Robot Voice Direction Detection Using Ultrasonic Reflectivity Mapping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sound source direction estimation methods for user voice in indoor environments face challenges due to sound reflections from walls and the need for additional sensors like LiDAR or cameras, which require additional operations to identify the relevant position.
Innovation Solution
A robot equipped with sensors, a speaker, a microphone, and a processor that generates a map of objects, emits ultrasonic waves, and analyzes reflectivity information to determine the direction of a user voice by prioritizing candidate directions based on reflectivity and intensity data.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If sound source direction estimation is performed using microphone intensity measurement, then the direction of user voice can be estimated, but accuracy deteriorates due to sound reflections from walls in indoor environments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful sound reflections into useful information by emitting ultrasonic waves and measuring reflectivity of objects in the environment. The system builds a map of object reflectivity characteristics and uses this information to correct the raw intensity measurements, transforming the reflective environment from a source of error into a source of corrective data for improving direction estimation accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces ultrasonic waves as an intermediary substance to probe the environment and gather reflectivity information about objects. This intermediary measurement serves as a mediator between the sound source direction estimation and the environmental characteristics, allowing the system to account for reflections by understanding the reflective properties of objects in the path of sound waves
2Reliability
If additional sensors such as LiDAR or camera are used to identify object positions, then object detection capability is improved, but device complexity and operational requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the ultrasonic speaker and microphone serve multiple functions: they not only perform their primary audio functions but also act as active sensors for measuring object reflectivity and building environmental maps. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for dedicated LiDAR or camera sensors, reducing device complexity while maintaining reliable object detection capability
Solution Approach 2:
The robot uses its own existing audio components (speaker and microphone) to perform the additional function of environmental sensing and object detection. By generating ultrasonic waves and measuring their reflections, the system makes its audio equipment serve dual purposes, eliminating the need for separate detection sensors and reducing overall system complexity
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 robot effectively identifies the direction of a user voice in an indoor environment with improved accuracy and reduced need for additional sensors, enabling efficient voice recognition and robot navigation.
Implementation Method 1
generate ultrasonic waves toward each of the plurality of objects through the speaker
Implementation Method 2
obtain reflectivity information regarding the plurality of objects based on reflected sounds reflected from each of the objects and received through the microphone, the reflected sounds reflected from each of the objects being at least a portion of the ultrasonic waves reflected from each of the objects
Implementation Method 3
obtain information on an intensity of the user voice for each of a plurality of directions
Data Source
AI summary
A robot and a method for controlling the robot is provided. The robot includes: at least one sensor; a speaker; a microphone; a driver; at least one memory storing one or more instructions; and at least one processor configured to execute the one or more instructions, wherein the one or more instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the robot to: generate a map comprising information regarding a plurality of objects based on sensing information obtained through the at least one sensor, generate ultrasonic waves toward each of the plurality of objects through the speaker, obtain reflectivity information regarding the plurality of objects based on reflected sounds reflected from each of the objects and received through the microphone, and store the reflectivity information, the reflected sounds reflected from each of the objects being at least a portion of the ultrasonic waves reflected from each of the objects, based on receiving a user voice through the microphone, obtain information on an intensity of the user voice for each of a plurality of directions, obtain information on a plurality of candidate directions from which the user voice is received from among the plurality of directions based on the information on the intensity of the user voice for each of the plurality of directions, obtain priority order information for the plurality of candidate directions based on a position of the robot and the stored reflectivity information, and obtain information on a direction in which the user voice is uttered from among the plurality of candidate directions based on the priority order information.