Indoor Robot Navigation Using 3D Tracking and Dynamic Obstacle Avoidance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing indoor navigation systems for robots require extensive and costly environmental setup, are inflexible, and struggle with real-time obstacle avoidance and path recalculation.
Innovation Solution
A hybrid navigation control system using infrared signals from room-scale tracking systems and optical signals from video cameras to enable autonomous robot navigation, allowing for real-time obstacle avoidance and dynamic path recalculation without pre-defined routes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If optical, electric, magnetic, odometric or laser guides are installed to enable autonomous robot movement, then robot navigation capability is improved, but installation time and environment preparation costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses visual markers (circles with distinctive patterns) as simplified copies of complex navigation infrastructure. These markers can be detected by standard cameras, replacing the need for expensive laser guides, magnetic strips, or other specialized navigation equipment. The markers serve as lightweight visual references that enable robot localization and mapping without requiring extensive environmental modification.
2Reliability
If pre-defined paths are established for robot navigation, then navigation reliability is improved, but environment flexibility and path adaptability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic path planning where the robot can recalculate navigation routes in real-time based on detected obstacles and environmental changes. The SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping) algorithm continuously updates the environment map and adjusts the robot's position and orientation estimates, enabling adaptive navigation without requiring pre-defined paths. The system dynamically generates optimal routes based on current environmental conditions.
3Reliability
If IGV systems are used to resume correct path after obstacles, then path recovery capability is improved, but system complexity and setup time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs continuous feedback through real-time obstacle detection using cameras and sensors. The robot constantly monitors its environment, detects obstacles, and feeds this information back to the path planning algorithm. When an obstacle is detected, the system immediately recalculates the navigation path using updated environment maps, enabling the robot to resume its journey along the correct path without requiring complex IGV infrastructure or manual reconfiguration.
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
The system achieves efficient and flexible robot navigation with minimal environmental impact, enabling real-time obstacle avoidance and dynamic path changes, thus overcoming the limitations of traditional systems.
Implementation Method 1
a tracking system operating at infrared frequencies, positioned in and facing towards said indoor environment, adapted to co-operate with said tracker of each one of said robots
Implementation Method 2
at least two optical-signal video cameras, in mutually orthogonal positions in said indoor environment
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic control system includes: a tracking system facing towards an indoor environment and adapted to co-operate with a tracker of each one of one or more robots, at least two optical-signal video cameras, in mutually orthogonal positions in the indoor environment, an electronic processing system including: a tracking manager, adapted to transform the indoor environment into a 3D space and adapted to receive signals from the tracking system, thereby determining the position and orientation of each one of the robots, an obstacle manager, adapted to process the optical signal received from the at least two video cameras, a movement manager adapted to receive information from the tracking manager and obstacle manager, and adapted to map the indoor environment to an equivalent virtual environment, and to produce signals controlling the direction and sense of motion of the one or more robots by communicating with the electronic processing system of the one or more robots.