Humanoid Robot Head-Neck Assembly for Sensor Coverage and Durability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing humanoid robot designs face challenges with sensor placement causing blind spots, inadequate communication methods, durability issues, and signal interference in the head assembly, which affect situational awareness, human-robot interaction, and operational reliability.
Innovation Solution
A head and neck assembly for a humanoid robot featuring a modular design with sensors and displays protected by a separate shell, integrated antennas, and a vertical sensor arrangement, along with a curvilinear display and indicator lights for clear communication, enhancing sensor coverage and durability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If sensors are placed on the exterior surface of the head assembly, then the robot can perceive its surroundings, but the sensors are vulnerable to impact and damage
Solution Approach 1:
The head assembly is divided into modular components: a protective head housing, a separate sensor assembly, and a display assembly. This segmentation allows the protective housing to shield sensors from impact while maintaining their functional exposure, and enables independent replacement of damaged sensor modules without replacing the entire head assembly.
2Ease of operation
If displays and sensors are integrated directly into the exterior surface, then human-robot interaction is enhanced, but the components are vulnerable to damage and costly to repair
Solution Approach 1:
The display and sensors are integrated into a modular display assembly that can be independently removed and replaced. This allows the protective head housing to remain intact while only the damaged display assembly needs replacement, significantly reducing repair costs and downtime compared to replacing the entire head assembly.
3Reliability
If multiple antennas are integrated into the compact head assembly, then wireless connectivity is improved, but signal interference may occur
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple antennas are positioned in three-dimensional space within the head assembly at strategically selected locations and orientations. This spatial distribution in multiple dimensions allows the antennas to maintain adequate separation to minimize signal interference while still fitting within the compact head volume, ensuring reliable wireless connectivity.
4Ease of manufacture
If the head assembly uses conventional robotic designs, then manufacturing is simpler, but sensor placement creates blind spots limiting situational awareness
Solution Approach 1:
Sensors are positioned in multiple spatial dimensions including front, rear, side, and top-facing orientations. This multi-dimensional sensor arrangement eliminates blind spots by providing comprehensive 360-degree coverage, enabling the robot to maintain full situational awareness while using a manufacturable head assembly design.
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure presents a humanoid robot comprising an upper region (head, torso, arms with forearm assemblies, and end effectors), a lower region (legs), and a connecting central region. Each end effector features index, middle, ring, little finger, and thumb assemblies attached to a housing of said end effector. The housing includes interior wall extents that create spaces for tendon routing, where the first distance between the first and second wall extents is less than 45% of the second distance between the third and fourth wall extents. Tendons controlling finger movements pass between these wall extents. The robot incorporates a wrist assembly connecting the housing of the end effector to the forearm, actuators housed in the forearm that control the tendons, and a carpal tunnel-like structure that guides tendons from the forearm to the base of the housing, enabling precise hand movements without requiring actuators in the hand itself.