Autonomous Service Robot Movable Payload Platform Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wheeled, robotic vehicles are not designed to operate effectively in crowded, unstructured environments and struggle with maneuvering heavy payloads with varying mass distributions, leading to potential instability and hazards in service environments like public transportation stations.
Innovation Solution
An autonomous service robot with secure storage cells and a movable payload platform that can adjust its position to reduce centrifugal forces, allowing for stable operation at higher speeds while navigating through crowded areas and providing on-demand storage and transportation services, including trash collection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the robotic vehicle operates quickly with high acceleration to reduce service time, then productivity is improved, but the combination of heavy payloads and high acceleration generates excessively high driving forces that can cause vehicle instability or loss of traction, creating safety hazards
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the payload platform movable relative to the vehicle body. The platform can dynamically adjust its position to shift the center of mass distribution, allowing the vehicle to maintain stability while carrying heavy payloads at higher speeds. This dynamic reconfiguration enables the system to adapt to different payload conditions and operate safely at improved service speeds.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the robotic vehicle maneuvers through crowded, unstructured environments, then adaptability is improved, but existing vehicles are not designed for such environments and struggle with maneuvering
Solution Approach 1:
The movable payload platform provides dynamic adjustment capability that enhances maneuverability in crowded environments. By repositioning the platform and adjusting center of mass distribution, the vehicle can maintain stability during complex maneuvers in unstructured spaces, improving both adaptability to different environments and ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes physical parameters by adjusting the position of the payload platform, which alters the mass distribution and center of mass location. This parameter adjustment enables the vehicle to optimize its stability characteristics for different operating conditions in crowded environments.
3Quantity of substance
If fixed storage lockers are used in public places, then storage capability is provided, but they are fixed in location and require pay-per-use access, limiting effectiveness for frequent access applications
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic vehicle provides self-service mobile storage, autonomously navigating to users and providing storage without requiring fixed location access or pay-per-use protocols. The vehicle can be accessed repeatedly without additional payment barriers, improving access flexibility while maintaining storage capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The mobile storage system transitions from fixed to dynamic positioning, allowing the vehicle to move between different locations and serve multiple users. This dynamic capability provides both storage capacity and access flexibility, as the vehicle can relocate to serve different areas and users on demand.
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 autonomous service robot effectively manages to navigate through crowded spaces, avoiding collisions and minimizing disturbances, while maintaining stability and efficiency in transporting heavy payloads, thus enhancing safety and convenience in public environments.
Implementation Method 1
The position of the payload platform with respect to the vehicle is controlled to reduce the distance between the center of mass of the service robot and a center of rotation of the vehicle moving along a motion trajectory. In this manner, induced centrifugal forces are reduced, allowing for operation at higher speed while maintaining vehicle stability.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems for autonomously interacting with persons in a public environment to store and transport their personal material items are described herein. A service robot includes one or more secure storage cells, and is configured to collect items such as personal belongings, refuse, etc., from users and transport the collected items to different locations. The service robot maneuvers through a crowded environment autonomously, avoiding collisions with people and objects, and minimizing disturbances to traffic flow. Users indicate a desire to store and transport items to a desired location. In response, the service robot unlocks a lid of a storage cell, and the user is able to load material items. In some examples, access to the storage cell is controlled based on access codes. In some examples, access to the storage cell is controlled based on receipt of an electronic payment.