Modular Autonomous Medical Delivery Bots for Adaptive Kit Logistics
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing autonomous logistics systems are less adaptive and inefficient, lacking compatibility for various sized items and often result in waste due to oversized vehicles, with interoperability issues with locations and pathway obstacles.
Innovation Solution
A modular autonomous logistics vehicle system comprising a modular mobility base, auxiliary power module, cargo storage system, and mobile autonomy control module, which autonomously navigates and authenticates delivery, ensuring efficient and adaptive logistics operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manually controlled logistics delivery vehicles are deployed, then delivery operations can be performed, but high operational costs and inefficiency occur
Solution Approach 1:
The autonomous delivery vehicle performs delivery operations independently without human intervention. The vehicle autonomously navigates, transports items, and completes delivery tasks, eliminating the need for manual control and significantly improving operational efficiency while reducing time consumption.
2Ease of manufacture
If fixed-size delivery vehicles are used, then vehicle deployment is simplified, but waste occurs due to oversized vehicles for small items
Solution Approach 1:
The delivery vehicle is divided into a base platform and detachable cargo modules of various sizes. This segmentation allows the system to assemble appropriately sized vehicles for each delivery task, avoiding resource waste from using oversized vehicles for small items while maintaining simple deployment through standardized coupling mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The vehicle configuration dynamically adapts to delivery requirements by selecting and assembling appropriate cargo module sizes based on item dimensions. This dynamic reconfiguration optimizes resource utilization for each task while maintaining operational simplicity through automated assembly processes.
3Reliability
If specialized autonomous vehicles are designed for specific tasks, then task performance is optimized, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
A single autonomous base platform can perform multiple delivery tasks by attaching different types of cargo modules. This multi-functionality approach maintains task execution reliability for various delivery scenarios while significantly reducing device complexity and cost compared to designing separate specialized vehicles for each task type.
4Extent of automation
If existing autonomous logistics systems are deployed, then automated delivery is achieved, but adaptability to various locations and pathway obstacles is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The autonomous vehicle system dynamically adapts to different delivery locations and pathway conditions by selecting appropriate cargo module configurations and adjusting navigation parameters in real-time. This dynamic adaptability maintains high automation levels while successfully navigating diverse environments and obstacles.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods perform one or more dispatched medical logistics operations using a modular autonomous bot apparatus assembly and a dispatch server where the operations are related to a diagnosis kit for treating a patient. The MAM of the bot receives a dispatch command, verifies compatibility of the bot assembly with the dispatched operation(s), receives a diagnosis kit in the CSS, has the MAM autonomously causing the MB to move to a destination location while notifying the authorized delivery recipient for the diagnosis kit of the approaching delivery. With appropriate authentication input received, the MAM coordinates with the CSS to provide access to the kit, monitor unloading of the kit, provide instructional information on use of the kit, and autonomously cause the MB to return to the original location with a return item related to the diagnosis kit with notification to personnel at the medical entity about the return item.