Multifunction Robot Route Planning Across Ground and 3D Obstacles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing robotic systems face challenges in navigating through environments with obstacles, as terrestrial robots struggle to circumnavigate insurmountable obstacles and aerial robots may be cost-ineffective for routes that could be traversed more effectively by terrestrial robots.
Innovation Solution
A multifunctional robot that can travel on the ground and fly over obstacles, using a controller to evaluate maps and determine the most cost-effective route by comparing costs of driving around, flying over, or climbing over obstacles, based on terrain and obstacle characteristics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a terrestrial robot is used to traverse the travel route, then the robot can move on ground surfaces, but it cannot overcome insurmountable obstacles such as walls and closed gates
Solution Approach 1:
The robot is designed with multiple locomotion modes including wheeled movement for ground traversal and aerial flight capabilities to overcome insurmountable obstacles. This multi-functional design allows the robot to adapt to different terrain types and obstacle configurations, ensuring reliable destination reachability regardless of environmental challenges
2Adaptability or versatility
If an aerial robot is used to overcome obstacles, then the robot can fly over walls and gates, but it is cost-ineffective for routes that can be traversed by terrestrial robots
Solution Approach 1:
The robot dynamically switches between wheeled and aerial modes based on real-time environmental assessment. The controller evaluates obstacle characteristics and determines the most energy-efficient traversal method for each segment of the journey, using aerial flight only when necessary to overcome insurmountable obstacles while maintaining cost-effectiveness for traversable portions
3Ease of operation
If a pre-programmed travel route is used, then the robot can follow a defined path, but designing the route is complicated in environments with certain types of obstacles
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary environmental assessment and obstacle classification before route planning. By pre-evaluating obstacle characteristics and categorizing them as traversable or insurmountable, the controller can generate appropriate route segments in advance, simplifying the overall route design process while maintaining ease of operation
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure generally pertains to travel planning for a multifunction robot that can travel on a ground surface and can fly over obstacles. In an example embodiment, a controller of the multifunction robot receives an Occupancy Grid map that provides information about a travel area to be traversed by the multifunctional robot. The controller may determine a first cost associated with a first travel route that involves the multifunctional robot driving around a 3D object when moving along the ground from an origination spot to a destination spot in the travel area. The controller may further determine a second cost associated with a second travel route that involves the multifunctional robot flying over the 3D object when moving from the origination spot to the destination spot. The controller may select either the first travel route or the second travel route based on comparing the first cost to the second cost.