An autonomous traveling apparatus includes a traveling body. The traveling body includes a first wheel portion and a second wheel portion each provided along a traveling direction of the autonomous traveling apparatus in the traveling body with a predetermined space being interposed between the first wheel portion and the second wheel portion. The second wheel portion has a pair of wheels. The autonomous traveling apparatus further includes a laser sensor. The laser sensor is configured to detect an object around the laser sensor, and is provided on the traveling body to avoid a portion above each of the pair of wheels such that a scanning plane is lower than a maximum reach point of a range of an upward/downward movement of each of the pair of wheels, the scanning plane being a range in which the laser light passes while rotating the laser light.

According to the present disclosure, there is provided a moving body including a holding device configured to hold a cargo, a driving device configured to move the moving body, a detection device configured to detect a parameter relating to a stable degree of the cargo in the holding device when the moving body is moving, and a control device configured to determine whether a state of the cargo is stable using the parameter relating to the stable degree, and to perform stabilization control in which the driving device is controlled such that the state of the cargo is stable when it is determined that the state of the cargo is not stable.

A method, system and non-transitory computer readable medium includes obtaining an electronic map of an agricultural field. One or more assignment instructions for each of a plurality of robotic systems in an assigned team are generated to optimize execution of a selected agricultural task with respect to at least one parameter based on the obtained electronic map, a number of the robotic systems in the team, and at least one capability of each of the robotic systems in the team. The robotic systems in the team are managed based on wireless transmission of the generated assignment instructions to the robotic systems.

A control device for a moving body according to the present disclosure is a control device for a moving body capable of recognizing and supporting a cargo handling device on which a package is placed and moving while estimating a self-location, and the control device is configured to, when causing the moving body to align and arrange multiple cargo handling devices at an arrangement location, acquire a position of a previous cargo handling device placed in advance at the arrangement location and control the moving body to place a next cargo handling device at a position determined based on the acquired position of the previous cargo handling device. Accordingly, it is possible to align and arrange multiple cargo handling devices at an arrangement location so that a gap is as small as possible by using a moving body capable of moving while estimating a self-location.

A localization system comprises: a device; a master unit which wirelessly transmits a first localization signal; a plurality of lateration units distributed about the area within which the device is being localized, wherein each lateration unit of the plurality independently starts its own timer upon its receipt of the first localization signal; and a localization unit. The device receives the first localization signal and responsively wirelessly transmits a second localization signal. Each of the lateration units: independently receives the second localization signal; stops its respective timer responsive to receipt of the second localization signal; and wirelessly transmits a timer count signal to a localization unit. The timer count signal identifies the transmitting lateration unit and a count of its respective timer. The localization unit utilizes the plurality of timer along with respective distances between the master unit and the lateration units to localize the first device via time-of-flight lateration.

A mobility platform is configured to execute one or more tasks in a worksite including a passive landmark. A mobility platform may include a first laser rangefinder and at least one processor configured to sweep the first passive landmark with the first laser rangefinder to collect a first plurality of distance measurements for a first plurality of yaw angles, fit a first shape to the first plurality of distance measurements based on a predetermined shape of the first passive landmark, and determine a position of a geometric center of the first passive landmark relative to the first location of the first laser rangefinder based on the fit first shape.

A robot comprises a memory, a processor, a body and a drive system which are coupled. The drive system comprises one of auger-based surface interface portions and continuous tread surface interface portions. The auger-based surface interface portions and the continuous tread surface interface portions are interchangeable to adapt the robot to one of different operating conditions and different uses. The processor is configured to: control movement of the robot, via the drive system, to traverse across a first surface, wherein the first surface comprises piled granular material, in response to the drive system being configured with the auger-based surface interface portions; and control movement of the robot via the drive system to traverse across a second surface, which is a solid or semi-solid surface other than the piled granular material, in response to the drive system being configured with the continuous tread surface interface portions.

A method for controlling a laser pointer projection of a pet companion robot device to interact with a pet includes the steps of: determining a focal length 1 of the camera; determining a height difference y between the at least one laser pointer steering motors of the laser pointer and the camera; determining a horizontal viewing angle of the camera, a corresponding horizontal viewing range is (/2, /2); determining a vertical viewing angle of the camera, a corresponding vertical viewing range is (/2, /2); determining whether the touch screen of the wireless remote-control device is touched; when the touch screen of the wireless remote-control device is touched, determining the corresponding coordinates (i, j); calculating an angular difference between the camera and the at least one laser pointer steering motors; and calculating a horizontal steering motor rotation angle .sub.x; calculating a vertical steering motor rotation angle .sub.y.

The invention is notably directed to a method of driving an automated vehicle (10) comprising a drive-by-wire (DbW) system (300) with electromechanical actuators. The method is performed by a validation unit (220), which is connected to a motion planning unit (106). The validation unit and the motion planning unit may form part of the vehicle, making it an autonomous vehicle. In variants, the validation unit and the motion planning unit form part of a central control unit, which, e.g., remotely steers the vehicle in a designated area. The method and revolves around receiving (S10) provisional commands and accordingly triggering (S70-S90) an actuation sequence. The provisional commands are received (S10) from the motion planning unit (106). The provisional commands contain provisional instructions with respective execution times. The provisional commands are designed to be executed by respective ones of the electromechanical actuators to cause the vehicle (10) to follow a drivable trajectory. The actuation sequence is triggered (S70-S90) by generating (S70) effective commands based on the provisional commands received and timely sending (S80) the effective commands generated to the electromechanical actuators, whereby an effective command containing an effective instruction is repeatedly generated (S70) for and sent (S80) to each actuator of said electromechanical actuators. Each effective command of at least some of the effective commands sent to said each actuator is generated (S70) by selecting (S76) provisional commands and accordingly determining (S77) the effective instruction of each effective command. That is, two or more provisional commands are selected (S76) among the provisional commands received in respect of each actuator, in accordance with an effective time point, the latter corresponding to a current time point corrected to compensate for an actuator delay of said each actuator. The effective instruction of each effective command is then determined (S77) based on provisional instructions of the two or more provisional commands selected and their respective execution times. The invention is further directed to related systems and computer program products.

A method for an autonomous robot to empty refuse. A sensor positioned on the robot captures sensor data of an environment of the robot as the robot navigates within the environment and a processor of the robot generates a map of the environment based on at least the sensor data. The processor receives a schedule for emptying refuse stored in a container of the robot at a refuse collection location from an application of a communication device. The processor determines a path of the robot from a storage location of the robot to the refuse collection location and actuates the robot to autonomously drive along the path according to the schedule.