An autonomous mobile apparatus that autonomously docks with a docking station, includes a main body including at least one connection unit connected to the docking station, a drive unit configured to move the main body, and a processor configured to control the drive unit, wherein the processor controls operation of the drive unit in a first mode for causing the main body to move in proximity to the docking station and a second mode for bringing the connection unit into contact with the docking unit of the docking station.

An autonomous cleaning robot includes a controller configured to execute instructions to perform one or more operations. The one or more operations includes operating a drive system to move the cleaning robot in a forward drive direction along a first obstacle surface with a side surface of the cleaning robot facing the first obstacle surface, then operating the drive system to turn the cleaning robot such that the side surface of the cleaning robot faces a second obstacle surface, then operating the drive system to move the cleaning robot in a rearward drive direction along the second obstacle surface, and then operating the drive system to move the cleaning robot in the forward drive direction along the second obstacle surface.

A robotic cleaning system may include a robotic cleaner configured to generate a map of an environment and a mobile device configured to communicatively couple to the robotic cleaner, the robotic cleaner configured to communicate the map to the mobile device. The mobile device may include a camera configured to generate an image of the environment, the image comprising a plurality of pixels, a display configured to display the image and to receive a user input while displaying the image, the user input being associated with one or more of the plurality of pixels, a depth sensor configured to generate depth data that is associated with each pixel of the image, an orientation sensor configured to generate orientation data that is associated with each pixel of the image, and a mobile controller configured to localize the mobile device within the map using the depth data and the orientation data.

A method for operating a cleaning system that comprises at least one self-traveling cleaning device that travels in an environment based on an environment map and carries out cleaning activities. The cleaning device accesses a database, in which multiple cleaning activities are stored. A user accesses the database and defines in advance at least one randomly occurring event, depending on the occurrence of which at least one certain cleaning activity is carried out. The user defines an event-dependent activity scenario and the activity scenario is carried out upon the subsequent occurrence of the defined event. At least one cleaning activity is also scheduled time-dependently, and predefined rules determine whether only the event-dependent activity scenario or only the time-dependently scheduled cleaning activity is carried out if the time of an occurrence of a defined event falls short of a predefined minimum time interval.

A robotic surface cleaning device is provided, including a casing, a chassis, a set of wheels coupled to the chassis to drive the robotic surface cleaning device, a control system to instruct movement of the set of wheels, a battery to provide power to the robotic surface cleaning device, one or more sensors, a processor, rotating assembly, including a plate supported by a base of the casing, rotating mechanism to rotate the plate; and one or more cleaning apparatuses mounted to a first side of the plate.

An AI robot for cleaning in consideration of a user's action includes a camera to acquire a first image data for the user, a cleaning unit including a suction unit and a mopping unit, a driving unit configured to drive the AI robot, and a processor to determine the user's action using the first image data, determine a cleaning schedule in consideration of the user's action, and control the cleaning unit and the driving unit based on the determined cleaning schedule.

A system providing a barrier for an autonomous floor cleaner includes an artificial barrier generator that radiates one or more infrared signals. An autonomous floor cleaner can be configured to detect the infrared signals, and can react by altering course. Methods for containing an autonomous floor cleaner within a user-determined boundary are disclosed.

An infrared transceiver unit (107, 108), a detection apparatus, a multi-infrared detection apparatus and an obstacle avoidance robot. The infrared transceiver unit (107, 108) includes a mounting skewed slot, an infrared emitting source (1085), and two groups of infrared receiving sources (1083, 1084), wherein a sensing direction of one group of infrared receiving sources (1084) and an emitting direction of the infrared emitting source (1085) both face one side of a sensing center line (L) of the mounting skewed slot, and the sensing direction of the other group of infrared receiving sources (1083) faces the other side of the sensing center line (L) of the mounting skewed slot, so that one of the infrared receiving sources (1083, 1084) receives infrared modulation light emitted by the infrared emitting source and reflected by an obstacle. Two infrared transceiver units (107, 108) are respectively arranged on a left end and a right end of an obstacle avoidance robot, and the infrared transceiver unit (107, 108) arranged on one end of the robot receives the infrared modulation light emitted by the infrared transceiver unit (107, 108) arranged on the other end, or the infrared modulation light emitted by the infrared transceiver unit (107, 108) arranged on either end and reflected by the obstacle.

Provided is a method for controlling a robot cleaner including a first operation of identifying that a manual cleaner and the robot cleaner are turned on, a second operation of identifying, by the robot cleaner, a location of the manual cleaner, a third operation of separating cleaning regions for performing cleaning therein from each other, and a fourth operation of starting, by the robot cleaner, cleaning of a corresponding region after the manual cleaner completes cleaning of the corresponding region.

Systems and methods for robotic disinfection and sanitation of environments are disclosed herein. The robotic devices disclosed herein may detect and map locations of pathogens within environments. The robotic devices disclosed herein may utilize data from sensor units to sanitize objects using desired methods specified by operators. The robotic devices disclosed herein may sanitize environments comprising people.