Mobile Robot Road Crossing With Redundant Hazard Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing delivery methods, including traditional vehicle-based systems, face challenges in ensuring safe package delivery across pedestrian pathways, particularly due to the risk of collisions when robots must cross vehicle roads, as drivers may overlook these smaller robots, and sudden appearances of cars from corners or intersections can pose hazards.
Innovation Solution
A method for mobile robots operating on pedestrian pathways to safely cross roads involves sensing road conditions and initiating a collision avoidance maneuver using a combination of sensors, including visual cameras, radar, and ultrasonic sensors, which allow the robot to detect hazardous moving objects and execute maneuvers such as braking, reverse acceleration, or forward acceleration to avoid collisions, while also considering the presence of pedestrians and other traffic participants.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If delivery robots operate on sidewalks and pedestrian walkways, then energy efficiency and safety are improved, but the ability to access destinations is worsened due to the need to cross vehicle roads
Solution Approach 1:
The robot performs preliminary sensing of road conditions using multiple sensors (cameras, radar, ultrasonic sensors) before initiating road crossing. The system evaluates safety parameters in advance and only proceeds when conditions are favorable, thus maintaining high safety while enabling road crossing capability for delivery access.
2Use of energy by moving object
If robots are made smaller to operate on pedestrian pathways, then energy consumption is reduced, but detectability by drivers is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The robot employs multiple sensing modalities (visual cameras, radar, ultrasonic sensors) to detect hazardous objects before they become a collision threat. This preliminary detection compensates for the robot's small size and low detectability by drivers, allowing the robot to take preventive avoidance actions.
Solution Approach 2:
The multi-sensor system acts as an intermediary detection layer between the small robot and potential hazards. Instead of relying on driver detection of the small robot, the robot's own sensor suite (radar, ultrasonic, cameras) serves as an intermediate detection mechanism to identify and respond to threats.
3Productivity
If traditional vehicle-based delivery systems are used, then delivery capacity is improved, but traffic congestion and air pollution are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional motor vehicle-based delivery systems with autonomous mobile robots that operate on pedestrian pathways. This substitution eliminates the need for delivery vehicles on roads, thereby reducing traffic congestion and air pollution while maintaining delivery capacity through automated robot operations.
4Device complexity
If robots use standard obstacle avoidance protocols, then system complexity is reduced, but collision avoidance reliability is worsened when crossing roads
Solution Approach 1:
The obstacle avoidance system is segmented into multiple independent sensing layers (cameras, radar, ultrasonic sensors) and processing modules. Each sensor type handles specific detection tasks, and the system integrates their outputs to make navigation decisions. This segmentation improves reliability by providing redundant detection capabilities without requiring a single complex unified system.
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 solution enhances the safety of road crossings for both the robots and other traffic participants by providing an additional layer of redundancy in obstacle avoidance, reducing the risk of collisions and improving the reliability of autonomous navigation in complex outdoor environments.
Implementation Method 1
sensing road conditions via at least one first sensor... sensing via at least one second sensor a change in the road conditions indicating at least one hazardous moving object
Implementation Method 2
sensing road conditions via at least one first sensor... sensing via at least one second sensor a change in the road conditions
Data Source
AI summary
A collision avoidance method and system for a mobile robot crossing a road. When a mobile robot approaches a road, it senses road conditions via at least one first sensor, and initiates road crossing if the road conditions are deemed suitable for crossing. As it crosses the road, the mobile robot senses, via at least one second sensor, a change in the road conditions indicating the presence of at least one hazardous moving object. In response to determining that at least one hazardous object in present, the mobile robot initiates a collision avoidance maneuver. A mobile robot configured to avoid collisions while crossing a road includes: at least one first sensor configured to sense road conditions, at least one second sensor configured to sense road conditions, and a processing component configured to carry out one or more collision avoidance maneuvers.