Mobile Human Interface Robot with Segmented Controller
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current mobile robots lack the capability to efficiently interact with humans and navigate complex environments while providing effective human interface services, such as home assistance and commercial assistance, due to limitations in processing power, sensor integration, and mobility.
Innovation Solution
A mobile human interface robot equipped with a high-processing-capacity controller, a holonomic drive system, and advanced sensor systems, including volumetric point cloud imaging, enabling simultaneous graphics display and mobility computations, and allowing for omni-directional movement and obstacle avoidance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a mobile robot is equipped with high-processing-capacity controller and advanced sensor systems for efficient human interaction and navigation, then the robot's processing power and navigation capability are improved, but the device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The controller is divided into multiple independent processing units including a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), and a motion processing unit. Each unit handles specific computational tasks independently, allowing the system to achieve high processing power for multiple functions simultaneously while keeping each individual unit relatively simple and manageable.
Solution Approach 2:
The GPU is designed to serve multiple purposes: it performs graphics computations for the electronic display, executes mobility computations for issuing drive commands, and can be dynamically allocated between display operations and motion control based on real-time needs. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated hardware for each function.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the robot uses a holonomic drive system for omni-directional movement, then the mobility and navigation capability are improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The holonomic drive system is segmented into three independent drive wheels, each with its own drive command capability. Each wheel can be controlled independently to achieve omni-directional movement, allowing the robot to move forward, backward, sideways, and rotate in place. This segmentation of the drive system into independent units simplifies the control architecture while achieving complex mobility.
3Productivity
If the controller executes both graphics computations and mobility computations simultaneously, then the robot can provide human interface services and navigate at the same time, but the processing load and energy consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The computational workload is segmented across dedicated processing units: the GPU handles graphics computations for the electronic display while simultaneously executing mobility computations for drive control. The motion processing unit handles sensor data processing and motion planning. This segmentation allows parallel execution of multiple computationally intensive tasks without requiring sequential processing, reducing overall energy consumption compared to a single-processor system.
Solution Approach 2:
The GPU is designed to perform multiple computational functions including both graphics rendering and mobility computations. By utilizing the same hardware resource for multiple purposes, the system avoids the energy overhead of having separate dedicated processors for each function, thereby reducing total energy consumption while maintaining multi-task capability.
Data Source
AI summary
A mobile human interface robot that includes a drive system, a controller in communication with the dive system, and an electronic display supported above the drive system and in communication with the controller. The controller includes a central processing unit, a general purpose graphics processing unit, and memory in electrical communication with the central processing unit and the general purpose graphics processing unit. Moreover, the controller has a display operating state and a driving operating state. The controller executes graphics computations on the general purpose graphics processing unit for displaying graphics on the electronic display during the display operating state; and the controller executes mobility computations on the general purpose graphics processing unit for issuing commands to the drive system during the driving operating state.