An action control device includes a compression process processing unit that envisages a first virtual plane and a second virtual plane, pushes control subjects that are arranged or control subjects that were arranged in a set of starting positions and that abut the second virtual plane in a movement direction of the second virtual plane, thereby compressing the control subjects such that none of the control subjects exceeds the first virtual plane and such that the coordinate values thereof in a first direction remain at or below Xthresh, envisages a third virtual plane and a fourth virtual plane, pushes the control subjects that are included in the compressed shaped acquired using the first and second virtual planes and that abut the fourth virtual plane in a movement direction of the fourth virtual plane, thereby compressing the control subjects such that none of the control subjects exceeds the third virtual plane and such that the coordinate values thereof in a second direction remain at or below Ythresh, and determines the positions of the control subjects included in the compressed shape as a set of intermediate positions M1.

An apparatus, methods and computer programs are provided for controlling wireless network capacity. The apparatus comprises means for: identifying one or more robots that require wireless network capacity and identifying the locations of the one or more robots that require wireless network capacity. The means may also be configured to obtain information indicative of available wireless network capacity in the locations corresponding to the locations of the one or more robots. This information could provide an indication of the likelihood of congestion within the wireless network. The means may also be configured to enable control of the location of one or more robots that require wireless network capacity so as to enable the one or more robots to maintain sufficient wireless network capacity.

A robot includes a movable section capable of moving, a driving section configured to drive the movable section, a transmitting section located between the movable section and the driving section, a first position detecting section configured to detect a position on an input side of the transmitting section, a second position detecting section configured to detect a position on an output side of the transmitting section, and an inertial sensor provided in the movable section. The driving section is driven on the basis of a detection result of the first position detecting section, a detection result of the second position detecting section, and a detection result of the inertial sensor.

Systems, methods and articles of manufacture for synchronized robot orientation are described herein. A magnetometer, gyroscope, and accelerometer in a remotely controlled device are used to determine a current orientation of that device, and a command with a specified orientation or location are set to several such devices. The remotely controlled devices self-align based on the specified orientation/location, and when in position, receive swarm commands to perform actions as a group of devices in coordination with one another.

On the basis of received first region information indicating a first region, which is a region designated for an acquired picked-up image of a plurality of target objects, and second region information indicating a second region different from the first region, a robot control device causes a robot to grip the target object for which the second region not overlapping the first region of another of the target objects is designated and does not cause the robot to grip the target object, the second region for which overlaps the first region of the other target object.

An apparatus, methods and computer programs are provided for controlling wireless network capacity. The apparatus comprises means for: identifying one or more robots that require wireless network capacity and identifying the locations of the one or more robots that require wireless network capacity. The means may also be configured to obtain information indicative of available wireless network capacity in the locations corresponding to the locations of the one or more robots. This information could provide an indication of the likelihood of congestion within the wireless network. The means may also be configured to enable control of the location of one or more robots that require wireless network capacity so as to enable the one or more robots to maintain sufficient wireless network capacity.

Systems, methods and articles of manufacture for synchronized robot orientation are described herein. A magnetometer, gyroscope, and accelerometer in a remotely controlled device are used to determine a current orientation of that device, and a command with a specified orientation or location are set to several such devices. The remotely controlled devices self-align based on the specified orientation/location, and when in position, receive swarm commands to perform actions as a group of devices in coordination with one another.

Motion of multiple agents with identical non-linear dynamics is controlled to change density of the agents from the initial to the final density. A first control problem is formulated for optimizing a control cost of changing density of the agents from the initial density to the final density subject to dynamics of the agents in a density space. The first control problem, which is a non-linear non-convex problem over a multi-agent control and a density of the agents, is transformed into a second control problem over the density of the agents and a product of the multi-agent control and the density of the agents. The second control problem is a non-linear convex problem that is solved to produce the control input for each section of the state space. A motion of each agent is controlled according to a control input corresponding to its section of the state space.

Motion of multiple agents with identical non-linear dynamics is controlled to change density of the agents from the initial to the final density. A first control problem is formulated for optimizing a control cost of changing density of the agents from the initial density to the final density subject to dynamics of the agents in a density space. The first control problem, which is a non-linear non-convex problem over a multi-agent control and a density of the agents, is transformed into a second control problem over the density of the agents and a product of the multi-agent control and the density of the agents. The second control problem is a non-linear convex problem that is solved to produce the control input for each section of the state space. A motion of each agent is controlled according to a control input corresponding to its section of the state space.

An element having a holding mechanism, adapted for interacting with a functionally aligned holding mechanism of a similar element, and including a holding state and a released state. The holding mechanism in the holding state is engaged with the aligned holding mechanism of the similar element for holding the element positioned with respect to the similar element. The holding element in the released state is disengaged with the aligned holding mechanism. The element also includes a sensing mechanism for providing grab-detection, the grab-detection including detection of an action leading to a grip of the element, having a grip on the element, an action of releasing a grip of the element, and a combination thereof. The sensing mechanism is functionally coupled to the holding mechanism for upon the grab-detection actuating at least one of the functionally aligned holding mechanism between the holding state and the released state.