Abstract:
A mobile cleaner includes: a running unit for automatically moving along a floor face; a cleaning unit for cleaning the floor face; an image taking unit for taking an image of a surrounding; and a switching unit for switching to a state of exposing an opening portion of the image taking unit to be able to take the image of the surrounding and a state of concealing the opening portion of the image taking unit to be unable to take the image of the surrounding.
Abstract:
An autonomous vacuum cleaner network system comprises an autonomous vacuum cleaner and two terminal devices connected to the autonomous vacuum cleaner via a network. Using one of the terminal devices, a user inputs reservation information. The autonomous vacuum cleaner receives the input reservation information via a wireless LAN, and stores it, and further executes a self-diagnostic program immediately before a scheduled cleaning start time. If there is abnormality in the result of the self-diagnosis, the autonomous vacuum cleaner sends the result of the self-diagnosis as maintenance information to the other terminal device which is selected and assigned by the user as an addressed device. The autonomous vacuum cleaner network system makes it possible to set reservation information of the autonomous vacuum cleaner without requiring the user to go to the place where the autonomous vacuum cleaner is placed, and makes it possible to surely inform the user whether the autonomous vacuum cleaner can operate smoothly at the scheduled cleaning start time.
Abstract:
A system for collecting data in a room. The system includes a plurality of sensor devices positioned at various locations in the room. The sensor devices include a sensor configured to detect at least one condition and a controller configured to control the sensor. The system also includes at least one data storage device configured to store the detected at least one condition and an interface mechanism for enabling communication of the stored at least one condition. The system further includes a data collector for interfacing with the interface mechanism to receive the stored at least one condition from the at least one data storage device.
Abstract:
A robot 20 periodically moves along specified routes in a user's living space 1, collecting the ID data items of objects 40 existing in the living space 1. Each object 40 has a radio tag 10, which stores the ID data of the object 40. The robot 20 has a communications unit 26. While the robot 20 is moving, the unit 26 keeps transmitting an electric wave to which the radio tags 10 can respond. Upon receiving the electric wave, each radio tag 10 transmits the ID data of the object 40. The robot 20 receives the ID data and generates property data by adding, to the ID data, the data representing the time and position at which the radio tag 10 has transmitted the ID data. The property data shows what exists where and when. A data-managing apparatus 30 has a meta-data recording unit 31, which converts the property data to meta data. The meta data can be used in various types of data-processing apparatuses.
Abstract:
A device for sensing at least one environmental condition in a data center. The device includes a chassis, a propelling mechanism, a power supply, a steering mechanism, and a controller supported on the chassis. The chassis also supports at least one environmental condition sensor and is operable to travel through the data center and sense at least one environmental condition at various locations throughout the data center.
Abstract:
A system for tele-operating a robot in an environment includes a user interface for controlling the tele-operation of the robot, an imaging device associated with the robot for providing image information representative of the environment around the robot, means for transmitting the image information to the user interface, means for converting the image information to a user-perceptible image at the user interface, means for designating one or more waypoints located anywhere in the user-perceptible image towards which the robot will move, the waypoint in the user-perceptible image towards which the robot will first move being designated as the active waypoint using an icon, means for automatically converting the location of the active waypoint in the user-perceptible image into a target location having x, y, and z coordinates in the environment of the robot, means for providing real-time instructions to the robot from the user interface to move the robot from the robot's current location in the environment to the x, y, and z coordinates of the target location in the environment, and means for moving the icon representing the active waypoint in the user-perceptible image to a new location in the user-perceptible image while the robot is executing the real-time instruction, wherein the location-converting means automatically converts the new location of the icon representing the active waypoint into a new target location having x, y, and z coordinates in the environment of the robot towards which the robot will move.
Abstract:
Communication system of a group robot system is made hierarchical, having a base station as an uppermost layer and a plurality of layers formed by a plurality of sensing robots, and the plurality of sensing robots are controlled such that a sensing robot belonging to an upper layer of the hierarchical structure has higher sensing resolution than a sensing robot belonging to a lower layer of the hierarchical structure. Thus, a group robot system capable of efficiently searching for an object can be obtained.
Abstract:
Methods of remote control of a mobile robot and an intuitive user interface for remotely controlling a mobile robot are provided. Using a point-and-click device (405), the user is able to choose a target location (430) within a heads-up display (400) toward which to move a mobile robot. Additional graphical overlays (410 & 412) are provided to aid the user in navigating even in systems with asynchronous communication.
Abstract:
A robotic vehicle system for terrain navigation mobility provides a way to climb stairs, cross crevices, and navigate across difficult terrain by coupling two or more mobile robots with a coupling device and controlling the robots cooperatively in tandem.
Abstract:
An autonomously movable cleaning robot comprising a platform and motive force to autonomously move the robot on a substantially horizontal surface having boundaries. The robot further has a computer processing unit for storing, receiving and transmitting data, and a cleaning implement operatively associated with the robot. The robot receives input data from an external source. The external source may be physical manipulation of the robot, remote control, or by triangulation from at least three external transmitters.