A method of detecting a substrate hold hand optical axis deviation includes: acquiring a hand reference turning position at which an ideal optical axis extends in a horizontal first direction; performing a first search processing; performing a second search processing similar to the first search processing to a second target body; and detecting an optical axis inclination from the ideal optical axis based on a difference between the positions detected in the first search processing and the second search processing. A distance in the second direction from the turning axis to the first target body is equal to a distance in the second direction from the turning axis to the second target body. On the hand, an intersecting position between the optical axis and the first target body is different from an intersecting position between the optical axis and the second target body.

Described herein are systems, methods, devices, and other techniques for implementing smart windows, smart home systems that include smart windows, and user devices and applications for control thereof. A smart window, or photovoltaic window, may include a photovoltaic configured to generate electrical power from incident light onto the photovoltaic window, store the electrical power, and send the electrical power to an electronics package or various electrical loads including a wireless communication system, sensors, or window functions. The photovoltaic window may communicate with various smart home system devices such as hub devices and user devices, which may include the reception of control data at the photovoltaic window and the transmission of sensor data captured by the window sensors.

An apparatus for use with a robot is disclosed. The apparatus includes a reflective photoelectric sensor arranged on a gripper of the robot and a controller. The controller is configured to: cause the reflective photoelectric sensor to scan over a target object; monitor changes in an output signal from the reflective photoelectric sensor; for each detected change exceeding a threshold, determine a coordinate of a gripping component on the gripper in a robot coordinate system, to obtain a set of coordinates; determine a position of the target object in the robot coordinate system based on the set of coordinates and a predefined offset value between the reflective photoelectric sensor and the gripping component; and store the position of target object for future use in assembling objects. A method, a robot and a computer program product are also disclosed. The apparatus and the method provide a new solution for calibrating or teaching the robot.

Described herein are systems, methods, devices, and other techniques for implementing smart windows, smart home systems that include smart windows, and user devices and applications for control thereof. A smart window, or photovoltaic window, may include a photovoltaic configured to generate electrical power from incident light onto the photovoltaic window, store the electrical power, and send the electrical power to an electronics package or various electrical loads including a wireless communication system, sensors, or window functions. The photovoltaic window may communicate with various smart home system devices such as hub devices and user devices, which may include the reception of control data at the photovoltaic window and the transmission of sensor data captured by the window sensors.

A solar panel system includes solar tracking and dual locking hinges. A solar panel assembly may be connected to a base via a linear actuator, actuator arm, and lever arm, which in connection of either of the two locking hinges acting as an axis of rotation, form a toggle joint mechanism for tilting the solar panel assembly to a desired angle in a desired direction. The desired angle may be automatically determined using solar tracking algorithms using data from light sensors, or may be controlled manually by a user. The locking hinges may include electromagnetic locks, which may lock the associated hinge to the base when energized, and unlock the associated hinge when de-energized. To tilt the solar panel assembly in one of two directions, one hinge is locked and the other unlocked, allowing the unlocked end to move upward to achieve the desired tilt angle.

An approach for adjusting an inclination angle of a mirror to maximize power output of an adjacent solar panel and shadow-effect energy generator (SEG). The approach retrieves data associated with a solar irradiance profile and a SEG shadow profile. The approach predicts an irradiance profile based on the data. The approach predicts a shadow contrast ratio based on the data. The approach predicts a SEG shadow profile based on the data. The approach calculates optimized control parameters associated with a mirror based on the irradiance profile, the shadow contrast ratio and the SEG shadow profile. The approach adjusts the mirror inclination angle based on the optimized control parameters.

A servo tuning device adapted to a multi-axis machine tool at least having two linear axes and a rotation axis used for a moving base and a working platform to move relatively along the two linear axes and the rotation axis. The servo tuning device includes a reflection component, a photoelectric sensor and a processor. The reflection component is configured to be disposed on one of the moving base and the working platform and has a reflection surface. The photoelectric sensor has a light-emitting element and a light-receiving element facing the reflection surface. The photoelectric sensor is configured to be disposed on the other one of the moving base and the working platform. The processor records information of relative movement between the photoelectric sensor and the reflection surface for calculating a loop gain value used for tuning a servo setting of the two linear axes or the rotation axis.

Methods and systems stowing one or more photovoltaic (PV) modules based on a weather event forecasts are provided. In one embodiment, a method may include receiving a weather event forecast, such as a snow event forecast, for a location of a tracking system that includes a plurality of PV modules, determining that the weather event forecast for the location of the tracking system exceeds a threshold level of severity, and automatically positioning the plurality of PV modules at the location of the tracking system into a stow configuration. In some embodiments, the method may further require receiving confirmation of the weather event from a sensor at the location of the tracking system before positioning the PV modules in the stow configuration.

Operation methods and systems for distributed generation from a plurality of generators, and computer readable media. One method comprises the step of applying a forward looking matching algorithm to determine a matching matrix with elements m.sub.i,j denoting the fraction of generator i's predicted supply assigned to respective load j of a plurality of loads such that a probability of meeting each load's associated power demand characteristic in a next supply cycle satisfies a threshold criterion.

A system includes a controller configured to generate a communication signal whose modulation represents coded information to be transmitted to a local management unit connected to a photovoltaic module. The system includes a first local management unit configured to receive a first input communication current from a transmitter and output a first value of the first input communication current to the controller. The system includes a second local management unit configured to receive a second input communication current from the transmitter and output a second value of the second input communication current to the controller. The controller is configured to receive the first value, the second value, order the first value and the second value to generate an ordered list; and store the ordered list in a memory of the controller. The ordered list represents a relative location of the first local management unit and the second local management unit compared to the transmitter.