An accompanying mobile body that can swiftly reflect a change in accompanying conditions by an instruction from a user on a state of movement. A predicted location calculation section calculates a predicted location of a user after a predetermined time period based on a state of movement of the user recognized by a movement state recognition section. An accompanying control section performs accompanying control to cause a shopping cart to move by a traveling unit toward a target location of accompanying that is a location apart from the predicted location by a specified distance in a specified direction. An accompanying condition change section changes one or both of the specified direction and the specified distance in accordance with an instruction to change from the user.

Apparatuses, components and methods are provided herein useful to provide assistance to customers and/or workers in a shopping facility. In some embodiments, a shopping facility personal assistance system comprises: a plurality of motorized transport units located in and configured to move through a shopping facility space; a plurality of user interface units, each corresponding to a respective motorized transport unit during use of the respective motorized transport unit; and a central computer system having a network interface such that the central computer system wirelessly communicates with one or both of the plurality of motorized transport units and the plurality of user interface units, wherein the central computer system is configured to control movement of the plurality of motorized transport units through the shopping facility space based at least on inputs from the plurality of user interface units.

This invention offers a new hands-free electric powered utility cart, that is controlled by voice commands from the user, and by the cart detecting and tracking an electronic device or chip that a user simply carries or attaches to his or her garments.

Once the cart is powered-on, the user speaks voice commands such as “CART, FOLLOW ME” and the cart will follow approximately three feet behind the user wherever they walk. When the user wants the cart to stop, they can either stop walking, or use a voice command such as “CART, STOP”. The user can voice additional relevant commands such as “CART, FOLLOW TO MY RIGHT, or LEFT”, in order to control the cart's mode of operation.

All kinds of carrying baskets tailored to specific uses such as for beach, shopping, tools, golf equipment, and even a baby carriage are fitted to the cart's standardized chassis.

Methods and apparatuses are provided for use in monitoring product placement within a shopping facility. Some embodiments provide an apparatus configured to determine product placement conditions within a shopping facility, comprising: a transceiver configured to wirelessly receive communications; a product monitoring control circuit coupled with the transceiver; a memory coupled with the control circuit and storing computer instructions that when executed by the control circuit cause the control circuit to: obtain a composite three-dimensional (3D) scan mapping corresponding to at least a select area of the shopping facility and based on a series of 3D scan data; evaluate the 3D scan mapping to identify multiple product depth distances; and identify, from the evaluation of the 3D scan mapping, when one or more of the multiple product depth distances is greater than a predefined depth distance threshold from the reference offset distance of the product support structure.

A material handling vehicle comprises an upper loading surface for loading of objects thereon, a control unit, a power source, a drive motor, at least one vehicle drive wheel powered by the drive motor, at least one vehicle support wheel, a first chassis and a second chassis, each of which comprises at least one wheel of the vehicle. The first and second chassis are pivotally coupled to each other by means of at least one coupling means, wherein said coupling means is arranged intermediate the first chassis and the second chassis at a position where the first chassis is arranged above the second chassis, wherein the coupling means extend at least partly vertically between the first and second chassis at said position. Further there are two drive wheels that are independently controllable. Further, a material handling system comprising at least one such material handling vehicle.

An information processing apparatus disclosed has a controller equipped with at least one processor. The controller is configured to execute the processing of; when a vehicle body unit on which a cultivation field for cultivating a crop is mounted is laid at a first place, determining a time to remove defined as a time to remove the vehicle body unit from the first place to a second place other than the first place; and sending a transportation command to a chassis unit configured to be capable of travelling autonomously and being coupled to and decoupled from any vehicle body unit in accordance with the time to remove, the transportation command being a command to transport the vehicle body unit from the first place to the second place.

Some embodiments include apparatuses providing control over movement of motorized transport units at a retail facility, comprising: multiple self-propelled motorized transport units; a wireless communication network; and a central computer system, wherein the central computer system comprises: a transceiver; a control circuit; and a memory storing computer instructions that when executed cause the control circuit to: receive an override command, from a worker associated with the retail facility, to cause a first motorized transport unit of the multiple motorized transport units to implement one or more actions; confirm a valid authorization of the worker to override one or more operating limits of the first motorized transport unit; and override the one or more operating limits and communicate one or more instructions to the first motorized transport unit configured to cause the first motorized transport unit to implement the one or more actions in accordance with the override command.

Apparatuses, components and methods are provided herein useful to provide assistance to customers and/or workers in a shopping facility. In some embodiments, a shopping facility personal assistance system comprises: a plurality of motorized transport units located in and configured to move through a shopping facility space; a plurality of user interface units, each corresponding to a respective motorized transport unit during use of the respective motorized transport unit; and a central computer system having a network interface such that the central computer system wirelessly communicates with one or both of the plurality of motorized transport units and the plurality of user interface units, wherein the central computer system is configured to control movement of the plurality of motorized transport units through the shopping facility space based at least on inputs from the plurality of user interface units.

Methods and apparatuses are provided for use in monitoring product placement within a shopping facility. Some embodiments provide an apparatus configured to determine product placement conditions within a shopping facility, comprising: a transceiver configured to wirelessly receive communications; a product monitoring control circuit coupled with the transceiver; a memory coupled with the control circuit and storing computer instructions that when executed by the control circuit cause the control circuit to: obtain a composite three-dimensional (3D) scan mapping corresponding to at least a select area of the shopping facility and based on a series of 3D scan data; evaluate the 3D scan mapping to identify multiple product depth distances; and identify, from the evaluation of the 3D scan mapping, when one or more of the multiple product depth distances is greater than a predefined depth distance threshold from the reference offset distance of the product support structure.

Apparatuses, components and methods are provided herein useful to provide assistance to customers and/or workers in a shopping facility. In some embodiments, a shopping facility personal assistance system comprises: a plurality of motorized transport units located in and configured to move through a shopping facility space; a plurality of user interface units, each corresponding to a respective motorized transport unit during use of the respective motorized transport unit; and a central computer system having a network interface such that the central computer system wirelessly communicates with one or both of the plurality of motorized transport units and the plurality of user interface units, wherein the central computer system is configured to control movement of the plurality of motorized transport units through the shopping facility space based at least on inputs from the plurality of user interface units.