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 tactical transport cart manually navigable over both topographic and hydrographic terrains has a frame, a payload support on the frame, a hard point of attachment or connection on the frame or the payload support, a pair of wheels or other terrain-engaging transport propulsion members attached to the frame, a handle structure attached to the frame, at least one motor connected in driving relation to the transport propulsion members, a battery for providing motive power to the motor, and a control device connected between the battery and the motor for controlling supply of motive power to the motor. The frame, transport propulsion members and handle structure are cooperatively dimensioned and configured for movement of the cart over ground surfaces of topographic terrains and for partially and fully submerged movement over water-covered surfaces of hydrographic terrains.

A device is disclosed for controlling a vehicle. The method includes monitoring received input from one or more proximity sensor, approximating a user's lateral and longitudinal positions behind the vehicle based upon the monitoring, and controlling the vehicle based upon the approximate lateral and longitudinal positions of the user with respect to the vehicle to continuously re-center the vehicle with respect to 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.

Robotic vehicle and use thereof for displacing a holder for goods, which is for instance loaded with goods, which vehicle can be operated in an empty position and a loaded position, comprising of (1) moving the robotic vehicle to a position under the holder in a first direction, wherein the robotic vehicle is in the empty position, wherein a holding means is countersunk in a body of the vehicle; (2) lifting the holder, wherein the robotic vehicle lifts the holder by performing a vertical movement of the holding means relative to the wheels of the vehicle, such that the holding means comes into contact with an underside of the holder, wherein the robotic vehicle transfers to the loaded position; (3) rotating driven wheels of the robotic vehicle from the first direction to the second direction without the body of the vehicle being rotated, and (4) displacing the robotic vehicle in the loaded position in a second direction, wherein the first and second direction enclose a mutual angle of between 60 and 120 degrees, preferably 75 and 105 degrees, more preferably 85 and 95 degrees, such as a substantially right angle.

Systems and methods are provided to address incorrectly placed items. Some systems comprise: a plurality of motorized transport units that are each configured to perform multiple different tasks at a retail shopping facility; and a central computer system configured to instruct various ones of the plurality of motorized transport units to implement at least one of the multiple different tasks relative to the retail shopping facility, receive and analyze input data detected and provided by the motorized transport units while the motorized transport units perform the at least one of the tasks, and detect and categorize each item of multiple items that are incorrectly placed within the retail shopping facility according to one of multiple different predefined categories.

A robot may include: a frame module constituting a main body; a driver module for powering a wheel rotatably coupled to the frame module; a position detector for detecting a position of a user terminal device; and a main controller configured for: controlling the driver module to operate in a user following mode based on a position of the user terminal device; and controlling the driver module to operate in a driving-power supporting mode based on whether a manual driving detector detects a user touch. The frame module may by coupled to a basket so that the robot may provide a transport service as a shopping cart, such as driving along a user's travel path in a following mode or supporting a user-supplied driving power when a user manually controls the cart.

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 container transporter systems, vehicle, and methods are disclosed. The container transporter can be automatically or manually controlled allowing for ease of use in moving a coupled container. The container transporter can be used with virtually any container, such as a refuse container. The automatic movement of the container transporter can assist users with time constrains or physical constraints in moving their refuse for pickup.

Some embodiments include a motorized transport unit providing customer assistance at a shopping facility, comprises: a transceiver; a control circuit; a motorized wheel system; a lift system; and a memory coupled to the control circuit and storing computer instructions that when executed by the control circuit cause the control circuit to: activate a motorized wheel system, while continuing to monitor location information, to position the motorized transport unit under the item container and aligned, based on the location information, relative to a frame of the item container; and activate the lift system to lift on the frame of the item container lifting a first portion of the item container such one or more wheels of the item container are lifted off of a floor while two or more other wheels of the item container remain in contact with the floor.