Remote Vehicle Autonomous Behaviors for Hazardous Operations
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Solution Overview
Problem
Remote vehicle operation is complex due to electro-mechanical complexity, requiring significant operator training and dexterity, and lacks efficient autonomous capabilities for tasks like bomb disposal and other hazardous operations.
Innovation Solution
A method and device that enhance operational efficiency by analyzing sensor data to adapt to deviations from normal operation, incorporating a diagnostic behavior and an embedded simulation and training system for remote vehicles, allowing for autonomous behaviors and seamless switching between tele-operation and autonomous modes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional tele-operation control is used for remote vehicles, then the operator can directly control the vehicle, but the electro-mechanical complexity makes control difficult requiring significant training and dexterity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an autonomous behavior system as an intermediary layer between the operator and the complex electro-mechanical vehicle systems. This behavior system processes sensor data and generates control commands automatically, mediating the interaction between human operator and complex vehicle subsystems, thereby simplifying operator control while managing the underlying complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The autonomous behavior system enables the remote vehicle to perform certain functions autonomously without continuous operator intervention. The vehicle can independently process sensor information and execute predefined behaviors for tasks such as navigation and obstacle avoidance, reducing the operational burden on the operator.
2Productivity
If autonomous behaviors are implemented in remote vehicles, then operational efficiency is enhanced, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The autonomous behavior system is segmented into modular components including sensor data processing modules, behavior selection modules, and command generation modules. Each module handles specific functions independently, allowing the system to achieve high operational efficiency through specialized processing while managing overall complexity through modular architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The autonomous behavior system is designed as a universal platform that can perform multiple functions including navigation, obstacle detection, and task execution. This multi-functional approach enhances operational efficiency across diverse scenarios while avoiding the need for separate specialized systems for each function.
3Loss of information
If sensor data analysis is performed to detect deviations from normal operation, then operational awareness is improved, but processing time and computational requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary analysis of sensor data by establishing baseline models of normal operation beforehand. During actual operation, the system compares real-time sensor readings against these pre-established baselines, enabling rapid detection of deviations without requiring extensive real-time computational analysis, thus improving situational awareness while minimizing processing time.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of operating a remote vehicle configured to communicate with an operator control unit (OCU) includes executing a click-to-drive behavior, a cruise control behavior, and a retro-traverse behavior on a computing processor. The click-to-drive behavior includes receiving a picture or a video feed and determining a drive destination in the received picture or video feed. The cruise control behavior includes receiving an absolute heading and velocity commands from the OCU and computing a drive heading and a drive velocity. The a retro-traverse behavior includes generating a return path interconnecting at least two previously-traversed waypoints of a list of time-stamped waypoints, and executing a retro-traverse of the return path by navigating the remote vehicle successively to previous time-stamped waypoints in the waypoints list until a control signal is received from the operator control unit.