Accompanying Robot Hazard Illumination for Safer Walking
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current robot technologies are inadequate for ensuring user safety while walking outside the home, as they lack effective methods to detect and respond to dangerous objects or situations in real-time.
Innovation Solution
A method for controlling a robot that accompanies a user, involving sensor detection of the user's location and movement direction, illumination of nearby and danger areas with light, and adaptive positioning to ensure the user recognizes potential hazards.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the robot uses a display and speaker to announce monitoring and emit warnings, then the robot can deter crime against a specific person, but the robot lacks effective real-time detection and response to dangerous objects or situations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the detection system into multiple independent sensors (camera, microphone, gas sensor, ultrasonic sensor) that each detect different types of dangerous objects or situations. This segmentation allows the robot to comprehensively detect various hazards while maintaining system reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The robot performs preliminary detection and classification of dangerous objects before taking action. The control unit analyzes sensor data to identify potential threats in advance, then proactively illuminates the danger area and alerts the user before the user encounters the hazard.
2Reliability
If the robot illuminates the nearby ground area while accompanying the user, then the user can see the path ahead, but the user may not recognize potential hazards until it is too late
Solution Approach 1:
The illumination device acts as an intermediary between the dangerous object and the user. When a danger is detected, the control unit activates the illumination device to specifically highlight the danger area, making the hazard visible to the user and enabling timely avoidance.
Solution Approach 2:
The illumination device changes its illumination pattern to highlight dangerous areas. By selectively illuminating the danger area with light, the system creates a visual contrast that draws the user's attention to potential hazards, effectively communicating danger information.
3Reliability
If the robot detects objects around the user and illuminates danger areas, then the user can recognize hazards, but the system complexity increases with multiple sensors and control mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit serves multiple functions: it processes data from various sensors (camera, microphone, gas sensor, ultrasonic sensor), determines whether objects are dangerous, controls the illumination device, and manages the speaker for warnings. This multi-functionality reduces overall system complexity by consolidating control logic.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the detection, analysis, and response functions into an integrated system. The control unit combines inputs from multiple sensors and coordinates the output devices (illumination device and speaker) as a unified safety system, simplifying the architecture despite the multiple components.
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
Enhances user safety by reliably illuminating and alerting the user to dangerous objects, preventing collisions, and maintaining safety through continuous light irradiation and adaptive positioning.
Implementation Method 1
controlling an illumination device included in the robot to irradiate the nearby ground area with light
Data Source
AI summary
A robot detects, through a sensor, the location and movement direction of a user and an object near the user, sets a nearby ground area in front at the feet of the user according to the detected location and movement direction of the user, controls an illumination device in the robot to irradiate the nearby ground area with light while driving at least one pair of legs or wheels of the robot to cause the robot to accompany the user, specifies the type and the location of the detected object, and if the object is a dangerous object and is located ahead of the user, controls the illumination device to irradiate a danger area including at least a portion of the dangerous object with light in addition to irradiating the nearby ground area with light.