Robot Proxemic Path Planning for Dynamic User Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing robotic assistants face challenges in dynamically positioning themselves around users to perform tasks effectively and safely, as they often fail to align with user expectations regarding proximity and movement patterns, leading to incomplete tasks or user interference.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a proxemic cost map system that determines optimal paths for a robot based on user location, orientation, and task requirements, combining with occupancy maps to avoid obstacles and adhere to cultural and personal space expectations, allowing the robot to move in a manner consistent with user expectations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the robot moves autonomously to perform tasks, then task completion efficiency is improved, but the robot may interfere with user activities or violate user personal space expectations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a proxemic cost map as an intermediary layer between the robot's navigation system and the physical environment. This cost map encodes social and cultural norms about personal space, acting as a mediator that guides the robot to maintain appropriate distances from users without requiring direct user commands or complex real-time interaction analysis
Solution Approach 2:
The patent pre-computes and stores proxemic cost maps that encode acceptable approach distances and movement patterns relative to users before actual task execution. By establishing these spatial constraints in advance based on cultural and personal space expectations, the robot can autonomously navigate without violating user comfort zones during task performance
2Ease of operation
If the robot maintains fixed positioning relative to user, then user expectations are met, but task completion may be incomplete
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic positioning by continuously updating the robot's target position based on the user's current location, orientation, and the specific task requirements. The proxemic cost map allows the robot to dynamically adjust its approach distance and angle, maintaining user comfort while adapting to changing task needs and user movements
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes spatial parameters (distance, angle, velocity) based on task type and user orientation. Different tasks have different optimal approach parameters, and the system adjusts these parameters dynamically while respecting the constraints defined by the proxemic cost map, thereby achieving both user comfort and task completion
3Adaptability or versatility
If the robot approaches user from any direction, then movement flexibility is improved, but user comfort and cultural expectations are violated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different movement constraints to different spatial regions around the user by encoding direction-specific costs in the proxemic cost map. Certain directions (e.g., from behind, from too close) are marked as high-cost zones that the robot should avoid, while other directions are more acceptable, creating localized movement guidelines that respect cultural and personal space norms
Data Source
AI summary
A robot moves about an environment and may interact with a user. A waypoint specifies where the robot is to move to with respect to the user while a proxemic cost map is used to plan the path to the waypoint. User input or preferences may be used to modify the waypoint or the proxemic cost map. The waypoint may specify a particular distance and bearing with respect to the user. The proxemic cost map may be oriented with respect to the user and specifies costs for particular areas. For example, an area immediately behind the user may have a very high cost while an area in front of the user may have a low cost. Based on the waypoint and the proxemic cost map, a path is selected and the robot moves along that path, avoiding the high cost areas in favor of the low cost areas if possible.