Robot Surface Self-Assessment Using External Sensors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Robots in the hospitality industry cannot autonomously assess their external surfaces for cleanliness or damage, limiting their ability to schedule necessary maintenance.
Innovation Solution
A robot system that uses external sensors to obtain and transmit data about its external surface conditions, determining if service is required and scheduling maintenance through a controller configured to communicate wirelessly and apply machine learning to the sensor data.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If robots perform self-assessment of their external surfaces, then maintenance scheduling capability is improved, but device complexity increases due to requiring external sensors and communication systems
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces external sensors as intermediary devices that the robot does not carry, allowing surface assessment without adding complexity to the robot's own structure. The sensors are positioned by external systems and communicate with the robot to enable self-assessment functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The robot autonomously performs self-assessment of its external surfaces by receiving sensor data and determining its own maintenance needs, eliminating the need for manual inspection and enabling independent maintenance scheduling.
2Measurement precision
If external sensors are used to assess the robot's external surface, then measurement capability is improved, but loss of information increases due to requiring wireless transmission and external processing
Solution Approach 1:
The system establishes a feedback loop where external sensors continuously monitor the robot's surface condition and transmit data back to the robot controller, enabling real-time assessment and maintenance scheduling based on actual surface state information.
Data Source
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AI summary
Disclosed is a system (150), including: a robot (160) having a controller (165) configured to perform a self-assessment by being configured to: instruct an external sensor (200) that is spaced apart from the robot to obtain and transmit sensor data that is indicative a condition of an external surface (180) of the robot; determine from the sensor data that the robot requires service; and transmit a service request or schedule service responsive to determining that the robot requires service.