Pet Robot Thermal Coupling for Simulated Body Warmth
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Solution Overview
Problem
Pet-type robots lack the ability to simulate the warmth and temperature changes that humans experience when interacting with real animals, which limits their ability to provide a similar sense of comfort and stress relief.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a heat-generating member and a heat-transfer section within the robot, controlled by a control section, to adjust the amount of heat transfer to the exterior, allowing users to feel body temperature and changes in temperature.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a pet-type robot is designed to behave autonomously to entertain users, then the robot can provide interactive engagement, but the robot cannot provide the warmth and comfort of touching real animals since it lacks body temperature
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by controlling the temperature of the exterior member as a variable parameter. The control section adjusts the temperature based on operational states, allowing the robot to simulate different body temperatures and provide thermal comfort similar to real animals while maintaining autonomous interactive capabilities
2Temperature
If heat-generating members are incorporated into the robot to simulate body temperature, then users can feel warmth, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by designing the heat-generating members and heat-transfer sections to serve multiple functions. The same components that generate heat for temperature simulation also serve as actuators and operational elements of the robot, reducing overall device complexity while achieving temperature simulation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the heat-generating function with the actuator function by using actuators as heat-generating members. This combination eliminates the need for separate heating components, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining the ability to simulate body temperature
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables users to perceive the body temperature and emotional states of the robot, enhancing the interaction experience and providing a sense of comfort similar to that with real animals.
Implementation Method 1
a heat-transfer section that transfers heat of the heat-generating member to the exterior member
Implementation Method 2
a control section that adjusts an amount of heat transfer between the heat-generating member and the exterior member by operating the heat-transfer section
Data Source
AI summary
A robot includes heat-generating members such as an actuator in spaces surrounded by exterior members. A heat-transfer section transfers heat of the heat-generating members to the exterior members. A heat-transfer control section adjusts the amount of heat transfer between the heat-generating members and the exterior members by operating the heat-transfer section. The heat-transfer section has a thermally conductive member that can shift between a coupling position for thermally coupling the heat-generating members and the exterior members, and an interrupting position for interrupting thermal conduction between the heat-generating members and the exterior members.