Autonomous Cleaning Robot with Image-Based Dirt Aggravation Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cleaning systems, such as those described in WO 2022/009391 A1, may spread dirt like food, beverage, or animal excrement when cleaning, as the cleaning robot passes through the area, rather than effectively removing it.
Innovation Solution
A cleaning device equipped with a position estimation unit, control unit, and cleaning effect determination unit that autonomously travels, determines cleaning effectiveness by comparing images before and after cleaning, and suspends cleaning if dirt aggravation is detected, preventing further spread of dirt.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the cleaning robot autonomously travels through the cleaning area to clean the floor surface, then the cleaning coverage and productivity are improved, but the robot may spread dirt (such as food, beverage, or animal excrement) instead of removing it
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning device captures images of the floor surface before cleaning to establish a reference state. By comparing pre-cleaning and post-cleaning images, the system determines whether dirt has been aggravated before allowing the cleaning robot to proceed, thereby preventing dirt spread while maintaining cleaning productivity
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors the cleaning effect by capturing images after cleaning operations and comparing them with pre-cleaning images. When dirt aggravation is detected, the cleaning robot is instructed to avoid that area, creating a feedback loop that prevents dirt spread while maintaining overall cleaning efficiency
Data Source
AI summary
A cleaning device includes a position estimation unit configured to estimate a position of the cleaning device, a control unit configured to control the cleaning device so as to autonomously travel and clean a floor surface within a cleaning area based on the position estimated by the position estimation unit, and a cleaning effect determination unit configured to determine a cleaning effect for each small area within the cleaning area based on images of the floor surface before and after cleaning. The control unit is configured to, in response to the cleaning effect determination unit determining that dirt on the floor surface has been aggravated, control the cleaning device to cease travel and suspend cleaning in the small area subjected to determination of the cleaning effect.