A remote support system is a remote support system for one remote operator to remotely support a plurality of mobile objects. The remote support system includes a situation acquisition unit, a support difficulty level calculation unit, and a notification unit. The status acquisition unit acquires the work status of the remote operator based on information transmitted from an operator interface operated by the remote operator. The assistance difficulty level calculation unit calculates the assistance difficulty level of the remote operator based on the work status of the remote operator. The notification unit notifies the mobile objects of the assistance difficulty level.

Robotic devices may be trained by a user guiding the robot along target action trajectory using an input signal. A robotic device may comprise an adaptive controller configured to generate control signal based on one or more of the user guidance, sensory input, performance measure, and/or other information. Training may comprise a plurality of trials, wherein for a given context the user and the robot's controller may collaborate to develop an association between the context and the target action. Upon developing the association, the adaptive controller may be capable of generating the control signal and/or an action indication prior and/or in lieu of user input. The predictive control functionality attained by the controller may enable autonomous operation of robotic devices obviating a need for continuing user guidance.

A transportation system having a transportation space including destinations distributed in the transportation space, multiple independent automated vehicles configured for free roving through the transportation space to and between the destinations so that the vehicles are dynamically distributed through the transportation space, a control system communicably connected via a remote communication link to each of the vehicles and having a system controller that addresses each vehicle to different destinations, and the control system having a vehicle accountant controller separate and distinct from the system controller and configured to independently register a dynamic location of at least one of the vehicles, selected from the multiple vehicles in the transportation space, and command shutdown, via the remote communication link, to only the selected at least one vehicle at the registered location if the registered location corresponds to a predetermined location.

A vehicle remote instruction system that includes a remote autonomous driving vehicle and a remote instruction apparatus in which the remote commander issues the remote instruction includes: a remote instruction request reception unit configured to receive the remote instruction request; a position information acquisition unit configured to acquire position information on a location where the remote autonomous driving vehicle transmitted the remote instruction request; a request occurring location determination unit configured to determine a location where the remote instruction request is transmitted at equal to or higher frequency than an instruction request frequency set in advance, based on the acquired remote instruction request and the position information; and a passing-detour location setting unit configured to set the location where the remote instruction request is transmitted at equal to or higher frequency than the instruction request frequency, as a passing-detour location for the remote autonomous driving vehicle.

A method of operating an autonomous vehicle in a supervised autonomous mode is disclosed. A supervised autonomous mode can include the steps of receiving a vehicle data from a vehicle, presenting vehicle data at a remote station, receiving a supervisor input from a supervisor input device at the remote station, converting the supervisor input into a nudge for the motion planner of the vehicle associated with the received first set of vehicle data, wherein the nudge at least includes information on how to modify one or more elements of the cost function of the motion planner and transmitting the nudge from the remote station to the motion planner such that the nudge at least temporarily updates a cost function based model of the motion planner based on the nudge.

A method of operating an autonomous vehicle in a supervised autonomous mode is disclosed. A supervised autonomous mode can include the steps of receiving a vehicle data from a vehicle, presenting vehicle data at a remote station, receiving a supervisor input from a supervisor input device at the remote station, converting the supervisor input into a nudge for the motion planner of the vehicle associated with the received first set of vehicle data, wherein the nudge at least includes information on how to modify one or more elements of the cost function of the motion planner and transmitting the nudge from the remote station to the motion planner such that the nudge at least temporarily updates a cost function based model of the motion planner based on the nudge.

A method of operating an autonomous vehicle in a supervised autonomous mode is disclosed. A supervised autonomous mode can include the steps of receiving a vehicle data from a vehicle, presenting vehicle data at a remote station, receiving a supervisor input from a supervisor input device at the remote station, converting the supervisor input into a nudge for the motion planner of the vehicle associated with the received first set of vehicle data, wherein the nudge at least includes information on how to modify one or more elements of the cost function of the motion planner and transmitting the nudge from the remote station to the motion planner such that the nudge at least temporarily updates a cost function based model of the motion planner based on the nudge.

A method of operating an autonomous vehicle in a supervised autonomous mode is disclosed. A supervised autonomous mode can include the steps of receiving a vehicle data from a vehicle, presenting vehicle data at a remote station, receiving a supervisor input from a supervisor input device at the remote station, converting the supervisor input into a nudge for the motion planner of the vehicle associated with the received first set of vehicle data, wherein the nudge at least includes information on how to modify one or more elements of the cost function of the motion planner and transmitting the nudge from the remote station to the motion planner such that the nudge at least temporarily updates a cost function based model of the motion planner based on the nudge.

An equipment monitoring system includes an unmanned vehicle, an alarm circuit remote from the unmanned vehicle, and a vehicle control circuit remote from the unmanned vehicle. The unmanned vehicle can include a communications circuit and a flight controller. The alarm circuit detects a failure condition of a building component and outputs an indication of the failure condition. The vehicle control circuit receives the indication of the failure condition from the alarm circuit; generates, based on the indication of the failure condition, an equipment verification signal that includes an identifier of the building component, a position of the building component, and a test of the building component to be executed; and transmits the equipment verification signal to the flight controller of the unmanned vehicle via the communications circuit of the unmanned vehicle to cause the unmanned vehicle to execute the test of the building component.

A method is described and includes subsequent to an autonomous vehicle becoming immobilized, initiating a local assistance request; subsequent to the initiating, receiving local assistance input from a passenger of the autonomous vehicle; and using the local assistance input to determine an action to be taken by the autonomous vehicle to mobilize the autonomous vehicle.