Excavation Vehicle Obstacle Detection and Route Selection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current excavation methods rely heavily on manual operators, leading to high costs, increased project duration, and risks of human error due to labor shortages and the need for daytime operations, which limits the efficiency and quality of excavation work.
Innovation Solution
An autonomous or semi-autonomous excavation system that integrates sensors into excavation vehicles to navigate and control the excavation process, using a combination of sensors to record site conditions and generate digital representations for optimized route planning and tool path execution, reducing the need for manual labor and improving precision.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual operators are used to operate excavation vehicles, then the excavation process can be performed with simple equipment, but the labor costs increase and project duration extends due to the need for daytime operations and skilled labor availability
Solution Approach 1:
The excavation vehicle is equipped with sensors, processors, and control systems that enable it to autonomously detect obstacles, plan routes, and execute excavation tasks without continuous human intervention. The system performs self-navigation, self-monitoring, and self-adjustment of excavation parameters, transforming the vehicle into a self-servicing system that eliminates dependency on manual operators for routine operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical control system operated by human operators with an automated control system based on sensors (LIDAR, cameras, GPS), processors, and computer-controlled actuators. This substitution of mechanical-human interaction with electronic-sensor-processing-control architecture enables continuous operation beyond daytime constraints and eliminates labor bottlenecks.
2Reliability
If manual operators are required for excavation vehicle operation, then the system complexity remains low, but the risk of human error increases and work quality decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The excavation vehicle incorporates multiple sensors (LIDAR, cameras, depth sensors, GPS) that continuously monitor the excavation environment, vehicle position, and tool status. This sensory data is fed back to the control system in real-time, enabling the vehicle to detect obstacles, adjust excavation depth, correct navigation errors, and maintain precise control over excavation parameters, thereby eliminating human error through continuous closed-loop feedback.
Solution Approach 2:
The automated control system integrates multiple functions into a unified platform: obstacle detection, route planning, navigation control, excavation depth control, and safety monitoring. This multi-functional system replaces multiple human operator tasks with a single integrated control architecture, increasing reliability while the modular design manages complexity through functional consolidation.
3Productivity
If excavation operations are limited to daytime with manual operators, then energy consumption is reduced, but the productivity and project completion speed decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-planning excavation routes, pre-mapping the work area using sensors, and pre-programming excavation parameters before actual excavation begins. This preliminary preparation enables the vehicle to execute continuous automated operations during extended hours without requiring real-time human decision-making, thereby increasing productivity while managing energy consumption through optimized pre-planned operations.
Data Source
AI summary
This description provides an autonomous or semi-autonomous excavation vehicle that is capable of determining a route between a start point and an end point in a site and navigating over the route. The sensors collect any or more of spatial, imaging, measurement, and location data to detect an obstacle between two locations within the site. Based on the collected data and identified obstacles, the excavation vehicle generates unobstructed routes circumventing the obstacles, obstructed routes traveling through the obstacles, and instructions for removing certain modifiable obstacles. The excavation vehicle determines and selects the shortest route of the unobstructed and obstructed route and navigates over the selected path to move within the site.