The present invention provides a system for use with UAVs to allow for mechanical activities at-height on elevated structures. According to a first preferred embodiment, the present invention includes multiple tool types which allow for a wide variety of mechanical activities to be performed. As discussed further herein, the present invention further includes methods for introducing mechanical pressure, similar to a person providing a scrubbing or wiping motion. Additionally, the present invention includes methods to tighten, loosen or gauge the security of hardware and a docking system which allows attachment to structures and surfaces so that opposing forces can be applied.

A technique shortens the time taken to adjust a protection area. An area setting device includes a setting unit that sets a protection area in at least a part of a surrounding environment of a robot to detect an entry of an object, an obtainer that obtains surrounding information about the robot, and a storage prestoring a set value for the protection area and the surrounding information associated with each other. The setting unit sets the protection area based on the set value read from the storage.

We generally describe a method comprising: processing (S602) data relating to a path of movement of a robotic device (122) comprising or coupled to a sensor (124) in radio communication with a cloud platform (112); and updating (S604), based on the processed data, the path of movement to improve the radio communication.

A human augmented robotics intelligence operation system can include a plurality of robots, each robot having a plurality of sensors; a robot control unit; and one or more articulating joints; a cloud-based robotic intelligence engine having; a communication module; a historical database; and a processor; and a human augmentation platform. The processor can be configured to make a probabilistic determination regarding the likelihood of successfully completing the particular user command. When the probabilistic determination is above a pre-determined threshold, the processor sends necessary executable commands to the robot control unit. Alternatively, when the probabilistic determination is below the predetermined threshold, the processor generates an alert and flags the operation for human review.

A device for gripping an object includes a pair of grippers each having a gripping surface formed with a plurality of fine channels, a driver for driving the pair of grippers, a pump connected to at least one of the plurality of fine channels, to supply a fluid to the at least one of the plurality of fine channels, and a controller for controlling the driver to enable the pair of grippers to grip the object or controlling the pump to adjust an amount of the fluid supplied to the gripping surface.

An apparatus includes a robot body, at least one sensor coupled to the robot body and positioned to receive stimuli from a passenger cabin of a vehicle, an actuatable component coupled to the robot body, and a computer coupled to the robot body and communicatively coupled to the sensor and the actuatable component. The computer is programmed to predict an imminent anomalous event in the vehicle based on data from the at least one sensor, and in response to the determination, actuate the actuatable component to remediate the anomalous event.

A robot includes an operation control unit that selects a motion of the robot, a drive mechanism that executes a motion selected by the operation control unit, an eye control unit that causes an eye image to be displayed on a monitor installed in the robot, and a recognizing unit that detects a user. The eye control unit causes a pupil region included in the eye image to change in accordance with a relative position of the user and the robot. A configuration may be such that the eye control unit causes the pupil region to change when detecting a sight line direction of the user, or when the user is in a predetermined range.

A robot includes a first arm having a hole and extending along a first axis, a second arm coupled to the first arm, and rotating around a second axis crossing the first axis, a sensor configured to detect a target, and an attachment member provided to the second arm, and configured to support the sensor, wherein the attachment member is inserted through the hole, and extending along the second axis. Further, the sensor may be located outside an outer surface of the first arm.

The present technology relates to a control device, a control method, and a program capable of enabling predetermined motion while a gripped object is stabilized. A control device according to one aspect of the present technology is a device that detects a gripped state of an object gripped by a hand unit, and limits motion of a motion unit while the object is gripped by the hand unit, in accordance with a result of detection of the gripped state. The present technology can be applied to a device that controls a robot including a hand unit capable of gripping an object.

A control device (10) includes: an acquisition unit (12) that acquires outside-world information (11B) around a mobile body (100); and a control unit (13) that performs control to switch characteristics of a contact portion (130) capable of switching characteristics of a portion where a leg portion of the mobile body (100) comes into contact with an external environment on the basis of the outside-world information (11B) such that a contact sound between the contact portion (130) and the external environment changes.