Mobile Robotic Arm Platform for Autonomous Item Retrieval
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Solution Overview
Problem
Individuals with mobility challenges face difficulties in retrieving items from the floor due to limited reach and grip strength, leading to potential injuries and loss of confidence, with existing devices being cumbersome or limited in range and autonomy.
Innovation Solution
A robotic system with two arms on a wheeled platform, capable of extension and rotation, that can be manually or autonomously controlled to locate and retrieve items using sensors and machine vision, with API connectivity for third-party integration and customizable task programming.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If a robotic arm connects to a user's wheelchair to retrieve items, then item retrieval capability is provided, but the reach is limited to a short distance and the user must move the wheelchair to access items
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic system is divided into two independent robotic arms mounted on opposite sides of a body on a wheeled platform. This segmentation allows each arm to independently reach items from different directions and positions, eliminating the need for the user to move the wheelchair to access items. The platform itself is mobile, separating the reach function from the mobility function.
Solution Approach 2:
The mobile robotic platform acts as an intermediary between the user and the fallen items. Instead of the user moving the wheelchair or the robotic arm being constrained to the wheelchair's position, the autonomous robotic platform can independently navigate to items and retrieve them, mediating the interaction between user needs and item locations.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a robotic arm is added to assist with item retrieval, then assistance is provided, but the weight of the robotic arm makes it harder for the user to maneuver the wheelchair
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic arm functionality is extracted from the wheelchair system and placed on a separate mobile robotic platform. This extraction eliminates the weight burden from the wheelchair, allowing the user to maneuver the wheelchair easily while still receiving robotic assistance for item retrieval through the independent platform.
Solution Approach 2:
The assistive function is segmented into a separate mobile robotic platform with its own power source and propulsion system. This segmentation separates the weight of the robotic mechanism from the user's wheelchair, eliminating the negative impact on wheelchair maneuverability while preserving the item retrieval capability.
3Device complexity
If a robotic arm shares the wheelchair's power supply, then integration is simplified, but the battery life of the wheelchair is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The power supply system is extracted from the wheelchair and integrated into the mobile robotic platform instead. This allows the robotic arm to have its own dedicated power source, preventing the wheelchair's battery life from being reduced while maintaining simplified integration within the robotic platform itself.
Solution Approach 2:
The power supply function is segmented into a separate system on the mobile robotic platform, independent from the wheelchair's power supply. This segmentation allows each system to have its own battery, eliminating the conflict over shared power resources while keeping the overall system architecture relatively simple.
4Device complexity
If a single robotic arm is used to reduce system complexity, then device complexity is reduced, but the ability to retrieve items from multiple positions is limited
Solution Approach 1:
Two robotic arms are mounted on opposite sides of the robotic body, creating an asymmetric configuration that maximizes coverage. This asymmetric placement allows the arms to reach items from different directions and positions simultaneously, providing comprehensive item retrieval capability without requiring a complex multi-armed structure.
Data Source
AI summary
A mobile robotic system for providing on-demand assistance is disclosed. In an example, the robotic system includes a platform, at least two wheels connected to the platform and driven by respective motors, and a housing connected to the platform. The housing includes a display screen and a telescoping section to enable the housing to increase in height. The robotic system additionally includes a first robotic arm connected to a first side of the housing, a first end-effector rotatably connected to the first robotic arm, a second robotic arm connected to an opposite, second side of the housing, a second end-effector rotatably connected to the second robotic arm, and a processor communicatively coupled to motors within the first robotic arm, the first end-effector, the second robotic arm, and the second end-effector. The processor may include an application programming interface to enable third-party applications to expand the capabilities of the robotic system.