Robot Obstacle Bypass Using an Offset Observation Position
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Self-walking devices, such as sweeping robots, face inefficiencies and increased cleaning time due to collisions with hidden obstacles along walls or in corners, as existing obstacle avoidance strategies fail to predict and circumvent these obstacles effectively.
Innovation Solution
The method involves moving the self-walking device to an observation position away from the obstacle, where it can assess the environment and plan a new navigation route to avoid collisions, reducing the probability of encountering hidden obstacles and optimizing route planning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the self-walking device adopts an along-the-wall obstacle avoidance strategy to circumvent current obstacles, then it can handle visible obstacles along the wall, but it cannot predict hidden obstacles behind wall corners or continuous irregular obstacles, leading to repeated collisions and prolonged cleaning time
Solution Approach 1:
The self-walking device performs preliminary actions by moving to an observation position before encountering hidden obstacles, allowing it to detect and plan around obstacles behind wall corners or continuous irregular obstacles in advance, rather than reacting after collision
Solution Approach 2:
The observation position serves as an intermediary location between the current position and potential hidden obstacles. By temporarily moving to this intermediate position, the device can gather information about hidden obstacles and plan a safe navigation route without directly encountering them
2Device complexity
If the self-walking device simply adopts the along-the-wall obstacle avoidance strategy without prediction, then the device complexity remains low, but it collides with hidden obstacles and requires repeated recognition
Solution Approach 1:
The device transitions from a one-dimensional along-the-wall movement strategy to a two-dimensional navigation approach by introducing an observation position offset from the wall. This dimensional change allows the device to perceive hidden obstacles that would be invisible in strict along-the-wall motion
Data Source
AI summary
A method for circumventing an object includes: in response to detecting an object to be circumvented in a walking process of a self-walking device, moving, by the self-walking device and according to information of the object to be circumvented, to an observation position in a direction away from the object; an included angle between a connection line direction and an original walking direction of the self-walking device before movement does not exceed 90 degrees, and the connection line direction extends from a center point of the object to the observation position; and determining, by the self-walking device, a navigation route according to observation information obtained at the observation position, and performing, by the self-walking device, navigation according to the navigation route.