Shaft-Mounted Head Self-Balancing Robot Telepresence
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional mobile self-balancing robots lack a human-like upright posture and mobility, limiting their ability to provide telepresence with a natural range of motion and perspective, as they are typically close to the ground and lack a vertically oriented human form.
Innovation Solution
A mobile self-balancing robot with a shaft-mounted head, featuring a base on wheels, a retractable tail for stability, and a control system that maintains balance, allowing the robot to transition between balancing and non-balancing states, and equipped with cameras, a laser pointer, and communication tools for telepresence applications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If the robot uses a wide, heavy platform with three or more legs or wheels for stability, then stability is improved, but the robot lacks a human-like upright posture and natural range of motion
Solution Approach 1:
The robot employs dynamic balance control through a self-balancing mechanism that actively adjusts the position of the head relative to the base using a shaft system. This allows the robot to maintain stability while achieving an upright human-like posture, transitioning from static stability to dynamic stability. The control system continuously monitors and adjusts the center of gravity to maintain balance during movement.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces vertical dimensionality by mounting the head on a shaft that extends upward from the base, creating an upright configuration. This vertical arrangement enables the robot to achieve human-like posture and range of motion while maintaining stability through the controlled positioning of the head in the vertical axis, adding a new dimensional approach to balance.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the robot is built close to the ground on a wide platform, then stability is improved, but the operator cannot perceive and navigate the remote environment from a natural upright perspective
Solution Approach 1:
The dynamic positioning system allows the head to be actively controlled in vertical and angular positions, enabling the operator to view the remote environment from a natural upright perspective. The shaft-mounted head can be adjusted to eye-level heights and oriented to provide a human-like field of view, while the base remains stable on the ground.
Solution Approach 2:
The robot is divided into separate functional segments: a stable base for support and mobility, and a independently positioned head for perception and telepresence. This segmentation allows the head to be positioned at an optimal height and angle for natural viewing, while the base maintains stability through its wide platform and wheel configuration.
3Length of moving object
If the shaft is made extendable to increase height, then human-like posture is improved, but the robot's weight and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The telescoping shaft employs a nested structure where one shaft segment is inserted within another, allowing the shaft to extend and retract in a compact manner. This nested design enables variable height adjustment to achieve human-like posture while minimizing the space required when retracted, reducing overall complexity compared to rigid extended structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The shaft's extendable capability provides dynamic height adjustment, allowing the robot to adapt its posture to different operational requirements. The shaft can be extended to achieve a natural upright perspective for telepresence and retracted for compact storage or navigation through confined spaces, providing versatility without permanent complexity.
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
Enables a human-like upright posture and mobility, facilitating telepresence with a natural perspective and range of motion, suitable for applications like remote operation and navigation, while being compact and impact-resistant.
Implementation Method 1
In some instances, the tail comprises a lead screw
Implementation Method 2
In various embodiments the stabilizer comprises a linear actuator
Implementation Method 3
a base, supported on wheels
Data Source
AI summary
Mobile self-balancing robots for telepresence are provided. The robots comprise a base, a head, and a shaft therebetween. The shaft can be telescoping to allow the head to be extended above the base to about the height of a normal sized person, or can be retracted to make the robot more compact for easier storage and transportation. The head includes components for telepresence such as cameras, a speaker, a microphone, a laser pointer, and a display screen, as well as protection from impacts and falls. The base provides locomotion and balance, and a narrow shaft between the head and base minimizes the robot's weight and reduces the likelihood of collisions with protrusions like table edges.