Gesture-Controlled Swarm Vehicle System Using Optical Motion Capture
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional joystick-based control systems for remotely operated unmanned vehicles require significant practice and are limited to one-to-one control, making them inefficient for complex operations and difficult to use in hazardous environments.
Innovation Solution
A system that uses optically reflective markers on both the operator and the unmanned vehicle, combined with a motion capture system, to interpret human gestures and generate commands for controlling the vehicle, allowing for multi-vehicle control and enhanced operational flexibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If joystick-based control systems are used for remotely operated unmanned vehicles, then direct actuator and motor control is achieved, but significant practice time is required and one-to-one control limitation exists
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical joystick control system with an optical motion capture system that uses reflective markers and cameras to detect body movements. This substitution eliminates the need for manual dexterity training required by joysticks, as the system naturally maps full-body gestures to vehicle commands, reducing training time while maintaining precise control capability
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates a virtual copy of the operator's body movements through optical tracking and maps them to vehicle control commands. By capturing and replicating natural human motion patterns, the system allows operators to control vehicles using intuitive gestures that mirror their intended actions, eliminating the learning curve associated with abstract joystick mappings
2Productivity
If joystick-based control systems are used, then single vehicle control is achieved, but multi-vehicle control efficiency is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The optical motion capture system serves multiple functions simultaneously: it tracks the operator's position, orientation, and gestures; interprets these movements as control commands; and transmits them to one or multiple vehicles. This universal control interface allows a single operator to efficiently manage multiple vehicles using natural body movements, significantly improving productivity over traditional one-to-one joystick control
Solution Approach 2:
The system adds spatial dimensionality to control by utilizing the operator's full three-dimensional body movements in space. Unlike constrained joystick manipulation, the operator can move their body freely in three dimensions, with each spatial dimension mapping to different vehicle control parameters. This dimensional freedom enables intuitive control of multiple vehicles simultaneously by distributing control attention across different spatial zones
3Reliability
If traditional control interfaces are used in hazardous environments, then operational safety is compromised, but gesture-based control requires complex motion capture infrastructure
Solution Approach 1:
The optical motion capture system acts as an intermediary between the operator and the hazardous environment. By capturing movements optically without requiring physical contact with control mechanisms, the system eliminates the need for the operator to be in direct contact with potentially hazardous control interfaces, improving safety while the distributed camera infrastructure keeps complexity manageable through parallel, independent tracking channels
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables proficient control of multiple unmanned vehicles with reduced operator training time, allowing for safer and more efficient operation in hazardous environments by translating human gestures into precise vehicle commands.
Implementation Method 1
Sensed reflections of optical signals from the markers of the unmanned vehicle and the markers on the article may be obtained
Data Source
AI summary
A method is disclosed for controlling at least one remotely operated unmanned object. The method may involve defining a plurality of body movements of an operator that correspond to a plurality of operating commands for the unmanned object. Body movements of the operator may be sensed to generate the operating commands. Wireless signals may be transmitted to the unmanned object that correspond to the operating commands that control operation of the unmanned object.