Sensorized Robotic Hardware Modules for Reconfigurable Manipulators
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current robotic systems, such as manipulators, are inflexible and cannot easily adapt to different tasks due to limitations in degree of freedom, geometry, or mechanical capabilities, making them inefficient in manufacturing environments where cost pressures require maximum ROI.
Innovation Solution
A hardware module for robotic systems that includes sensors for measuring internal properties, a communication unit, and an embedded controller for data collection and processing, allowing for flexible configuration, software updates, and integration with other modules, enabling adaptive operation and maintenance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional manipulators are assigned to specific tasks with fixed degrees of freedom and geometry, then they can perform their designated tasks reliably, but they cannot easily adapt to different tasks or configurations
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic system is divided into modular hardware modules that can be independently configured and reconfigured. Each module can be attached or detached to change the overall system configuration, enabling different tasks without redesigning the entire manipulator.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from a static, fixed configuration to a dynamic, reconfigurable architecture. Modules can be added, removed, or repositioned to adapt the manipulator's degrees of freedom and geometry according to task requirements, making the system flexible rather than rigid.
2Loss of information
If robotic systems lack embedded controllers and local data storage, then the system structure remains simple, but status and operating data cannot be collected or stored locally for adaptive operation and maintenance
Solution Approach 1:
Each hardware module is equipped with an embedded controller and data storage unit that enable it to autonomously collect, store, and manage its own status and operating data. This self-service capability allows modules to independently monitor their state without requiring constant external system intervention.
Solution Approach 2:
The embedded controller and data storage unit are integrated within each hardware module, creating a nested structure where control and data management capabilities are embedded inside the mechanical components. This allows distributed intelligence throughout the system rather than centralized control only.
Data Source
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AI summary
A Hardware Module (3) for a robotic system comprises at least one sensor (38) for measuring an internal property of the Hardware Module (3), a communication unit (37) for communicating with other Hardware Modules (3), a data storage unit (36) and an embedded controller (35). The embedded controller (35) is configured to collect collected data, the collected data comprising •status data representing the current status of the Hardware Module (3); and •operating data representing usage of the Hardware Module (3); wherein at least part of the collected data is determined from sensor data from the at least one sensor (38), and the embedded controller (35) is configured to perform at least one of •storing the collected data on the data storage unit (36) and •transmitting the collected data via the communication unit (37).