Autonomous Lawnmower Laser Scanner Navigation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current autonomous lawnmowers rely on labor-intensive guidewires or satellite positioning, which are inefficient and require human intervention for navigation, making them less effective for autonomous operation.
Innovation Solution
A lawnmower equipped with a rotatable laser scanner that takes measurements of distances and signal strengths around its perimeter to classify surfaces and determine a navigation path, allowing for autonomous navigation and mowing without the need for guidewires or extensive human operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If a buried guidewire is used to determine lawn boundaries, then the lawnmower can navigate autonomously, but the installation becomes labor intensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the guidewire component from the system entirely. Instead of using buried guidewires to define lawn boundaries, the lawnmower uses a laser scanner to detect natural features and boundaries of the lawn, eliminating the need for labor-intensive guidewire installation while maintaining autonomous navigation capability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical guidewire system with an optical sensing system (laser scanner). The laser scanner uses light to detect surfaces and boundaries, substituting the mechanical contact-based guidewire detection method with a non-contact optical measurement approach
2Extent of automation
If satellite positioning is used to navigate the lawnmower, then autonomous operation is enabled, but human intervention is still required for setup and operation
Solution Approach 1:
The lawnmower performs self-positioning and self-navigation by using its laser scanner to detect the environment and determine its location relative to lawn boundaries. The system autonomously establishes its navigation path without requiring human operators to manually configure satellite positioning systems or provide continuous guidance
3Productivity
If traditional lawnmowers are used, then mowing can be performed, but significant physical effort and time are required
Solution Approach 1:
The lawnmower autonomously performs the entire mowing operation including navigation, boundary detection, and cutting. The system serves itself by using its own sensor data to determine its position and plan its path, eliminating the need for human operators to physically push or guide the mower, thereby significantly reducing physical effort and time investment
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables efficient and autonomous navigation and mowing by classifying surfaces and determining paths based on laser scanner data, reducing labor and improving the efficiency of lawn care operations.
Implementation Method 1
a laser scanner rotatably mounted above the cutting blade... obtain laser scanner measurements of a plurality of angles around the lawnmower, each laser scanner measurement including a distance and a received signal strength
Data Source
AI summary
A lawnmower includes a cutting blade, a laser scanner rotatably mounted above the cutting blade, a first motor rotatably driving the laser scanner, and a processor communicatively coupled to the laser scanner. The processor may obtain laser scanner measurements of a plurality of angles around the lawnmower, each laser scanner measurement including a distance and a received signal strength. The processor may classify a surface at each of the angles based on the distance and the received signal strength. The processor may determine a navigation path of the lawnmower based on the classification of the surface at each of the angles. The lawnmower may also include a second motor operably coupled to one or more drive wheels. The processor may control the second motor to move the lawnmower along the navigation path.