Multi-Elevation Footpath Scanning for Mobility Hazard Mapping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional scanning technologies are limited to vehicle-based or tripod-based scanning and cannot effectively capture and analyze foot paths, which often contain mobility hazards such as gaps, slopes, and irregularities that can impede pedestrians or wheelchair users.
Innovation Solution
A mobile scanning tool with sensors attached to wheels, including torque and angle sensors, captures images and data from varying heights to create synchronized and normalized views, enabling the identification and quantification of mobility challenges in foot paths.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional scanning technologies are used to capture foot paths, then the scanning device can obtain basic path information, but it cannot effectively measure and map surfaces from varying heights or perspectives, leading to missed mobility hazards
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dimensionality change by mounting sensors at multiple vertical heights on the mobility device. This allows the system to capture images and data from different perspectives (e.g., wheelchair user height vs. standing height) simultaneously, enabling detection of mobility hazards that would be invisible from a single height. The multi-elevation sensor array transforms a single-point measurement system into a multi-dimensional scanning system.
2Measurement precision
If multiple sensors are added to capture different perspectives, then mobility hazard detection improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements multi-functionality by designing a sensor system where the same sensor array serves multiple purposes: capturing images for hazard detection, gathering data for path mapping, and providing perspective-specific views for different user types. The processing system integrates data from all sensors to generate comprehensive mobility challenge assessments, allowing one system to perform what would traditionally require multiple separate devices.
3Loss of information
If the scanning tool captures comprehensive multi-perspective data, then mobility challenges can be better understood, but the data processing and analysis requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies merging by integrating data from multiple sensors at different heights into a unified path map and mobility challenge assessment. The processing system combines images and measurements from all sensor locations to create a comprehensive view of the environment, merging perspective-specific data into a cohesive representation that captures mobility hazards from multiple viewpoints simultaneously.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods are provided for obtaining characterizations of paths to be traversed, such as foot paths. A scanning tool may be configured to capture information or data characterizing aspects of such a path. The scanning tool may comprise multiple sensors for capturing image/visual data from multiple perspectives, as well as for capturing data reflecting physical features or conditions of the path. Such information can be combined and quantified or otherwise characterized to provide insight into micromobility zones.