Robotic Garden Mapping via Image and Position Data Fusion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current robotic vehicles lack the capability to effectively generate and utilize maps of gardens for planning and design, limiting their utility in yard maintenance and landscaping tasks.
Innovation Solution
Equipping robotic vehicles with cameras and processing circuitry to capture and process image and position data, enabling the creation of base-maps and allowing operators to interactively generate modified-maps for virtual tours and landscaping design.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If robotic vehicles are equipped with cameras and processing circuitry to generate base-maps and modified-maps, then the utility and functionality of robotic vehicles are improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic vehicle is equipped with a camera and processing circuitry that enable it to perform multiple functions: capturing images during transit, generating base-maps of the garden, and creating modified-maps for landscaping design. This multi-functionality allows a single device to serve both traditional robotic vehicle tasks and new mapping/design purposes, thereby improving utility without requiring entirely separate systems
2Measurement precision
If the robotic vehicle captures and processes image data and position data to generate detailed base-maps, then the measurement precision of garden mapping is improved, but the use of energy increases
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic vehicle captures images and position data during its normal transit through the garden, before any detailed processing occurs. This preliminary data collection allows the mapping function to utilize already-acquired information, reducing the need for additional energy-intensive data gathering passes while maintaining high mapping precision
3Ease of operation
If operators can interactively generate modified-maps with virtual content objects, then the ease of operation for garden design is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system creates modified-maps as digital copies of the base-maps, allowing operators to interactively add, remove, or modify virtual content objects without altering the physical garden. This copying approach enables intuitive graphical interaction and design experimentation while keeping the underlying data processing manageable through software-based operations rather than complex hardware modifications
Data Source
AI summary
A method for mapping and planning a parcel or garden may include receiving information indicative of position data of a robotic vehicle transiting a parcel and corresponding image data captured by the robotic vehicle at one or more locations on the parcel. The method may further include generating a base-map of the parcel based on the information received and providing a graphical representation of the parcel based on the base-map. The method may further include enabling an operator to generate a modified-map.