Digestion device and method of humanoid robot

Abstract

The invention discloses a digestion device and method of a humanoid robot, belongs to the technical field of digestion equipment of humanoid robots, and aims to solve the problem that a traditional robot cannot configure food according to preset excrement elements and complete the whole digestion process on the basis of conversion of electric energy, mechanical energy and chemical energy. The robot can simulate the complete digestion function of the human body, including food intake, transportation, digestion, absorption, excretion and other whole processes, solves the problem that a traditional robot lacks a device for simulating the digestion function of the human body, can configure food according to preset excrement elements, meets the specific requirements of different application scenes for excrement element composition, and is high in practicability. By means of the series connection mode, excrement can serve as farmland fertilizer to provide organic fertilizer for agricultural production, cyclic utilization of resources is achieved, and by means of the parallel connection mode, the excrement can serve as in-vitro auxiliary medical equipment to be communicated with injured organs in a natural human body, the workload is shared, the workload of the injured organs is reduced, and the service life of the injured organs is prolonged.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of humanoid robot digestion equipment, and in particular to a humanoid robot digestion device and method. Background Art

[0002] Since the birth of the concept of modern robots in the mid-20th century, robotics technology has made the leap from theoretical exploration in the laboratory to industrial application. At the same time, with technological breakthroughs in artificial intelligence, sensors, and human-computer interaction, the application scenarios of robots have continued to expand, penetrating into people's livelihood areas such as home services and medical care. Among them, humanoid intelligent robots, as a model of the deep integration of technology and society, are accelerating their integration into human society with their human appearance, emotional interaction and multiple functions, and have become an important force in promoting social progress.

[0003] At present, the opening and closing mechanism of the humanoid robot uses a servo motor, a reducer and a connecting rod assembly to form a mandibular motion simulation mechanism to drive the mandibular opening and closing movements to achieve food placement; at the same time, a nodding conveying mechanism composed of a support rod, a support frame, a motor and a rocker arm is adopted. The motor drives the rocker arm to drive the movable shaft to slide in the long slot, so that the head swings back and forth to push food into the esophagus. This mechanism achieves low-load operation through unidirectional rotation of the motor.

[0004] However, existing humanoid robots lack devices that can simulate the complete digestive function of the human body. The human digestive system works together through the digestive tract and digestive glands to decompose and excrete food. Traditional robots are unable to convert electrical energy, mechanical energy and chemical energy, configure food according to preset excrement elements and complete the entire digestion process.

[0005] Therefore, in order to solve such problems, we propose a digestion device and method for a humanoid robot. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of the present invention is to provide a digestion device and method for a humanoid robot, aiming to solve the problem in the above-mentioned background technology that traditional robots are unable to configure food according to preset excrement elements and complete the entire digestion process based on the conversion of electrical energy, mechanical energy and chemical energy.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solutions: A digestive apparatus of a humanoid robot comprising an oral cavity, an esophagus, a stomach, large and small intestines, and anus, which are arranged in sequence from top to bottom within the robot body:

[0008] Mouth: This is a hollow structure that mimics the human body cavity, made of 3D printing materials. It uses a joint drive mechanism to achieve the movement of looking up, looking straight, and looking down, and relies on a mechanical transmission system and control system to complete the mouth opening and closing movements.

[0009] Esophagus: The passage below the mouth that carries food from the back of the mouth to the stomach.

[0010] Stomach: A digestive organ with secretory functions, consisting of a mechanical stirring unit and a chemical decomposition unit. The mechanical stirring unit includes two high and low drop structures and an electric peristaltic pillow. The chemical decomposition unit uses cow or pig tripe to produce gastric acid. The lower part of the stomach is equipped with a small closed opening for detecting and replacing gastric juice.

[0011] Large and small intestines: Pipe structures used to transport food, shaped like air conditioning condenser tubes;

[0012] Anus: It includes a box for storing excrement and a small hole float valve with both manual and electric control functions, which is used to control the release and closing of excrement.

[0013] Preferably, a U-shaped vibrating pillow is provided on the outer surface of the stomach to provide peristaltic kinetic energy to the tail of the stomach through lifting and vibration.

[0014] Preferably, the large and small intestines can be replaced with a rotating slide structure to increase the kinetic energy during food transportation.

[0015] Preferably, in the path from the esophagus outlet to the excrement discharged from the body, the digestive device has two working modes: series and parallel:

[0016] The series connection method is mainly used in the field of agricultural production, and its excrement can be used as farmland fertilizer;

[0017] The parallel connection method is mainly used for extracorporeal medical equipment, and can be used as extracorporeal auxiliary medical equipment for patients to prolong the function of damaged organs.

[0018] Preferably, in the parallel connection mode, the artificial stomach or gallbladder is provided with an inlet pipe and an outlet pipe that pass through from top to bottom, or is provided with only a bottom outlet pipe.

[0019] A digestion method of a humanoid robot digestion device, the method comprising the following steps:

[0020] Step 1: Prepare food according to the estimated elements contained in excreta;

[0021] Step 2: Feed the food into the mouth, and transport the food to the stomach through the coordinated action of the mouth and esophagus;

[0022] Step 3: The stomach digests food through mechanical mixing and chemical breakdown;

[0023] Step 4: The digested food is transported to the anus through the large and small intestines;

[0024] Step 5: The anus releases excrement through manual or electric control according to the storage volume.

[0025] Preferably, during the digestion process of the stomach, gastric acid is produced by the tripe of cattle or pig, and combined with the vibration of the electric peristaltic pillow and the potential energy conversion of the height difference, mechanical stirring and chemical decomposition of food are achieved.

[0026] Preferably, during the control process of the anus, when the stored excrement reaches a preset weight or liquid level, a signal is triggered by a small hole float valve or a weighing sensor, which automatically or manually opens and releases the excrement, and then automatically resets.

[0027] Preferably, during the parallel digestion process, the humanoid robot digestion device outside the body is interconnected with the damaged organs in the natural human body, thereby sharing the workload of the damaged organs and reducing the workload of the damaged organs, thereby extending the service life of the damaged organs.

[0028] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0029] The present invention proposes a digestion device and method for a humanoid robot, which can simulate the complete digestive function of the human body, including the entire process of food intake, transportation, digestion, absorption and excretion, solving the problem that traditional robots lack devices that simulate the digestive function of the human body. Food can be configured according to preset excrement elements to meet the specific requirements of excrement element composition in different application scenarios. For example, when used as fertilizer in agricultural production, food can be configured according to farmland needs so that the excrement contains corresponding nutrients. In a series manner, its excrement can be used as farmland fertilizer to provide organic fertilizer for agricultural production, realizing the recycling of resources. In a parallel manner, it can be used as an in vitro auxiliary medical device, interconnected with damaged organs in the natural human body, sharing the workload, reducing the workload of damaged organs, and extending the service life of damaged organs, providing a new auxiliary treatment method for the medical field. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] Figure 1 This is a digestion flowchart of the humanoid robot of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the humanoid cavity robot of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 3 is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of a humanoid robot of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the present invention simulating a kidney replacement;

[0034] Figure 5 Schematic diagram of the parallel structure of the artificial stomach in the present invention;

[0035] Figure 6 Schematic diagram of a single circulation blood system in the present invention;

[0036] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the serial structure of the artificial stomach in the present invention;

[0037] Figure 8 Schematic diagram of a stomach with a vibration massage and an inlet and an outlet pipe according to the present invention;

[0038] Figure 9 Schematic diagram of the outer surface of the corrugated sublingual caruncle in the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0039] The following will clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative efforts are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0040] To solve the problem that traditional robots cannot convert electrical energy, mechanical energy and chemical energy, configure food according to the preset excrement elements and complete the entire digestion process, please refer to Figures 1-9 , the present invention provides the following preferred technical solutions.

[0041] An embodiment of the present invention provides a digestive apparatus of a humanoid robot, comprising an oral cavity, an esophagus, a stomach, large and small intestines, and anus, which are arranged in sequence from top to bottom within the robot body.

[0042] The oral cavity is a hollow structure that mimics the human body, made of 3D-printed materials. It uses a joint drive mechanism to enable the head to be raised, looked straight, and lowered, while a mechanical transmission system and control system are used to complete the mouth opening and closing movements. The upper jaw is located at the top of the mouth and consists of the hard palate (the front 2 / 3) and the soft palate (the back 1 / 3). It is made of a uniform material and has a smooth surface. Although the hard and soft palates are similar in anatomical position to humans, their material properties are consistent. Their main function is to separate the oral cavity from the nasal cavity and assist in food delivery.

[0043] Esophagus: The passage below the mouth that carries food from the back of the mouth to the stomach.

[0044] Stomach: A digestive organ with secretory functions, consisting of a mechanical stirring unit and a chemical decomposition unit. The mechanical stirring unit includes two high and low drop structures and an electric peristaltic pillow. The chemical decomposition unit uses cow or pig tripe to produce gastric acid. The lower part of the stomach is equipped with a small closed opening for detecting and replacing gastric juice.

[0045] Large and small intestines: Pipe structures used to transport food, shaped like air conditioning condenser tubes;

[0046] Anus: It includes a box for storing excrement and a small hole float valve with both manual and electric control functions, which is used to control the release and closing of excrement.

[0047] In the embodiment of the present invention, the joint drive mechanism can adopt a combination of a servo motor and a connecting rod mechanism. The servo motor receives instructions from the control system and drives the oral cavity to raise, look straight, and lower the head through the connecting rod mechanism, thereby realizing precise control of opening and closing the mouth, thereby delivering food into the esophagus. The inner wall of the esophagus is made of smooth polymer material to reduce the resistance during food delivery and ensure that the food can be smoothly delivered to the stomach. The two high and low drop structures can make the food roll in the stomach, thereby enhancing the mechanical stirring effect. The electric peristaltic pillow simulates the peristalsis of the human stomach through periodic contraction and relaxation, further promoting the stirring and mixing of food. The cow tripe or pig tripe material has good biocompatibility and corrosion resistance, can secrete gastric acid, and chemically treat the food. Decomposition, a liquid level sensor and a valve are installed at the closed small opening. When gastric juice needs to be tested, the valve is opened and a gastric juice sample is taken for testing. When the gastric juice needs to be replaced, the old gastric juice is discharged through the opening and new gastric juice is injected. This shape can increase the residence time of food in the intestine, which is beneficial to the further digestion and absorption of food. At the same time, the inner wall of the pipe is provided with a spiral protrusion to increase the friction during food transportation and prevent food reflux. The box for storing excrement adopts a sealed structure to prevent excrement leakage. A small-hole float valve is installed at the bottom of the box. When excrement needs to be released, the float valve can be opened by manual operation or electric control, and the excrement is discharged through the small hole. When the excrement is released, the float valve automatically closes.

[0048] The artificial mouth has the function of storing and transporting food, similar to a funnel device. The upper and lower rows of false teeth in the mouth play the role of covering the oral cavity. In order to speed up the descent of semi-fluid food in the artificial mouth, a sublingual caruncle is set at the tail of the artificial mouth. The outer surface of the sublingual caruncle has two styles to choose from: one is a flat and smooth structure like the bottom of a bowl, which is easy to make and clean; the other is a wavy structure like corrugated paper (such as Figure 9 The robot is easy to manufacture and can increase the contact area between food and the surface, facilitating food delivery. Since the artificial mouth has no salivary glands and cannot secrete saliva, the method to compensate for this is to mix a variety of foods with something similar to saliva before the food enters the mouth, making the food thinner and smaller, forming a semi-paste for easier swallowing, thereby replacing the chewing function of teeth and the saliva secretion function of the mouth. The food of this robot is mainly liquid food, semi-liquid food, and soft food.

[0049] A U-shaped vibrating pillow is provided on the outer surface of the stomach, which provides peristaltic kinetic energy to the tail of the stomach through lifting and vibration.

[0050] In an embodiment of the present invention, the U-shaped vibration pillow is made of flexible material and can fit closely to the outer surface of the stomach. A vibration motor is installed inside the pillow. The vibration of the vibration motor provides peristaltic kinetic energy to the tail of the stomach, thereby enhancing the peristaltic effect of the stomach and improving the efficiency of food digestion.

[0051] The large and small intestines can be replaced with a rotating slide structure to increase the kinetic energy during food transportation.

[0052] In the embodiment of the present invention, the rotating slide structure is composed of a spiral pipe, and food moves downward in the pipe due to the action of gravity and centrifugal force, which increases the kinetic energy of the food during transportation and promotes digestion and absorption of food.

[0053] From the esophageal exit to the excretion of excrement, the digestive system operates in two modes: series and parallel:

[0054] The series method is mainly used in the field of agricultural production, and its excrement can be used as farmland fertilizer;

[0055] The parallel mode is mainly used in extracorporeal medical equipment for auxiliary medical treatment, and can be used as extracorporeal auxiliary medical equipment to prolong the function of damaged organs in patients.

[0056] In the embodiments of the present invention, the series mode is mainly used in the field of agricultural production, and its excrement can be used as farmland fertilizer; the parallel mode is mainly used in extracorporeal equipment for auxiliary medical treatment, which can be used as extracorporeal auxiliary medical equipment for patients to prolong the function of damaged organs. In the series mode, food enters the stomach from the esophagus, enters the large and small intestines after digestion, and is finally discharged through the anus. The excrement contains rich nutrients and can be used as farmland fertilizer to provide nutrients for the growth of crops and realize the recycling of resources. In the parallel mode, the artificial stomach or gallbladder is provided with an inlet pipe and an outlet pipe that pass through the upper and lower parts, or only a bottom outlet pipe is provided. When used as an extracorporeal auxiliary medical equipment, the extracorporeal humanoid robot digestion device is interconnected with the damaged organs in the natural human body, and by sharing the workload, the workload of the damaged organs is reduced and the service life of the damaged organs is extended. For example, when the human stomach is damaged, the artificial stomach can receive food from the human body through the inlet pipe, digest it, and then transport the digested food to the human small intestine through the outlet pipe, thereby sharing the workload of the stomach.

[0057] In the parallel mode, the artificial stomach or gallbladder is provided with an inlet pipe and an outlet pipe that pass through from top to bottom, or is provided with only a bottom outlet pipe.

[0058] In an embodiment of the present invention, the stomach has three optional implementation modes, namely, an artificial stomach, a real human stomach, and a real animal stomach. The artificial stomach is made of bionic materials and has mechanical stirring and chemical decomposition functions; the real human stomach is a biological stomach transplanted from the human body, which retains the natural digestive juice secretion ability; the real animal stomach is selected from the stomach organs of animals such as cows and pigs, which can secrete digestive juices such as gastric acid and pepsin. The gallbladder is simultaneously provided in three styles: artificial gallbladder, real human gallbladder, and real animal gallbladder. In order to maintain the physiological functions of the stomach and gallbladder, a single-circulation blood system is set up, including: a blood storage container with a screw cap, a hemodialysis machine, and a circulation pipeline connected to the blood vessels of the stomach and gallbladder. The hemodialysis machine provides oxygenated and nutritious blood to the stomach and gallbladder through the vascular pathway to support the secretion of digestive juices. In parallel working mode, the blood system can ensure the normal metabolism of artificial or biological organs.

[0059] To meet the physiological functional needs of the stomach and gallbladder, a single-circulation blood system is set up, which includes: a blood storage container with a sealed structure and a screw cap so that blood can be added or samples can be extracted for testing at any time; a hemodialysis machine for purifying blood and maintaining electrolyte balance; a circulation pipeline connecting the blood storage container, the hemodialysis machine and the vascular interfaces of the stomach and gallbladder to form a closed loop, which provides nutrients and oxygen to the stomach and gallbladder through blood flow, supports the secretion of digestive juices such as gastric acid and bile, and ensures the metabolic activity of biological organs.

[0060] A digestion method of a humanoid robot digestion device, the method comprising the following steps:

[0061] Step 1: Prepare food according to the estimated elements contained in excreta;

[0062] Step 2: Feed the food into the mouth, and transport the food to the stomach through the coordinated action of the mouth and esophagus;

[0063] Step 3: The stomach digests food through mechanical mixing and chemical breakdown;

[0064] Step 4: The digested food is transported to the anus through the large and small intestines;

[0065] Step 5: The anus releases excrement through manual or electric control according to the storage volume.

[0066] During the digestion process of the stomach, gastric acid is produced through the tripe of cow or pig. Combined with the vibration of the electric peristaltic pillow and the potential energy conversion of the height difference, the mechanical stirring and chemical decomposition of food are achieved.

[0067] In the embodiment of the present invention, food is configured based on the estimated elements contained in the excreta. According to different application scenarios and needs, the element composition required in the excreta is predetermined, and then the corresponding food is selected for configuration so that the food contains these elements. The food is fed into the oral cavity, and the food is transported to the stomach through the synergistic action of the oral cavity and the esophagus. After the food is fed into the oral cavity, the oral cavity completes the mouth opening and closing action through the joint drive mechanism and the mechanical transmission system, and then sends the food into the esophagus. The esophagus then sends the food to the stomach. The stomach digests the food through mechanical stirring and chemical decomposition. During the digestion process of the stomach, gastric acid is produced through the tripe or pig stomach. Combined with the vibration of the electric peristaltic pillow and the potential energy conversion of the height difference, the food is digested. The mechanical stirring and chemical decomposition of food, the vibration and high and low drop structure of the electric peristaltic pillow make the food roll and stir in the stomach, and the gastric acid chemically decomposes the food and breaks it down into small molecules for subsequent absorption. The digested food is transported to the anus through the large and small intestines. The digested food enters the large and small intestines, and after the nutrients in the food are absorbed through the transportation of the large and small intestines, the remaining food residues are transported to the anus. The anus releases excrement through manual or electric control according to the storage volume. During the control process of the anus, when the stored excrement reaches the preset weight or liquid level, the signal is triggered by the small-hole float valve or weighing sensor, and the excrement is automatically or manually opened and released, and then automatically reset.

[0068] During the anal control process, when the stored excrement reaches a preset weight or liquid level, a signal is triggered through a small-hole float valve or weighing sensor, which automatically or manually opens and releases the excrement, and then automatically resets.

[0069] In an embodiment of the present invention, a weighing sensor is installed at the bottom of a box for storing excrement to monitor the weight of the excrement in real time. When the weight reaches a preset value, a signal is sent to a control system, which controls the electric float valve to open and release the excrement. When the excrement is released, the float valve automatically closes.

[0070] During the parallel digestion process, the humanoid robot digestion device outside the body is interconnected with the damaged organs in the natural human body. By sharing the workload, the workload of the damaged organs is reduced, which is used to extend the service life of the damaged organs.

[0071] In an embodiment of the present invention, during the parallel digestion process, the humanoid robot digestion device outside the body is interconnected with the damaged organs in the natural human body, thereby sharing the workload and reducing the workload of the damaged organs, thereby extending the service life of the damaged organs. For example, when the human kidneys are damaged, the digestion device outside the body can be connected to the human urinary system to help the human body filter waste and excess water in the blood, thereby reducing the burden on the kidneys and extending the service life of the kidneys.

[0072] It should be noted that, in this document, relational terms such as first and second, etc., are used only to distinguish one entity or operation from another entity or operation, and do not necessarily require or imply any actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Moreover, the terms "comprises," "comprising," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that includes a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not explicitly listed, or elements that are inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus.

[0073] While embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions, and variations may be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, and that the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A digestion device for a humanoid robot, characterized in that: It includes the mouth, esophagus, stomach, large and small intestines, and anus, which are connected from top to bottom in the robot body: Mouth: This is a hollow structure that mimics the human body cavity, made of 3D printing materials. It uses a joint drive mechanism to achieve the movement of looking up, looking straight, and looking down, and relies on a mechanical transmission system and control system to complete the mouth opening and closing movements. Esophagus: The passage below the mouth that carries food from the back of the mouth to the stomach. Stomach: A digestive organ with secretory functions, consisting of a mechanical stirring unit and a chemical decomposition unit. The mechanical stirring unit includes two high and low drop structures and an electric peristaltic pillow. The chemical decomposition unit uses cow or pig tripe to produce gastric acid. The lower part of the stomach is equipped with a small closed opening for detecting and replacing gastric juice. Large and small intestines: Pipe structures used to transport food, shaped like air conditioning condenser tubes; Anus: It includes a box for storing excrement and a small hole float valve with both manual and electric control functions, which is used to control the release and closing of excrement.

2. The digestion device of a humanoid robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The outer surface of the stomach is provided with a U-shaped vibration pillow, which provides peristaltic kinetic energy to the tail of the stomach through lifting and vibration.

3. The digestion device of a humanoid robot according to claim 2, characterized in that: The large and small intestines can be replaced with a rotating slide structure to increase the kinetic energy during food transportation.

4. The digestion device of a humanoid robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: In the path from the esophagus outlet to the excrement discharged from the body, the digestive device has two working modes: series and parallel: The series connection method is mainly used in the field of agricultural production, and its excrement can be used as farmland fertilizer; The parallel connection method is mainly used for extracorporeal medical equipment, and can be used as extracorporeal auxiliary medical equipment for patients to prolong the function of damaged organs.

5. The digestion device of a humanoid robot according to claim 4, characterized in that: In the parallel connection mode, the artificial stomach or gallbladder is provided with an inlet pipe and an outlet pipe that pass through from top to bottom, or is provided with only a bottom outlet pipe.

6. A digestion method based on the humanoid robot digestion device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The method includes the following steps: Step 1: Prepare food according to the estimated elements contained in excreta; Step 2: Feed the food into the mouth, and transport the food to the stomach through the coordinated action of the mouth and esophagus; Step 3: The stomach digests food through mechanical mixing and chemical breakdown; Step 4: The digested food is transported to the anus through the large and small intestines; Step 5: The anus releases excrement through manual or electric control according to the storage volume.

7. The digestion method of the humanoid robot digestion device according to claim 6, characterized in that: During the digestion process of the stomach, gastric acid is produced by the tripe of cattle or pigs, and the mechanical stirring and chemical decomposition of food are achieved by combining the vibration of the electric peristaltic pillow and the potential energy conversion of the height difference.

8. The digestion method of the humanoid robot digestion device according to claim 6, characterized in that: During the control process of the anus, when the stored excrement reaches a preset weight or liquid level, a signal is triggered through a small hole float valve or a weighing sensor, which automatically or manually opens and releases the excrement, and then automatically resets.

9. The digestion method of a humanoid robot digestion device according to claim 6, characterized in that: During the parallel digestion process, the humanoid robot digestion device outside the body is interconnected with the damaged organs in the natural human body, thereby sharing the workload of the damaged organs and extending their service life.

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