A system can accommodate riders of a transportation arrangement service that have certain physical impairments, such as visual, hearing, or movement impairments. In certain aspects, a transportation facilitation system can create rider profiles that specify a particular impairment, and vehicle profiles indicating accommodation features. The transport facilitation system can receive a pick-up request, utilize the rider profile and vehicle profiles of vehicle proximate to a pick-up location, select a vehicle to service the pick-up request, and generate a configuration set to configure the selected vehicle to accommodate the impaired user.

Transport vehicle configuration for impaired riders

An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) carries a camera, sends data from the camera, and receives commands. The UAV is connected to a messaging platform. Pictures or video clips received from the UAV are selected and placed in messages broadcast by an account associated with the UAV. Video footage from the camera is live-streamed in a card-type message. Account holders of the messaging platform may control the UAV with commands embedded in messages and directed towards an account associated with the UAV. Controllable elements of the UAV include UAV location, camera orientation, camera subject, UAV-mounted lighting, a UAV-mounted display, a UAV-mounted projector, UAV-mounted speakers, and a detachable payload. UAV control may be determined through democratic means. Some UAV functionality may be triggered through aggregated engagements on the messaging platform. The UAV may include a display screen and/or a microphone to provide for telepresence or interview functionality.

Messaging-enabled unmanned aerial vehicle

A virtual reality system is disclosed that provides autonomous vehicle (AV) sensor data to applications such as games and augmented reality overlays to enhance experiences for riders in the autonomous vehicle. Virtual reality headsets offer users unique and interesting experiences, but when used in a changing environment such as a moving vehicle, external stimuli can impair the virtual reality experience. AV sensors can predict these stimuli so that applications can take measures to reduce their impacts on virtual reality experiences. In addition, sensors can include cameras that send live video feeds to virtual reality devices to render improved views of the environment around the AV and of landmarks in a city. Furthermore, virtual reality devices can take advantage of the AV's computing resources in order to offer better performance and more features to applications.

Virtual reality experience for a vehicle

A sensory stimulation system for autonomous vehicle (AV) can monitor AV data indicating actions to be performed by the AV. The sensory stimulation system can further provide a user interface the enables riders of the AV to adjust output parameters of the sensory stimulation system. Based at least in part on the AV data, the sensory stimulation system can generate a set of stimulation commands for one or more of the output systems. Based on adjustments made by the at least one rider on the user interface, the sensory stimulation system can execute the stimulation commands on individual output systems.

Sensory stimulation for an autonomous vehicle

A transport facilitation system can receive a pick-up request from a user device running a designated application of a transportation arrangement service managed by the transport facilitation system, where the pick-up request comprising a unique identifier and a pick-up location. Using the unique identifier, the transport facilitation system can perform a lookup in the database for a comfort profile indicating vehicle setup preferences for a user of the user device, and based on the pick-up location, select a service vehicle to service the pick-up request. Based on the vehicle setup preferences indicated in the comfort profile, the transport facilitation system can transmit a set of configuration instructions to the selected service vehicle, where the set of configuration instructions to configure a number of adjustable components of the selected service vehicle for the user prior to the selected service vehicle arriving at the pick-up location.

Transport facilitation system for configuring a service vehicle for a user

Architecture for a multimodal, multiplatform switching, unmanned vehicle (UV) swarm system which can execute missions in diverse environments. The architecture includes onboard and ground processors to handle and integrate multiple sensor inputs generating a unique UV pilot experience for a remote drone pilot (RDP) via a virtual augmented reality cockpit (VARC). The RDP is monitored by an operational control system and an experienced control pilot. A ground processor handles real-time localization, forwarding of commands, generation and delivery of augmented content to users, along with safety features and overrides. The UVs onboard processors and autopilot execute the commands and provide a redundant source of safety features and override in the case of loss of signal. The UVs perform customizable missions, with adjustable rules for differing skill levels. RDPs experience real-time virtual piloting of the UV with augmented interactive and actionable visual and audio content delivered to them via VARC systems.

Steven D. Herz

Papers

Virtual and augmented reality cockpit and operational control systems