Manual control modes for an autonomous mobile robot

A robot for performing tasks on items located in a space, the items being located proximate fiducial markers, each fiducial marker having a fiducial identification, the robot comprising:

• a processor configured to:
• receive an order to perform a task on at least one item;
• determine the fiducial identification associated with the at least one item;
• obtain, using the fiducial identification of the at least one item, a pose associated with a position of the fiducial marker with the determined fiducial identification, in a coordinate system defined by the space;
• a navigation system configured to navigate the robot to the pose of the fiducial marker associated with said determined fiducial identification;
• a display configured to communicate to an operator the task to be performed on the at least one item;
• and
• a sensor configured to detect that the pose is obstructed by an object;
• wherein, when the sensor detects that the pose is obstructed by an object, the processor is configured to stop the robot a location spaced from the pose and cause the robot to provide a first signal that the robot is in a holding mode;
• wherein the processor is configured to provide on the display inputs to allow a human operator to select one of pausing continued operation of the robot, bypassing the pose, or remaining in the holding mode;
• wherein when the human operator selects the display input of pausing continued operation of the robot, the processor is configured to cause the robot to pause at the location spaced from the pose to have the operator perform the task on the at least one item even though the robot has not reached the pose;
• wherein when the human operator selects the display input of bypassing the pose, the processor is configured to cause the robot to bypass the pose without performing the task on the at least one item;
• and
• wherein when the human operator selects the display input of remaining in holding mode, the processor is configured to cause the robot to remain in the holding mode until the robot detects that the pose is no longer obstructed by the object.

A method for performing tasks on items located in a space using a robot, the method comprising:

• receiving an order to perform a task on at least one item;
• determining a location associated with the at least one item;
• navigating the robot to the location associated with the at least one item;
• and
• communicating to an operator the task to be performed on the at least one item;
• wherein the method further includes:
• detecting that the location is obstructed by an object,
• stopping the robot spaced from the location,
• causing the robot to provide a first signal that the robot is in a holding mode;
• and
• providing on a display inputs to allow a human operator to select one of pausing continued operation of the robot, bypassing the location, or remaining in the holding mode;
• wherein when the human operator selects the display input of pausing continued operation of the robot, causing the robot to pause spaced from the location to have the operator perform the task on the at least one item even though the robot has not reached the location;
• wherein when the human operator selects the display input of bypassing the location, causing the robot to bypass the location without performing the task on the at least one item;
• and
• wherein when the human operator selects the display input of remaining in holding mode, causing the robot to remain in the holding mode until the robot detects that the location is no longer obstructed by the object.

A robot for performing tasks on items located in a space, the robot comprising:

• a processor configured to receive an order to perform a task on at least one item and to
• determine a location in the space associated with the at least one item;
• a navigation system configured to navigate the robot to the location;
• a display configured to communicate to an operator the task to be performed on the at least one item;
• and
• a sensor configured to detect that the location is obstructed by an object;
• wherein, when the sensor detects that the location is obstructed by an object, the processor is configured to stop the robot at a location spaced from the location and cause the robot to provide a first signal that the robot is in a holding mode;
• wherein the processor is configured to provide on the display inputs to allow a human operator to select one of pausing continued operation of the robot, bypassing the pose, or remaining in the holding mode;
• wherein when the human operator selects the display input of pausing continued operation of the robot, the processor is configured to cause the robot to pause spaced from the pose to have the operator perform the task on the at least one item even though the robot has not reached the location;
• wherein when the human operator selects the display input of bypassing the location, the processor is configured to cause the robot to bypass the location without performing the task on the at least one item;
• and
• wherein when the human operator selects the display input of remaining in holding mode, the processor is configured to cause the robot to remain in the holding mode until the robot detects that the location is no longer obstructed by the object.