A lift-enabled motorized wheel assembly and material handling cart. A drive wheel is supported on an axel between a fixed leg and a floating leg. The axel passes through the fixed leg without interference, but is captured in the floating leg by a self-aligning bearing. The axle is driven by a drive motor that is bolted to the fixed leg through a right-angle gearbox. A vertical suspension unit provides compliance for drive wheel traction. A lifter sub-assembly alternately raises and lowers the drive wheel into and out of contact with the ground. The lift-enabled motorized wheel assembly is attached to the bottom of a cart frame, along with a plurality of caster wheels. The cart includes a tow-bar that is moveable between raised and lowered positions. When the tow-bar is lowered condition for towing, the drive wheel automatically lifts out of contact with the ground.

Systems, apparatuses, and methods are provided herein for shopping cart power assist. A system comprises a pressure sensor device on a handle portion of a shopping cart, a power generator configured to generate power with a rotation of a wheel system of the shopping cart, a power storage device configured to be charged by the power generator, a motor configured to drive the wheel system, and a control circuit. The control circuit being configured to detect for pressure on the handle portion of the shopping cart based on the pressure sensor device, in an event that a forward pressure on the handle portion is below a threshold, cause the power generator to charge the power storage device, and in an event that the forward pressure on the handle portion exceeds the threshold, cause the motor to drive the wheel system to generate forward propulsion for the shopping cart.

Systems, apparatuses, and methods are provided herein for tracking shopping cart activity. A system for tracking shopping cart activity comprises a shopping cart system comprises a power generator configured to generate power with a rotation of a wheel system of the shopping cart, a power storage device configured to be charged by the power generator, and a system connector configured to couple with a computer system to provide energy information associated with the charging of the power storage, the computer system comprising: a shopping cart connector configured to couple with the system connection to receive the energy information from the shopping cart system, and a control circuit configured to estimate a distance traveled by the shopping cart system based on the energy information.

In some embodiments, systems and methods provide a customer controlled cart workout. Some systems, comprise: a cart coordination control circuit; a shopping cart comprising a cart control system, a wireless transceiver and a resistance modification system configured to adjust a resistance level corresponding to different amounts of force to be applied in physically moving the cart along a surface; wherein the cart coordination control circuit is configured to: associate the shopping cart with a first identified customer; wirelessly communicate with a first user interface unit associated with the first customer; receive, through a cart resistance control software application (APP) operated on the first user interface unit, a resistance control instruction specifying a modification to the resistance level; and communicate a resistance adjustment instruction to the cart control system causing the resistance modification system to adjust the resistance level applied to the shopping cart.

A device, in particular a vehicle, intended to be moved by muscle force, including an electric machine, which influences the movement of the device in addition to the muscle force and which produces an additional force, at least one sensor for measuring the muscle force acting on the device, and apparatuses for controlling the production of the additional force by the electric machine on the basis of the measurement signal of the sensor. The apparatuses for controlling the production of the driving and/or braking force include a load device for converting electrical energy produced by the electric machine operating as a generator into another form of energy, in particular heat.

A lift-enabled motorized wheel assembly and material handling cart. A drive wheel is supported on an axel between a fixed leg and a floating leg. The axel passes through the fixed leg without interference, but is captured in the floating leg by a self-aligning bearing. The axle is driven by a drive motor that is bolted to the fixed leg through a right-angle gearbox. A vertical suspension unit provides compliance for drive wheel traction. A lifter sub-assembly alternately raises and lowers the drive wheel into and out of contact with the ground. The lift-enabled motorized wheel assembly is attached to the bottom of a cart frame, along with a plurality of caster wheels. The cart includes a tow-bar that is moveable between raised and lowered positions. When the tow-bar is lowered condition for towing, the drive wheel automatically lifts out of contact with the ground.

Provided are an electric wagon and an electronically power assisted wagon. The electric wagon includes a wagon body including at least a foldable frame; a handle device connected to the wagon body; a walking assembly including at least driving wheels; a drive motor configured to drive the driving wheels to rotate; a power supply connection portion configured to be detachably connected to a battery pack for supplying power to the drive motor, and a controller electrically connected to at least the drive motor to control the drive motor to rotate.

Aspects relate to systems and methods for guided autonomous locomotion of a carriage, including a compartment configured to ensconce a child, a frame configured to support the compartment, a drive motor, a drivetrain operatively coupled to the drive motor; a drive wheel rotatably affixed to the frame, configured to contact a support surface and operatively coupled to the drivetrain, wherein operating the at least a drive motor causes the at least a drive wheel to rotate, an environmental sensor configured to sense an environmental characteristic related to an environment substantially surrounding the carriage; a battery configured to power the at drive motor and a controller configured to control the drive motor in response to the environmental characteristic.

Aspects relate to systems and methods for guided autonomous locomotion of a carriage, including a compartment configured to ensconce a child, a frame configured to support the compartment, a drive motor, a drivetrain operatively coupled to the drive motor; a drive wheel rotatably affixed to the frame, configured to contact a support surface and operatively coupled to the drivetrain, wherein operating the at least a drive motor causes the at least a drive wheel to rotate, an environmental sensor configured to sense an environmental characteristic related to an environment substantially surrounding the carriage; a battery configured to power the at drive motor and a controller configured to control the drive motor in response to the environmental characteristic.