Remote Work Machine Visual Delineation for Operator Awareness
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Remote operation of work machines, such as wheel loaders, is challenging due to limited operator awareness of the surroundings, making precise operation difficult, especially when vision or sensory feedback is limited.
Innovation Solution
A system that includes remote operations equipment on the work machine to capture and transmit environmental information to a remote control station, where an operator assist module analyzes and augments the imagery with feature delineators to help the operator understand relationships between the machine and its environment, using sensors like cameras, radar, and lidar, and provides smart feature delineators that change as the machine interacts with objects.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the work machine is operated remotely, then operator safety is improved, but operator awareness of surroundings deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an operator assist module as an intermediary system that processes sensor data and generates feature delineators. This module acts as a mediator between the remote operator and the work environment, enhancing situational awareness without requiring the operator to be physically present. The system captures images from multiple cameras, processes them to identify relevant features, and overlays delineators that highlight critical elements in the operator's field of view.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical presence of the operator with electronic and optical systems. Instead of relying on the operator's physical senses and direct observation, the system uses cameras, image processing algorithms, and visual display technologies to substitute for human perception. The feature delineators serve as an electronic enhancement that compensates for the loss of natural sensory feedback when operating remotely.
2Reliability
If remote operations equipment is added, then operator safety is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The operator assist module serves multiple functions: it processes images from multiple cameras, identifies various types of features (truck rails, dirt piles, ground surfaces), generates appropriate delineators, and displays enhanced imagery. This multi-functional approach consolidates what could be separate complex systems into a single integrated module, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining comprehensive safety and awareness capabilities.
3Loss of information
If feature delineators are provided, then operator perception is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies feature delineators selectively rather than attempting to delineate all possible features. The operator assist module identifies and delineates only the most critical features relevant to safe operation, such as truck rails, dirt piles, and ground surfaces. This partial action approach focuses computational resources on high-priority features, reducing the precision requirements for identifying every possible element in the environment while still significantly improving operator perception.
Data Source
AI summary
A system for assisting remote operation of a work machine may include a work machine and remote operations equipment arranged on the work machine. The remote operations equipment may be configured to capture information about the environment of the work machine and transmit the information to a remote control station. The system may also include a remote control station configured to display images of the environment of the work machine. The system may also include an operator assist module configured for augmenting the information with a feature delineator.