Autonomous Lawn Mower Slope Compensation for Straight-Line Mowing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Autonomous lawn mower systems face challenges when traversing sloped regions, as they can stall, flip over, or create uneven cutting patterns due to gravitational forces and moments.
Innovation Solution
The system employs slope compensation techniques by using localization to determine the mower's orientation and calculating the forces and moments exerted by gravity. These calculations are then transformed into wheel torques to maintain a consistent trajectory across sloped regions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the mower traverses sloped regions without slope compensation, then the mower can operate on varied terrain, but the mower may stall, flip over, or create uneven cutting patterns due to gravitational forces
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by obtaining topographical map data of the region before mowing begins. The planner component uses this pre-acquired elevation information to identify sloped regions and generate compensated coverage patterns in advance, allowing the mower to traverse slopes safely without reacting to gravitational forces in real-time
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the coverage pattern based on the terrain slope. The planner modifies mowing paths to account for gravitational forces on sloped regions, changing the static coverage pattern to a dynamic one that adapts to the topography, thereby maintaining reliability while traversing varied terrain
2Device complexity
If the mower follows a standard coverage pattern on slopes, then the mowing path is simple to generate, but the mower creates areas of cut or uncut lawn which are not aesthetically pleasing and unresolved
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary analysis of topographical map data to identify sloped regions before generating coverage patterns. By pre-processing the terrain information and planning compensated paths in advance, the system achieves high cutting quality without adding significant operational complexity during mowing
Solution Approach 2:
The planner changes the coverage pattern parameters specifically for sloped regions identified in the topographical data. By modifying path parameters based on slope information rather than using a uniform pattern, the system maintains cutting quality while keeping the overall system relatively simple
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
This approach allows the autonomous lawn mower to safely and efficiently mow straight lines on slopes while maintaining a persistent trajectory and minimizing errors in cutting patterns.
Implementation Method 1
calculating the forces and moments exerted by gravity
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and techniques for compensating for the forces exerted on the autonomous lawn mower exerted by operating on a sloped region to be mowed are provided herein. In some examples, such systems and techniques may include receiving a coverage plan of an area to be mowed that includes a sloped region, determining, based on data for the one or more sensors, an orientation of the autonomous lawn mower and determining a slope force to compensate for the slope on which the autonomous lawn mower is operating. The slope force is then converted into signals to generate torques at one or more wheels to compensate for the slope.