Asymmetric Rotating Reflectors for Mobile Robot Pose Recognition
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for position and orientation recognition of mobile robots face challenges in accurately distinguishing reflection targets from objects with similar reflection intensities, leading to low accuracy in position recognition and inability to specify the robot's orientation, which hampers motion analysis and destination prediction.
Innovation Solution
A mobile robot design featuring rotating first reflection parts with specific reflection surface angles and shapes, combined with a recognition device that uses range scanners and imaging devices to measure and compare reflection patterns, allowing for precise position and orientation calculation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a simple reflection target is used for position recognition, then the device complexity is reduced, but the measurement precision deteriorates due to inability to distinguish from objects with similar reflection intensity
Solution Approach 1:
The reflection target is designed with an asymmetric structure consisting of a first reflection part and a second reflection part with different reflection surface areas. This asymmetric configuration creates a unique reflection pattern that distinguishes the target from other objects, thereby improving position recognition accuracy without significantly increasing device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from using a single reflection target to using multiple reflection parts (first and second reflection parts) with different properties. This dimensional expansion in the configuration space allows the system to encode additional information about the robot's identity and orientation, improving measurement precision while maintaining reasonable device complexity
2Device complexity
If a single reflection target is used, then the device complexity is reduced, but the measurement precision deteriorates because orientation cannot be specified
Solution Approach 1:
The reflection target is segmented into multiple independent reflection parts (first reflection part and second reflection part), each with distinct reflection surface areas. This segmentation allows the imaging device to detect not only position but also orientation by analyzing the spatial arrangement and reflection intensities of the separate parts, thereby improving orientation recognition accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
Different local regions (reflection parts) of the target are given different qualities (different reflection surface areas). The first reflection part has a larger reflection surface area while the second has a smaller area, creating locally distinct reflection characteristics that enable the system to determine orientation based on the pattern of reflected light intensities
3Measurement precision
If objects with high reflection intensity exist in the environment, then the measurement precision deteriorates due to difficulty in discriminating the reflection target
Solution Approach 1:
The asymmetric configuration of reflection parts creates a unique and unlikely-to-be-replicated reflection pattern. Even if other objects in the environment have high reflection intensity, they cannot replicate the specific spatial arrangement and intensity ratios of the multiple reflection parts, allowing the imaging device to reliably distinguish the robot from environmental objects
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses multiple parameters (positions and reflection surface areas of multiple reflection parts) to characterize the target rather than relying on a single parameter like total reflection intensity. This multi-parameter approach makes it possible to distinguish the target from environmental objects that may have similar overall reflection intensity but different spatial distribution patterns
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 solution enables high-accuracy recognition of the mobile robot's position and orientation, even in complex environments, reducing misrecognition and enhancing motion control capabilities.
Implementation Method 1
first reflection parts having first reflection surfaces reflecting electromagnetic waves
Data Source
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AI summary
To provide a mobile robot capable of recognizing a position and an orientation at high accuracy. A mobile robot according to one aspect of the present disclosure is a mobile robot including at least two first reflection parts having first reflection surfaces reflecting electromagnetic waves, in which the first reflection parts have a rotating body shape, having the first reflection surfaces on side surfaces, and an angle made by points passing through a rotation axis and both ends of the first reflection surface is 90 degrees or more to 360 degrees or less when the first reflection part is seen from a rotation axis direction.