Mobile robotic cleaner
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Solution Overview
Problem
Autonomous robotic floor cleaning machines face challenges in recognizing their surroundings and reacting to changes, leading to potential collisions and inefficiencies in cleaning operations, particularly in large industrial or commercial settings with pedestrian traffic.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a control system equipped with various sensors such as optical sensors, distance sensors, laser scanners, and object recognition sensors allows the robotic cleaning machine to detect objects, map its workspace, and autonomously navigate and perform cleaning operations, ensuring safe and efficient cleaning paths.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If autonomous robotic cleaning machines are deployed in large industrial or commercial settings with pedestrian traffic, then productivity is improved through automated cleaning operations, but reliability deteriorates due to potential collisions with objects and pedestrians
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning machine is divided into multiple sensor zones (front, rear, left, right) with dedicated sensors for each direction. This segmentation allows independent detection and response in different spatial regions, improving overall collision avoidance reliability while maintaining autonomous cleaning productivity
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor system performs preliminary detection of objects and pedestrians before the cleaning machine reaches collision risk zones. The controller processes sensor data in advance to predict potential collisions and adjusts the cleaning path proactively, ensuring safe operation in busy environments without compromising cleaning efficiency
2Reliability
If multiple sensors are added to detect objects and map workspace, then reliability is improved through better obstacle recognition, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor system is designed with multi-functional sensors that perform multiple tasks: distance measurement, object detection, workspace mapping, and collision prediction. This universal approach improves detection reliability without proportionally increasing system complexity, as each sensor contributes to multiple functions simultaneously
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple sensor inputs (front, rear, left, right sensors) are merged and processed by a unified controller that integrates data from all sources. This consolidation approach manages complexity by providing a single point of decision-making while leveraging the combined information from all sensors for improved detection accuracy
3Productivity
If the cleaning machine autonomously navigates and performs cleaning operations simultaneously, then productivity is improved, but the ability to accurately detect and react to surroundings deteriorates due to divided attention
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor system operates continuously during cleaning operations, providing uninterrupted surveillance of the environment. The controller continuously processes sensor data and adjusts navigation in real-time, ensuring both autonomous cleaning throughput and accurate surroundings detection occur simultaneously without compromise
Data Source
AI summary
A control system for a robotic floor cleaning machine configured to perform a cleaning operation along a cleaning path can comprise a controller, and a plurality of sensors. The controller can be configured to control autonomous movement of the robotic floor cleaning machine along the cleaning path and autonomous performance of the cleaning operation. The plurality of sensors can be configured to sense a location of the robotic floor cleaning machine relative to surroundings of the robotic floor cleaning machine. At least two sensors from the plurality of sensors are configured to locate the robotic floor cleaning machine in overlapping areas of the surroundings.