AMR Location Tracking for Worker Proximity Collision Avoidance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing control systems for automated guided vehicles (AGVs) are not applicable to autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) due to the lack of predetermined travel routes, making it difficult to manage worker-AMR interactions and ensure safety in dynamic environments.
Innovation Solution
A location information system that includes an autonomous mobile robot (AMR) with map data and sensors, a communication terminal carried by a person, and a location information providing portion for short-range wireless communication, enabling the AMR to manage the locations of both the person and itself using Wi-Fi or Bluetooth signals to avoid collisions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a predetermined travel route is used (AGV), then the distance between workers and vehicles can be obtained, but the system lacks adaptability to dynamic environments and flexible routing
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from static predetermined routes (AGV) to dynamic adaptive routing (AMR). The AMR continuously adjusts its travel route based on real-time location information of workers and dynamic environmental conditions, enabling flexible routing while maintaining safety through real-time distance monitoring and collision avoidance capabilities.
2Reliability
If real-time location monitoring of workers is implemented, then safety is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces a location information providing unit as an intermediary component that manages the complexity of real-time location monitoring. This unit receives location information from multiple communication terminals, processes it centrally, and provides relevant location data to the AMR controller, thereby simplifying the overall system architecture while enabling comprehensive worker safety monitoring.
Solution Approach 2:
The location information providing unit serves multiple functions: it collects location data from various communication terminals, determines relative positions between workers and AMR, manages communication protocols, and provides this information to the AMR controller. This multi-functional approach reduces the need for separate dedicated components for each function, thereby managing system complexity while enhancing worker safety.
3Loss of information
If short-range wireless communication is used for location tracking, then real-time monitoring is achieved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The communication terminals perform short-range wireless communication at periodic intervals rather than continuously. The location information is updated and transmitted at specific time intervals, which reduces the energy consumption of communication terminals while still providing sufficiently accurate and timely location information for the AMR to maintain safe operation and avoid collisions with workers.
Data Source
AI summary
A location information system includes: an autonomous mobile robot that has map data of a specific area and a sensor configured to estimate a location of a vehicle by detecting surrounding condition and that is configured to travel in the specific area; a communication terminal to be carried by a person in the specific area; and a location information providing portion that is configured to provide the autonomous mobile robot with information regarding a location of the person based on short-range wireless communication with the communication terminal.