Modular Robotic Drive System with Detachable Intelligence
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Solution Overview
Problem
Home consumer robots are difficult to lift onto elevated surfaces due to their weight and dirty mobility systems, which are typically heavy and collect dirt and dust, making interaction at eye level inconvenient.
Innovation Solution
A detachable computational intelligence system that can be coupled or decoupled from interchangeable mobility mechanisms, allowing the intelligence portion to be lifted independently and operated in a stationary state, reducing weight and keeping the mobility portion clean.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the robot is designed as an integrated unit with fixed drive system, then mobility and stability are optimized, but the robot becomes heavy and difficult to lift onto elevated surfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The robot is divided into two separable components: a lightweight computational intelligence system (head) and a mobility mechanism (base). The computational intelligence system can be detached and lifted independently onto elevated surfaces, while the mobility mechanism remains on the ground. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by allowing the intelligence portion to be easily operable at eye level without requiring the entire robot to be lifted.
Solution Approach 2:
The computational intelligence system is extracted from the integrated robot unit and made detachable. This extracted intelligence system can be carried and positioned independently on tables or countertops, separating the lifting requirement from the mobility function. The mobility mechanism stays on the ground while the intelligence system operates from an elevated position.
2Ease of operation
If the robot operates in a stationary state on elevated surfaces, then interaction at eye level is improved, but the mobility system collects dirt and dust when left on the ground
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the robot into a clean intelligence system and a ground-based mobility mechanism, the contamination problem is isolated to the mobility portion. The intelligence system, which requires clean surfaces for optimal operation and user interaction, remains separate from the dirty environment on the floor.
Solution Approach 2:
The intelligence system is extracted from the contaminated mobility environment and positioned on elevated clean surfaces. This extraction protects the sensitive computational components from dirt and dust while maintaining the ability to interact with users at eye level.
3Ease of operation
If the robot is made detachable into separate components, then lifting and cleaning become easier, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The mobility mechanism is designed as a universal base that can support different computational intelligence systems. The standardized interface and coupling mechanism allow the same mobility base to work with multiple intelligence system variants, reducing overall system complexity despite the detachable design.
Data Source
AI summary
The subject disclosure is directed towards a robot device including a computational intelligence system that can be coupled to/decoupled from different interchangeable mobility mechanisms at different times. The robot may operate with its intelligence portion detached from the mobility portion, whereby the intelligence portion may be easily to interact therewith out lifting the (typically dirty) mobility mechanism. The robot may operate according to a coupled state, a decoupled state, or in a transition state when being moved for purposes of coupling or decoupling.