A light bulb replacement system includes a database that stores location data for light bulbs, light bulb type data, and installation history data. A first processor generates a replacement score for each of the light bulbs using at least one of the location data, the type data, and the installation history data; compares the replacement score of each of the light bulbs to a threshold replacement score; and creates a replacement list. The light bulb replacement system includes an automated light bulb replacement vehicle including a first location sensor; a first memory configured to store the replacement list, and store location data, type data, and installation history data corresponding to each light bulb in the replacement list. A second processor navigates the automated light bulb replacement vehicle. A light bulb coupling/decoupling mechanism replaces an existing light bulb with a new light bulb.

Described in detail herein are systems and methods for detecting absent like physical objects at a first facility and replenishing the like physical objects from the second facility to the first facility. The system includes an autonomous robot device configured to detect absent like physical objects at a first facility and transmit an identifier associated with the like physical objects to a first computing system. The first computing system determines the need for the addition of the like physical objects in the first facility and transmits the data associated with the like physical objects to the second computing system. The second computing system corrects a perpetual inventory error associated with the like physical objects based on the received data and transmits instructions to an autonomous robot picker disposed at a second facility to replenish the like physical objects at the first facility. The autonomous robot picker locates, picks up and carries the like physical objects at the second facility to a conveyer belt. The like physical objects are transported from the second facility to the first facility.

Warehouse automation and methods of controlling material flow can be used to streamline order fulfillment processes. For example, according to some embodiments described herein, the inventory capacity of a mobile robot field is enhanced by vertically expanding the storage space that is readily accessible by mobile robots that facilitate an order sortation process. In result, the handling of inventoried items is reduced, and the efficiency of order fulfillment processes is increased.

A medical observation device includes: an imaging device; a support unit that supports the image-capturing unit and includes arms and joints rotatably connecting the arms; a motor that applies power to at least one of the joints, and rotates two of the arms connected at the joint relative to each other; a gear mechanism that includes two intermeshing gears and is disposed in a power transmission path from the motor to the at least one joint; an operation receiver that receives a user operation; and a controller that performs first control for causing the motor to rotate in accordance with the user operation received by the operation receiver and performs second control after the first control is completed and rotation of the motor is stopped.

Robotic control systems and methods may include providing an end effector tool of a robotic device configured to perform a task on a work surface within a worksite coordinate frame. Unintended movement over time of the end effector tool with respect to the work surface and with respect to the worksite coordinate frame may be determined based on image data indicative of the work surface, first location data indicative of a first location of the end effector tool with respect to the worksite coordinate frame, and second location data indicative of a second location of the end effector tool with respect to the work surface. One or more control signals for the robotic device may be adjusted in order to counteract the unintended movements of the end effector tool with respect to the work surface and worksite coordinate frame.

A mobile robot is configured for operation in a commercial or industrial setting, such as an office building or retail store. The mobile robot can have a motorized base and a robot body on the motorized base, the robot body including a rotatable ring that rotates horizontally around the robot body. A mechanical arm that can contract and extend relative to the robot body is coupled to the rotatable ring and performs a plurality of actions. A controller of the mobile robot provides instructions to the rotatable ring and the mechanical arm and can cause the mechanical arm to open a door, take an elevator to move to a different floor, and test whether a door is locked properly.

A system and method for pipeline data acquisition may include a software program that can autonomously review new and legacy videos collected by camera-equipped robotic systems from inside the pipelines, and automatically detect and categorize different features. Three-dimensional (3-D) point clouds may also be generated using software algorithms that stitch together like features in different video frames.

Disclosed is a method of controlling a mobile robot, including receiving user input including a predetermined service request by the mobile robot, receiving an article to be served, by the mobile robot, searching for a user, analyzing a gesture of the user, and extracting a serving position, by the mobile robot, analyzing an image of the serving position and extracting a distance and height of the serving position, moving the mobile robot to the serving position and lifting the served article to be served, to a height of the serving position, and putting down the article to be served at the serving position by horizontally moving the article to be served to the serving position. Accordingly, the serving robot directly receives a serving article and provides the serving article to a user at a position desired by the user without a user operation of receiving the serving article. The serving robot determines a user at a serving position, reads a gesture of the user from an image, and determines a table on which the serving article is to be put in order to put the serving article at an accurate position.

A method for operating a robot includes receiving a drive command to drive the robot across a work surface. The drive command includes a work mode command or a travel mode command. In response to receiving the work mode command, the method includes operating the robot in a work mode. In the work mode, the robot dynamically balances on a right drive wheel and a left drive wheel on the work surface, while keeping a non-drive wheel off of the work surface. In response to receiving the travel mode command, the method includes operating the robot in a travel mode. In the travel mode, the robot statically balances on the right drive wheel, the left drive wheel, and the non-drive wheel in contact with the work surface.

A leg assembly and a legged robot having same are provided. The leg assembly includes a first leg, a second leg, a motor, an output flange and a transmission component. The motor is arranged at a first end of the first leg, and an output shaft of the motor is connected to the output flange to drive the output flange to rotate. The first leg is pivotably connected to the second leg, and the transmission component is connected to the output flange and the second leg to drive the second leg to rotate relative to the first leg. The output flange is provided with a first limiting portion, the first leg is provided with a first stop portion and a second stop portion spaced apart and configured to stop the first limiting portion, and the first leg is provided with a second limiting portion configured to stop the second leg.