensor system, and a control circuit. The control circuit being configured to: receive an interact request from a customer via a user interface device in a showroom area, cause the conveyor system to retrieve one or more items from the storage system and transport the one or more items to the item interaction area based on the interact request, receive a return request, cause the return sensor system to collect data from the at least one item, determine whether to accept the return request based on the data collected by the return sensor system, and cause the conveyor system to retrieve the at least one item from the customer and make the at least one item available for another customer.

An attachment tool includes an image capturing unit configured to capture an image of a random pattern provided on a comparison region of a part; and an identification result-outputting unit configured to output a part identification result obtained by comparing an image characteristic of the captured image of the random pattern with a previously stored image characteristic of a random pattern of a part.

A system and method for crowd-sourced environmental system control and building maintenance includes a server for providing selective access to building occupants and managers. Users are permitted to generate building reports in the form of (i) thermal reports using a thermal report module, and/or (ii) maintenance reports using a maintenance report module. The reports are each geo-located to locations within the building, and are then captured, stored, and aggregated at the server. The aggregated reports are sorted according to their geo-locations and comfort rules are used to (i) permit a manager at a client computer to access the server to respond, and/or (ii) automatically respond and assign a response status to particular reports. An inspection checklist interface is generated and populated to display a list of preventative maintenance tasks, each of the tasks being user-selectable to designate completion, with the updated status of the reports being stored at the server.

A secure cabinet that can secure and distribute products. The cabinet can have a user interface that receives information about a user and the user's identity can then be authenticated. The cabinet can accept a user's request to dispense a product and, if the user is approved, the cabinet can dispense a quantity of product to the approved user.

An intelligent light bulb is provided as well as a method, devices and computer program product of configuring such an intelligent light bulb. The intelligent light bulb comprises an LED lighting element and a programmable controller. The programmable controller comprises a memory module having stored therein firmware including instructions for controlling operations of the LED lighting element, where the memory module including a passive memory on which at least a portion of the firmware is stored. The passive memory component of the memory module is responsive to a signal carrying firmware update information received over a wireless communication link from a device external to the intelligent light bulb for causing a firmware update process to be performed to modify the instructions of the firmware based on the update information carried by the signal. The programmable controller also includes a processing unit in communication with the memory module for operating the LED lighting element at least in part in accordance with the instructions of the firmware. Advantageously, the proposed intelligent light bulb can be configured using the signal carrying the firmware update information. In some embodiments, this may allow modifications of certain operating characteristic of the intelligent light bulb to be performed after manufacturing, including modifications pertaining to light color emitted and/or manner of operating the light bulb.