Mobile Home Companion Robot for Appliance Monitoring and Item Location
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current smart home services are limited by their reliance on stationary devices like TVs and voice assistants, restricting their usefulness when users are not in range or when objects of interest are not communication-enabled, and they fail to provide comprehensive assistance for monitoring appliances, simplifying media access, and locating misplaced items effectively.
Innovation Solution
A robot equipped with a camera, image recognition processor, microphone, loudspeaker, voice assistant, and wireless transceiver that can autonomously move, recognize objects and situations, and communicate with devices to provide comprehensive assistance, including monitoring appliances, controlling media, and locating items.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If services are tied to stationary devices like TV and voice assistants, then device complexity is reduced, but adaptability and coverage area are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms stationary service devices into mobile robotic systems that can dynamically move throughout the environment. The robot equipped with camera, microphone, and wireless transceiver actively navigates to provide services wherever needed, converting fixed-position limitations into flexible, adaptive coverage while managing complexity through integrated multi-functional design
Solution Approach 2:
The robotic system integrates multiple functions including visual recognition via camera, audio processing via microphone, wireless communication, and physical navigation into a single universal platform. This multi-functional design allows one robot to replace multiple stationary devices, improving service coverage while consolidating rather than increasing overall system complexity
2Reliability
If monitoring relies on communication-enabled appliances, then measurement precision is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to technical requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The robot acts as an intermediary monitoring agent that can observe appliances directly through its camera and sensors without requiring the appliances themselves to be communication-enabled. This intermediary approach maintains reliable monitoring coverage while eliminating the technical complexity of making each appliance smart-connected
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of requiring appliances to have native communication capabilities, the robot creates visual and sensory copies of the appliance states through its camera and sensors. These copies are then transmitted wirelessly to provide reliable monitoring information without modifying the monitored appliances, simplifying deployment
3Adaptability or versatility
If voice assistants are stationary, then device complexity is reduced, but adaptability deteriorates when users are not near the device
Solution Approach 1:
The voice assistant functionality is transferred from a stationary device to a mobile robot that can physically move to be near the user wherever they are located in the environment. This dynamic positioning provides proximity flexibility while the robot's integrated audio processing and wireless communication capabilities manage the system complexity
4Measurement precision
If signaling beacons use GPS and radio for location determination, then measurement precision is improved, but use of energy increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces energy-intensive GPS and radio-based location systems with visual recognition technology. The robot's camera captures images and processes visual information to identify and locate items, substituting mechanical/electromagnetic positioning systems with optical recognition that consumes significantly less energy while maintaining location accuracy
Data Source
AI summary
A robot in a location interacts with a user. The robot includes a camera, an image recognition processor, a microphone and a loudspeaker, a voice assistant, and a wireless transceiver. The robot moves around and creates a model of the location, and recognizes changes. It recognizes objects of interest, beings, and situations. The robot monitors the user and recognizes body language and gesture commands, as well as voice commands. The robot communicates with the user, the TV, and other devices. It may include environment sensors and health status sensors. It acts as a user companion by answering queries, executing commands, and issuing reminders. It may monitor to determine if the user is well. The robot may monitor objects of interest, their placement and their status. When necessary, it communicates with the user.