Mobile Robot Coordination via Synchronized Position Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing robot cooperative transport systems face challenges in maintaining synchronization between mobile robots due to timing discrepancies in information exchange and complex control mechanisms, leading to increased costs and potential failures.
Innovation Solution
A robot control system that includes a control apparatus and sensor apparatus to synchronize movements by generating and transmitting control information to multiple mobile robots, with leader and follower robots calculating control values based on shared location and destination data to maintain coordination.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If position information is exchanged between robots at different sampling timings, then each robot can operate autonomously, but synchronization cannot be established well
Solution Approach 1:
The control apparatus collects position information from all robots at the same sampling timing, calculates intermediate destinations based on this synchronized data, and feeds back control commands to each robot. This feedback loop ensures that all robots operate based on consistent positional information, achieving both autonomous operation and synchronization.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements periodic sampling of position information at uniform time intervals for all robots. This periodic action at synchronized timings ensures that the control apparatus receives consistent state information from all robots simultaneously, enabling proper coordination and synchronization while maintaining autonomous operation.
2Reliability
If a complex control mechanism is used to maintain synchronization, then coordination between robots is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The control apparatus serves as an intermediary that centralizes the synchronization function. Instead of implementing complex inter-robot communication and coordination mechanisms, the control apparatus receives position information from all robots, calculates appropriate intermediate destinations, and issues control commands to each robot. This mediator approach simplifies the overall system architecture while ensuring synchronization.
Solution Approach 2:
The system merges the synchronization control function into a single control apparatus that manages all robots. By combining the control logic for multiple robots into one centralized unit, the system avoids the complexity of distributed coordination mechanisms while maintaining effective synchronization across all robots.
3Adaptability or versatility
If dedicated trolley and storage equipment are introduced to enhance functionality, then robot versatility is improved, but introduction cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control apparatus implements a universal control system that can manage multiple mobile robots with different functions and configurations. By creating a standardized control interface and intermediate destination calculation method that works with various robot types, the system achieves versatility without requiring dedicated control equipment for each robot type, thereby reducing overall introduction costs.
Data Source
AI summary
To provide a robot control system, etc. capable to contributing to reducing costs and causing to synchronize movements between robots. The system comprises: a plurality of mobile robots; a control apparatus that is communicably connected to the plurality of mobile robots and manages and controls the plurality of mobile robots; and a sensor apparatus that is communicably connected to the control apparatus and senses the plurality of mobile robots in a predetermined area. The control apparatus executes processings of: generating control information including information related to a current location and an intermediate destination of each of the plurality of mobile robots at the same timing based on information from the sensor apparatus; and transmitting the generated control information to each of the plurality of mobile robots.