Autonomous Robot Delivery Feasibility Using Environment Assessment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing delivery management systems do not effectively account for the capabilities of autonomous mobile robots, leading to failures when they encounter environments that inhibit movement or storage, such as difficult terrain or meteorological conditions, resulting in unsuccessful package deliveries.
Innovation Solution
A management system that includes an environment information acquisition unit to gather data on the delivery environment and a delivery determination unit to assess whether an autonomous mobile robot can complete the delivery based on its capabilities and the environment, preventing failures by determining whether to proceed with the delivery or using alternative methods, such as human intervention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If autonomous mobile robots are used for deliveries, then productivity is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to delivery failures in difficult environments
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary acquisition of environment information about the delivery destination before the autonomous mobile robot attempts delivery. This includes gathering data on terrain conditions, access routes, and environmental factors that may inhibit delivery. By assessing these conditions in advance, the system can determine whether the robot is capable of completing the delivery, thereby preventing delivery failures before they occur.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces an intermediary management server that acts as a mediator between the order management system and the autonomous mobile robot. This server acquires environment information, assesses delivery feasibility, and makes determination decisions. This intermediary layer enables the system to evaluate environmental conditions and robot capabilities without requiring direct complex interaction between the robot and the order management system.
2Reliability
If environment information acquisition is implemented, then delivery failure prevention is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The management server performs multiple functions: it manages orders, acquires environment information, assesses delivery feasibility, and controls autonomous mobile robots. By consolidating these diverse functions into a single multi-functional server, the system avoids the need for separate specialized systems for each function, thereby managing complexity while achieving reliable delivery assessment.
Solution Approach 2:
The autonomous mobile robot autonomously navigates to the delivery destination and attempts delivery based on the feasibility determination received from the management server. The robot self-manages its movement and delivery execution without requiring continuous external control, reducing the complexity of the control system while maintaining reliable delivery performance.
Data Source
AI summary
A management system, a management method, and a program capable of reducing occurrence of delivery failures by an autonomous mobile robot are provided. The management system is a management system configured to manage a delivery by an autonomous mobile robot that delivers a package to a delivery destination, the management system including: an environment information acquisition unit configured to acquire environment information, which is information regarding an environment that inhibits a delivery by the autonomous mobile robot in the vicinity of the delivery destination; and a delivery determination unit configured to determine whether or not to cause the autonomous mobile robot to deliver the package to the delivery destination based on the environment information.