Autonomous Work Support Robot for On-Site Abnormality Guidance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Workers face a significant burden in recognizing and addressing various types of abnormalities in factories and other settings, as they need to be prepared for multiple types of work, which can lead to inefficiencies and increased workload.
Innovation Solution
A work support system comprising a management server and an autonomous movable body that determines work sites requiring attention, generates movement commands, acquires support information, and outputs necessary information to workers via a man-machine interface, allowing the autonomous movable body to autonomously move to the site and provide support.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a worker is expected to recognize and address all types of abnormalities in advance, then the worker can handle various work situations, but the burden on the worker increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an autonomous movable body (mobile robot) as an intermediary between the management server and the worker. This robot carries a display device that shows support information (manuals, diagrams, videos) related to abnormality handling. The worker interacts with the robot rather than directly accessing complex information systems, reducing the worker's burden while maintaining adaptability to various abnormalities.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service by allowing the autonomous movable body to automatically provide relevant support information to the worker based on the detected abnormality type and location. The worker receives targeted information without needing to search or pre-know about different abnormality types, as the system autonomously delivers the appropriate guidance.
2Productivity
If the worker needs to previously recognize all necessary information for eliminating abnormalities, then the work can be completed, but the preparation time and training requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The support information (manuals, diagrams, videos) is prepared and stored in advance in the management server and on the autonomous movable body. When an abnormality occurs, the worker immediately receives the pre-prepared relevant information without needing prior extensive training or preparation, thus maintaining productivity while reducing preparation time.
Solution Approach 2:
The autonomous movable body acts as a mobile information intermediary that delivers pre-prepared support information directly to the worker at the abnormality location. This eliminates the need for the worker to have previously memorized all possible abnormality handling procedures, reducing training requirements while ensuring work completion capability.
3Productivity
If comprehensive support information is provided to workers, then work efficiency improves, but the complexity of the information management system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The information management system is segmented into modular components: the management server stores comprehensive information, the autonomous movable body carries and displays information, and the worker receives only the specific information needed for the current task. This segmentation allows comprehensive information to be available without overwhelming the worker or requiring a monolithic complex system.
Solution Approach 2:
The autonomous movable body serves as an intermediary that manages the complexity by filtering and presenting only relevant support information to the worker. The complex information management system remains in the background, while the robot handles the complexity of information retrieval and presentation, improving work efficiency without exposing the worker to system complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
Server processing circuitry is configured to: determine a work site that requires work; and transmit site information indicating the work site, to a movable body communicator. Movable body processing circuitry is configured to: receive the site information from a management server through the movable body communicator; generate based on the site information a movement command for making an autonomous movable body autonomously move to the work site; acquire support information for the work at the work site; and output the support information to a worker through a man-machine interface when the autonomous movable body has arrived at the work site.