Mobile Robot Center of Gravity Adjustment for Step Navigation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional mobile robots face toppling and route deviation due to lateral vibration when traversing steps, as they lack mechanisms to mitigate the impact of step contacts and adjust the center of gravity effectively.
Innovation Solution
A mobile robot equipped with actuators to adjust wheel distance, a suspension control unit to shift the center of gravity, and sensors to predict step contacts, allowing for proactive adjustment of the center of gravity to minimize impact and maintain stability when encountering steps or pits.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If the mobile unit travels fast over a step, then the wheels can obtain torque to climb the step easily, but the mobile unit may topple due to impact from step contact or deviate from route due to lateral vibration
Solution Approach 1:
The suspension control unit performs preliminary action by predicting the contact time between wheels and steps using sensor data and speed information, then proactively adjusts the center of gravity position before impact occurs. This advance preparation allows the mobile unit to maintain stability when traveling fast over steps by pre-positioning the center of gravity to counteract upcoming impact forces.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs feedback by continuously monitoring sensor data about step locations and mobile unit speed, then using this information to dynamically adjust the center of gravity position. The suspension control unit receives feedback from sensors detecting steps and adjusts the center of gravity in real-time based on predicted contact timing, creating a closed-loop control system that maintains stability during high-speed traversal.
2Device complexity
If the mobile unit has a high center of gravity and short wheel distance, then the mobile unit can be compact, but it becomes more susceptible to toppling and route deviation due to lateral vibration when traversing steps
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies dynamics by making the center of gravity position adjustable rather than fixed. The suspension control unit dynamically repositions the center of gravity based on predicted step contact timing and mobile unit speed. This dynamic adjustment allows a compact structure with high center of gravity and short wheel distance to maintain stability by adapting the center of gravity position in real-time during traversal of steps.
3Ease of operation
If the mobile unit moves down a step on a wheel-by-wheel basis, then the wheels can navigate the step sequentially, but the mobile unit may topple due to moment from wheel drop or deviate from route due to lateral vibration
Solution Approach 1:
The suspension control unit performs preliminary action by predicting which wheel will contact the step next and proactively adjusting the center of gravity position before the wheel drops. This advance adjustment compensates for the moment caused by sequential wheel descent, preventing toppling and route deviation while maintaining the ability to navigate steps wheel-by-wheel.
Data Source
AI summary
This mobile unit suppresses lateral vibration produced when the mobile unit passes over a step. A stabilizer according to the present invention predicts contact timing at which the mobile unit makes contact with a step, which may be a bump or pit, using sensor information or map information, shifts the center of gravity of the mobile unit laterally by controlling actuators, and shifts the center of gravity laterally for the next step after detecting that the mobile unit has passed over the previous step.