A robotic arm control system including a robotic arm configured to deploy one or more tools in an operating space, one or more sensors, and a control system operably configured to: scan the operating space with the one or more sensors, identify a surface of the operating space based at least in part upon information sensed by the one or more sensors, establish a virtual barrier offset from the surface, and limit movement of the robotic arm based at least in part upon the virtual barrier.

An apparatus for de-icing a pathway, the apparatus comprising a frame including a set of wheels, a salt dispenser, a servo attached to the salt dispenser, one or more motors, the motors attached to at least one of the set of wheels, and a microcontroller communicatively coupled to the servo and the one or more motors, wherein the microcontroller instructs the servo to operate the salt dispenser and activates the one or more motors to drive the at least one of the set of wheels.

Implementations of the disclosed subject matter provide a method of moving a mobile robot within an area. The movement of the mobile robot and the emission of ultraviolet (UV) light may be stopped when a human and/or animal is determined to be within the area. Using at least one sensor, the method may be determine whether there is at least one of human identification, animal identification, motion, heat, and/or sound within the area for a predetermined period of time. When there is no human identification, animal identification, motion, heat, and/or sound within the predetermined period of time, UV light may be emitted and the drive system may be controlled to move the mobile robot within the area. When there is at least one of human identification, motion, heat, and/or sound within the predetermined period of time, a light source may be controlled to prohibit the emission of UV light.

The present disclosure relates to robot path planning. Depth information of a plurality of obstacles in an environment of a robot are obtained at a first time instance. A static distance map is generated based on the depth information. A path is computed for the robot based on the static distance map. At a second time instant, depth information of one or more obstacles is obtained. A dynamic distance map is generated based on the one or more obstacles, wherein for each obstacle that satisfies a condition: a vibration range of the obstacle is computed based on a position of the obstacle and the static distance map, and the obstacle is classified as a dynamic obstacle or a static obstacle based on a criterion associated with the vibration range. A repulsive speed of the robot is computed based on the dynamic distance map to avoid the dynamic obstacles.

A method of operating a mobile robot according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes receiving a guidance destination input, generating a global path to the received guidance destination, detecting and tracking an obstacle, detecting and tracking a guidance target, upon detecting the guidance target within a reference distance, generating an avoidance path to avoid an obstacle being tracked, calculating a moving speed based on the distance to the guidance target and the obstacle being tracked, and moving based on the avoidance path and the calculated moving speed, thereby comfortably escorting the guidance target to the destination.

An autonomous mobile robot comprising a body and a display screen coupled to the body and configured to display information. A wheel control system is coupled to the body and configured to move the body in a given direction. At least one of a camera, an onboard UWB device, or a sensor is coupled to the body. A central processing unit is in communication with the wheel control system, the display screen, and the at least one camera, onboard UWB device, or sensor. The central processing unit is configured to adjust the orientation of the display screen relative to a user based on information received from the at least one camera, onboard UWB device, or sensor.

A drilling rig having a lift arm, which may be an auxiliary lift arm provided in addition to a primary lifting cable system of the drilling rig. The lift arm may be configured to hoist and/or manipulate drill collar, drill pipe, or other drilling pipe or conduit. The lift arm may be coupled to a mast of the drilling rig and may have a cantilevered boom extending therefrom. The boom may be configured to pivot between alignment, or near alignment, with well center and a racking board. The lift arm may additionally have a pipe engaging element coupled to the boom. The pipe engaging element may be configured to couple to stands or lengths of drilling pipe. The pipe engaging element may be raised and lowered together with or relative to the boom via a lift line controllable via a hydraulic cylinder, winch, or other suitable mechanism for withdrawing and releasing the line.

A capacitive detection device includes a set of several detection electrodes for each carrying out capacitive detection at a detection location. Each detection electrode is formed by at least a first measurement electrode and a second measurement electrode. The device also includes first detection electronics forming, with the first measurement electrodes, a first measurement channel, independent from a second measurement channel formed by second detection electronics with the second measurement electrodes. Therefore, for each detection location, the detection device carries out at least two redundant and independent detection operations.

This application discloses a flexible sensing system and an associated proximity sensing method. The flexible sensing system includes: a first thin film encapsulation layer and a first electrode layer attached to the first thin film encapsulation layer; the first electrode layer includes a bipolar electrode configured for forming an arc-shaped electric field for determining whether a distance between a target object and the sensing system is within the first distance range; the first electrode layer further includes a unipolar electrode configured for forming a vertical electric field for determining whether a distance between the target object and the sensing system is within the second distance range; and the first distance range is less than the second distance range. By using different sensing solutions for the object at different distance positions, the sensing system avoids the issue that a single sensing solution has a relatively low sensing accuracy.

An apparatus such as a robot capable of performing goal oriented tasks may include one or more touch sensors to receive touch perception feedback on the location of objects and structures within an environment. A fusion engine may be configured to combine touch perception data with other types of sensor data such as data received from an image or distance sensor. The apparatus may combine distance sensor data with touch sensor data using inference models such as Bayesian inference. The touch sensor may be mounted onto an adjustable arm of a robot. The apparatus may use the data it has received from both a touch sensor and distance sensor to build a map of its environment and perform goal oriented tasks such as cleaning or moving objects.