Wearable Display Switching for Remote Machine Operation Visibility
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional remote operation systems for working machines, such as hydraulic excavators, face issues with the operator's visual field obstruction due to wearable displays, leading to potential erroneous operations as the operator cannot simultaneously view the machine's surroundings and the operation interface.
Innovation Solution
A remote operation system that includes a wearable display capable of showing the working machine's surroundings, a remote operation lever, judgment information acquisition devices, and a control device that switches the display between the working area image and surrounding visual-recognition area based on the operator's intention, allowing the operator to grasp their environment and prevent erroneous operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If the wearable display displays the working area image continuously, then the operator can view the machine's surroundings, but the operator's visual field is obstructed and surrounding situation cannot be grasped
Solution Approach 1:
The wearable display dynamically switches between displaying the working area image and allowing surrounding visual recognition based on detected operation intention. When operation intention is detected, the display shows the working area image; when no operation intention is detected, it switches to allowing surrounding visual recognition, thus adaptively resolving the contradiction between information display and visual field obstruction.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses judgment information acquisition devices to detect the operator's operation intention and provides feedback to the wearable display control. This feedback mechanism enables the display to adjust its state (working area image display vs. surrounding visual recognition) based on the operator's needs, preventing visual field obstruction while ensuring necessary information is displayed.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the wearable display allows surrounding visual recognition, then the operator can grasp the surrounding situation, but the working area image cannot be viewed
Solution Approach 1:
The wearable display dynamically adjusts its function based on operation intention detection. When no operation intention is detected, it switches to a state that allows surrounding visual recognition, eliminating visual field obstruction. When operation intention is detected, it switches to displaying the working area image, ensuring necessary information is visible.
Solution Approach 2:
The judgment information acquisition devices continuously monitor for operation intention and provide feedback to control the wearable display's state. This feedback loop ensures the display switches between working area image display and surrounding visual recognition modes appropriately, preventing information loss while eliminating visual field obstruction.
3Reliability
If the wearable display switches between working area image and surrounding visual recognition, then erroneous operations are prevented, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs judgment information acquisition devices that detect operation intention through simple physiological signals (such as eye movement or muscle activity). The feedback from these devices controls the wearable display switching, improving operation reliability while keeping the added complexity minimal through the use of straightforward detection mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the operator's own physiological signals (eye movements, muscle activity) as judgment information to control the display switching. This self-service approach improves reliability by using natural, involuntary signals that accurately reflect operation intention, while avoiding the need for complex external control interfaces.
Data Source
AI summary
A remote operation system for a working machine includes a control device enabling an operator wearing a wearable display to grasp the surrounding situation of himself/herself. The control device includes an operation intention judgment section judging the presence/absence of an operator's operation intention to a remote operation lever based on the contents of acquired judgment information, and a display image switching section. With judgment of presence of the operation intention, the display image switching section makes a working area image taken by a working area image taking camera be displayed in a particular display area of the wearable display. With judgment of absence of the operation intention, the display image switching section stops the display of the working area image in the at least a part of the particular display area and switches it to a surrounding visual-recognition allowing area allowing the operator to visually recognize the surroundings.