Domestic Robot Boundary Handling via Gradual Turn
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing robotic systems spend a significant amount of time and energy on boundary handling, which is inefficient and can lead to increased stress on drive gears and motors, reducing their lifespan and increasing operational costs.
Innovation Solution
A domestic robotic system that uses boundary distance sensors to perform a gradual turn while moving across the working area, allowing the robot to transition from approaching to receding from the boundary without frequent stops, thereby reducing boundary handling time and stress on the drive system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the robot stops and turns frequently at the boundary, then the boundary handling is accurate, but the total scanning time increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The robot detects the boundary at distance X before actually reaching it, and initiates the turning maneuver in advance. This preliminary detection and early action allow the robot to smooth out the transition before the boundary is reached, avoiding last-minute sharp turns and stops that would waste time.
Solution Approach 2:
The robot dynamically adjusts its turning behavior based on real-time boundary distance measurements. Instead of fixed stop-and-turn actions, the system continuously modifies its trajectory using gradual turning controlled by differential wheel speeds, optimizing the transition smoothness and reducing time loss.
2Speed
If the robot performs sharp turns at the boundary, then the direction change is quick, but the stress on drive gears and motors increases
Solution Approach 1:
The robot uses dynamic control of wheel speeds to achieve smooth gradual turns. By continuously adjusting the differential speed between left and right wheels based on boundary distance feedback, the system achieves direction changes without abrupt mechanical stress, extending drive system lifespan.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the turning parameter from fixed sharp angles to variable gradual angles. By controlling the rate and degree of turning based on distance X and boundary proximity, the robot reduces mechanical stress while maintaining effective direction changes.
3Manufacturing precision
If the robot spends more time on boundary handling, then the boundary is thoroughly covered, but the energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The robot maintains continuous forward motion and continuous boundary detection throughout the operation. By avoiding stops and using smooth gradual turns, the payload operation continues uninterrupted, and energy is consumed efficiently without the peaks associated with frequent stopping and restarting.
Solution Approach 2:
The robot begins turning maneuvers in advance when at distance X from the boundary, rather than waiting until immediate proximity. This preliminary action distributes the boundary handling effort over a longer period at lower intensity, reducing peak energy consumption while maintaining coverage quality.
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
This approach improves coverage time, reduces energy usage, and extends the lifespan of the robot's drive system, enabling the use of lower-cost components while maintaining efficient area coverage.
Implementation Method 1
the robot having one or more boundary distance sensors for estimating the current distance from said boundary
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 3~4
AI summary
A domestic robotic system that includes a robot, which is programmed to move within a working area defined by a boundary and has one or more boundary distance sensors that enable it to estimate the current distance from the boundary; the robot is programmed firstly so as to move across the working area and, secondly, so that when the boundary distance sensors indicate that the robot is a distance X away from the boundary and is approaching the boundary, the robot begins performing a gradual turn; this gradual turn is such that: the robot progressively changes direction while continuing to move across said working area; and the robot transitions from approaching the boundary to receding from the boundary; the robot is also programmed so as to calculate a path for the gradual turn such that, during the gradual turn, the robot approaches the boundary to a predetermined closest distance, E, and thereafter recedes from the boundary.