Robot Visual Recording Using Voronoi Target Points
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing robot systems lack an efficient method to create a comprehensive visual record of tasks performed in a working area, particularly in large or complex environments, such as lawns or parks, which often results in incomplete or biased documentation of the task execution.
Innovation Solution
A robot system utilizing a cloud server and a robot equipped with an image capturing device, driving device, and communication device, generates a Voronoi diagram based on the working area's boundary to select target points, enabling the robot to move to these points and capture images, ensuring a detailed visual record of the task, including features like lawn health assessment through AI or image identification.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If the robot captures images at random or fixed positions, then the imaging process is simple, but the visual record is incomplete and biased, particularly missing central and peripheral region coverage
Solution Approach 1:
The working area is divided into multiple Voronoi cells based on the outer boundary, with each cell representing a distinct region. The robot systematically visits target points in each cell to capture images, ensuring comprehensive coverage of the entire working area including both central and peripheral regions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transforms the image capture problem from a one-dimensional sequential approach to a two-dimensional spatial distribution approach by using Voronoi diagram geometry. Target points are strategically positioned within each Voronoi cell to maximize spatial coverage and minimize information loss.
2Loss of information
If the robot systematically covers the entire working area to create complete visual records, then documentation completeness improves, but the time and energy required for task execution increases
Solution Approach 1:
The Voronoi diagram and target points are pre-calculated based on the working area boundary before the robot begins execution. This preliminary path planning optimizes the robot's movement trajectory, allowing systematic coverage of all regions while minimizing unnecessary movements and time consumption during actual task execution.
Solution Approach 2:
The system optimizes the number and positioning of target points within each Voronoi cell to achieve the minimum necessary coverage. By adjusting the parameters of target point distribution, the system balances comprehensive documentation with efficient time utilization.
3Loss of information
If the robot captures images at every possible position to ensure complete documentation, then visual record completeness improves, but the quantity of data and processing requirements increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system captures images at strategically selected target points within each Voronoi cell rather than at every possible position. This partial action approach provides sufficient visual documentation coverage while avoiding the excessive data generation that would result from capturing images at all possible locations.
Solution Approach 2:
The Voronoi diagram structure serves as a mathematical model or copy of the working area's spatial relationships. By using this geometric representation to guide image capture, the system efficiently documents the essential features of the working area without requiring exhaustive imaging of every detail.
Data Source
AI summary
A method includes steps of: receiving map data that contains a map of a working area, the map of the working area being at least defined within a closed outer boundary; generating a Voronoi diagram based on the outer boundary, the Voronoi diagram including at least one Voronoi cell having an edge that is composed of a plurality of Voronoi points; selecting at least one of the Voronoi points as a target point; and capturing, at a target location in the working area that corresponds to the target point in the Voronoi diagram, an image of the working area to serve as the visual record.