The invention relates to a computer-implemented surveillance method for surveilling an area of interest using a set of drones, the surveillance method including monitoring a number of operational drones among the set of drones. If a change in the number of operational drones is detected, performing a segmentation step for segmenting the area of interest into N sub-areas, N being the current number of operational drones; and performing an affectation step for affecting each operational drone to a respective sub-area for surveilling said sub-area.

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.

Systems and methods for controlling or guiding one or more automated vehicles and/or people (VOP) in an environment using virtual approved pathways (VAPs). Methods include determining a set of parameters associated with automated vehicles and/or people operating within an environment, including periodically obtaining a first set of parameters from a plurality of data sources deployed within an environment, in real-time.

An automatic driving system allows a vehicle with a higher shipment priority to be transported preferentially, by controlling transport of each of several vehicles in any of steps from production to shipment includes: a priority acquisition unit configured to acquire a shipment priority set for each vehicle; and a control instruction unit configured to determine control content for at least some of the vehicles using the priority acquired by the priority acquisition unit such that a vehicle of the several vehicles that is given a first priority is transported in preference to another vehicle of the several vehicles that is given a second priority lower than the first priority, and to instruct the at least some of several vehicles on the control content. Each vehicle includes a driving control unit configured to execute driving control according to instructions from the control instruction unit.

A controller used in a system that moves a moving object by remote control comprises: a whereabouts determination unit, if a first detection unit provided at the system detects a target person, the whereabouts determination unit determining whereabouts of the target person on the basis of a detection result of the target person by the first detection unit; a moving object specification unit that specifies the moving object being controlled by the remote control and likely to approach the target person on the basis of the determined whereabouts; and a signal transmission unit that transmits a control signal to the specified moving object. The control signal is a signal for changing a driving mode of the moving object to an alert mode for giving an alert against the target person.

A system for loading and transporting parcels includes: a sorter including a plurality of chutes for offloading parcels from the sorter; a plurality of totes; a plurality of self-driving vehicles (SDVs) configured to transport the plurality of totes between a loading area, an unloading area, and a queue area; and a control subsystem. The loading area includes a plurality of zones, with each zone corresponding to one or more chutes of the sorter. The control subsystem includes a controller, which is operably connected to the SDVs, and which selectively communicates instructions to dispatch SDVs to transport and replace totes in the loading area as they become filled to the predetermined capacity. A method for loading and transporting parcels in a sorting facility including a loading area, an unloading area, and a queue area is also disclosed.

A map updating technique offers the performance advantages gained by robots using a good-quality static map for autonomous navigation within an environment, while providing the convenience of automatic updating. In particular, one or more robots log data while performing autonomous navigation in the environment according to the static map, and a computer appliance, such as a centralized server, collects the logged data as historic logged data, and performs a map update process using the historic logged data. Such operations provide for periodic or as needed updating of the static map, based on observational data from the robot(s) that capture changes in the environment, without need for taking the robot(s) offline for the computation.

Provided are a distributed robot-based object movement system and an object movement method using the same. The distributed robot-based object movement system includes a first robot that moves to a reference location where a target object is located, and acquires path information for moving the target object from the reference location to a predetermined destination location, and a second robot that moves to the reference location, provides a driving force for lifting the target object, and drives according to the path information while lifting the target object.

A server device includes an area setting unit that sets a first area in which a first lawnmower executes first lawn-mowing work in a work area and a second area in which a second lawnmower executes second lawn-mowing work in the work area, a time calculation unit that obtains a first time necessary for the first lawnmower to execute the first lawn-mowing work in the first area and a second time necessary for the second lawnmower to execute the second lawn-mowing work in the second area, a machine number calculation unit that obtains the number of first lawnmowers and the number of second lawnmowers based on the first time and the second time, and a notification unit that notifies the number of first lawnmowers and the number of second lawnmowers to a smartphone. Consequently, a user can check the number of first lawnmowers and the number of second lawnmowers.

A transport system includes: a plurality of transport vehicles capable of autonomously moving between a departure place and a destination; a terminal used for inputting a transport request instruction including information about a plurality of transported objects to be respectively transported by the plurality of transport vehicles; and a server capable of communicating with the plurality of transport vehicles and the terminal. The server calculates priorities of the plurality of transported objects to be transported from the departure place to the destination, based on the transport request instruction, and assigns, in accordance with the priorities, the plurality of transport vehicles to respectively transport the plurality of transported objects from transport vehicles in a state of being capable of transporting, out of the plurality of transport vehicles, and outputs, at a predetermined timing, a movement instruction to each of the assigned plurality of transport vehicles.