Vibration Powered Device Directional Control via Flexible Legs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vibration-powered robotic devices lack directional control and appear random due to uncontrolled movement, failing to mimic lifelike motion effectively.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a communal area with interconnected tracks and gates, and vibration-powered devices with rotational motors and offset counterweights, along with flexible legs that bend to induce forward motion and self-righting capabilities, allowing for controlled movement and interaction with obstacles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If vibration-powered devices use simple rotational motors with counterweights, then the device can achieve movement, but the motion becomes random and uncontrolled
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the leg structures flexible rather than rigid, allowing them to bend and adapt during movement. The flexible legs can dynamically adjust their configuration in response to surface interactions, enabling controlled directional movement while maintaining the simplicity of rotational motor actuation. This resolves the contradiction by introducing dynamic adaptability without complex control systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes physical parameters of the leg structures, specifically their flexibility and geometric configuration. By adjusting leg length, stiffness, and arrangement, the device achieves controlled movement patterns. The leg parameters are optimized to convert random vibrations into directional motion, resolving the control issue while maintaining simple motor actuation.
2Speed
If vibration-powered devices use long metal wire legs, then the device can achieve movement, but the motion pattern becomes highly random and lifelike appearance is low
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by differentiating the properties of different legs. Rather than using identical long metal wires, the design employs legs with varying lengths, stiffness, and materials. This local differentiation creates more consistent and controllable motion patterns while maintaining movement capability, improving the lifelike appearance by reducing excessive randomness.
3Ease of operation
If vibration-powered devices use bristles angled to the rear, then the device can achieve general forward direction, but collisions cause zombie-like reactions with minimal lifelike motion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by using flexible legs that can dynamically respond to obstacle collisions. Instead of rigid bristles that cause zombie-like reactions, the flexible legs can bend, compress, and adapt during collisions, creating more natural and lifelike motion responses. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining directional control while improving obstacle response realism.
4Speed
If vibration-powered devices use multiple legs (3-20), then the device can achieve movement, but the structure becomes complex and manufacturing difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by designing legs that serve multiple functions: propulsion, support, sensing, and obstacle interaction. Rather than having separate components for each function, the flexible leg structures perform all these roles simultaneously. This reduces overall structural complexity and eases manufacturing while maintaining effective movement capability.
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 solution enables devices to move in a seemingly intelligent and controlled manner, simulating organic life forms by combining directional movement with random motion patterns, enhancing the appearance of lifelike behavior.
Implementation Method 1
The rotational motor rotates an offset counterweight that generates vibrations. The vibrations cause a body of the device to vibrate and rotate.
Implementation Method 2
The rotational motor rotates an offset counterweight that generates vibrations. The rotation of the counterweight induces an oscillatory motion.
Implementation Method 3
The flexible legs bend to induce forward motion of the device.
Data Source
AI summary
A playset system for autonomous devices includes a communal area including a substantially horizontal and substantially planar area bounded by a plurality of side walls, a plurality of connectors, and a plurality of ports. Each port is disposed in a side wall, each port is situated adjacent to one of the connectors, and each port includes a gate adapted to open and close, to impede movement of the autonomous devices when closed, and to allow passage of the autonomous devices when open.