Modular Robot Wearables for Fast Environment Reconfiguration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Advanced robots designed to operate alongside humans require expensive and time-consuming customization to function effectively in various environments.
Innovation Solution
Wearable sensing devices equipped with sensors, computing hardware, and communication capabilities that can be removably attached to host robots, providing data collection and output information independently or in coordination with the host robot, enhancing its operational capabilities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If advanced robots are customized to operate in specific environments, then operational effectiveness is improved, but cost and time consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the robot into a base unit and separate wearable sensing devices. The wearable devices can be independently attached or removed based on task requirements, allowing the robot to be quickly reconfigured for different environments without expensive custom manufacturing of the entire robot system.
Solution Approach 2:
The wearable sensing devices are designed with universal mounting mechanisms that can be attached to various robot platforms. A single wearable device design can serve multiple functions across different robot types and environments, reducing the need for environment-specific customizations.
2Ease of operation
If robots are designed with human-like features for better collaboration, then ease of operation with humans is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Human-like features such as heads, torsos, and limbs are segmented into separate wearable sensing devices rather than being integrated into the robot's core structure. This allows the robot to adopt human-like configurations only when needed for specific tasks while maintaining a simpler base design.
Solution Approach 2:
The robot's configuration is made dynamic through the ability to attach and remove wearable devices as needed. The robot can transition between having human-like features and a simpler configuration depending on the task requirements, optimizing both ease of operation and complexity management.
Data Source
AI summary
Described is a wearable device removably coupled to a host robot. The wearable device may include various sensors, output components, computing hardware, a power source, and/or communication hardware to enable the wearable device to assist the host robot in performing tasks, identifying items or tasks, determining location information, and/or performing or assisting in other tasks via possible cooperation with the host robot. The wearable device may operate at least semi-autonomously. The wearable device may be in communication with the host robot via a data connection, wirelessly, and/or via physical outputs such as emission of light, displayed content, sound, and/or haptic signals. The wearable device may also communicate with a remote server, which may also communicate with the host robot.