Amazon Technologies, Inc.

Ravi Yatnalkar

Monica Liane Mecchella

Scott Patrick Campbell

Bruce Robert Woodley

Abhay K Gupta

Om Prakash Gangwal

Kei Yamamoto

Sourabh Pawar

Michael Christopher Kouxommone

An autonomous mobile device (AMD) may move around a physical space performing various tasks. Most of the sensors on the AMD may be directed towards the front and sides of the AMD to facilitate autonomous navigation, interactions with users, and so forth. The AMD may return to a dock to recharge batteries, replenish consumables, transfer payload, and so forth. The AMD uses the sensors to approach the vicinity of the dock. Once in the vicinity, the AMD turns around and backs into the dock. This orientation allows the AMD to continue to operate the forward-facing sensors and interact with users while docked. The AMD uses inductive sensors to detect metallic targets located at particular positions in the dock. Output from the inductive sensors provides information about the relative position of the AMD with respect to the dock and is used to steer the AMD into a desired docked position.

System for docking an autonomous mobile device using inductive sensors

A multi-modal interactive apparatus provides for output and input using a plurality of modalities. A display presents image output and speakers provide audio output. A sensor module includes sensors such as a microphone array, camera, radar, ambient light sensor, and so forth. Based on how the apparatus is mounted to a supporting structure, in one implementation the overall orientation of the apparatus may be arranged to provide a desired field-of-view (FOV) to the sensors. For example, based on mounting height, the orientation places the sensor module on a top or bottom of the mounted device. Within the sensor module, one or more sensors may be mounted with a pitch angle that directs the FOV to encompass users during typical operation. In another implementation, the sensor module may be repositioned with respect to the apparatus to provide the desired FOV, such as moved from top to bottom.

Multi-modal interactive apparatus

Device cover

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Sunnyvale, CA, United States of America

Ravi Yatnalkar