Pet Robot Head Motion Control for Lifelike Pressing Behavior
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing robot designs struggle to accurately imitate the movements and emotions of living creatures, particularly small animals, while also being cost-effective and easy to assemble.
Innovation Solution
A pet robot design featuring a reduced number of components in its joint system, coupled with a flexible exterior that mimics fur, allows for precise movement imitation through a twist and up-and-down motor system, and includes sensors for interaction detection, enabling dynamic emotional responses based on user interaction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a reduced number of components is used in the joint system, then assembly complexity and costs are reduced, but movement precision and control accuracy may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple joint functions into integrated joint units that connect body segments. Each joint unit incorporates multiple degrees of freedom and control mechanisms into a single assembly, reducing the total component count while maintaining movement precision through coordinated control of the integrated joints.
Solution Approach 2:
The joint units are designed as multi-functional components that can perform multiple movement operations (rotation, elevation, depression) simultaneously. This universal design allows fewer components to achieve the same functional capability that would otherwise require multiple specialized parts.
2Ease of manufacture
If the robot structure is simplified for ease of assembly, then manufacturing costs decrease, but the accuracy of imitating living creature movements may worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The robot body is divided into segmented sections (head, body, legs) connected by articulated joints. This segmentation allows each section to be assembled independently and connected through standardized joint interfaces, simplifying assembly while enabling complex movements through coordinated joint action.
Solution Approach 2:
The joint units incorporate dynamic control mechanisms that allow real-time adjustment of movement parameters. This dynamic capability enables simplified mechanical structures to achieve high movement accuracy through active control, compensating for the reduced mechanical complexity.
3Device complexity
If fewer components are used, then device complexity is reduced, but the ability to detect and respond to user interaction may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple sensing functions are integrated into the joint units and body segments. Sensors for detecting touch, pressure, and movement are combined within the same components that provide mechanical articulation, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining comprehensive interaction detection capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The joint units serve multiple functions simultaneously: mechanical articulation, sensor integration, and control processing. This multi-functionality allows the system to maintain rich interaction detection and response capabilities with fewer discrete components.
Data Source
AI summary
A robot imitating a living thing, includes a body, a head connected to a front end of the body, a movable portion for moving the head relative to the body, and a controller. In a state in which the body is placed on a mounting surface, the controller executes a first control that controls the movable portion to change a distance between the front end of the body and the mounting surface alternately between a first distance and a second distance by moving the head so that a state of the head pressing the mounting surface changes.