Voice-Controlled UAV Object Retrieval Using Onboard Object Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) lack the capability to autonomously detect and retrieve objects based on user commands, requiring manual intervention or complex controllers, which limits their efficiency in tasks like home improvement or assisting individuals with mobility impairments.
Innovation Solution
Equipping UAVs with computer processors and sensors to detect user input, process voice commands, capture image data, and navigate to the object's location using onboard or remote neural networks for object recognition and retrieval protocols, allowing for autonomous object retrieval and delivery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual control methods are used for UAV operation, then ease of operation is maintained through simple controllers, but productivity deteriorates due to requiring continuous manual intervention and causing delays in object retrieval tasks
Solution Approach 1:
The UAV autonomously detects objects using its onboard camera and processes images to identify and retrieve objects without continuous manual intervention. The system serves itself by automatically navigating to object locations and executing retrieval actions based on voice commands alone, rather than requiring continuous controller input
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical control system (handheld controller with joysticks and buttons) with a voice-based control interface. The processor interprets voice commands to automatically generate control signals, substituting the manual mechanical control mechanism with an automated voice-to-action system
2Productivity
If voice control and autonomous object detection are implemented, then productivity improves through automated object retrieval, but device complexity increases due to added sensors and processing requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The existing UAV platform is enhanced with multi-functionality by integrating object detection and autonomous navigation capabilities into the existing flight control system. The camera serves dual purposes for both visual navigation and object identification, while the processor handles both flight control and image analysis tasks
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by continuously capturing images and pre-processing them to identify potential objects before explicit retrieval commands are given. The UAV proactively scans the environment and prepares object detection results in advance, enabling faster response to voice commands
Data Source
AI summary
Described herein are systems, devices, methods, computer-readable media, techniques, and methodologies for object retrieval and delivery using an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) such as a drone. The UAV receives user input from a user such as audial input and processes the input to determine a user command. The user command can be a command to retrieve an object that is out of reach of the user. The UAV scans the environment capturing image data using on-board sensors. The image data can be fed to a neural network trained in object detection to identify the object in the environment. Once identified, the UAV can then navigate to the object, retrieve the object, and deliver the object to a target individual or location such as a location adjacent to the user.