A system for autonomous or semi-autonomous operation of a vehicle is disclosed. The system includes a machine automation portal (MAP) application configured to enable a computing device to (a) display a map of a work site and (b) provide a graphical user interface that enables a user to (i) define a boundary of an autonomous operating zone on the map and (ii) define a boundary of one or more exclusion zones. The system also includes a robotics processing unit configured to (a) receive the boundary of the autonomous operating zone and the boundary of each exclusion zone from the computing device, (b) generate a planned command path that the vehicle will travel to perform a task within the autonomous operating zone while avoiding each exclusion zone, and (c) control operation of the vehicle so that the vehicle travels the planned command path to perform the task.

One or more information maps are obtained by an agricultural work machine. The one or more information maps map one or more agricultural characteristic values at different geographic locations of a field. An in-situ sensor on the agricultural work machine senses an agricultural characteristic as the agricultural work machine moves through the field. A predictive map generator generates a predictive map that predicts a predictive agricultural characteristic at different locations in the field based on a relationship between the values in the one or more information maps and the agricultural characteristic sensed by the in-situ sensor. The predictive map can be output and used in automated machine control.

A mobile robot is configured to navigate on a sidewalk and deliver a delivery to a predetermined location. The robot has a body and an enclosed space within the body for storing the delivery during transit. At least two cameras are mounted on the robot body and are adapted to take visual images of an operating area. A processing component is adapted to extract straight lines from the visual images taken by the cameras and generate map data based at least partially on the images. A communication component is adapted to send and receive image and/or map data. A mapping system includes at least two such mobile robots, with the communication component of each robot adapted to send and receive image data and/or map data to the other robot. A method involves operating such a mobile robot in an area of interest in which deliveries are to be made.

A method of controlling a robot configured to clean a hull of a vessel whilst travelling over said hull, the method comprising: receiving at least one signal indicative of a speed of the vessel; during cleaning being performed by the robot, detecting that cleaning being performed by the robot is to be paused based on (i) determining, from said at least one signal, that the speed of the vessel exceeds a predetermined speed threshold, or (ii) predicting, using said at least one signal, that the speed of the vessel will exceed the predetermined speed threshold within a predetermined time period; in response to said detecting that cleaning being performed by the robot is to be paused, outputting a pause cleaning signal indicating that said cleaning is to be paused; whilst said cleaning is paused, detecting that cleaning performed by the robot is to be restarted based on the determining that the speed of the vessel has dropped below the predetermined threshold, and in response, outputting a restart cleaning signal indicating that cleaning by the robot is to be restarted.

Solar power generation panels added on a transportation vehicle have a layout wherein power output of the panels varies according to an azimuth orientation of the vehicle. A controller includes a database of calibration curves relating an expected power output to a respective range of the azimuth orientation according to different solar altitude angles. A self-learning sequence is performed which (a) collects a magnitude of power output while the vehicle traverses the respective range of the azimuth orientation, (b) identifies a current solar altitude angle, and (c) stores a resulting calibration curve. A parking sequence comprises (a) selecting a calibration curve according to solar altitude angle, (b) determining a target vehicle azimuth angle which optimizes a cumulative power output based on the calibration curve and solar azimuth, and (d) initiating a movement of the vehicle to orient it at the target vehicle azimuth angle.

An in-vehicle system for generating precise, lane-level road map data includes a GPS receiver operative to acquire positional information associated with a track along a road path. An inertial sensor provides time local measurement of acceleration and turn rate along the track, and a camera acquires image data of the road path along the track. A processor is operative to receive the local measurement from the inertial sensor and image data from the camera over time in conjunction with multiple tracks along the road path, and improve the accuracy of the GPS receiver through curve fitting. One or all of the GPS receiver, inertial sensor and camera are disposed in a smartphone. The road map data may be uploaded to a central data repository for post processing when the vehicle passes through a WiFi cloud to generate the precise road map data, which may include data collected from multiple drivers.

A vehicle control system includes: a vehicle including an operation device; a first communication device; and a second communication device. In a case in which the first communication device is positioned in a first area containing a position of the vehicle, the vehicle operates in an operation waiting state in which the operation device is allowed to receive an operation. In a case in which the second communication device is positioned in a second area contained in the first area and smaller than the first area, the vehicle operates in the operation waiting state. In a case in which the first communication device is positioned in the first area and the second communication device is positioned in the second area, the second communication device generates a notification indicating that the vehicle is in the operation waiting state.

A breeding robot including a base and a support being movably connected to the base. The support is of a hollow cylindrical structure, a telescopic arm movably passes through the support, a first motor is mounted to an end of the telescopic arm away from the support, a transmission shaft of the first motor is connected to a rotating bracket, a saw blade is mounted to the bottom side of the rotating bracket, and the saw blade is used for cutting maize tassel. The end of the rotating bracket is mounted with a CCD detector, and the CCD detector is used for detecting the position of the maize tassel. A blower is further mounted to the base, an air outlet of the blower is connected to a first end of an air duct, and a second end of the air duct is connected to the air blowing portion.

A breeding robot including a base and a support being movably connected to the base. The support is of a hollow cylindrical structure, a telescopic arm movably passes through the support, a first motor is mounted to an end of the telescopic arm away from the support, a transmission shaft of the first motor is connected to a rotating bracket, a saw blade is mounted to the bottom side of the rotating bracket, and the saw blade is used for cutting maize tassel. The end of the rotating bracket is mounted with a CCD detector, and the CCD detector is used for detecting the position of the maize tassel. A blower is further mounted to the base, an air outlet of the blower is connected to a first end of an air duct, and a second end of the air duct is connected to the air blowing portion.

Device, system, and method for Skydiving Robots? which can skydive using customized or off-the-shelf parachutes and deliver civilian or military payloads. The Skydiving Robots can freefall, open the parachute and steer toward the target, carry payloads, operate in the daytime or the pitch black at night using GPS guidance to land precisely. If they exited the plane at up to or over 30,000 feet above ground level (AGL) the final target could be miles away. They are the ideal reconnaissance scouts with a wide array of sensors such as cameras. They can carry payloads and precisely land within a few feet of a target.