Dynamic traversal protocol selection by autonomous robots in a facility context

A method comprising:

• traversing, by a robot operating using a first traversal protocol, autonomously along a first route that is defined by physical markers that are detectable by the robot, wherein the robot is configured to move only based on a presence and type of each physical marker when the robot is configured to operate based on the first traversal protocol;
• detecting, while traversing along the first route, a triggering condition corresponding to a change in operation by the robot from the first traversal protocol to a second traversal protocol by:
• detecting a final physical marker that was defined by a user as a transition point from the first traversal protocol to the second traversal protocol, wherein the user defined the final physical marker as the transition point by making a selection of the final physical marker on a map interface from a plurality of candidate final physical markers, the plurality of candidate final physical markers comprising the physical markers that are detectable by the robot along the first route, the final physical marker distinguished from other ones of the physical markers encountered along the first route by indicating instructions to the robot to transition to the second traversal protocol based on the selection made by the user;
• and
• determining that the triggering condition has been detected responsive to detecting the final physical marker;
• and
• responsive to detecting the triggering condition, configuring the robot to operate in the second traversal protocol, wherein the robot, when configured to operate based on the second traversal protocol, determines a second route autonomously without regard to a presence of any of the physical markers and without regard to a presence of any virtual markers.

A system comprising:

• memory with instructions encoded thereon;
• and
• one or more processors, that, when executing the instructions, are caused to perform operations comprising:
• traversing, by a robot operating using a first traversal protocol, autonomously along a first route that is defined by physical markers that are detectable by the robot, wherein the robot is configured to move only based on a presence and type of each physical marker when the robot is configured to operate based on the first traversal protocol;
• detecting, while traversing along the first route, a triggering condition corresponding to a change in operation by the robot from the first traversal protocol to a second traversal protocol by:
• detecting a final physical marker that was defined by a user as a transition point from the first traversal protocol to the second traversal protocol, wherein the user defined the final physical marker as the transition point by making a selection of the final physical marker on a map interface from a plurality of candidate final physical markers, the plurality of candidate final physical markers comprising the physical markers that are detectable by the robot along the first route, the final physical marker distinguished from other ones of the physical markers encountered along the first route by indicating instructions to the robot to transition to the second traversal protocol based on the selection made by the user;
• and
• determining that the triggering condition has been detected responsive to detecting the final physical marker;
• and
• responsive to detecting the triggering condition, configuring the robot to operate in the second traversal protocol, wherein the robot, when configured to operate based on the second traversal protocol, determines a second route autonomously without regard to a presence of any of the physical markers and without regard to a presence of any virtual markers.