Control method and state switching method of pharyngeal swab sampling robot

Abstract

The present application relates to the technical field of nucleic acid detection, in particular to a control method and a state switching method of a throat swab sampling robot. Before sampling, the identity information of a sampler is verified through initial face information of the sampler. When the sampler is verified, the throat position of the sampler is located, and then real-time face information of the sampler is collected. If the real-time face information always matches the initial face information, it means that the sampler is always the same person. Then the throat swab is moved to the throat position to implement sampling. From the above analysis, the present application prevents the replacement of the sampler during sampling by detecting whether the real-time face information changes relative to the initial face information, so that the collected sample matches the holder of the two-dimensional code.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of nucleic acid testing technology, specifically to a control method and a state switching method for a throat swab sampling robot. Background Technology

[0002] Throat swab sampling robots can replace humans and autonomously complete tasks such as storing and retrieving testing consumables. Existing sampling robots only verify the identity information of the sampler before sampling. This means that the phenomenon of sampler substitution cannot be detected, resulting in the final sample not necessarily being the sample of the verified sampler.

[0003] In conclusion, existing technologies cannot prevent the occurrence of sampler substitution.

[0004] Therefore, existing technologies still need to be improved and enhanced. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this invention provides a control method and a state switching method for a throat swab sampling robot, solving the problem that existing technologies cannot avoid the occurrence of sampler replacement.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0007] In a first aspect, the present invention provides a control method for a throat swab sampling robot, comprising:

[0008] Acquire a QR code image and determine the identity information of the holder of the QR code image; acquire the initial facial information of the sampler; and verify the sampler based on the initial facial information and the identity information of the holder.

[0009] Once the sampler passes verification, locate the sampler's throat position;

[0010] The sampler's real-time facial information is acquired. When the real-time facial information matches the initial facial information, the sampling robot is controlled to move the throat swab to the throat position to collect the sample from the sampler.

[0011] In one implementation, obtaining the initial facial information of the sampler includes:

[0012] Monitor the real-time pressure data of the seat;

[0013] When the real-time pressure data is detected to be greater than the set value or when the real-time pressure data is constant, the initial facial information of the sampler is obtained.

[0014] In one implementation, locating the throat position of the sampler includes:

[0015] The oral cavity image of the sampler is acquired using an image acquisition device;

[0016] Identify the dental and pharyngeal regions on the oral cavity image;

[0017] In the first coordinate system on the image acquisition device, locate the first position of the pharynx in the pharyngeal region and locate the position of the teeth in the dental region;

[0018] Determine the measured relative positions of the first position of the pharynx and the position of the teeth;

[0019] Obtain the fixed relative position between the teeth and the throat;

[0020] When the measured relative position matches the fixed relative position, the transformation relationship between the second coordinate system and the first coordinate system on the sampling robot is obtained, and the first position of the throat is transformed into the throat position in the second coordinate system according to the transformation relationship.

[0021] In one implementation, the controlled sampling robot moves the pharyngeal swab to the throat location, including:

[0022] Obtain the starting position of the pharyngeal swab;

[0023] Acquire images of the sampler's oral cavity;

[0024] Identify the tooth and mouth contours on the oral cavity image;

[0025] Based on the starting position, the center position of the tooth contour, and the center position of the mouth contour, a preset trajectory is planned;

[0026] The control sampling robot moves the throat swab along the preset trajectory to the throat position.

[0027] In one implementation, the controlled sampling robot moves a throat swab to the throat position to collect a sample from the sampler, including:

[0028] After the sampling robot moves the pharyngeal swab to the pharyngeal position, it collects the pressure value between the pharyngeal swab and the pharynx.

[0029] When the pressure value exceeds the set pressure range, the sampling robot adjusts the pressure of the pharyngeal swab and the throat until the pressure value is within the set pressure range, and controls the sampling robot to move the pharyngeal swab back and forth to collect the sample from the person being sampled.

[0030] Secondly, embodiments of the present invention also provide a method for switching the state of a pharyngeal swab sampling robot, comprising:

[0031] When the sampling robot is detected to be in the sampler verification state, a QR code image is acquired, and the identity information of the holder of the QR code image is determined. The initial facial information of the sampler is acquired, and the sampler is verified based on the initial facial information and the holder's identity information.

[0032] When the sampler passes the verification, the sampling robot is switched from the sampler verification state to the swab collection state.

[0033] Once the sampling robot completes the swab collection operation, it switches from the swab collection state to the throat positioning state to locate the throat position of the sampler.

[0034] When the sampling robot is positioned at the throat, it is switched from the throat positioning state to the extended sampling state to obtain the real-time facial information of the sampler. When the real-time facial information matches the initial facial information, the sampling robot is controlled to move the throat swab to the throat position to collect the sample from the sampler.

[0035] In one implementation, after switching the sampling robot from the throat positioning state to the extended sampling state, the method further includes:

[0036] When sampling is completed, the sampling robot is switched from the extended sampling state to the swab collection and post-processing state;

[0037] If sampling is not completed, the sampling robot will switch from the extended sampling state to the swab dropping state.

[0038] Thirdly, embodiments of the present invention also provide a control device for a throat swab sampling robot, wherein the control device includes the following components:

[0039] The verification module is used to acquire a QR code image, determine the identity information of the holder of the QR code image, acquire the initial facial information of the sampler, and verify the sampler based on the initial facial information and the holder's identity information;

[0040] The positioning module is used to locate the throat position of the sampler when the sampler passes the verification.

[0041] The control module is used to acquire the real-time facial information of the sampler. When the real-time facial information matches the initial facial information, the module controls the sampling robot to move the throat swab to the throat position to collect the sample from the sampler.

[0042] Fourthly, embodiments of the present invention also provide a terminal device, wherein the terminal device includes a memory, a processor, and a control program for a pharyngeal swab sampling robot stored in the memory and executable on the processor. When the processor executes the control program for the pharyngeal swab sampling robot, it implements the steps of the control method for the pharyngeal swab sampling robot described above.

[0043] Alternatively, the terminal device includes a memory, a processor, and a pharyngeal swab sampling robot state switching program stored in the memory and executable on the processor. When the processor executes the pharyngeal swab sampling robot state switching program, it implements the steps of the pharyngeal swab sampling robot state switching method described above.

[0044] Fifthly, embodiments of the present invention also provide a computer-readable storage medium storing a control program for a pharyngeal swab sampling robot. When the control program for the pharyngeal swab sampling robot is executed by a processor, it implements the steps of the control method for the pharyngeal swab sampling robot described above.

[0045] Alternatively, the computer-readable storage medium stores a state switching program for a pharyngeal swab sampling robot, which, when executed by a processor, implements the steps of the pharyngeal swab sampling robot state switching method described above.

[0046] Beneficial Effects: Before sampling, this invention first verifies the sampler's identity using their initial facial information. Only after successful verification does it locate the sampler's throat position and begin real-time facial data collection. If the real-time facial data consistently matches the initial facial data, it indicates that the sampler is consistently the same person. Only then is the throat swab moved to the throat position for sampling. As the above analysis shows, this invention prevents sampler substitution during the sampling process by real-time detection of changes in facial information relative to the initial facial information, ensuring that the collected sample matches the QR code holder. Attached Figure Description

[0047] Figure 1 This is an overall flowchart of the present invention;

[0048] Figure 2 This is a flowchart illustrating the "normal" workflow of the throat swab sampling robot in this embodiment of the invention.

[0049] Figure 3 This is a flowchart illustrating the workflow of the throat swab sampling robot in an embodiment of the present invention when encountering "abnormal" situations.

[0050] Figure 4 A structural diagram of the control device for the throat swab sampling robot provided by the present invention;

[0051] Figure 5 This is a block diagram illustrating the internal structure of a terminal device provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0052] The technical solutions of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the embodiments and accompanying drawings. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0053] Research has found that throat swab sampling robots can replace humans and autonomously complete tasks such as storing and retrieving testing consumables. Current sampling robots only verify the identity of the person being sampled before sampling, which means that instances of sampler substitution cannot be detected, resulting in the final sample not necessarily being from the verified sampler.

[0054] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this invention provides a control method and a state switching method for a throat swab sampling robot, solving the problem that existing technologies cannot avoid the occurrence of sampler replacement.

[0055] The control method for the throat swab sampling robot in this embodiment can be applied to a terminal device, which can be a terminal product with image processing capabilities, such as a computer. In this embodiment, as... Figure 1 As shown, the control method of the throat swab sampling robot specifically includes the following steps:

[0056] S100: Acquire a QR code image and determine the identity information of the holder of the QR code image; acquire the initial facial information of the sampler; and verify the sampler based on the initial facial information and the holder's identity information.

[0057] S200, when the sampler passes the verification, locate the sampler's throat position.

[0058] S300, acquire the real-time facial information of the sampler. When the real-time facial information matches the initial facial information, control the sampling robot to move the throat swab to the throat position to collect the sample from the sampler.

[0059] The camera on the robot captures the image of the QR code held by the sampler in step S100 and uploads the image to the QR code sensor. The QR code sensor can sense the identity information of the holder corresponding to the QR code, which is the holder's facial information. By comparing the sampler's initial facial information with the holder's facial information, it verifies whether the sampler and the holder are the same person.

[0060] In one embodiment, obtaining the initial facial information of the sampler in step S100 includes the following specific steps: monitoring the real-time pressure data borne by the seat; and obtaining the initial facial information of the sampler when the real-time pressure data is greater than a set value and the real-time pressure data is constant.

[0061] Before conducting the nucleic acid test, the robot will prompt the person being sampled to sit in the seat. If the sensors on the seat collect real-time pressure data greater than 300N (a set value), it means that someone has sat down. If the real-time pressure data remains unchanged, it means that the person being sampled is stationary and ready for sampling. At this point, the robot can begin collecting the person's facial image to extract the initial facial information. If the camera does not send a facial image to the robot, it may be because the seat height is too low to capture a facial image. In this case, the robot's display will prompt the person being sampled to raise the seat so that the camera can capture a facial image.

[0062] Once the sampler's identity is verified, step S200, which involves locating the sampler's throat position, begins, including the following specific steps S201 to S206:

[0063] S201, The oral cavity image of the sampler is acquired by the image acquisition device.

[0064] The image acquisition device is a camera located on the outer wall of the robot. Before starting to acquire oral images, the robot will issue a voice prompt to prompt the sampler to open their mouth. Then the camera tracks and locates the mouth to acquire oral images.

[0065] S202, Identify the tooth region and throat region on the oral cavity image.

[0066] S203, in the first coordinate system on the image acquisition device, locate the first position of the pharynx in the pharyngeal region and locate the position of the teeth in the dental region.

[0067] The camera has its own coordinate system, so the tooth area and throat area captured by the camera will have corresponding coordinate positions in this coordinate system. The tooth position is the center position of the area enclosed by the teeth, and the throat position is the center position of the throat area.

[0068] S204, determine the measured relative positions of the first position of the pharynx and the position of the teeth.

[0069] S205, Obtain the fixed relative position between the teeth and the throat;

[0070] S206, when the measured relative position matches the fixed relative position, obtain the transformation relationship between the second coordinate system and the first coordinate system on the sampling robot, and according to the transformation relationship, convert the first position of the throat into the throat position in the second coordinate system.

[0071] Once the mouth is open, the relative position between the teeth and the throat remains fixed. If the actual measured relative position between them equals their fixed relative position, the accurately located first throat position can be verified, allowing for subsequent conversion to the second coordinate system on the sampling robot. If the measured relative position does not equal their fixed relative position, the throat position needs to be repositioned. Only by accurately locating the throat can the robot's sampling quality be improved.

[0072] The robotic arm that grasps the swab moves with reference to the second coordinate system located inside the robot. The first coordinate system inside the camera is not the same as the second coordinate system inside the robot. Therefore, the position of the throat located in the first coordinate system needs to be located in the second coordinate system in order to accurately position the swab at the throat.

[0073] In one embodiment, the step S300 of controlling the sampling robot to move the pharyngeal swab to the throat position includes the following specific steps S301a to S305a:

[0074] S301a, Obtain the starting position of the throat swab.

[0075] The starting position of the throat swab is the position of the swab when the robotic arm just removes it from the test tube, which is the top of the test tube.

[0076] S302a, Obtain the oral cavity image of the sampler.

[0077] S303a, Identify the tooth contours and mouth contours on the oral cavity image.

[0078] Teeth and mouth have different pixel values ​​in an image, so the outlines of teeth and mouth in an oral cavity image can be identified based on the pixel values.

[0079] S304a, a preset trajectory is planned based on the starting position, the center position of the tooth contour, and the center position of the mouth contour.

[0080] The preset trajectory starts from the initial position and does not pass through the edge of the mouth or teeth to prevent the swab from touching the teeth and mouth and becoming contaminated.

[0081] S305a, the sampling robot is controlled to move the pharyngeal swab along the preset trajectory to the pharyngeal position. In another embodiment, step S300 includes the following specific steps S301b and S302b:

[0082] S301b, after the sampling robot moves the pharyngeal swab to the pharyngeal position, it collects the pressure value between the pharyngeal swab and the pharynx.

[0083] S302b, when the pressure value exceeds the set pressure range, the sampling robot adjusts the squeezing degree between the pharyngeal swab and the pharynx until the pressure value is within the set pressure range, and controls the sampling robot to move the pharyngeal swab back and forth to collect the sample from the person being sampled.

[0084] A pressure sensor is installed at the bottom of the throat swab. When the bottom of the throat swab comes into contact with the throat, the pressure sensor senses the pressure between the two. If the pressure is too low, the quality of the collected sample will be reduced; if the pressure is too high, it will cause discomfort to the sampler. Therefore, it is necessary to precisely control the squeezing force between the throat swab and the throat.

[0085] In one embodiment, a sampling robot state switching method is provided, the specific process of which is as follows:

[0086] Medical staff activate the sampling robot to put it into a "power-on startup" state. In this state, the robot will display "Powering on, please wait" on the UI and simultaneously start the various nodes of the hardware control package, vision package, integrated package, and camera driver via the command-line interface. After waiting a few seconds, the `rosping` command is used to check the startup status of each node. If all the above nodes respond, it means the power-on startup was successful. Figure 2 As shown, the robot then switches from the power-on startup state to the "login authorization" state. Conversely, as shown... Figure 3 As shown, the robot switches from the power-on start state to the "startup failure" state. When the robot is in the "startup failure" state, the UI displays the fault information, as well as restart and shutdown buttons. If the user manually selects restart, the robot will switch back to the "power-on start" state; if the user manually selects shutdown, the robot will switch back to the "power off shutdown" state.

[0087] When the robot is in the "Power-On Startup" state, the "Skip Sampling," "Interrupt Sampling," and "Cancel" buttons on the UI are disabled. Only the four buttons under "Manual Process" and the "Lock" button under "Authorization Information" are available. This is to ensure safety when medical personnel are not present; the robot can only be unlocked and returned to the operating interface by re-entering the password.

[0088] When the robot is in "Login Authorization" mode, the UI displays the login interface, requiring the medical staff to enter their name, password, and employee ID. After clicking login, the data is sent to the backend for verification. If successful, it returns a login success message; otherwise, it returns a failure message. If the login is successful, it switches to "Manual" mode; if the login fails, it remains in "Login Authorization" mode; if the robot is powered off, it switches to "Power Off" mode.

[0089] When the robot is in "Manual" mode, the UI displays a configuration interface where medical personnel can manually configure parameters. These parameters include the remaining number of swab tubes and the sampling mode, which includes single-sample, five-sample, ten-sample, and twenty-sample mixed-sample modes. In "Manual" mode, medical personnel can configure parameters, perform device initialization, power-off, and logout operations. If the medical personnel choose to reset the counter, the system transitions to the "Load Parameters" state; if they choose device initialization, it transitions to the "Device Initialization" state; if they choose power-off, it transitions to the "Power Off" state; and if they choose to log out, it transitions to the "Login Authorization" state. Specifically, when the robot is in "Device Initialization" mode, the internal host computer sends initialization commands to the hardware control function package. Each node in the function package controls its corresponding hardware to perform initialization operations and provides feedback on the results. If initialization is successful, the system transitions to the "Load Parameters" state; if initialization fails, it transitions to the "Fault" state. When the robot is in the "Load Parameters" state, it writes the set parameters to a file to save them in case of unexpected program errors. It then rereads the saved data from the configuration file, including the remaining number of test tubes and swabs. If loading is successful, it transitions to the "Sample Inspection" state; if loading fails, it transitions to the "Fault" state.

[0090] When the robot is in the "sample inspection" state, it determines whether the current sample quantity is sufficient for the next round of sampling. If the sample quantity is sufficient for the next round of sampling, it switches to the "test tube collection" state; if the sample quantity is insufficient for the next round of sampling, it switches to the "manual" state.

[0091] When the robot is in the "test tube retrieval" state, the host computer sends a test tube retrieval command to the motion control node of the hardware control function package (the process includes retrieving a new test tube and unscrewing the cap), and waits for feedback from the node. If the operation is successful, it transitions to the "sampled person verification" state; if the operation fails, it transitions to the "fault" state; if medical personnel trigger the UI to display the login interface at this time, it transitions to the "human" state.

[0092] When the robot is in the "sampled person verification" state, this state includes the sub-states of "waiting for verification", "opening the test tube cap" and "closing the test tube cap".

[0093] The "Waiting for Verification" sub-state includes two modes: Seamless Mode and QR Code / ID Scanning Mode. Seamless Mode: The system detects whether there is continuous and stable facial information in the image returned by the vision function package and whether the seat sensor transmits pressure feedback. If pressure is detected but no facial information is found, the seat is automatically raised. If facial information is detected, the data is transmitted to the backend for comparison. If "verification successful," the system returns the person's name information (with partial anonymization) and plays a voice prompt indicating the start of sampling; otherwise, "verification failed." QR Code / ID Scanning Mode: When the QR code sensor detects a specific QR code or an ID card, it attempts to find a face in the image. The found face, along with the QR code / ID card scanning results, is transmitted to the backend for comparison. Success results in "verification successful," while failure to capture or compare a face results in "verification failed." If the verification is successful, the process transitions from the "Waiting for Verification" sub-state to the "Open Test Tube Cap" sub-state, and then to the "Take Swab" state. If the verification fails, the process remains in the "Waiting for Verification" sub-state. If the verification fails and the timeout occurs, the test tube cap needs to be temporarily closed, and the process transitions to the "Close Test Tube Cap" sub-state. If the process is manually triggered to stop, the process exits the sub-state machine and transitions to the "Collect Test Tube" state.

[0094] Once the sampler completes and passes the facial verification, the facial tracking node of the vision function package will remain operational throughout the subsequent sampling process. This includes monitoring and ensuring the sampled person's face remains continuously visible in the frame, preventing unauthorized switching or other attempts to evade sampling. When the sampled person sits down, the robot determines whether to sit based on seat pressure and intelligently adjusts the seat height according to the image (raising the seat if the face is lowered, lowering it if the face is higher). Throughout the sampling process, the robot provides text and voice prompts to the sampled person, informing them of the sampling results (success or failure, and whether they can leave). The robot's front screen displays the sampled person's desensitized information, time, and sampling location for verification. During throat tracking, the robot's front screen displays the sampled person's throat image, highlighting it with a red frame to help the sampled person adjust their posture by opening their mouth wider.

[0095] When the robot is in the "open test tube" sub-state, keeping the sample tube lid open for extended periods is detrimental to the preservation of the sample and liquid inside. Therefore, if no one comes to perform testing for a period of time, the lid will be temporarily closed, and reopened when someone successfully verifies the sample and needs to perform nucleic acid testing. This is accomplished by the motion control node of the hardware control function package. If the operation is successful, the robot exits the sub-state machine and transitions to the "swab collection" state; if the operation fails, the robot exits the sub-state machine and transitions to the "fault" state.

[0096] When the robot is in the "closing test tube cap" sub-state, if the operation is successful, it will switch to the "waiting for verification" sub-state; if the operation fails, it will exit the sub-state machine and switch to the "fault" state.

[0097] When the robot is in the "swab retrieval" state, it sends a swab retrieval command to the motion control node of the hardware control function package. The swab retrieval process includes checking for foreign objects at the swab outlet, retrieving a new swab, checking if the swab has been ejected, and waiting for node feedback. If the operation is successful, it transitions to the "sampling" state; if the operation fails, it transitions to the "test tube collection" state.

[0098] When the robot is in the "sampling" state, this state includes the "throat localization" sub-state and the "extend sampling" sub-state.

[0099] When the robot is in the "throat localization" sub-state, it detects whether a continuous and stable throat exists in the image returned by the vision function package, and whether the throat's position and distance are within the reach of the sampling mechanism. Simultaneously, the hardware control function package guides the moving mask and sampling mechanism to align with the throat, while playing voice prompts and images (highlighting and outlining the throat area), and text prompts such as "Please open your mouth wide," "Slightly to the left," "Slightly to the right," "Move back," and "Move forward." If the throat position remains stable and the image is stable, it returns a success message with the precise position and distance of the throat; if there is no stable image for an extended period, or if the sampled person leaves (i.e., if facial information is lost for more than a certain period, it is determined that the sampled person has left), it returns a failure message. If the localization is successful, it transitions to the "extend sampling" sub-state; if the localization fails, it exits the sub-state machine and transitions to the "discard swab" sub-state.

[0100] When the robot is in the "extend sampling" sub-state, the sampling mechanism quickly aligns and extends to sample based on the precise position and distance of the throat. The extension process includes the following steps:

[0101] It is accomplished by the face tracking node of the vision function package and the servo sampling node and motion control node of the hardware control function package working together.

[0102] First, the door panel opens, and the sampling robotic arm quickly extends and slowly stops at the position of the sampled person's lips when their mouth is open. This reduces the sampler's waiting time, avoids unnatural movements, and also considers the user's comfort, preventing them from being startled. During this process, the system monitors the force feedback value. If a large feedback force is detected, it is considered as a collision with a foreign object or the sampler leaning forward. At this point, the mechanism quickly retracts and closes the door panel to prevent further injury to the sampled person, and reports a sampling failure.

[0103] The sampling robotic arm approaches the throat at a slower speed using a more precise force-sensing strategy. When a significant force feedback value is detected or a predetermined distance is reached, the robotic arm begins to control the swab to perform a scraping operation along a predetermined trajectory. Simultaneously, it performs servo movement based on the force feedback value to ensure thorough scraping. Even if the user slightly flinches, a sample can still be collected when the scraping is complete. Furthermore, servo movement based on the force feedback value prevents excessive scraping force that could cause discomfort to the sampler. During scraping, the arm uses torque data from the force feedback sensor to determine if the scraping is effective (rather than idle rotation without contact). A successful sampling is considered successful only if the effective scraping duration meets a standard; otherwise, a sampling failure is reported. After sampling, the sampling arm quickly retracts into the movable mask, and the door closes. If sampling is successful, the system exits the sub-state machine and transitions to the "collect swab" sub-state; if sampling fails, it exits the sub-state machine and transitions to the "discard swab" sub-state; if a malfunction occurs, it exits the sub-state machine and transitions to the "collect test tube" sub-state.

[0104] The "Sampling" state described above is the robot's automatic state. Medical personnel can also select "Manual Process" on the robot. The four buttons under "Manual Process" do not respond in real time. Once someone sits in front of the machine, passes information verification, and starts the sampling process, manually triggered "Skip Sampling," "Terminal Sampling," and "Shut Down" operations will only be recorded without response. That is, only the manual actions performed by the medical personnel are recorded; these are the commands highlighted in the "Response" column. At this point, the operation can be undone by triggering the "Cancel" button. After the sampler completes sampling and sample collection is finished, the "Skip Sampling," "Terminal Sampling," and "Shut Down" operations will respond according to the predetermined process. "Skip Current Group Sampling" means that in pooled sampling, the current pooled sampling work will be immediately ended, the sample collected, and the next round of sampling will be automatically started. "Interrupt Sampling" means that in pooled sampling, the current pooled sampling work will be immediately ended, the sample collected, and the robot will enter manual mode, similar to a break point in programming. "Shut Down" means that in pooled sampling, the current pooled sampling work will be immediately ended, the sample collected, and the robot will be shut down directly; or, in manual mode or fault mode, the robot will be shut down directly.

[0105] When the robot is in the "swab collection" state, the motion control nodes of the hardware control function package control the sampling hand, gantry mechanism, and scissor mechanism to cut off the swab head and store it in the test tube, and discard the swab rod into the waste swab storage. A disinfection operation is then performed. If the operation is successful, it transitions to the "counting" state; if the operation fails, it transitions to the "test tube collection" state.

[0106] When the robot is in the "discard swab" state, the motion control node of the hardware control function package controls the sampling hand and gantry mechanism to directly discard the swab into the waste swab storage. A disinfection operation is then performed. If the operation is successful, it transitions to the "count" state; if the operation fails, it transitions to the "collect test tubes" state.

[0107] When the robot is in the "counting" state, if it reaches the number of samples for one round of pooled sampling, it will switch to the "collect test tubes" state; if it does not reach the number of samples for one round of pooled sampling, it will switch to the "verify the sampled person" state.

[0108] When the robot is in the "test tube collection" state, this state includes two sub-states: "test tube retrieval" and "barcode scanning." The "test tube retrieval" sub-state involves sending a test tube collection command to the motion control node of the hardware control function package, which executes the command and provides feedback. The "barcode scanning" sub-state involves a barcode scanner on the test tube conveyor track. If barcode information is collected, a success message is sent, and the integrated function package records the barcode number and cached user information for successful collection, saving it to a file. If both test tube retrieval and barcode scanning are successful, the robot transitions to the "finishing" state; if test tube retrieval is successful but barcode scanning fails, the robot transitions to the "barcode scanning error" state; and if test tube retrieval fails, the robot transitions to the "fault" state.

[0109] When the robot is in a "scanning error" state, the UI displays a warning, requiring manual scanning and confirmation before it can continue operating automatically. After manual confirmation, it switches to the "closing" state; if manually triggered to stop, it switches to the "manual" state.

[0110] When the robot is in the "closing" state, the state machine checks for any human intervention commands. If it determines that the next round of sampling needs to be performed, it transitions to the "sample inspection" state; if a human triggers a stop, it transitions to the "human" state; if a human shuts down the robot, it transitions to the "power off" state; if a fault occurs, it transitions to the "fault" state.

[0111] When the robot is in a "power off" state, the motion control node of the hardware control function package controls the hardware devices to return to their positions in an orderly and smooth manner. The system uploads and saves data, shuts down, and finally exits the state machine.

[0112] In one embodiment, the sampling robot is equipped with a robotic arm comprising three motors, each with a retractable push rod. The three push rods are connected to a support frame (which includes three connecting rods and a base). The three motors, three push rods, and support frame constitute a 3-PRS mechanism. The end of the 3-PRS mechanism (i.e., the base) is used to grip the swab. The position of the end of the 3-PRS mechanism in the base coordinate system S is (p... x p y p z The origin of the base coordinate system S is the end center of the 3-PRS mechanism. For (p x p y p z Apply the following formula:

[0113]

[0114] Using the above formula, we obtain the three rotation angles α, β, and γ of the 3-PRS moving platform coordinate system relative to the base coordinate system S.

[0115] Apply the following formula to α, β, and γ

[0116]

[0117] Use u x u y u z v x v y v z w x w y w z Representation matrix The elements in the:

[0118]

[0119] For u x u y u z v x v y v z w x w y w z Apply the following system of equations:

[0120]

[0121] In the above system of equations, l is known, l is the length of the connecting rod, a is the distance between the center of the base and the center of the push rod, and b is the distance between the center of the moving platform and the center of the ball joint. The elongations l1, l2, and l3 of the three push rods are calculated using the above system of equations. The three motors of the parallel mechanism extend and retract according to the elongations of these three push rods, thereby driving the swab at the end of the parallel mechanism to reach the throat of the person being sampled.

[0122] In summary, this invention first verifies the sampler's identity using their initial facial information before sampling. Only after successful verification does the throat position of the sampler begin to be located, followed by real-time acquisition of their facial information. If the real-time facial information consistently matches the initial facial information, it indicates that the sampler is consistently the same person. Only then is the throat swab moved to the throat position for sampling. As the above analysis shows, this invention prevents sampler substitution during the sampling process by real-time detection of changes in facial information relative to the initial facial information, ensuring that the collected sample matches the QR code holder.

[0123] In addition, the sampling robot of the present invention can respond promptly to manual intervention by on-site staff; the sampling robot of the present invention can intelligently judge and deal with situations where the person being sampled is uncooperative; in the event of a sudden malfunction, the sampling robot of the present invention can promptly and appropriately control the robot to complete fault response measures and protect the safety of the sampled items.

[0124] This embodiment also provides a control device for a throat swab sampling robot, such as... Figure 4 As shown, the device includes:

[0125] Verification module 01 is used to acquire a QR code image, determine the identity information of the holder of the QR code image, acquire the initial facial information of the sampler, and verify the sampler based on the initial facial information and the holder's identity information;

[0126] Positioning module 02 is used to locate the throat position of the sampler when the sampler passes the verification.

[0127] The control module 03 is used to acquire the real-time facial information of the sampler. When the real-time facial information matches the initial facial information, the control module 03 moves the pharyngeal swab to the throat position to collect the sample from the sampler.

[0128] Based on the above embodiments, the present invention also provides a terminal device, the principle block diagram of which can be as follows: Figure 5 As shown, the terminal device includes a processor, memory, network interface, and display screen connected via a system bus. The processor provides computing and control capabilities. The memory includes non-volatile storage media and internal memory. The non-volatile storage media stores the operating system and computer programs. The internal memory provides an environment for the operation of the operating system and computer programs stored in the non-volatile storage media. The network interface is used to communicate with external terminals via a network connection. When the computer program is executed by the processor, it implements a state switching method for a throat swab sampling robot. The display screen can be an LCD screen or an e-ink screen.

[0129] Those skilled in the art will understand that Figure 5 The schematic diagram shown is only a partial structural diagram related to the present invention and does not constitute a limitation on the terminal device to which the present invention is applied. The specific terminal device may include more or fewer components than shown in the figure, or combine certain components, or have different component arrangements.

[0130] In one embodiment, a terminal device is provided, comprising a memory, a processor, and a control program for a throat swab sampling robot stored in the memory and executable on the processor. When the processor executes the control program for the throat swab sampling robot, it implements the following operation instructions:

[0131] Acquire a QR code image and determine the identity information of the holder of the QR code image; acquire the initial facial information of the sampler; and verify the sampler based on the initial facial information and the identity information of the holder.

[0132] Once the sampler passes verification, locate the sampler's throat position;

[0133] The sampler's real-time facial information is acquired. When the real-time facial information matches the initial facial information, the sampling robot is controlled to move the throat swab to the throat position to collect the sample from the sampler.

[0134] Those skilled in the art will understand that all or part of the processes in the methods of the above embodiments can be implemented by a computer program instructing related hardware. The computer program can be stored in a non-volatile computer-readable storage medium. When executed, the computer program can include the processes of the embodiments of the above methods. Any references to memory, storage, databases, or other media used in the embodiments provided by this invention can include non-volatile and / or volatile memory. Non-volatile memory can include read-only memory (ROM), programmable ROM (PROM), electrically programmable ROM (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable ROM (EEPROM), or flash memory. Volatile memory can include random access memory (RAM) or external cache memory. By way of illustration and not limitation, RAM is available in various forms, such as static RAM (SRAM), dynamic RAM (DRAM), synchronous DRAM (SDRAM), dual data rate SDRAM (DDRSDRAM), enhanced SDRAM (ESDRAM), synchronous link DRAM (SLDRAM), RAMbus direct RAM (RDRAM), direct memory bus dynamic RAM (DRDRAM), and RAMbus dynamic RAM (RDRAM), etc.

[0135] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, and not to limit them; although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some of the technical features; and these modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A control method for a throat swab sampling robot, characterized in that, include: Acquire a QR code image and determine the identity information of the holder of the QR code image; acquire the initial facial information of the sampler; and verify the sampler based on the initial facial information and the identity information of the holder. Once the sampler passes verification, locate the sampler's throat position; The sampler's real-time facial information is acquired. When the real-time facial information matches the initial facial information, the sampling robot is controlled to move the throat swab to the throat position to collect the sample from the sampler.

2. The control method for the pharyngeal swab sampling robot as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The acquisition of the initial facial information of the sampler includes: Monitor the real-time pressure data of the seat; When the real-time pressure data is detected to be greater than the set value or when the real-time pressure data is constant, the initial facial information of the sampler is obtained.

3. The control method for the pharyngeal swab sampling robot as described in claim 1, characterized in that, Locating the throat position of the sampler includes: The oral cavity image of the sampler is acquired using an image acquisition device; Identify the dental and pharyngeal regions on the oral cavity image; In the first coordinate system on the image acquisition device, locate the first position of the pharynx in the pharyngeal region and locate the position of the teeth in the dental region; Determine the measured relative positions of the first position of the pharynx and the position of the teeth; Obtain the fixed relative position between the teeth and the throat; When the measured relative position matches the fixed relative position, the transformation relationship between the second coordinate system and the first coordinate system on the sampling robot is obtained, and the first position of the throat is transformed into the throat position in the second coordinate system according to the transformation relationship.

4. The control method for the pharyngeal swab sampling robot as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The controlled sampling robot moves the pharyngeal swab to the throat position, including: Obtain the starting position of the pharyngeal swab; Acquire images of the sampler's oral cavity; Identify the tooth and mouth contours on the oral cavity image; Based on the starting position, the center position of the tooth contour, and the center position of the mouth contour, a preset trajectory is planned; The control sampling robot moves the throat swab along the preset trajectory to the throat position.

5. The control method for the pharyngeal swab sampling robot as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The controlled sampling robot moves the pharyngeal swab to the throat position to collect a sample from the sampler, including: After the sampling robot moves the pharyngeal swab to the pharyngeal position, it collects the pressure value between the pharyngeal swab and the pharynx. When the pressure value exceeds the set pressure range, the sampling robot adjusts the pressure of the pharyngeal swab and the throat until the pressure value is within the set pressure range, and controls the sampling robot to move the pharyngeal swab back and forth to collect the sample from the person being sampled.

6. A method for switching states of a throat swab sampling robot, characterized in that, include: When the sampling robot is detected to be in the sampler verification state, a QR code image is acquired, and the identity information of the holder of the QR code image is determined. The initial facial information of the sampler is acquired, and the sampler is verified based on the initial facial information and the holder's identity information. When the sampler passes the verification, the sampling robot is switched from the sampler verification state to the swab collection state. Once the sampling robot completes the swab collection operation, it switches from the swab collection state to the throat positioning state to locate the throat position of the sampler. When the sampling robot is positioned at the throat, it is switched from the throat positioning state to the extended sampling state to obtain the real-time facial information of the sampler. When the real-time facial information matches the initial facial information, the sampling robot is controlled to move the throat swab to the throat position to collect the sample from the sampler.

7. The method for switching states of a pharyngeal swab sampling robot as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The step of switching the sampling robot from the throat positioning state to the extended sampling state further includes: When sampling is completed, the sampling robot is switched from the extended sampling state to the swab collection and post-processing state; If sampling is not completed, the sampling robot will switch from the extended sampling state to the swab dropping state.

8. A control device for a throat swab sampling robot, characterized in that, The control device includes the following components: The verification module is used to acquire a QR code image, determine the identity information of the holder of the QR code image, acquire the initial facial information of the sampler, and verify the sampler based on the initial facial information and the holder's identity information; The positioning module is used to locate the throat position of the sampler when the sampler passes the verification. The control module is used to acquire the real-time facial information of the sampler. When the real-time facial information matches the initial facial information, the module controls the sampling robot to move the throat swab to the throat position to collect the sample from the sampler.

9. A terminal device, characterized in that, The terminal device includes a memory, a processor, and a control program for the pharyngeal swab sampling robot stored in the memory and executable on the processor. When the processor executes the control program for the pharyngeal swab sampling robot, it implements the steps of the control method for the pharyngeal swab sampling robot as described in any one of claims 1-5. Alternatively, the terminal device includes a memory, a processor, and a pharyngeal swab sampling robot state switching program stored in the memory and executable on the processor. When the processor executes the pharyngeal swab sampling robot state switching program, it implements the steps of the pharyngeal swab sampling robot state switching method as described in any one of claims 6-7.

10. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The computer-readable storage medium stores a control program for a pharyngeal swab sampling robot. When the control program for the pharyngeal swab sampling robot is executed by a processor, it implements the steps of the control method for the pharyngeal swab sampling robot as described in any one of claims 1-5. Alternatively, the computer-readable storage medium stores a state switching program for a pharyngeal swab sampling robot, which, when executed by a processor, implements the steps of the pharyngeal swab sampling robot state switching method as described in any one of claims 6-7.

Images