A surface cleaning apparatus comprises a body including a rear compartment, a forward compartment and an intermediate compartment arranged between the rear and forward compartments. An elongate rotatable brush arrangement is positioned within and extends across the forward compartment. An electric motor is positioned in the rear compartment, and drive means extends between the rotatable brush arrangement and the electric motor.

Surface cleaning apparatus

A remote controlled robot system that includes a robot and a remote control station. The robot includes a binaural microphone system that is coupled to a speaker system of the remote control station. The binaural microphone system may include a pair of microphones located at opposite sides of a robot head. the location of the microphones roughly coincides with the location of ears on a human body. Such microphone location creates a mobile robot that more effectively simulates the tele-presence of an operator of the system. The robot may include two different microphone systems and the ability to switch between systems. For example, the robot may also include a zoom camera system and a directional microphone. The directional microphone may be utilized to capture sound from a direction that corresponds to an object zoomed upon by the camera system.

Mobile tele-presence system with a microphone system

A remote controlled robot with a head that supports a monitor and is coupled to a mobile platform. The mobile robot also includes an auxiliary camera coupled to the mobile platform by a boom. The mobile robot is controlled by a remote control station. By way of example, the robot can be remotely moved about an operating room. The auxiliary camera extends from the boom so that it provides a relatively close view of a patient or other item in the room. An assistant in the operating room may move the boom and the camera. The boom may be connected to a robot head that can be remotely moved by the remote control station.

Telepresence robot with a camera boom

A telepresence robot may include a drive system, a control system, an imaging system, and a mapping module. The mapping module may access a plan view map of an area and tags associated with the area. In various embodiments, each tag may include tag coordinates and tag information, which may include a tag annotation. A tag identification system may identify tags within a predetermined range of the current position and the control system may execute an action based on an identified tag whose tag information comprises a telepresence robot action modifier. The telepresence robot may rotate an upper portion independent from a lower portion. A remote terminal may allow an operator to control the telepresence robot using any combination of control methods, including by selecting a destination in a live video feed, by selecting a destination on a plan view map, or by using a joystick or other peripheral device.

Interfacing with a mobile telepresence robot

A control system for a mobile robot ( 10 ) is provided to effectively cover a given area by operating in a plurality of modes, including an obstacle following mode ( 51 ) and a random bounce mode ( 49 ). In other embodiments, spot coverage, such as spiraling ( 45 ), or other modes are also used to increase effectiveness. In addition, a behavior based architecture is used to implement the control system, and various escape behaviors are used to ensure full coverage.

Method and system for multi-mode coverage for an autonomous robot

The present invention is directed to autonomous, microprocessor controlled home cleaning robots having useful functions. More specifically, the present invention relates to autonomous, mobile home cleaning robots having low energy cleaning implements.

Home cleaning robot

A garment stain removal product and process is disclosed. The product includes a liquid cleaning composition which contains water, an organic solvent and a surfactant, an absorbent stain receiver, and a sonic or ultrasonic wave generating source for imparting sonic or ultrasonic waves onto stains on textiles. The sonic or ultrasonic wave source is, for example, a hand-held, pen-shaped device with a directed point to focus the sonic or ultrasonic waves at the stain to be removed.

Garment stain removal product which uses sonic or ultrasonic waves

Disclosed are protective, flexible mats for absorbing liquids on floors and other surfaces which contain a waterproof component and a polymeric foam sheet formed by polymerizing a high internal phase water-in-oil emulsion. The mats can also contain a non-skid material and/or at least one liquid pervious sheet. The mats are suitable for absorbing hydrophilic and hydrophobic liquids.

A flexible mat for absorbing liquids comprising polymeric foam materials

A cleaning device for spot-cleaning fabrics without causing fiber damage is provided. A hand-held device with a convex face comprises treatment means, such as fibers. In use, the stained fabric is moistened with a cleaning composition and the device is rolled or rocked on the stained area. The fibers mechanically dislodge the stain. The device is especially useful as a pre-spotter in a dry cleaning operation.

Stain removal device

A product and process for laundering delicate or dry-clean only garments in a conventional home washing machine. The process represents a home version of the commercial wet-cleaning processes for cleaning of delicate garments. The product may comprise a liquid cleaning composition, a wash pretreatment composition, a wash pretreatment applicator, an apparatus for dispensing a rinse cycle conditioner and a flexible wrap container within which the garments are contained during washing.

Thomas Charles Hortel

Papers

Home cleaning robot

Garment stain removal product which uses sonic or ultrasonic waves

A flexible mat for absorbing liquids comprising polymeric foam materials

Stain removal device

Methods for laundering delicate garments in a washing machine