Autonomous Follow Robot Route Switching Around Hazardous Obstacles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Autonomous moving apparatuses face challenges in maintaining stable movement when following a target that changes route over obstacles, potentially causing movement abnormalities, such as falling or inability to move, due to height or width differences between the target's and the apparatus's paths.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus includes a detector for surrounding objects and a controller that adjusts its route to match the target's only if no obstacle of significant height or width is present, otherwise maintaining its current route and moving beside the target, using sensors and light/sound indicators to communicate its position.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the autonomous moving apparatus adjusts its route to match the follow target's route, then the apparatus can follow the target effectively, but the apparatus may encounter obstacles causing movement abnormalities
Solution Approach 1:
The obstacle detection function acts as an intermediary between route adjustment and movement execution. Before the apparatus adjusts its route to follow the target, the detector checks for obstacles in the target's path. If obstacles are detected, the route adjustment is blocked, preventing the apparatus from moving into hazardous positions that would cause movement abnormalities.
2Reliability
If the apparatus maintains its current route when obstacles are detected, then movement stability is preserved, but the apparatus cannot follow the target when the target changes route
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts its route following behavior based on real-time obstacle detection. When no obstacles are present, the apparatus actively adjusts its route to match the target's route. When obstacles are detected, the system dynamically switches to maintaining the current route, prioritizing movement stability. This dynamic adaptation allows the system to balance route following capability with movement stability under varying conditions.
3Reliability
If the apparatus continuously monitors for obstacles, then movement abnormalities are prevented, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary obstacle detection before executing route adjustments. The detector continuously monitors the environment in advance, identifying obstacles before the apparatus would need to change its route. This preliminary detection allows the control unit to prevent problematic route adjustments before they occur, maintaining reliability without requiring complex real-time intervention systems.
Data Source
AI summary
An autonomous moving apparatus includes a moving unit moving the apparatus, a detector detecting distances from surrounding objects and shapes of the objects, and a controller. When a route of the apparatus is adjusted to a route of a follow target under control of the moving unit, the controller controls the moving unit so that the apparatus continues to move without changing the route of the apparatus if the follow target has changed the route but an obstacle having a possibility of causing a movement abnormality when the apparatus moves over the obstacle is present between the route of the follow target and the route of the apparatus. When the obstacle is no longer present between the route of the follow target and the route of the apparatus, the controller controls the moving unit so that the route of the apparatus is adjusted to the route of the follow target.