Articulating Arm Joint Scheduling for Low-Power Heavy Lifting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGVs) face power limitations that hinder their ability to perform high-strength tasks, such as lifting objects weighing ≥50 kilograms, due to insufficient power supply, and conventional solutions like adding batteries increase weight, volume, and cost, or result in slower manipulator movement.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a timeslot-based control method for articulating arm joints, where only a subset of joints is active at a time, with inactive joints being mechanically prevented from moving to reduce power draw, using joint brake mechanisms to maintain rigidity and minimize power consumption during high-strength tasks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If more batteries are added to the UGV to increase power supply, then the power available for high-strength tasks is improved, but the weight, volume, and cost of the UGV increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically transitions joints between active and inactive states based on task requirements. During high-strength tasks, joints are selectively deactivated to reduce power consumption, while maintaining the ability to reactivate them when needed. This dynamic state management allows the system to operate with existing power capacity without requiring additional batteries.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operational parameters of the manipulator by adjusting gear ratios to optimize the balance between power consumption and task performance. By modifying transmission parameters and using brake mechanisms, the system can perform high-strength tasks without increasing power supply capacity, thereby avoiding additional weight.
2Power
If higher gear ratios are used to increase manipulator strength, then the power available for lifting is improved, but the manipulator movement speed decreases and additional transmission hardware is required
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses dynamic control to switch between different operational modes. During high-strength tasks, the manipulator operates in a controlled, slower mode with enhanced force output. During positioning and movement phases, it operates in a faster mode. This dynamic mode switching allows the system to achieve high strength when needed without permanently sacrificing speed, avoiding the need for fixed high gear ratios.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements periodic alternation between high-strength mode and high-speed mode during manipulator operation. The system cycles through different operational phases, using brake mechanisms and gear adjustments periodically to optimize performance for the current task phase, rather than maintaining a fixed configuration that would compromise either speed or strength.
3Adaptability or versatility
If all joints move simultaneously to perform complex tasks, then the task completion capability is improved, but the instantaneous power draw increases beyond available power capacity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the manipulator operation into distinct phases and selectively activates only the joints necessary for each phase. Instead of all joints moving simultaneously, the system divides the task into sub-tasks, activating specific joint subsets based on current operational requirements. This segmentation reduces instantaneous power draw while maintaining overall task completion capability through coordinated sequential operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs partial actions by activating only the minimum necessary joints for each task phase rather than all joints simultaneously. During high-strength tasks, only the essential joints are activated while others are held stationary by brake mechanisms. This partial action approach reduces power consumption while still achieving the required task outcome through coordinated operation of the active joints.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems (100) and methods (900) for controlling movement of an articulating arm having a plurality of joints. The methods comprise: receiving, by the controller, a command to perform a task by the articulating arm; ranking movements of the joints based on how much each said joint needs to move at a first time in order to follow the command; selecting a first subset of joints with top-ranked movements from the plurality of joints, where the subset of joints comprises less than a total number of joints contained in the plurality of joints; and causing only the joints of the first subset to move during a first timeslot of a plurality of timeslots.