Mobile Robot Clearance Control to Avoid Emergency Stops
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Emergency stops in mobile robots cause wear and tear, instability, and inefficiency due to sudden braking, which can lead to delays in travel time and reduced efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A safety stop avoidance system that predicts potential safety events by analyzing trajectory information and adjusting the robot's speed to reduce the size of the safety zone, thereby avoiding emergency stops by slowing down before an object enters the safety zone.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If emergency braking is engaged to stop the mobile robot when an object is detected in the safety zone, then collision avoidance is achieved, but wear and tear on the robot increases
Solution Approach 1:
The clearance system performs preliminary action by predicting future safety events before they occur. It analyzes trajectory information to determine that an object will enter the safety zone, and proactively slows the robot down in advance to prevent the safety event from occurring, thereby avoiding the wear and tear associated with emergency braking while maintaining collision avoidance
2Reliability
If emergency braking is engaged to stop the mobile robot when an object is detected in the safety zone, then collision avoidance is achieved, but stability of the robot deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The clearance system applies preliminary action by slowing the robot down gradually before an object enters the safety zone, rather than engaging emergency braking at the last moment. This proactive speed reduction maintains robot stability while still achieving collision avoidance
3Reliability
If emergency braking is engaged to stop the mobile robot when an object is detected in the safety zone, then safety is ensured, but travel time increases and efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The clearance system performs preliminary action by identifying objects that will enter the safety zone and calculating optimal speed reductions in advance. This allows the robot to maintain efficient travel speeds while only slowing down minimally and only when necessary, thereby reducing overall travel time compared to frequent emergency stops while maintaining safety
Solution Approach 2:
The clearance system dynamically adjusts the robot's speed based on real-time trajectory analysis and predicted safety events. It optimizes the timing and magnitude of speed reductions to balance safety requirements with travel efficiency, avoiding unnecessary delays while ensuring safety zones are never violated
Data Source
AI summary
A mobile robot can have a safety system that is configured to stop the mobile robot when an object is detected inside of a safety zone. The size of the safety zone can change based on the speed of the robot. The robot can predict future safety zones and determine whether objects would be inside of the predicted future safety zones. The robot can change its trajectory, such as by slowing down, so that the actual safety zone of the robot avoids the object. Accordingly, the mobile robot can avoid the object without stopping and without triggering the safety system of the robot. The mobile robot is configured to look ahead and predict likely safety events, and then take action to avoid the predicted safety events.