Guidance Robot Head Rotation Control and Lidar Interference Mitigation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing guidance robots face challenges such as collisions with obstacles or people, difficulty in accurately turning their heads towards users, excessive rotation of head components, and interference between lidar devices from different robots, leading to navigation issues and safety concerns.
Innovation Solution
The guidance robot incorporates a unique design with a rotatable top cover, a cylindrical body structure, and strategically placed sensors and displays to prevent collisions, ensure accurate head rotation, and avoid lidar interference, featuring a driving unit with wheels and motors, a display unit, a stationary unit with a circular rotary unit, and location sensors to manage rotation and prevent excessive movement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If the robot is equipped with autonomous driving capability and sensors, then it can navigate independently, but it may collide with obstacles or people
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies beforehand cushioning by designing a shock-absorbing structure with a cushioning member positioned between the sensor and the external environment. This cushioning member attenuates shock before it reaches the sensor, protecting the robot from damage during collisions while maintaining autonomous navigation capability
2Ease of operation
If the head is made rotatable to face users, then it can improve interaction, but it lacks mechanism for finding exact position and sensing rotation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback by providing a rotation sensor that detects the rotational position of the head and feeds this information back to the control unit. This allows the system to accurately determine head position and control rotation within a predetermined range, enabling precise user interaction
3Adaptability or versatility
If the head can rotate 360 degrees, then it has full range of motion, but wires become entangled and rotation control is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary anti-action by using a rotation sensor to detect when the head approaches the limits of its rotational range and preemptively stopping rotation before wires become entangled. The control unit prevents excessive rotation by monitoring sensor feedback and limiting movement to a predetermined range
4Measurement precision
If multiple lidars are used for navigation, then detection capability improves, but interference between lidars from different robots occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses an intermediary approach by introducing a sensor that detects not only obstacles but also other robots in the environment. This sensor acts as a mediator that identifies the presence of other robots, allowing the control unit to adjust operation and avoid lidar interference while maintaining detection capability
Data Source
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AI summary
According to the present disclosure, there is provided a guidance robot including: a driving unit that includes wheels and a motor for moving; a body that is provided on the driving unit and includes sensors for autonomous driving; a display unit that is coupled to the body; a stationary unit that is coupled to the top of the body; a circular rotary unit that has an opening and is provided over the stationary unit to rotate about the central axis of the stationary unit; and a stopper that extends upward from the stationary unit through the opening of the circular rotary unit.