Autonomous Entity Collision Avoidance via Human Body Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Mechanisms such as robots and industrial machinery often collide with human body portions, posing safety risks due to the inability to effectively avoid contact in dynamic environments.

Innovation Solution

Systems and methods are implemented to gather information about human body portions using sensors and wearable devices, allowing entities to adjust their paths or operations to avoid contact, ensuring safety by using autonomous control systems and sensor data to prevent collisions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Extent of automation

If mechanisms operate autonomously in dynamic environments, then productivity and automation are improved, but the risk of collision with human body portions increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveautonomous operationVSAvoidcollision risk
Core Design Contradiction:
Extent of automationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary detection of human body portions using sensors before the mechanism reaches the collision zone. The controller receives sensor data and determines potential collision risks in advance, allowing the mechanism to adjust its path or stop before contact occurs, thus preventing harmful effects while maintaining autonomous operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

A sensor system acts as an intermediary between the mechanism and human body portions. The sensors detect the presence and location of body portions, and the controller processes this information to mediate the mechanism's actions, enabling safe autonomous operation by continuously monitoring and adjusting based on environmental conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If sensors and wearable devices are used to detect human body portions, then safety is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecollision riskVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The sensor system is designed to perform multiple functions: detecting human body portions, determining their locations, and providing data for collision risk assessment. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate specialized devices, thereby managing complexity while improving safety.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

Wearable devices on human body portions contain sensors that automatically detect and transmit their own location data to the mechanism's controller. This self-service capability eliminates the need for external tracking infrastructure, reducing overall system complexity while enabling effective safety monitoring.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Object-affected harmful factors

If the mechanism adjusts its path to avoid body portions, then safety is improved, but productivity may be reduced due to operational interruptions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecollision riskVSAvoidoperational efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The mechanism's path and operational parameters are dynamically adjusted based on real-time sensor data. When body portions are detected, the controller modifies the mechanism's trajectory or speed to avoid collision. This dynamic adaptation allows the system to maintain productivity by resuming normal operation immediately after the hazard passes, rather than requiring complete operational interruptions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system continuously receives feedback from sensors about body portion locations and uses this information to adjust its operation in real-time. This closed-loop control enables the mechanism to make timely path adjustments to avoid collisions while minimizing disruptions to productivity through automated, rapid response.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS9623560B1Methods of operating a mechanism and systems related therewith
Publication Date: 2017.04.18 VECNA ROBOTICS INC
  • US9623560B1 patent drawing
  • US9623560B1 patent drawing
  • US9623560B1 patent drawing

AI summary

Methods and systems for operating at least one entity are provided. In one method, at least one entity is provided for operation in at least one area, where the area includes at least one human. Information is gathered regarding the human, where the information includes a location of at least one body portion of the human. It is determined whether or not the entity will contact the body portion of the human. The method also includes operating the entity to avoid contacting the body portion of the human so that the human is at least more likely to be safe from contact with the entity.