Mobile Robot Path Control Around Moving Nearby Objects
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing robot control systems struggle to efficiently navigate conveyance robots around obstacles, particularly when there are people in the vicinity, leading to reduced movement efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A robot control system that uses a map to specify the position of nearby objects, sets a setting area around them with adjusted dimensions based on distance, and adds restriction information to control the robot's movement, ensuring efficient navigation while avoiding obstacles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the robot reduces moving speed or performs evasive movement when detecting obstacles, then safety is improved, but productivity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by setting restriction information and setting areas in advance based on predicted positions of nearby objects, rather than reacting after detection. This allows the robot to plan avoidance routes proactively, reducing unnecessary speed reductions and maintaining productivity while ensuring safety through pre-planned collision avoidance.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the setting area parameters (first distance in passage direction, second distance in width direction) based on the type and position of nearby objects. This dynamic adaptation allows the robot to optimize its avoidance behavior for different scenarios, maintaining efficiency while ensuring safety across varied operating conditions.
2Reliability
If the robot avoids all detected obstacles, then safety is improved, but task completion time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies local quality by creating differentiated setting areas with specific dimensions (first distance in passage direction, second distance in width direction) tailored to each nearby object's characteristics. This localized approach allows the robot to apply appropriate avoidance measures only where necessary, rather than universally reducing speed or taking evasive actions in all directions, thus minimizing time loss while maintaining safety.
Solution Approach 2:
By predicting object positions and setting restriction information in advance, the robot can plan efficient avoidance routes before encountering obstacles. This preliminary planning reduces unnecessary detours and time-consuming reactive maneuvers, allowing the robot to maintain better task completion times while ensuring safety through pre-calculated avoidance paths.
Data Source
AI summary
A robot control system according to an embodiment is configured to control a mobile robot configured to autonomously move by referring to a map, the robot control system being further configured to: acquire a distance to a nearby object measured by using a range sensor; specify a position of the nearby object on the map according to the distance from a position of the mobile robot to the nearby object; estimate a movement vector indicating a moving speed and a moving direction of the nearby object according to a change in the distance to the nearby object; add a cost for restricting a movement of the mobile robot on the map; and perform control so that the mobile robot moves according to the cost updated according to a result of measurement by the range sensor.