System and method for instructing a device

1. A method comprising:

capturing, via a device having at least one camera member, a visual signal provided by a signal source, the visual signal substantially indicative of a physical motion that a robot is to accomplish, the physical motion enabling a physical interaction between the robot and an item discrete from both the device and the robot;

receiving, at an interpreter module, data indicative of the visual signal captured by the at least one camera member, the interpreter module configured to process the data to provide command data directly to the robot to perform the physical motion autonomously;

communicating, via a communication element on the device, the command data provided by the interpreter module to the robot; and

monitoring movements of the robot in real time as the robot undertakes the physical motion so that the signal source can vary the visual signal depending on the movements of the robot.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the device is discrete from and physically detached from the robot.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the physical motion of the robot at least enables the robot to move the item from a first location to a second location.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the physical motion of the robot is chosen to be a most efficient energy consumption path regardless of the physical motion in the visual signal provided by the signal source.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the signal source comprises an individual.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

capturing, via the device having the at least one camera member, a second visual signal provided by the signal source; and

receiving, at the interpreter module, second data indicative of the second visual signal captured by the at least one camera member, the interpreter module configured to process the second data to provide second command data directly to the robot to vary the physical motion autonomously and without requiring any additional signals or other information from the signal source to yield a changed physical motion; and

communicating, via a communication element on the device, the second command data provided by the interpreter module to the robot so that the robot can perform the changed physical motion based on the second command data.

7. A method comprising:

receiving, at a robot and from a device separate from the robot, a command data, wherein the device:

captured, via at least one camera member, a visual signal provided by a signal source, the visual signal substantially indicative of a physical motion that a robot is to accomplish, the physical motion enabling a physical interaction between the robot and an item discrete from both the device and the robot;

received, at an interpreter module on the device, data indicative of the visual signal captured by the at least one camera member, the interpreter module configured to process the data to provide command data directly to the robot to perform the physical motion autonomously; and

communicated, via a communication element on the device, the command data provided by the interpreter module to the robot; and

monitoring movements of the robot in real time as the robot undertakes the physical motion so that the signal source can vary the visual signal depending on the movements of the robot.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the device is discrete from and physically detached from the robot.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the physical motion of the robot at least enables the robot to move the item from a first location to a second location.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein the physical motion of the robot is chosen to be a most efficient energy consumption path regardless of the physical motion in the visual signal provided by the signal source.

11. The method of claim 7 , wherein the signal source comprises an individual.

12. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:

receiving second command data from the device, wherein the device:

captured, via the at least one camera member, a second visual signal provided by the signal source; and

received, at the interpreter module, second data indicative of the second visual signal captured by the at least one camera member, the interpreter module configured to process the second data to provide the second command data directly to the robot to vary the physical motion autonomously to yield a changed physical motion; and

communicated, via the communication element on the device, the second command data provided by the interpreter module to the robot so that the robot can perform the changed physical motion based on the second command data; and

performing the changed physical motion based on the second command data.

13. A robot comprising:

a processor; and

a computer-readable storage medium storing instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving, at a robot and from a device separate from the robot, a command data, wherein the device:

captured, via at least one camera member, a visual signal provided by a signal source, the visual signal substantially indicative of a physical motion that the signal source wants a robot to accomplish, the physical motion enabling a physical interaction between the robot and an item discrete from both the device and the robot;

received, at an interpreter module on the device, data indicative of the visual signal captured by the at least one camera member, the interpreter module configured to process the data to provide the command data directly to the robot to perform the physical motion autonomously;

communicated, via a communication element on the device, the command data provided by the interpreter module to the robot; and

monitored movements of the robot in real time as the robot undertakes the physical motion so that the signal source can vary the visual signal depending on the movements of the robot; and

performing, by the robot, the physical motion as instructed by the command data.

14. The robot of claim 13 , wherein the device is discrete from and physically detached from the robot.

15. The robot of claim 13 , wherein the physical motion of the robot at least enables the robot to move the item from a first location to a second location.

16. The robot of claim 13 , wherein the physical motion of the robot is chosen to be a most efficient energy consumption path regardless of the physical motion in the visual signal provided by the signal source.

17. The robot of claim 13 , wherein the signal source comprises an individual.

18. The robot of claim 13 , wherein the computer-readable storage medium stores additional instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations further comprising:

receiving second command data from the device, wherein the device:

captured, via the at least one camera member, a second visual signal provided by the signal source; and

received, at the interpreter module, second data indicative of the second visual signal captured by the at least one camera member, the interpreter module configured to process the second data to provide the second command data directly to the robot to vary the physical motion autonomously to yield a changed physical motion; and

communicated, via the communication element on the device, the second command data provided by the interpreter module to the robot so that the robot can perform the changed physical motion based on the second command data; and

performing the changed physical motion based on the second command data.