A system for detecting radial movement of a robotic apparatus on a pipe, comprising distance sensors configured to measure a distance between their respective fixed positions and a surface of the pipe, and a processor configured to detect a change and determine whether the change is indicative of radial movement. A system for tracking a position of a robotic apparatus on a pipe, comprising mirrored, freely-rotating mecanum wheels, a sensor(s) configured to measure rotation of the mecanum wheels, and a processor configured to calculate a linear displacement of each mecanum wheel and resulting axial and circumferential positions of the robotic apparatus. A method for navigating a bend or curve of a pipe, comprising generating computer models of the robotic apparatus and the pipe, performing a computer simulation to identify a combination of wheel speeds that keeps the wheels in constant contact with the pipe, and operating the wheels accordingly.

A garbage box includes an opening-closing unit and a switch on a predetermined surface, the switch being a switch by which the opening-closing unit is opened. The garbage box is installed such that the predetermined surface faces a base surface with a predetermined interval from the base surface, the base surface being a floor surface or a ground surface.

A mobile robot control apparatus includes an online 3D modeler and a path planner. The online 3D modeler is configured to receive an image sequence from a mobile robot and to generate a first map and a second map different from the first map based on the image sequence. The path planner is configured to generate a global path based on the first map, to extract a target surface based on the second map and to generate a local inspection path having a movement unit smaller than a movement unit of the global path based on the global path and the target surface.

An information processing apparatus comprises an obtainment unit configured to obtain sensor information which is a result obtained by a sensor, mounted in a mobile robot, sensing an actual space and a position and a posture of the sensor in the sensing, an estimation unit configured to set, as an index, the sensor information and/or the position and the posture obtained by the obtainment unit and estimate, based on a newly obtained index and an index which has been obtained in the past and is similar to the newly obtained index, a progress status of an operation for obtaining pieces of sensor information including pieces of sensor information of a closed path; and an output unit configured to output the progress status estimated by the estimation unit.

A robot for cleaning solar panels has a frame and a propulsion system for moving the robot on solar panels. The robot also has arms movably coupled to the frame, and a cleaning assembly coupled to each of the arms for cleaning the solar panels. The arms and cleaning assemblies further facilitate the transportation of the robot between solar panels that are discontinuous and spaced apart from each other. In addition, a water distribution system is included for distributing water during cleaning operations. A control system operates the robot and controls the propulsion system, arms, cleaning assemblies and water distribution system.

A system for conveying an industrial robot includes: a control module, at least one automatic guided vehicle, and at least one electromagnetic base. An industrial robot is installed each electromagnetic base, which may attract a metallic plate fixed to the ground, thereby fixing the industrial robot installed on the electromagnetic base. An electromagnetic base is configured to, according to a first control instruction sent by the control module, stop attracting the metallic plate so that the industrial robot is movable. An automatic guided vehicle is configured to, according to a second control instruction sent by the control module, convey, to a target position, the industrial robot installed on the electromagnetic base that has stopped attracting the metallic plate. Finally, an electromagnetic base is further configured to, according to a third control instruction sent by the control module, attract the metallic plate fixed to the ground in the target position.

A robotic harvesting system includes a base, a linear transport, a robotic arm, and an end effector. The base is configured to move in a direction of travel. A linear transport is mounted to the base. The linear transport is configured to move along the base in substantially a same direction or opposite direction as the direction of travel. A robotic arm is mounted to the linear transport. The robotic arm has a proximal end and a distal end. The distal end of the robotic arm is configured to rotate toward and away from the base from a first joint. An end effector is mounted on the distal end of the robotic arm.

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for a mobile robotic frame system. In some implementations, a mobile robot includes a motorized frame that is configured to travel to a location. The mobile robot includes a positioning assembly coupled to the motorized frame, a robotic arm having a manipulator, and sensors coupled to the motorized frame. A control system is configured to process data from the sensors and, based on the data from the sensors, provide control data to (i) move the motorized frame, (ii) adjust one or more movable components of the positioning assembly, and (ii) move the robotic arm relative to the motorized frame. The one or more movable components and the robotic arm are operable to position the manipulator at any position in a three-dimensional work volume with 6 degrees of freedom while the motorized frame remains at the location.

A gyroscopically stabilised legged robot including: a body; a number of legs coupled to the body and configured for providing legged locomotion of the robot across a surface in use; an orientation sensor for detecting an angular orientation of the body; a control moment gyroscope mounted on the robot, the control moment gyroscope including a rotor that spins around a rotor spin axis in use, and a tilting mechanism for supporting the rotor relative to the robot, the tilting mechanism being configured to rotate the rotor spin axis about two gyroscope rotation axes to thereby generate respective gyroscopic reaction torques; and a gyroscope controller configured to control operation of the tilting mechanism based at least in part on the detected angular orientation of the body, such that gyroscopic reaction torques are generated to at least partially stabilise the angular orientation of the body during the legged locomotion of the robot.

A robotic PV module installation system for populating a solar generation plant with PV modules with minimal human intervention. The PV module installation system can include an aerial work platform (AWP), a linear slide, and a robotic arm. The AWP can include an articulated boom. The AWP can also be configured for movement over off-road terrain. The linear slide can be coupled to a free-end of the articulated boom. The robotic arm can be coupled to a slide of the linear slide to increase a horizontal reach of the robotic arm through movement of the slide along the linear slide. The robotic arm can also include an end of arm tooling configured to pick up PV modules.