Amazon Technologies, Inc.

Justin Croyle

Stephen Charles Paschall, Ii

Ashish Shah

Anatoly Mitlin

Shilpi Gupta

Gabriel Hebert

Dincer Bozkaya

Erik Steltz

Stephen Caldara

Renen Bassik

Adam Joseph Greenbaum

Fahrudin Alagic

Gregory Cartagena

Craig Ropi

Sara Jean Woo

Stephen Charles Paschall

Sean Garcen

Jing Ma

Christopher John Schuchmann

William Joseph Klein

Joshua Zarr

Paul Tomashevskyi

Adam Robert Lehmann

Systems and methods to test autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) may include a dynamometer, a robotic system carrying an object, and a control system. An AMR under test may be positioned on the dynamometer and instructed to perform navigation maneuvers, which may be detected by the dynamometer. The control system may receive the detected movements and determine corresponding movements for the robotic system using inverse kinematics. Then, the control system may instruct movement of the object via the robotic system based on the corresponding movements. Using such test systems and methods, perception systems and responses by safety, navigation, and/or drive systems of AMRs may be tested in a controlled, robust, and repeatable manner.

Systems and methods to test perception and safety responses of autonomous mobile robots

A method includes operating an autonomous mobile robot (AMR) in a first physical location according to a first safety protocol of the AMR and based on a location of the AMR relative to a second physical location different from the first physical location and with a second safety protocol different from the first safety protocol, switching the AMR to operate under the second safety protocol rather than the first safety protocol while the AMR is located in the second physical location. The method also includes, in response to detecting that the AMR is exiting the second physical location after the AMR has completed operating in the second physical location, switching the AMR to operate under the first safety protocol.

Autonomous mobile robot using multiple safety protocols

Systems and techniques for performing a calibration test of an obstacle detection sensor of a drive unit are described. An example system includes a calibration region and at least one drive unit. The calibration region is disposed in an environment and includes a calibration apparatus. The at least one drive unit is operable to autonomously move throughout the environment. The at least one drive unit includes a sensor configured to detect one or more objects within the environment. The at least one drive unit is configured to autonomously transition to the calibration region upon detecting at least one predetermined condition, and perform a calibration test of the first sensor at the calibration region using the calibration apparatus.

Calibration garage for automated calibration of depth sensors in mobile robots

Disclosed autonomous mobile robot systems can be used to safely and efficiently navigate through a facility while avoiding objects in the path of the autonomous mobile robot during completion of a task. Specifically, a first bounded area based on first sensor data may be generated around an autonomous mobile robot where the first sensor data is used to identify objects in a travel path for the autonomous mobile robot and determine a speed for navigating the facility. A second bounded area of a size less than the first bounded area may be generated around the autonomous mobile robot based on speed information from propulsion components of the autonomous mobile robot. A new travel path and new speed information may be generated based on identifying an object in the travel path, dimensional measurements of a space around the object, and a current size of the second bounded area.

Dynamic navigation of autonomous vehicle with safety infrastructure

Autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) having adaptive safety systems may operate individually or as part of a convoy. During individual operations, an AMR may determine a safety zone and stop responsive to detecting an object within the safety zone. During convoy operations, an AMR may selectively mute a portion of the safety zone and allow a forward AMR of a convoy within the portion of the safety zone. In this manner, the adaptive safety systems may enable convoy operations of multiple AMRs with relatively greater density and greater speed, thereby improving speed and efficiency of AMR operations without negatively impacting safety.

Adaptive safety systems for autonomous mobile robots

A safety rated robotic motor control system may be configured to receive sensor data from sensors positioned on a motor. The data can be received by a programmable logic device and processed to generate a fault message based on a first set of characteristics. The fault message and the data can be transmitted to a safety controller that determines a second set of characteristics and generates operating instructions based on the fault message and the second set of characteristics.

Safety rated robotic motor control

Aspects described herein include an autonomous surface vehicle (ASV) for operation within an inventory system of an environment. The ASV includes a drive system, a docking system, a plurality of sensors, and a memory storing a map of the environment. The ASV further includes one or more computer processors configured to (i) detect, using a location sensor, a location of the ASV within the environment; (ii) control the drive system to actuate the ASV toward a corridor defined in the map at a first speed setting; and control the drive system to actuate the ASV through the corridor along at least one barrier defined in the map. A second, greater speed setting is applied when (i) the location sensor indicates that the ASV is within the corridor and (ii) one or more fiducials along the at least one barrier are visually detected by one or more proximity sensors.

Inventory system with high-speed corridors for autonomous surface vehicles

Disclosed autonomous mobile robot systems can be used to safely and efficiently navigate through a facility while avoiding objects in the path of the autonomous mobile robot during completion of a task. Specifically, a safety zone of a first size may be generated around an autonomous mobile robot based at least in part on first data from a first set of sensors associated with the autonomous mobile robot that are configured to identify an object within the safety zone. Information indicating a current speed of the autonomous mobile robot from associated propulsion components may be received and utilized to update the first size and a shape of the safety zone. Instructions to cease propulsion of the autonomous mobile robot may be transmitted to the propulsion components based on first data identifying the object within the updated first size of the safety zone.

Collision prevention for autonomous vehicles

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Hampstead, NH, United States of America

Justin Croyle