Sphero, Inc.

Misty Robotics, Inc.

Orbotix, Inc.

Other

Adam Wilson

Ian H Bernstein

Ross MacGregor

Brian Keith Smith

Chun Kong

Jonathan Carroll

Kyle Wheeler

Lenn Soderlund

Paul Berberian

Fabrizio Polo

David E Hygh

Kevin Hemmings

Brandon Dorris

Skylar Castator-Smith

Patrick Martin

Dan Danknick

Damon Arniotes

Mickey Kong Chun

A self-propelled device includes a spherical housing and an internal drive system. The self-propelled device can further include an internal structure having a magnet holder that holds a first set of magnets and an external accessory comprising a second set of magnets to magnetically interact, through the spherical housing, with the first set magnets.

Self propelled device with magnetic coupling

A speed control system and method for controlling the speed of an endless belt loop of a treadmill. The speed control system comprises a plurality of image sensors, each image sensor configured to take an image of a user of the treadmill; and a controller configured to control the speed of the endless belt loop by (a) receiving the images of the user taken by the image sensors, (b) rectifying the images based on a calibration of the image sensors, (c) comparing the images to form a disparity map, (d) determining a distance of a user of the treadmill relative to the treadmill using the disparity map, and (e) calculating velocity or acceleration of the treadmill based on the determined distance of the user.

Treadmill speed control

A self-propelled device can include at least a wireless interface, a housing, a propulsion mechanism, and a camera. Using the camera, the self-propelled device can generate a video feed and transmit the video feed to a controller device via the wireless interface. The self-propelled device can receive an input from the controller device indicating an object or location in the video feed. In response to the input, the self-propelled device can initiate an autonomous mode to autonomously operate the propulsion mechanism to propel the self-propelled device towards the object or location indicated in the video feed.

Multi-purposed self-propelled device

A self-propelled device is provided including a drive system, a spherical housing, and a biasing mechanism. The drive system includes one or more motors that are contained within the spherical housing. The biasing mechanism actively forces the drive system to continuously engage an interior of the spherical housing in order to cause the spherical housing to move.

Self-propelled device with actively engaged drive system

A self-propelled device is disclosed that includes a center of mass drive system. The self-propelled device includes a substantially cylindrical body and wheels, with each wheel having a diameter substantially equivalent to the body. The self-propelled device may further include an internal drive system with a center of mass below a rotational axis of the wheels. Operation and maneuvering of the self-propelled device may be performed via active displacement of the center of mass.

Self-propelled device with center of mass drive system

A self-propelled device determines an orientation for its movement based on a pre-determined reference frame. A controller device is operable by a user to control the self-propelled device. The controller device includes a user interface for controlling at least a direction of movement of the self-propelled device. The self-propelled device is configured to signal the controller device information that indicates the orientation of the self-propelled device. The controller device is configured to orient the user interface, based on the information signaled from the self-propelled device, to reflect the orientation of the self-propelled device.

Orienting a user interface of a controller for operating a self-propelled device

Growing community of inventors

Longmont, CO, United States of America

Adam Wilson