Esolar, Inc.

Elwha LLC

Idealab

Bill Gross

Christian T Gregory

Dan Reznik

Michael Slack

Porter Arbogast

Quoc Pham

Lowell L Wood, Jr

Roderick A Hyde

Clarence T Tegreene

Jordin T Kare

Nathan P Myhrvold

Robert C Petroski

Hon Wah Chin

Erik K Antonsson

Maximilian Ted Zavodny

Mark Goodstein

A system and method for localizing an autonomous vehicle using a digital stereo camera mounted to the autonomous vehicle and oriented to obtain images of the road surface. The system comprises an image processor configured to analyze the images of the road surface and identify micro-features, such as pores, holes, cracks, and granular material embedded in the street. The image processor is configured to compile previously obtained images of the road surface into reference mosaics and to compare the micro-features identified in newly obtained images to the reference mosaic to determine the location of the autonomous vehicle. The system may be further configured with a communications module to transmit images and localization information to a database repository or server.

Localization of autonomous vehicles via ground image recognition

A solar power plant includes central receiver modules arranged in a regular pattern. Each central receiver module includes a tower, a central receiver mounted on the tower, and a heliostat array bounded by a polygon. The heliostat array includes heliostats with mirrors for reflecting sunlight to the central receiver. The heliostats are grouped in linear rows and each of the rows is parallel to another row. The locations of the heliostats are staggered between adjacent rows. The power plant also includes a power block for aggregating power from the central receivers and power conduits for transferring power from the central receivers to the power block.

Heliostat array layouts for multi-tower central receiver solar power plants

Described embodiments include an unmanned aerial vehicle and a method. The unmanned aerial vehicle includes an airframe and a rotary wing system coupled with the airframe and configured to aerodynamically lift the vehicle in the air. The unmanned aerial vehicle includes a flight controller configured to control a movement of the vehicle while airborne. The unmanned aerial vehicle includes a cleansing controller configured to manage a removal of a surface contaminant from a selected portion of a surface of an external object using an airflow generated by the rotary wing system.

Surface cleaning unmanned aerial vehicle

Loudspeaker

Growing community of inventors

Pasadena, CA, United States of America

Bill Gross