A robot includes a drive system configured to maneuver the robot about an environment and data processing hardware in communication with memory hardware and the drive system. The memory hardware stores instructions that when executed on the data processing hardware cause the data processing hardware to perform operations. The operations include receiving image data of the robot maneuvering in the environment and executing at least one waypoint heuristic. The at least one waypoint heuristic is configured to trigger a waypoint placement on a waypoint map. In response to the at least one waypoint heuristic triggering the waypoint placement, the operations include recording a waypoint on the waypoint map where the waypoint is associated with at least one waypoint edge and includes sensor data obtained by the robot. The at least one waypoint edge includes a pose transform expressing how to move between two waypoints.

A method for automatic obstacle avoidance of a robot includes: obtaining distance values between the robot and an obstacle detected by sensors arranged on a left side, middle part and right side of the robot respectively; when a minimum distance value detected by the sensors on the middle part is less than a threshold value, if a minimum distance value detected by the sensors on either the left side or the right side exceeds an obstacle critical distance, turning the robot 90 degrees towards the side where the minimum distance value exceeds the obstacle critical distance; when the minimum distance value detected by the sensors on the middle part exceeds the distance threshold value, if only the minimum distance value detected by the sensors on the left side exceeds the obstacle critical distance, turning the robot towards the left side by a first angle value.

A robotic device may traverse a path in a direction of locomotion. Sensor data indicative of one or more physical features of the environment in the direction of locomotion may be received. The implementation may further involve determining that traversing the path involves traversing the one or more physical features of the environment. Based on the sensor data indicative of the one or more physical features of the environment in the direction of locomotion, a hydraulic pressure to supply to the one or more hydraulic actuators to traverse the one or more physical features of the environment may be predicted. Before traversing the one or more physical features of the environment, the hydraulic drive system may adjust pressure of supplied hydraulic fluid from the first pressure to the predicted hydraulic pressure.

A method of localizing a robot includes receiving odometry information plotting locations of the robot and sensor data of the environment about the robot. The method also includes obtaining a series of odometry information members, each including a respective odometry measurement at a respective time. The method also includes obtaining a series of sensor data members, each including a respective sensor measurement at the respective time. The method also includes, for each sensor data member of the series of sensor data members, (i) determining a localization of the robot at the respective time based on the respective sensor data, and (ii) determining an offset of the localization relative to the odometry measurement at the respective time. The method also includes determining whether a variance of the offsets determined for the localizations exceeds a threshold variance. When the variance among the offsets exceeds the threshold variance, a signal is generated.

Example implementations relate to robotic operations libraries. An example library may include sets of operation instructions and other information for robotic devices to use to complete desired tasks. For instance, a respective set of operation instructions is determined based on successive simulations in which a virtual robotic device comprising an adjustable configuration initially based on the given configuration of a robotic device performs operations related to a task in an adjustable virtual environment until one or more simulations result in the virtual robotic device performing respective operations that complete the task at a success level that satisfies a predefined threshold. The library may provide a set of instructions for performing operations to a robotic device based on a query received from the robotic device that includes information indicative of a configuration and an environment of the robotic device.

There is provided an information processing apparatus and an information processing method that can provide more useful information for an action plan of an autonomous mobile body, the information processing apparatus including an action recommendation unit configured to present a recommended action recommended to an autonomous mobile body, to the autonomous mobile body that performs an action plan based on situation estimation. The action recommendation unit determines the recommended action on the basis of an action history collected from a plurality of the autonomous mobile bodies, and on the basis of a situation summary received from a target autonomous mobile body that is a target of recommendation. The information processing method includes presenting, by a processor, a recommended action recommended to an autonomous mobile body, to the autonomous mobile body that performs an action plan based on situation estimation.

Provided are a robot accompaniment device and a four-legged robot (1) using the same. The robot accompaniment device includes a target module provided with an orienting assembly (3). The orienting assembly (3) is provided with a dual-antenna structure, and implements positioning and orienting between the accompanier and the accompanied, thus enabling a robot to be capable of recognizing the position, orientation and turning angle of an accompaniment object (2) relative to the robot, and moving and turning together with the accompaniment object (2).

A robot detects, through a sensor, the location and movement direction of a user and an object near the user, sets a nearby ground area in front at the feet of the user according to the detected location and movement direction of the user, controls an illumination device in the robot to irradiate the nearby ground area with light while driving at least one pair of legs or wheels of the robot to cause the robot to accompany the user, specifies the type and the location of the detected object, and if the object is a dangerous object and is located ahead of the user, controls the illumination device to irradiate a danger area including at least a portion of the dangerous object with light in addition to irradiating the nearby ground area with light.

A robot system includes: an upper body section including one or more end-effectors; a lower body section including one or more legs; and an intermediate body section coupling the upper and lower body sections. An upper body control system operates at least one of the end-effectors. The intermediate body section experiences a first intermediate body linear force and/or moment based on an end-effector force acting on the at least one end-effector. A lower body control system operates the one or more legs. The one or more legs experience respective surface reaction forces. The intermediate body section experiences a second intermediate body linear force and/or moment based on the surface reaction forces. The lower body control system operates the one or more legs so that the second intermediate body linear force balances the first intermediate linear force and the second intermediate body moment balances the first intermediate body moment.

The present invention discloses a method and an apparatus for localization and mapping based on RFID, applicable for real-time mapping of an area to be localized in which at least one RFID tag is arranged, the method comprises: taking a location of a first RFID tag as a coordinate origin of a coordinate system when information of the first RFID tag is obtained by a mobile electronic device which is moving along a certain trajectory for a first time; moving the mobile electronic device with the coordinate origin as a starting point to traverse the entire area to be localized, calculating coordinates of an obstacle based on a location of the mobile electronic device when the mobile electronic device detects the obstacle; constructing a map based on the recorded information and coordinates of the RFID tags and coordinates of each obstacle when the traversal has been finished.