Modular Robot Power Management for Reliable Multi-Environment Navigation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Robots introduced into gaming environments struggle to navigate and perform functions in unpredictable and constantly changing environments, particularly due to player emotions, behavior, and safety hazards, failing to provide a stable gaming experience.
Innovation Solution
Modular robots equipped with diverse sensor arrays and power systems that adapt to different operational environments, allowing them to navigate and provide a gaming experience by coordinating sensor inputs with control circuits and input devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If robots are introduced into gaming environments to provide automated services, then productivity and service quality are improved, but reliability deteriorates due to inability to navigate unpredictable environments
Solution Approach 1:
The robot system is divided into modular subsystems including base mobility modules, sensor arrays, power management units, and gaming interface modules. Each module can independently detect and respond to environmental conditions, with the base subsystem providing common navigation functions while upper subsystems provide environment-specific capabilities. This segmentation allows the system to maintain reliability in unpredictable environments through localized adaptation.
Solution Approach 2:
The robot employs dynamic sensor arrays that can be selectively activated and adjusted based on real-time environmental conditions. The sensor system dynamically adapts its configuration and sensitivity levels to navigate unpredictable gaming environments, switching between different sensor modes depending on detected hazards, player behavior patterns, and operational requirements.
2Adaptability or versatility
If diverse sensor arrays are deployed to navigate different operational environments, then adaptability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The base subsystem is designed as a universal platform that provides common navigation, power management, and sensor processing capabilities for multiple operational environments. Upper subsystems can be attached to the base to provide specialized functions for specific environments such as gaming floors, hotel lobbies, or conference centers. This universal base design reduces overall system complexity while maintaining high adaptability across different settings.
Solution Approach 2:
The modular architecture implements a nested structure where upper subsystems are attached to and integrated with the base subsystem. Sensor arrays and processing units are nested within modular compartments that can be independently configured. This nesting approach allows diverse sensor arrays to be organized in a hierarchical manner, reducing spatial complexity and simplifying system integration while maintaining environmental adaptability.
3Reliability
If continuous sensor monitoring is implemented to ensure safety, then reliability is improved, but use of energy increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor system implements periodic monitoring cycles rather than continuous operation. Sensors are activated in scheduled intervals and triggered by specific events such as approach detection, hazard identification, or player interactions. This periodic action maintains safety monitoring reliability while significantly reducing energy consumption compared to continuous operation, as sensors remain in low-power states between monitoring cycles.
Solution Approach 2:
The robot employs intelligent power management where the control system automatically adjusts sensor activation based on detected environmental conditions and operational state. When the robot detects stable conditions or is in transit, power consumption is reduced by limiting sensor monitoring. When hazards or critical situations are detected, sensor arrays are automatically activated to provide enhanced monitoring. This self-regulating approach maintains reliability while optimizing energy usage.
Data Source
AI summary
This disclosure describes a system that, itself, includes a base subsystem. The base subsystem may include a mobility device that is configured to move the base subsystem along a surface. The system also may also include a set of sensors that are physically coupled to the base subsystem and are communicatively coupled to the mobility device in a manner than enables the system to navigate two or more different operational environments. The system may further include an upper subsystem that is coupled to the base subsystem and that includes a set of input devices. The system may also include a control circuit programmed to coordinate input received from the set of input devices with signals from the set of sensors to provide a user with a gaming experience within at least one of the operational environments. Other corresponding apparatuses and modular robot systems are also provided.