Robotic Auger Drive for Granular Material Temperature Measurement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Bulk stores for granular materials, such as grain bins, pose safety hazards due to hot, dusty, and poorly lit environments, as well as risks of falls, entrapments, and health issues like Farmer's Lung. Existing methods require human intervention, which increases these risks.
Innovation Solution
A robotic device equipped with an auger-based drive system that can operate autonomously or remotely to manage the surface of piled grain, including leveling, agitating, and delivering payloads like sensors or probes, thereby reducing the need for human entry into bulk stores.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If human workers manually handle and inspect granular material in bulk stores, then direct inspection and management of the material is achieved, but safety hazards increase due to exposure to hot, dusty, and dangerous environments
Solution Approach 1:
A robotic device serves as an intermediary between human operators and the hazardous bulk store environment. The robot performs manual handling tasks such as moving, inspecting, and managing granular material while humans remain in safer, controlled environments. This mediator approach allows human work to continue while eliminating direct exposure to hazards like heat, dust, and dangerous material conditions.
2Extent of automation
If human workers enter bulk stores to manage piled grain, then direct control and management is achieved, but risks of falls, entrapments, and health issues increase
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic device replaces the mechanical system of human workers performing manual tasks in bulk stores. The robot uses automated mechanisms including auger-based drive systems for movement, sensors for detection, and controlled manipulation systems for material handling. This substitution eliminates human exposure to harmful factors such as falls, entrapments, and health issues while maintaining the ability to manage piled grain effectively.
3Reliability
If robotic devices are used to manage bulk stores, then safety is improved by reducing human exposure, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic device is designed with multi-functionality to perform various tasks within a single integrated system. It can move through bulk stores using auger-based drive systems, detect material conditions using sensors, manage piled grain through manipulation mechanisms, and communicate with external systems. This universal design consolidates multiple functions into one robot, reducing overall system complexity compared to having separate specialized devices for each function.
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 robotic device enhances safety by minimizing human exposure to hazardous conditions, improves grain quality through precise management, and reduces the risk of accidents and health issues associated with manual handling in bulk stores.
Implementation Method 1
an auger-based drive system that can operate autonomously or remotely to manage the surface of piled grain
Data Source
AI summary
A piled granular material surface management robot comprises an auger-based drive system, a memory, a temperature sensor, and a processor coupled with the memory and with the temperature sensor. The processor is configured to control movement of the robot via the auger-based drive system. The processor is also configured to direct a traversal, by the robot, of a portion of a surface of piled granular material in a bulk store. The processor is also configured to capture, via the temperature sensor, a temperature measurement of the portion of the piled granular material during the traversal of the portion of the piled granular material by the robot.