UAV Social Robot Command Interface for Mobility Constraints
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Solution Overview
Problem
Social robots face mobility limitations that prevent them from traversing different surfaces or going up stairs, limiting their ability to perform user requests effectively.
Innovation Solution
An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) system that receives commands from social robots, maps environments, and performs tasks such as checking stove status or locating users, while also charging and delegating tasks to other UAVs with sufficient battery life, allowing it to overcome mobility limitations of social robots.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If social robots are designed with mobility limitations to ensure safety and simplicity, then device complexity is reduced, but the ability to perform user requests effectively deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the task execution function into two separate components: the social robot handles communication and task coordination, while the UAV handles physical execution of tasks requiring mobility. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently - the robot remains simple and safe while the UAV provides the necessary mobility capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The social robot acts as an intermediary between the user and the UAV. It receives user requests, processes them, and delegates appropriate tasks to the UAV. This intermediary role allows the simple social robot to effectively control more capable UAV systems without requiring the robot itself to have complex mobility features.
2Productivity
If social robots are equipped with advanced mobility capabilities to traverse different surfaces and stairs, then task performance capability is improved, but device complexity and safety risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The mobility capability is extracted from the social robot and transferred to a separate UAV system. The social robot retains only the essential functions of communication and task coordination, while the UAV carries the complex mobility subsystems including propellers, flight control, and navigation sensors.
Solution Approach 2:
The UAV serves multiple functions: it can traverse different surfaces and stairs that the social robot cannot access, carry various sensors and tools for different task types, and return to charge automatically. This multi-functionality in a single platform reduces overall system complexity compared to equipping the social robot with multiple specialized mobility systems.
3Productivity
If UAVs continuously operate to perform tasks, then productivity is improved, but energy consumption increases requiring frequent charging
Solution Approach 1:
The UAV automatically returns to the charging pad before its battery is completely depleted, ensuring it is recharged in advance for the next task. This preliminary charging action prevents task interruption and maintains continuous productivity without requiring the UAV to monitor and respond to critical low-battery conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The UAV autonomously navigates back to the charging pad and docks itself for recharging without human intervention. The system automatically manages the charging process, allowing the UAV to service its own energy needs and remain ready for continuous operation.
4Reliability
If UAVs delegate tasks to other UAVs based on battery status, then system reliability is improved, but coordination complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Each UAV continuously monitors and reports its battery status to the social robot, which maintains an updated view of available UAV resources. When a UAV's battery becomes low, this feedback triggers automatic task delegation to other available UAVs, ensuring tasks are always assigned to units with sufficient energy to complete them.
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
Enhances the functionality of social robots by enabling them to perform tasks that would otherwise be impossible due to mobility constraints, such as flying up stairs or traversing changing surfaces, thereby increasing user convenience and expanding the capabilities of social robots.
Implementation Method 1
The application then receives a command from the social robot via the radio frequency transceiver, wherein the social robot receives a verbal request from a user of the social robot
Implementation Method 2
a flight mechanism actuated by at least one electric motor powered by the battery
Implementation Method 3
The application then lands on a designated charging pad to conserve energy, wherein the designated charging pad charges the UAV's battery
Data Source
AI summary
An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is disclosed. The UAV comprises a battery, a flight mechanism, a radio frequency (RF) transceiver, a processor, a memory, and an application stored in the memory. When executed by the processor, the application discovers an environment where the UAV operates by flying in the environment to determine its boundaries; creates a map of the environment that the UAV flew through; and shares the map with a social robot. The application receives a command from the social robot via the RF transceiver, wherein the social robot receives a verbal request from a user of the social robot, wherein the social robot transforms the user request to a command for the UAV. The application then performs the command from the social robot. The application then lands on a designated charging pad to conserve energy. The application then transmits a report back to the social robot.