Floor treatment by means of an autonomous mobile robot
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Solution Overview
Problem
Modern autonomous mobile robots face inefficiencies in treating surfaces, such as floors, due to the need for complex path planning and collision avoidance, especially when encountering unexpected obstacles or heavily soiled areas, which can disrupt systematic cleaning patterns.
Innovation Solution
The method involves using a dirt sensor to detect soil levels, modifying the robot's speed, and creating a treatment map to mark treated areas, allowing for adaptive treatment strategies without changing the treatment mode, thereby ensuring comprehensive coverage and intensified cleaning of heavily soiled regions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the robot uses a systematic treatment mode with fixed path planning, then the treatment coverage is complete, but the robot cannot adapt to heavily soiled areas or unexpected obstacles
Solution Approach 1:
The robot dynamically adjusts its speed parameter based on detected soiling levels while maintaining the systematic treatment mode structure. The control unit modifies operational parameters (speed) in real-time according to sensor feedback, allowing adaptation to varying soiling conditions without changing the overall path planning complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the speed parameter of the robot based on dirt sensor signals. When heavily soiled areas are detected, the robot reduces its speed to increase treatment intensity in those specific regions, while maintaining the systematic coverage pattern. This parameter adjustment provides adaptability without requiring complex re-planning
2Manufacturing precision
If the robot reduces speed to treat heavily soiled areas, then the cleaning intensity increases, but the overall treatment time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The robot applies different speed levels to different areas based on soiling detection. Heavily soiled areas receive reduced speed for intensified treatment, while clean areas are traversed at normal speed. This local differentiation of treatment intensity maintains high cleaning quality where needed while minimizing overall treatment time
Solution Approach 2:
The dirt sensor provides continuous feedback about soiling levels, allowing the control unit to dynamically adjust speed in real-time. This feedback mechanism ensures that speed reduction occurs only when and where heavily soiled areas are detected, optimizing the balance between cleaning quality and treatment time
3Reliability
If the robot follows a predetermined treatment pattern, then the treatment is systematic, but the robot cannot react to unexpected circumstances or obstacles
Solution Approach 1:
The robot uses its own sensor data (dirt sensor signals) to automatically adjust its operation. The control unit processes sensor feedback and self-regulates speed without external intervention, maintaining systematic treatment while enabling autonomous adaptation to detected conditions
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements a feedback loop where dirt sensor measurements continuously inform speed adjustments. This allows the robot to maintain systematic coverage patterns while reacting to unexpected soiling conditions detected during treatment
Data Source
AI summary
An embodiment relates to a method for controlling an autonomous mobile robot, comprising the following steps: controlling the robot in a treatment mode to treat a floor surface by means of a floor treatment module of the robot, detecting, by means of a dirt sensor mounted on the robot, a dirt sensor signal representing the soiling of the floor surface, and modifying the speed of the robot in response to the dirt sensor signal.