Mobile Manipulator Perception Mast for Coordinated Sensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional mobile manipulator robots in warehouse and logistics operations are inefficient and inflexible due to poor integration of the manipulator and mobile base, leading to suboptimal performance in complex tasks and safety constraints, requiring multiple specialized robots or frequent human-robot handoffs.
Innovation Solution
A highly integrated mobile manipulator robot with system-level mechanical design and holistic control strategies between the manipulator and mobile base, equipped with a perception mast featuring multiple perception modules, including 2D cameras and depth sensors, for simultaneous imaging and control of the robot's environment and tasks, enabling coordinated motion and efficient task execution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple specialized robots are used to perform complex tasks, then task capability is improved, but device complexity and operational coordination requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines a mobile base and manipulator into a single integrated mobile manipulator robot. The perception module is centrally positioned on the mobile base to provide unified environmental awareness for both navigation and manipulation tasks. This merging eliminates the need for multiple separate robots and reduces coordination complexity while maintaining versatile task capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The mobile manipulator robot is designed with universal perception and control capabilities that enable it to perform multiple tasks including navigation, object manipulation, and environmental assessment. The perception module serves dual purposes for both mobile navigation and manipulator control, providing multi-functional operation from a single integrated system.
2Ease of operation
If sequential operations are performed by mobile manipulator, then operational simplicity is maintained, but productivity and task execution speed decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The integrated control system enables continuous parallel execution of mobile base navigation and manipulator operations. While the mobile base moves to new positions, the manipulator simultaneously performs manipulation tasks, eliminating idle waiting time. The perception module continuously monitors the environment to enable seamless coordination of both operations, maintaining operational simplicity while significantly improving productivity.
3Reliability
If perception module is positioned on mobile base, then environmental awareness and coordination between base and manipulator are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The perception module is designed with multi-functional sensors that simultaneously provide data for both mobile base navigation and manipulator control. The same cameras and depth sensors are used for both global environmental mapping and local object manipulation, reducing the need for separate perception systems while improving coordination reliability through unified data processing.
4Productivity
If integrated control of mobile base and manipulator is implemented, then task execution efficiency is improved, but control system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control system merges mobile base navigation control and manipulator control into a single integrated controller. This unified control architecture processes perception data once and generates coordinated commands for both the mobile base and manipulator simultaneously, improving task execution efficiency while avoiding the complexity of managing separate control systems and their inter coordination.
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
The integrated robot performs complex and dynamic motions efficiently, capable of various tasks with speed and agility, improving task efficiency and safety by parallelizing sequential operations and enhancing coordination between the mobile base and manipulator.
Implementation Method 1
a depth sensor configured to capture depth information of one or more objects in the environment
Implementation Method 2
a two-dimensional (2D) camera configured to capture a color image of an environment
Implementation Method 3
at least one light source configured to provide illumination to the environment
Data Source
AI summary
An imaging apparatus includes a structural support rigidly coupled to a surface of a mobile robot and a plurality of perception modules, each of which is arranged on the structural support, has a different field of view, and includes a two-dimensional (2D) camera configured to capture a color image of an environment, a depth sensor configured to capture depth information of one or more objects in the environment, and at least one light source configured to provide illumination to the environment. The imaging apparatus further includes control circuitry configured to control a timing of operation of the 2D camera, the depth sensor, and the at least one light source included in each of the plurality of perception modules, and at least one computer processor configured to process the color image and the depth information to identify at least one characteristic of one or more objects in the environment.