Autonomous Cleaning Robot Bumper Sensor System for Obstacle Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing manual and industrial wet floor cleaning methods are labor-intensive, inefficient, and require large, complex robots that are costly and often require operator attendance due to their size and complexity, leading to challenges in navigating obstacles and maintaining cleaning fluid effectiveness.
Innovation Solution
A mobile robot equipped with a bumper frame and an obstacle sensor system featuring a multiplexing auxiliary circuit board, proximity sensors, and a serial communication line, which allows for autonomous navigation and efficient cleaning by processing sensor data to detect obstacles and maintain fluid integrity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If large industrial wet cleaning devices are used to clean floor surfaces, then cleaning effectiveness is improved, but device complexity and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The robot body is divided into multiple functional modules including a drive system with independently controlled wheels, a cleaning system with separate spray nozzles and suction components, and a sensor system with multiple types of detectors. This modular segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently while reducing overall system complexity through standardized interfaces and independent maintenance of modules.
2Reliability
If operator attendance is required for industrial cleaning devices, then control and safety are improved, but labor costs and operational complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The robot autonomously performs navigation, obstacle detection, and cleaning operations without operator intervention. The onboard sensor system independently detects obstacles and floor edges, the controller automatically plans cleaning paths, and the drive system self-adjusts to navigate the environment, eliminating the need for operator attendance and associated labor costs.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple sensors continuously monitor the robot's environment and operational status, providing real-time feedback to the controller. Obstacle detection sensors trigger avoidance maneuvers, floor edge sensors prevent falls, and cleaning efficacy sensors adjust spray and suction parameters, creating a closed-loop control system that ensures safety and reliability without human oversight.
3Quantity of substance
If cleaning fluid is reused multiple times, then operational cost is reduced, but cleaning effectiveness deteriorates due to contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The robot separates the waste liquid collection function from the cleaning fluid storage function. A dedicated waste container is positioned separately from the cleaning fluid reservoir, with independent suction mechanisms that extract contaminated liquid from the floor and deposit it into the waste container, preventing mixing of clean and dirty fluids and maintaining cleaning effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The robot introduces an intermediary waste collection system between the cleaning process and the environment. Instead of directly disposing of waste liquid or allowing it to contaminate the cleaning fluid reservoir, the intermediary waste container captures and isolates contaminated liquid, preserving the integrity of the cleaning fluid for continued use.
4Extent of automation
If autonomous navigation is implemented, then labor requirements are reduced, but sensor system complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The robot combines multiple sensor types (obstacle detection sensors, floor edge sensors, navigation sensors) into an integrated sensor system that shares common processing resources and control algorithms. The controller consolidates data from all sensors to simultaneously perform navigation, obstacle avoidance, and cleaning tasks, reducing overall system complexity compared to separate independent systems.
Data Source
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AI summary
A mobile robot (100) that includes a robot body (110) having a forward drive direction (F), a drive system (120) supporting the robot body, and a robot controller (150) in communication with the drive system. The robot also includes a bumper (130) movably supported by a forward portion (112) of the robot body and an obstacle sensor system (400) disposed on the bumper. The obstacle sensor system includes at least one contact sensor (420) disposed on the bumper, at least one proximity sensor (410) disposed on the bumper and an auxiliary circuit board (450) disposed on the bumper and in communication with the at least one contact sensor, the at least one proximity sensor, and the robot controller.