Evacuation Guide Robot Using Server-Defined Route Nodes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for guiding evacuation routes during emergencies often fail due to chaotic environments and psychological instability, requiring separate speakers or lighting devices for auditory or visual information, which may not effectively deliver the evacuation route to individuals.
Innovation Solution
A robot that autonomously travels in a space acquires evacuation route information from a server, including node information with direction and attribute data, to guide individuals to safe areas without the need for additional navigation algorithms or devices, adjusting routes based on changes in the emergency situation or obstacles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate speakers or lighting devices are installed at multiple points in the space to guide evacuation routes, then auditory or visual information can be provided to persons, but the device complexity and installation infrastructure requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The robot performs multiple functions: it travels autonomously through the space, provides auditory evacuation route guidance, and serves as a mobile navigation aid. By consolidating these functions into a single robot platform, the system eliminates the need for separate speakers and lighting devices installed at multiple points, thereby reducing device complexity and infrastructure requirements while maintaining reliable evacuation route delivery
Solution Approach 2:
The robot autonomously navigates to persons needing evacuation guidance and provides direction information without requiring external infrastructure. The robot independently determines its location, identifies safe areas, and delivers guidance information, making the system self-sufficient and eliminating dependency on pre-installed communication devices
2Device complexity
If a robot autonomously travels in the space to guide evacuation routes, then the need for additional navigation algorithms or devices is eliminated, but the robot requires sophisticated navigation capabilities to operate effectively
Solution Approach 1:
The server acts as an intermediary that provides pre-calculated evacuation route information to the robot. Instead of requiring the robot to have complex real-time path planning capabilities, the server computes optimal routes considering space layout and safe areas, then guides the robot's movement. This mediator approach reduces the robot's navigation complexity while maintaining adaptability to different emergency scenarios
Solution Approach 2:
Evacuation route information is pre-calculated and stored on the server before emergencies occur. The server maintains a database of space layouts and safe areas, allowing rapid deployment of guidance information when emergencies arise. This preliminary preparation eliminates the need for complex real-time computation on the robot, simplifying its navigation system while ensuring adaptability
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a robot control method that controls a robot to guide an evacuation route in response to occurrence of an emergency situation. The robot may acquire evacuation route information on a space from a server when an emergency situation occurs in the space, and may move to a first node closest to the robot among nodes defined in the space and a second node indicated by direction information of the first node based on the evacuation route information and a current location of the robot.