Mobility Scooter Thermal Sensing for Selective Collision Avoidance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional collision avoidance systems for mobility scooters often fail to effectively navigate complex environments due to interference from multiple objects, particularly in close quarters, leading to user frustration and potential collisions.
Innovation Solution
An obstruction detection and avoidance system for mobility scooters utilizing thermal sensors to capture thermal images, analyze obstructions, and control scooter velocity through a controller to prevent collisions by decelerating or stopping the scooter based on predefined distance ranges.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional proximity switches are used for collision avoidance, then the system can detect objects, but multiple objects in proximity cause too many interruptions that frustrate the user
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces conventional proximity switches with a thermal sensor system that detects obstructions through thermal radiation. This substitution allows the system to distinguish between different types of objects based on their thermal signatures, reducing false alarms from non-threatening objects like chair legs while maintaining reliable detection of actual hazards, thereby improving both collision avoidance reliability and user operation smoothness
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the detection parameter from simple proximity detection to thermal signature analysis. By measuring temperature and thermal radiation patterns, the system can differentiate between stationary objects (like furniture) and dynamic obstacles (like people or moving objects), allowing it to reduce velocity selectively based on the type of obstruction detected, thus reducing unnecessary interruptions while maintaining safety
2Reliability
If the system reduces velocity frequently to avoid obstacles, then collision risk decreases, but user productivity and mobility efficiency decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies partial action by selectively reducing velocity only when necessary - specifically when thermal signatures indicate actual obstacles that require avoidance. The controller analyzes thermal patterns to determine whether an detected object warrants velocity reduction, applying the braking action only in appropriate cases rather than responding to all detected objects, thus maintaining safety while preserving mobility efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback by continuously monitoring thermal sensor data and adjusting velocity based on real-time analysis of obstruction types. The controller receives thermal signature information, processes it to determine obstacle categories, and provides appropriate velocity control responses, creating a closed-loop system that balances safety requirements with operational efficiency
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system enhances safety by accurately detecting and avoiding obstacles, reducing the risk of collisions with individuals or objects, and providing user control options to manage alerts and overrides.
Implementation Method 1
a thermal sensor configured to sense an obstruction by capturing a thermal image
Data Source
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AI summary
A mobility vehicle including a drive member (28) and an obstruction detection and avoidance system. The object detection and avoidance system includes a thermal sensor configured to sense an obstruction and controller communicatively coupled to a thermal sensor. The controller includes a memory communicably coupled to one or more processors, the memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, causes the processing circuit to detect an obstruction, determine a distance range from the obstruction and generate a control signal when the distance range is less than a predetermined value to adjust the output of the drive member.