Mobile UVC Disinfection Robot for Shadow-Aware Dosage Planning

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current UVC disinfection systems face challenges such as shadow effects, uncertainty in dosage delivery, high energy consumption, limited operation time, and lack of flexible and fast deployment, especially in hospital environments, due to the need for prior mapping and path planning, leading to inefficient disinfection processes.

Innovation Solution

A mobile service robot equipped with software and algorithms that autonomously plans UVC disinfection paths, models UVC dosage delivery, and uses computer vision and wireless sensors to ensure accurate disinfection while minimizing energy use, allowing for flexible deployment in both mapped and unmapped environments.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If moveable UVC lamps are used to reduce shadows and deliver adequate dosage, then disinfection effectiveness is improved, but energy consumption increases significantly (1-2 kW)

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedisinfection effectivenessVSAvoidenergy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a mobile robot platform that dynamically moves UVC lamps to multiple locations throughout the room, allowing the system to deliver adequate UVC dosage to all surfaces while managing energy consumption through optimized movement patterns and timing

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses periodic illumination patterns where UVC lamps are activated in sequences at different locations, delivering germicidal doses to various surfaces over time while allowing energy management between activation cycles

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

2Reliability

If UVC lamps are moved manually to eliminate shadows, then disinfection coverage is improved, but labor requirements and error potential increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedisinfection coverageVSAvoidoperational simplicity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The mobile robot autonomously navigates and positions UVC lamps without human intervention, using onboard sensors and algorithms to identify surfaces requiring disinfection and automatically move to appropriate positions, making the system self-sufficient in eliminating shadows and ensuring coverage

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces manual mechanical movement of UVC lamps with an automated mobile robot system that uses electronic control, sensors, and autonomous navigation to achieve lamp positioning, eliminating human labor and associated errors

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Duration of action of moving object

If mobile robots with large batteries are used for UVC disinfection, then operation time is extended, but robot weight and charging time increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoperation timeVSAvoidrobot weight

Core Design Contradiction:

Duration of action of moving objectVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system optimizes battery capacity and power consumption parameters to achieve sufficient operation time for complete room disinfection cycles, balancing battery size with robot weight constraints and charging infrastructure availability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

4Measurement precision

If prior mapping and path planning are required for robot deployment, then disinfection precision is improved, but deployment flexibility and speed decrease

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedosage delivery accuracyVSAvoiddeployment flexibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary mapping and path planning computations before actual disinfection operations, preparing navigation routes and UVC delivery sequences in advance to ensure precise dosage delivery while maintaining the ability to adapt to different environments

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The mobile robot system is designed with universal capabilities to operate in both pre-mapped and unmapped environments, using adaptive navigation algorithms that can function with or without prior environmental knowledge, enhancing deployment flexibility

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS20250319221A1System and method for mobile service robot site disinfection

Publication Date: 2025.10.16 LOOP ROBOTS

AI summary

Systems and methods for robot-executed site disinfection are provided, employing an autonomous robot equipped with a germicidal light source. In an area that is already mapped with a pre-defined trajectory, the robot may generate a map of delivered dosage and regions of UVC shadows when the robot moves in the environment. Alternatively, the robot may generate a trajectory to be followed, optimized to reduce shadows and minimize electrical energy usage. In an area already mapped, the robot may generate a map of delivered dosage and of shadows. Alternatively, the robot may generate a trajectory to disinfect surfaces based on an area map while reducing shadows and minimizing electrical energy usage. In an unmapped area, the robot may employ an exploration strategy to generate a trajectory to create a map of the area, while simultaneously performing disinfection of surfaces using a minimum amount of electrical energy.