Mech warriors appear on the scene: wheeled robots are deployed in the fight against epidemics

The development of science and technology has enabled us to demonstrate unprecedented capabilities in the face of this epidemic. We have seen the construction of the Vulcan Mountain Hospital in 10 days, the use of drones and thermometers in epidemic prevention work, and even wheeled robots have begun to assist medical staff in their work in hospitals.

The development of online shopping has led to an increase in the number of logistics centers, and thus the number of wheeled robots that handle many heavy tasks in logistics centers. Recently, we have seen more and more human-friendly robots in banks, shopping malls, hotels, and supermarkets. No one expected that the next challenge these wheeled robots would have to deal with - last-mile delivery, would come so unexpectedly.

The picture comes from CCTV video screenshot

Under the initiative of less gatherings, less travel, not going to or less going to crowded places, and wearing masks all the time on buses, subways, trains, flights, etc., the significance of the existence of wheeled robots is highlighted. This is not a difficult job. They will soon deliver medicines, documents, takeout, etc. to offices or wards.

Example of a wheeled robot delivering pizza 

Wheeled Robot Application Portfolio

With the advent of wheeled robots, which some consider to be “robots in disguise,” let’s look at the entire portfolio of robots currently in use in the industry:

Industrial robots (or robotic arms) can handle tasks such as welding, palletizing, sorting, and lifting in factories. They are usually located in a fixed position on the floor, ceiling, or wall. They are controlled by a controller placed near the base or robotic arm.

虽然如机械臂等大型工业机器人已使用多年——主要应用于汽车工业中，但随着人类与机器人之间的合作机会不断增加，被称为cobots（协作机器人）的小型变种机器人正在显著进入市场。

Use TI's mmWave or time-of-flight (TOF) sensing technology to achieve accurate obstacle sensing in crowded logistics centers

Logistics robots can be used in warehouses, distribution centers, ports, and even campuses. These robots can pick up goods and deliver them to a packing station, or the robots can carry goods from one building to another. These robots move in a specific environment and require many sensors for positioning and mapping, as well as sensors to avoid collisions.

Reception robots can be used in supermarkets, airports and hotels. These robots act as virtual staff to welcome and guide customers/guests.

Inventory robots can be used in supermarkets or stockrooms to scan shelves at regular intervals, ensuring that the store never runs out of products.

Example of a hospitality robot

Industrial robots are often located in a "closed" environment, where humans are stopped for safety reasons. However, limiting human/robot collaboration prevents many benefits from being realized. Robots with autonomous operation capabilities can support humans and robots to coexist safely and efficiently.

TI provides a complete reference design for wheeled robots

Sensing and intelligent perception for robotic applications are important because the efficient performance of robotic systems, especially machine learning applications, depends heavily on the performance of sensors that provide critical data to these systems. Today’s wide range of increasingly sophisticated and accurate sensors, combined with systems that can fuse all of this sensor data together, can support robots with better and better perception and awareness. Examples of sensors include: cameras, LiDAR, mmWave, and Time of Flight (ToF). 

Sensing technology is particularly important in vacuum robot operations. ToF sensors allow the robot to accurately map the operating environment and ensure that the robot completes its tasks efficiently. Infrared cliff sensors prevent the robot from falling down stairs, or prevent a sharp drop.

Just as humans rely on senses and intelligence to complete tasks, a lot of technology is needed in robotics to simulate what humans take for granted. TI provides solutions that meet many of these technology needs, including sensing, intelligence and power. Innovative analog and embedded technologies can help engineers develop smarter and more advanced future robotic systems. Click here to view TI industrial robot reference designs.

(Author: Matthieu Chevrier and Lali Jayatilleke, E2E Community)