Mobile Bio-Surveillance Robot for Early Pathogen Sampling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current bio-surveillance methods lack effective early detection of pathogens in environments, which can lead to outbreaks and associated social and economic costs.
Innovation Solution
A bio-surveillance system comprising a mobile robot and a docking station that collects and analyzes environmental samples for pathogens using swabs or other collection mediums, enabling early identification of known and novel pathogens through a sample collection system, sensors, and analysis systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional bio-surveillance methods are used, then pathogen detection is performed, but early detection capability is insufficient leading to outbreaks
Solution Approach 1:
The mobile robot performs preliminary pathogen detection by collecting environmental samples (air, surface, water) before outbreaks occur. The robot proactively surveys environments, collects samples, and analyzes them for pathogen presence, enabling early warning systems that detect pathogens before they cause outbreaks, thus reducing detection time and preventing spread
Solution Approach 2:
The mobile robot acts as an intermediary between the environment and the analysis system. It collects samples from various environments, transports them to the docking station, and facilitates their analysis. This intermediary role enables systematic and continuous monitoring that traditional methods cannot achieve, improving both detection precision and timing
2Reliability
If mobile robot with sample collection system is deployed, then early pathogen detection is enabled, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The bio-surveillance system is segmented into distinct functional modules: mobile robot for sample collection, docking station for analysis, and various specialized subsystems (collection mediums, sensors, storage). This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently and facilitates maintenance, updating, and scalability, managing overall system complexity while maintaining high reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The mobile robot is designed with multi-functionality, capable of collecting samples from multiple sources (air, surface, water) using different collection mediums. The docking station can analyze various sample types and store multiple samples. This universality reduces the need for multiple specialized devices, managing complexity while enhancing surveillance effectiveness
Data Source
AI summary
A mobile robot may include one or more driven wheels, one or more sensors, and a sample collector. The sample collector may include a collection medium holder, a plurality of collection mediums disposed within the collection medium holder, and a collection medium applicator configured to releasably couple to a respective collection medium disposed within the collection medium holder.