The present invention provides an automated system for spraying a wall of a building. The automated system comprises a scissor lift having a linear track disposed thereon, wherein the linear track is disposed horizontally with respect to the height of the building; a robotic mechanism slidably mounted on a linear track of the scissor lift, the robotic mechanism further having an end effector adapted for supporting a spray nozzle thereon; a visual monitoring system configured to scan structural characteristics and profiles of the wall; computing device disposed in communication with the visual monitoring system and the robotic mechanism, wherein the computing device is configured to receive the scanned structural characteristics and profile of the wall from the visual monitoring system; and a controller communicably coupled to the computing device, the controller configured to independently control operation of respective ones of the robotic mechanism, and the spray nozzle according to the scanned structural characteristics and profiles of the wall.

A sensor positioning system, includes an actuation server for communicating with components of the sensor positioning system. The sensor positioning system additionally includes a first actuation system and a second actuation system, wherein each actuation system includes a pulley system for maneuvering an underwater sensor system. The sensor positioning system includes a dual point attachment bracket that connects through a first line to the first actuation system and connecting through a second line to the second actuation system. The underwater sensor system is affixed to the first pulley system, the second pulley system, and the dual attachment bracket through the first line and the second line.

A storage system configured to house a plurality of containers housing inventory items includes support members, a first set of parallel rails to support a mobile, manipulator robot, and a fluid supply line having a plurality of valves disposed within the fluid supply line. Each of the valves having a closed condition in which the supply line is in fluid isolation from an outside environment and an open condition in which the supply line is in fluid communication with the environment such that the supply line is configured to supply fluid to a mobile, manipulator robot. Mobile, manipulator robots for retrieving inventory items stored within the containers and retrieval methods are also disclosed herein.

Techniques for retracting an instrument into an entry guide include an entry guide manipulator configured to support an entry guide and an instrument manipulator configured to support an instrument. The robotic system is configured to receive a command indicating a commanded movement of the entry guide in a direction parallel to an insertion axis of the entry guide; in response to the commanded movement of the entry guide being greater than a threshold distance in the direction parallel to the insertion axis, cause a response comprising one or more actions selected from the group consisting of: movement, using the instrument manipulator, of one or more rotational joints of the instrument external to the entry guide toward a distal end of the entry guide; and actuation of the one or more rotational joints to straighten the instrument so that the instrument can be retracted into the entry guide.

Disturbance compensation in computer-assisted devices include a first articulated arm configured to support an imaging device a second articulated arm configured to support an end effector, and a control unit coupled to the first articulated arm and the second articulated arm. The control unit is configured to set a first reference frame, where the first reference frame is based on a first position of the imaging device at a first time. The control unit is further configured to detect a first disturbance to the first articulated arm moving the imaging device away from the first position, receive a command to move the end effector, and transform the command to move the end effector from a command in the first reference frame to a command in a reference frame for the end effector.

A profiling apparatus includes: a holder rotationally moves around a first fulcrum, and holds a subject; a balancer rotationally moves around a second fulcrum, an intermediate part coupled to holder part and balancer, expands and contracts in a coupling direction, and bends in a direction orthogonal to the coupling direction, in which a position of the first fulcrum, a first gravity center position, a bending position, and a second gravity center position are aligned in this order. The first gravity center position corresponds to a gravity center of a part, which rotationally moves around the first fulcrum, of the subject and the holder in a case where the subject is held. The bending position corresponds to a bending point of the intermediate part. The second gravity center position corresponds to a gravity center of a part, which rotationally moves around the second fulcrum, of the second fulcrum position and balancer.

A control apparatus for a robot including a three-dimensional sensor to measure a scan area includes a position determiner that determines, based on positions of a plurality of ranges in the scan area, a plurality of measurement positions at each of which the three-dimensional sensor performs measurement of a corresponding range of the plurality of ranges, an operation controller that controls the robot to move and cause the three-dimensional sensor to move to each of the plurality of measurement positions, and an area definer that defines an area including an object in the scan area based on a result of measurement performed by the three-dimensional sensor at each of the plurality of measurement positions.

Systems and methods for sorting and imaging insects, including egg and larval life stages, useful for automated high throughput bioassays.

A control apparatus for a robot including a three-dimensional sensor includes an operation controller that controls the robot to shift a measurement range of the three-dimensional sensor in a scan area, and a map obtainer that updates map information based on a result of measurement performed by the three-dimensional sensor. The map information indicates a scan status at each of a plurality of points in the scan area. The operation controller performs first scanning in which the measurement range of the three-dimensional sensor is shifted to update map information about a local range in the scan area, and performs second scanning in which the measurement range of the three-dimensional sensor is shifted away from the local range to update map information about a range different from the local range for which the first scanning is performed to update map information.

A non-destructive method to predict the shelf life and maturity of perishable commodities using an intelligent vision system is presented here. The system includes a conventional camera and a vision processor (including shelf-life matrix, defect matrix and maturity matrix specific to each perishable commodity) which automatically determines ready for harvest condition, and the remaining shelf life of the perishable commodity.