Multi-Robot Shelf Handling Control for Autonomous Storage Retrieval
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current robotic systems lack sophistication to perform complex tasks efficiently, requiring human intervention and resulting in reduced automation and functional expansion, leading to inefficiencies in motion management and interaction among robots.
Innovation Solution
A controller system that coordinates a handling robot and a transport robot, utilizing data acquisition, storage, and control units to manage object and shelf information, creating control sequences for efficient storage and retrieval operations, enhancing cooperation and storage efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If robots are used to perform automated operations, then productivity is improved, but the system lacks sophistication needed for complex tasks requiring human intervention
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides complex tasks into smaller sub-tasks that can be performed by individual robots. The coordination mechanism breaks down complicated operations into manageable steps, allowing each robot to handle specific portions while maintaining overall task complexity through structured decomposition of workflows.
Solution Approach 2:
The coordination mechanism serves multiple functions: it manages task allocation, coordinates robot movements, handles error recovery, and adapts to different task types. This universal control system enables the same infrastructure to handle various complex operations across different domains, from manufacturing to logistics.
2Adaptability or versatility
If human intervention is required for complex tasks, then adaptability is improved, but overall efficiency is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The coordination mechanism enables robots to autonomously manage complex tasks without human intervention. The system performs self-coordination, automatic task allocation, and autonomous error recovery, allowing robots to handle complicated operations independently while maintaining high efficiency through automated decision-making and adaptive coordination.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple robots are coordinated to perform complex tasks, then functional expansion is improved, but motion management complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The coordination mechanism acts as an intermediary layer between individual robots and the overall task objectives. It manages motion coordination, handles inter-robot communication, and mediates resource allocation, thereby simplifying the complexity of managing multiple robots by providing a centralized coordination interface that abstracts away the intricate details of multi-robot motion management.
4Productivity
If automation is expanded to eliminate human involvement, then productivity is improved, but sophistication needed for complex tasks is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The coordination mechanism dynamically adapts to complex task requirements through real-time decision-making and adaptive coordination. It adjusts task allocation, modifies coordination strategies, and responds to changing conditions on the fly, enabling high-level automation that maintains the sophistication needed for complex operations while eliminating human involvement through intelligent, dynamic control.
Data Source
AI summary
A robot system controller and control method that implement sophisticated cooperation among units is provided. The controller may include: a data acquisition unit adapted to acquire first data including information about the handling object and the shelf before storing or retrieving the handling object in/from the shelf; a data storage unit; and a robot control unit adapted to select and transport the shelf to an access position before storing or retrieving the handling object in/from the shelf, create or acquire a control sequence for storing or retrieving the handling object in/from the shelf, instruct the transport robot to execute a task of transporting the shelf to the access position, and instruct the handling robot to execute a task of storing or retrieving the handling object in/from the shelf.