Mobile Robot User Feedback Integration for Adaptive Navigation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current robot systems lack user-specific adaptation capabilities for navigation algorithms, limiting their ability to efficiently cover work areas and adapt to user feedback and changing environments.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating a user interaction unit that allows users to evaluate and provide feedback on robot routes within a virtual map, enabling the control and regulation unit to adjust navigation algorithms and future robot paths based on user input, using methods like SLAM and machine learning to optimize route planning.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a robot system uses a fixed navigation algorithm to cover work areas, then the robot can operate autonomously without user intervention, but the system lacks adaptability to user feedback and changing environments

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadaptability to user feedbackVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a feedback mechanism where users can evaluate robot routes through a user interaction unit. The control unit receives this feedback and uses it to adaptively adjust the navigation algorithm. This allows the system to learn from user evaluations and improve its routing decisions over time, directly addressing the need for adaptability while maintaining a manageable system architecture.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The navigation algorithm transitions from a static, pre-programmed approach to a dynamic system that can adjust its parameters based on real-time user feedback. The control unit modifies route planning parameters adaptively, allowing the robot to optimize its performance continuously rather than following fixed predetermined paths.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Adaptability or versatility

If the robot system allows extensive user interaction for route evaluation, then user-specific adaptation is enabled, but the ease of operation decreases due to required user input

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuser-specific adaptation capabilityVSAvoidease of use
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements a hybrid approach where the robot operates autonomously without requiring continuous user intervention. Users can provide feedback when desired, but the system continues to function independently. The adaptive navigation learns from periodic user evaluations rather than requiring constant interaction, balancing autonomy with user-specific customization.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The control unit prepares multiple route options in advance based on the virtual map and detected distances. When user feedback is received, the system can quickly switch between pre-calculated routes or adjust parameters for future route planning, reducing the operational burden on users while maintaining adaptability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Measurement precision

If the robot transfers detected distances to the virtual map for route optimization, then navigation precision is improved, but the loss of time increases due to processing and mapping operations

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenavigation accuracyVSAvoidprocessing time
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The control unit performs distance detection and virtual map updates in advance during idle periods or between task cycles. By preparing route options and updating the virtual map proactively rather than reactively during critical navigation moments, the system minimizes processing delays while maintaining high navigation accuracy based on precise distance measurements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3974932B1Robot system and method for controlling a driven mobile robot of a robot system
Publication Date: 2023.08.23 ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
  • EP3974932B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3974932B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3974932B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a robot system, in particular a semi-autonomous robot system, with at least one driven, movable, in particular mobile, robot (12) which is designed to cover at least a substantially complete work area (14) during a machining cycle, with at least one detection unit (22) which is designed to detect at least one distance (24) traveled by the robot (12) in the work area (14), with at least one control and/or regulation unit (34) which is configured at least for controlling the robot (12) within the work area (14), wherein the control and/or regulation unit (34) has at least one virtual map (40) of the work area (14) and/or is configured to generate a virtual map (40) of the work area (14), wherein the control and/or regulation unit (34) is configured toto transfer the recorded distance traveled (24) by the robot (12) to the virtual map (40), and with at least one user interaction unit (42). It is proposed that the user interaction unit (42) be configured, in particular after a processing cycle of the robot (12), to allow a user to evaluate at least one sub-section (44, 98) of the distance traveled (24) by the robot (12), in particular within the virtual map (40), and to transmit this evaluation to the control and/or regulation unit (34).