Remote Manipulation Workspace Modeling for Communication Delay

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Solution Overview

Problem

Operators in remote manipulation systems face challenges in concentrating on robot manipulation due to the influence of communication delays, which require them to assess and mitigate delays simultaneously.

Innovation Solution

A data generation device and method that estimate the state of actual peripheral objects in a remote manipulation system, generating model data to synchronize the robot and peripheral object models with the actual objects, reducing the impact of communication delays by aligning their time axes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the operator monitors communication delay and adjusts manipulation accordingly, then the robot operation reliability is improved, but the operator's manipulation efficiency deteriorates due to divided attention

Engineering Contradiction:
Improverobot operation reliabilityVSAvoidmanipulation efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system automatically measures communication delay and adjusts the display image synthesis ratio without operator intervention. The slave device self-monitors its own communication status and autonomously optimizes the display parameters, freeing the operator from manual adjustment tasks while maintaining reliable operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system continuously measures communication delay and uses this feedback to dynamically adjust the synthesis ratio of simulation images in the display. This closed-loop feedback mechanism ensures the operator always sees an appropriate balance of real and simulated images based on current communication conditions, improving both reliability and efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Measurement precision

If the display image uses more simulation image to compensate for large communication delay, then the operational accuracy is improved, but the information accuracy deteriorates due to reduced actual image content

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoperational accuracyVSAvoidinformation accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The synthesis ratio between actual and simulation images is dynamically adjusted based on measured communication delay. When delay is large, more simulation image is added to maintain operational accuracy; when delay is small, more actual image is preserved to maintain information accuracy. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction by making the trade-off adjustable rather than fixed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the parameter of image synthesis ratio in response to communication delay conditions. By varying this parameter dynamically, the system optimizes the balance between operational accuracy (needing more simulation) and information accuracy (needing more actual image), allowing both requirements to be satisfied under different operating conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS12027060B2Data generation device, method of generating data, and remote manipulation system
Publication Date: 2024.07.02 KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KK
  • US12027060B2 patent drawing
  • US12027060B2 patent drawing
  • US12027060B2 patent drawing

AI summary

A data generation device generates at least a part of data used for a generation of an image displayed on a display unit. The display unit displays a workspace model modeled after an actual workspace, as a video. The workspace model includes a robot model modeled after an actual robot, and a peripheral object model modeled after a given peripheral object around the actual robot. The robot model is created so as to operate according to operation of an operator to a manipulator. The data generation device includes a state information acquiring module configured to acquire state information indicative of a state of the peripheral object, and an estimating module configured to estimate, based on the state information, a state of the peripheral object after a given period of time from the current time point, and generate a result of the estimation as peripheral-object model data used for a creation of the peripheral object model displayed on the display unit.