Spatial Awareness Feedback for Handling Bulky Objects

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Solution Overview

Problem

Human sensory limitations hinder safe handling and interaction with complex or bulky objects, particularly in dynamic environments, leading to reduced focus on the task and increased risk of collisions or interference.

Innovation Solution

A method and system that determine an area of interest encompassing multiple entities, evaluating deviations from a target state, and communicate these deviations to the user using coherent stimuli to enhance awareness.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a person handles bulky or complexly shaped objects, then the ability to perform complex tasks is improved, but the person's perceptual and cognitive resources are overwhelmed leading to reduced safety awareness

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveability to handle objectsVSAvoidsafety awareness
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the environment into multiple entities (objects, obstacles, persons) and processes each separately through sensor arrays and tracking algorithms, allowing the person to interact with complex objects without being overwhelmed by the entire scene's complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system introduces an intermediary computational layer between the person and the environment, where sensors, processors, and algorithms mediate the interaction by automatically detecting, tracking, and evaluating spatial relationships, freeing the person's cognitive resources while maintaining safety awareness

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Device complexity

If traditional 2D screen interfaces are used for teleoperation, then device complexity is reduced, but depth information and spatial awareness are insufficient leading to unsafe operations

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinterface complexityVSAvoiddepth information
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system transitions from 2D screen representation to 3D spatial awareness by deploying sensor arrays that capture depth information, volumetric data, and spatial relationships in three dimensions, enabling accurate depth perception and collision detection in teleoperation environments

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

The system creates a multi-functional interface that simultaneously provides depth information, spatial mapping, entity tracking, and collision warning capabilities, replacing the limited 2D screen interface with a comprehensive spatial awareness system that handles multiple functions through integrated sensor processing

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Reliability

If the system tracks and evaluates multiple entities in the environment, then user awareness of surroundings is improved, but computational complexity and processing requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuser awarenessVSAvoidcomputational complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by pre-defining entity types, pre-configuring sensor arrays, and pre-establishing evaluation criteria for spatial relationships, so that during operation only data collection and simple comparisons are needed, reducing real-time computational complexity while maintaining high reliability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system applies local quality by focusing computational resources on evaluating only the spatial relationships and variables that are locally relevant to the person's current position and task, rather than processing all possible entity combinations in the entire environment

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP3993454B1Method and system for assisting a person in assessing an environment
Publication Date: 2026.01.28 HONDA MOTOR CO LTD
  • EP3993454B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3993454B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3993454B1 patent drawingFigure 3A~3B

AI summary

The disclosure regards a method and a system for assisting a person in assessing an environment. The method includes selecting a set of one or more entities (1, 2) present in the environment, obtaining coordinates in the environment and extents of each entity (1, 2) of the set, estimating a location and shape of each entity (1, 2) of the set on the basis of the obtained coordinates and extends of the respective entity, determining an area of interest AOI on the basis of the estimated location and shape of each entity (1, 2) of the set, evaluating the area of interest AOI with respect to one or more variables of interest in order to evaluate a deviation between a current state of the area of interest AOI and a target state, and communicating the deviation from the target state to the person using coherent stimuli for stimulating the person's body.