A robotic carton unloader (100, 3500) for unloading a carton pile resting on a floor, e.g. within a truck, semi-trailer or a warehouse, whereby it comprises: a control and visualization system (180, 4020) configured to operate the robotic carton unloader (100, 3500), and to control and automate the unloading process by coordinating and controlling all of the functions of the systems of the robotic carton unloader (100, 3500); a mobile body (120,402, 3510, 3601, 3756, 3903, 4003, 5020, 5701) comprising a chassis, movable across the floor and carrying the control and visualization system (180, 4020) positioned within the chassis, and driven and steered thereby; a conveyor system (135, 235, 3550, 3640, 3700, 3765, 3970, 4090, 4400, 4500, 4550, 5075, 5510) mounted on the mobile body (120,402, 3510, 3601,3756, 3903,4003,5020, 5701) and controlled by the control and visualization system (180, 4020) to convey unloaded cartons thereon, the conveyor system (135, 235, 3550, 3640, 3700, 3765, 3970, 4090,4400, 4500, 4550, 5075, 5510) fixed to the mobile body (120,402, 3510, 3601, 3756, 3903, 4003, 5020, 5701) to extend across the top of the mobile body (120,402, 3510, 3601, 3756, 3903, 4003, 5020, 5701) from a front to a rear of the robotic carton unloader (100, 3500); characterized by: a robotic arm (3730, 3740, 3800, 3930, 4030, 4130, 4210, 4300, 5010) controlled by the control and visualization system (180, 4020), comprising an arm body and being movably attached to the mobile body (120,402, 3510, 3601, 3756, 3903, 4003, 5020, 5701) on each side of the conveyor system, and wherein the robotic arm comprises a pair of pivoting arm portions (3930a, 3930b) with a lower arm portion having a first end pivotally attached to a side of the arm body at a lower arm axis and a second end that pivotally attached to an upper arm portion at an upper arm axis with the upper arm portion pivotally extending from the second end of the lower arm portion to rotate around the upper pivot axis, and a vacuum manipulator (0162, 0408, 3532, 3750, 3764, 3810, 3910. 4010, 4110, 4315) being pivotally attached to pivotable ends of the upper arm portion to pivot around a head pivot axis (D-D), with the conveyor system passing between the pivoting arm portions of the robotic arm that straddles on each side of the conveyor system so that cartons may pass through the pivoting arm portions. a control and visualization system (180, 4020) configured to operate the robotic carton unloader (100, 3500), and to control and automate the unloading process by coordinating and controlling all of the functions of the systems of the robotic carton unloader (100, 3500); a mobile body (120,402, 3510, 3601, 3756, 3903, 4003, 5020, 5701) comprising a chassis, movable across the floor and carrying the control and visualization system (180, 4020) positioned within the chassis, and driven and steered thereby; a conveyor system (135, 235, 3550, 3640, 3700, 3765, 3970, 4090, 4400, 4500, 4550, 5075, 5510) mounted on the mobile body (120,402, 3510, 3601,3756, 3903,4003,5020, 5701) and controlled by the control and visualization system (180, 4020) to convey unloaded cartons thereon, the conveyor system (135, 235, 3550, 3640, 3700, 3765, 3970, 4090,4400, 4500, 4550, 5075, 5510) fixed to the mobile body (120,402, 3510, 3601, 3756, 3903, 4003, 5020, 5701) to extend across the top of the mobile body (120,402, 3510, 3601, 3756, 3903, 4003, 5020, 5701) from a front to a rear of the robotic carton unloader (100, 3500); characterized by: a robotic arm (3730, 3740, 3800, 3930, 4030, 4130, 4210, 4300, 5010) controlled by the control and visualization system (180, 4020), comprising an arm body and being movably attached to the mobile body (120,402, 3510, 3601, 3756, 3903, 4003, 5020, 5701) on each side of the conveyor system, and wherein the robotic arm comprises a pair of pivoting arm portions (3930a, 3930b) with a lower arm portion having a first end pivotally attached to a side of the arm body at a lower arm axis and a second end that pivotally attached to an upper arm portion at an upper arm axis with the upper arm portion pivotally extending from the second end of the lower arm portion to rotate around the upper pivot axis, and a vacuum manipulator (0162, 0408, 3532, 3750, 3764, 3810, 3910. 4010, 4110, 4315) being pivotally attached to pivotable ends of the upper arm portion to pivot around a head pivot axis (D-D), with the conveyor system passing between the pivoting arm portions of the robotic arm that straddles on each side of the conveyor system so that cartons may pass through the pivoting arm portions. a robotic arm (3730, 3740, 3800, 3930, 4030, 4130, 4210, 4300, 5010) controlled by the control and visualization system (180, 4020), comprising an arm body and being movably attached to the mobile body (120,402, 3510, 3601, 3756, 3903, 4003, 5020, 5701) on each side of the conveyor system, and wherein the robotic arm comprises a pair of pivoting arm portions (3930a, 3930b) with a lower arm portion having a first end pivotally attached to a side of the arm body at a lower arm axis and a second end that pivotally attached to an upper arm portion at an upper arm axis with the upper arm portion pivotally extending from the second end of the lower arm portion to rotate around the upper pivot axis, and a vacuum manipulator (0162, 0408, 3532, 3750, 3764, 3810, 3910. 4010, 4110, 4315) being pivotally attached to pivotable ends of the upper arm portion to pivot around a head pivot axis (D-D), with the conveyor system passing between the pivoting arm portions of the robotic arm that straddles on each side of the conveyor system so that cartons may pass through the pivoting arm portions.