Twin-Grip Handheld Controller for Remote Vehicle Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current remote vehicle control systems are cumbersome, limiting user mobility and situational awareness, and require extensive training and logistics support, while also being complex and heavy, which interferes with military personnel's safety and mission effectiveness.
Innovation Solution
A twin-grip hand-held controller with a volume of less than 1 liter and weight of less than 1 lb, featuring dual joysticks, rocker controls, and a tether system for secure operation, integrated with a processor for wireless communication and intuitive button mapping, allowing for seamless control of remote vehicles with minimal compromise to situational awareness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional remote vehicle control systems are used, then control functionality is provided, but user mobility is limited and situational awareness is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The control system is segmented into a wearable computer unit that can be integrated into existing military gear and a separate head-mounted display unit. This segmentation allows the control functionality to be distributed, reducing the burden on the user's mobility while maintaining comprehensive control capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The wearable computer is designed to be integrated into existing military gear configurations (MOLLE, ALICE, ILBE systems), making the control system universal across different platforms and missions. This multi-functionality approach allows the same base unit to serve various remote vehicle control needs without requiring separate specialized equipment.
2Ease of operation
If traditional remote vehicle control systems are used, then control functionality is provided, but extensive training and logistics support are required
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses a universal wearable computer platform that can control multiple types of remote vehicles (robots, drones, etc.) through a common interface. This universality reduces training requirements as personnel familiar with the base system can operate different vehicle types with minimal additional training, while logistics support remains standardized.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates intuitive graphical user interfaces and automated vehicle operation modes that reduce the need for extensive manual intervention and complex procedural knowledge. The self-explanatory interface design allows users to operate the system with minimal training.
3Adaptability or versatility
If control equipment is added to enhance remote vehicle operation, then control capability is improved, but user safety and mission effectiveness are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The control interface is localized to the user's field of view through head-mounted display technology, allowing situational awareness to be maintained while controlling remote vehicles. The graphical user interface is overlaid on the user's natural view, so control elements appear in the periphery without blocking the main operational view, thus maintaining safety and mobility.
Solution Approach 2:
The control interface transitions from a separate physical display to a virtual overlay in the user's visual field. This dimensional change allows control information to exist in the same spatial plane as the operational environment, eliminating the need for separate monitors or control panels that would interfere with mobility and situational awareness.
4Loss of information
If head-mounted display is used for remote vehicle control, then situational awareness is maintained, but field of view may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The head-mounted display presents control information locally in the user's peripheral vision rather than blocking the central field of view. Critical control elements are positioned in the periphery of the visual field, allowing the user to maintain situational awareness of the operational environment while having access to control functions without significantly compromising the overall field of view.
Data Source
AI summary
A hand-held controller includes a controller body having right and left grips. The controller body defines a left control zone adjacent the left grip and a right control zone adjacent the right grip. A first set of input devices disposed in the left control zone includes a first analog joystick, a 4-way directional control adjacent the first analog joystick, and a left rocker control located adjacent the 4-way directional control. A second set of input devices disposed in the right control zone includes a second analog joystick, an array of at least four buttons adjacent the second analog joystick, and a right rocker control adjacent the button array. The hand-held controller also includes a display disposed on the controller body adjacent the left and right control zones.