Autonomy Approval Workflow With Proximity Verification for UGV Handover
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGVs) require safe and intuitive interfaces for transitioning from human control to autonomous operations, ensuring operator proximity and system readiness to prevent accidents and enhance trust in industrial applications.
Innovation Solution
A mobile device application provides an autonomy management system with a user interface that guides operators through proximity checks and system verifications before initiating autonomous operations, using GPS, electromagnetic radiation, and machine-verified indications to ensure safe handover.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the system requires operator proximity verification and system checks before autonomous operation, then safety and reliability are improved, but the complexity of the interface and workflow increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs proximity verification and system checks automatically before autonomous operation begins. The operator simply needs to accept the autonomy job on the mobile device interface, while the system proactively verifies operator proximity via GPS/location services and conducts system readiness checks, eliminating the need for complex manual verification procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The system self-verifies operator proximity and system readiness without requiring operator intervention in the verification process. The mobile device application automatically checks location data, system status, and readiness conditions, then presents a simplified acceptance interface to the operator.
2Reliability
If the system provides detailed system checks and verification steps, then trust and reliability are enhanced, but the time required to initiate autonomous operation increases
Solution Approach 1:
System readiness checks and proximity verifications are performed automatically in the background before the operator needs to initiate operation. The system proactively ensures all safety conditions are met, then presents a simple acceptance interface, reducing the time operator needs to spend on verification while maintaining thorough safety checks.
3Reliability
If the system requires operator proximity within a pre-determined distance, then safety is improved, but the ease of operation is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically verifies operator proximity using GPS and location services from the mobile device. The operator simply needs to be near the autonomous work machine and accept the autonomy job on their mobile device interface. The proximity verification occurs automatically without requiring the operator to manually check or input location data.
Data Source
AI summary
A mobile device includes a processor and memory, coupled to the processor, which memory contains instructions that when executed cause the processor to provide an autonomy management application. The autonomy management application includes an autonomy approval function. The autonomy approval function provides a user interface configured to display at least one aspect of an autonomy job to a user and receive user acceptance of the autonomy job. The autonomy approval function is configured to instruct the user to move within a pre-determined distance from an autonomous work machine that will execute the autonomy job and provide a machine-verified indication of user proximity within the pre-determined distance. The autonomy approval function includes a begin mission user interface element displayable after verification that a user has moved within the pre-determined distance of the autonomous work machine, which begin mission user interface element, when selected, causes the autonomy approval function to initiate motion. A computer-implemented method is also provided.