WO2018157890A2

WO2018157890A2 - Gyro-stabilized actuator for use over land and medical applications

Info

Publication number: WO2018157890A2
Application number: PCT/DE2018/100182
Authority: WO
Inventors: Norbert Michael MAYER
Original assignee: 1A Robotics Ug (Haftungsbeschraenkt)
Priority date: 2017-03-01
Filing date: 2018-03-01
Publication date: 2018-09-07
Also published as: DE112018001075A5; WO2018157890A3

Abstract

The invention relates to an actuator, with the aid of which a device can move actively over land or other surfaces or in different media moving and/or can rotate into a desired attitude and inclination. Three exemplary applications are described: 1. A robot, wherein the actuator unit is enclosed by a balloon-like envelope which, in a similar manner to an airbag, protects humans in the close environment against injuries during the interaction with the robot. 2. An application of the robot as a mobile antenna, or as a radio relay. 3. The invention relates to the example of a medical examination device that can be incorporated orally or anally. The position of the device is controlled with the aid of the gyroscope, the axis of the which can be brought in any desired position with respect to the housing with the aid of two servomotors. As a result, movements of the examination device are induced.

Description

Gyro stabilized actuator over land and for medical applications

Prior Art - Comparable Technologies

Gyro stabilized devices have been a standard technology for many years. In the field of mobile robots, Gyrover and Gyrobot [2] of Carnegie Mellon University exist (see Carnegie Mellon University, Gyrover project, http://www.ri.cmu.edu). In space, Control Moment gyros have been a proven technique for stabilizing spacecraft for decades. In the patent DE102004045805A1 a gyro-stabilized humanoid robot has been described.

For some years, spherical, actively rolling on the ground robot without externally visible wheels, especially in the toy sector as a gimmick established (Sphero, Star Wars BB 8 toy from the same company). These are driven by gravity in the robot, actively moving imbalances. To achieve sufficient propulsion, it is necessary for a heavy weight to be within a relatively thin plastic shell in the lower half of the robot while leaving the top half empty. In the area of heavy weight mostly batteries and motors are housed. The weight is rotated against the shell, thereby achieving the propulsion. The maximum permanent torque of the propulsion is in principle limited in this construction by the construction of the robot, ie even an arbitrarily strong motor can not increase the propulsion of the robot obese, because eventually the imbalance passes through the center of gravity of the robot. Outside of the toy sector, this construction method has not been able to establish itself because there is hardly any room for additional components within the robot around the range of movement of the unbalance, which must remain free. On the other hand, fully encapsulated robots are interesting for many areas. A significant advantage is that encapsulated systems no seals are necessary to protect against rotating parts of the device, the interior against the potentially hostile environment.

U. a. Therefore, these robots could be used to advantage in hazardous, corrosive environments or media, or in areas exposed to high pressure.

In a recent paper [1] a spherical robot has been described in which the part connected to the gyro is moved by means of wheels within an otherwise nonfunctional sphere. This device is considered as one of the presented invention most closely approximated concept.

[1] T. Urakubo, M. Osawa, H. Tamaki, Y. Tada, and S. Maekawa, "Development of a spherical rolling robot equipped with a gyro," in 2012 IEEE International Conference on Mechatronics and Automation, Aug 2012, pp. 1602-1607.

[2] AA Mamun, Z. Zhen, P. Vadakkepat, and TH Lee, "tracking control of the GyroBot-a gyroscopically stabilized single-wheeled robot," in 31 ^st Annual Conference of the IEEE Industrial Electronics Society, 2005. IECON of 2005. , Nov 2005, p. 6th

The core of the invention presented here is the actuator unit described below in combination with the idea of using it for locomotion over land or viscous media or in combination with other methods of locomotion combine and continue to use specifically for various applications described below.

Invention: Actuator unit

The actuator unit (see Fig. 1) consists of a spherical cavity (shell), a gimbal and a gyro powered by a motor. The gimbal suspension consists of two rings. The outer ring is connected to the shell via two bearings. In addition, the outer ring is connected to the inner ring via another bearing. The inner ring carries a motor with a (in the drawing: Oblates) symmetrical top. The axes of rotation of gyros and gimbals are orthogonal to each other. The arrangement is similar as far as a gyro or similar suspensions of gyros. Firmly connected to the shell are located at the north and south pole position two servomotors of the driven axles protrude into the cavity. Freely rotatably mounted on the outer ring is a closed chain of gears, each two of the gears are fixed to the axis of the drive axes of the servo motors and the inner ring.

The joints of the gimbal can therefore be moved by means of two externally mounted on the actuator unit servomotors, so are not freely movable. The outer servomotors change the axis of the gyro and induce a torque on the housing and thereby a change in position of the entire device including shell. This is done in the following way (see Fig. 2): On the outer ring of the gimbal is a chain of freely rotatable gears. Two gears are fixed to the drives of the two servomotors. If the gears connected to the servomotors are turned in the same direction (one servo motor turns clockwise and the other anticlockwise), they will block each other. The power of the motors then acts on the outer ring, this one starts to turn. Turn in opposite directions (both motors either clockwise or counterclockwise), then the gears rotate and transmit the rotation to the inner ring. Through various combinations of rotational speeds of the servomotors corresponding rotational speeds of the two rings of the gimbal can be achieved. In this way, the axis of the gyro can be rotated in any direction relative to the housing. Thus, various movements of the entire device can be induced.

Basic operation

The movement of the entire device in the inertial system is induced relative rotations of the gyro axis with respect to the entire system by the inertia of the gyroscope. The rotating gyro serves as a kind of torque reservoir. If the desired torque always goes in the same direction, the gyroscope's efficiency is reduced as the axis of the gyro approaches more and more the axis of the desired torque (see Fig. 3). Therefore, the direction of the rotation axis of the gyroscope must be corrected from time to time by compensating movements. Here, the static friction between the environment and the entire device can be used. Furthermore, torques resulting from the combination of gravity and anisotropy of the robot structure can be used to correct the axis. Finally, the rotational speed of the gyro can also be changed. For example, you can slowly reduce the gyroscope speed to zero, then rotate the gyro axis, then accelerate the gyroscope speed again, taking all of these actions be carried out so slowly that the static friction between the device and the environment is maintained. Regular gyroscopic correction requires that the actuator unit always be combined with a suitable overall unit.

The present invention is distinguished from the prior art robot published in [1] by the following characteristics:

1 . In the invention, mechanical rotations are all transmitted through gears here, which increases the reproducibility and precision of the actuated movements. In the system used in [1] rubber wheels shift the position of the gyro relative to the outer skin.

2. In the robot published in [1] all functional parts are in a rigid connection to the motor driving the gyro, thus moving relative to the outer skin of the robot, which in this case is an otherwise non-functional plastic shell. In the invention here are the motors that change the direction of the gyroscope outside and can be rigidly connected to the enclosure of the device without further effort.

Example application device 1

The example (see Fig. 4) consists of the rigid actuator unit and a soft shell in ball shape (ball), which surrounds this unit. The shell is divided into 12 segments, giving the device the appearance of a spherical dodecahedron. The entire robot should be about 2m high and be in the immediate vicinity of people. The sheath may assist and stabilize movement through the actuator unit by actively inflating or venting individual segments.

The gyro-actuator allows a fast onset of movement. The device is intended to be used in parks, pedestrian areas and similar areas. It is intended to serve, among other things, the following purposes: as advertising space, for guarding and securing on terrain.

The soft shell protects people in the immediate vicinity from injury, even rolling over children and small animals is relatively safe. The large volume of air inside the unit makes it relatively light in relation to its size.

If the soft shell is made of a milky white material, it can be illuminated from the inside. Even projections from inside are possible.

The case can also attach sensors, such as cameras and the like.

On the shell can also attach photovoltaic elements.

In case of strong wind, the air can be let out of the vehicle to prevent it from leaving. Example application device 2

This example is based on the application device 1. As a difference to the application device 1, this example is combined with an antenna. The combination of the autonomous robot and the antenna system results in a novel machine that can be used in various scenarios:

When

- mobile access point at events

- relay station for police radio,

- (Fully automatic) satellite finding

- Digital signal reception while rolling and standing

- reception of large amounts of data (for example on satellite frequencies)

- Possibility as an amplifier station function

- Reception of TV channels worldwide without elaborate adjustment mechanics such as Astra - Service provider for campsites, bars, restaurants for data and

TV reception

- LTE antenna for mobile communication

- Galileo and GPS for position determination

- DAB antenna with radio reception or digital radio, or as its relay station

The advantages of the present invention over the prior art are safe usability of the device in a direct human environment, where the location can be safely changed, eg. to improve the reception. The robot can either be controlled by hand or autonomously move to a location for optimum reception through an autonomous algorithm.

Example application device 3

The application here is a pill for oral use or suppositories (hereinafter examination device). Inside the examination unit is a small version of the actuator unit and the sensors necessary for the examination as well as an electrical system for operating the actuator, the sensors and for communication with the outside world. Advantage of the invention is a medical procedure that allows a gentler colonoscopy and gastroscopy.

The gyro can be brought and held in one of two ways for rapid rotation.

1 . The gyroscope consists of one or more parallel aligned permanent magnets with a polarity perpendicular to the axis of the gyro (see Fig. 5). The device has a good swallowable size (less than 2cm). The gyro can then be excited from outside with the help of an alternating magnetic field and made to rotate. These alternating fields can be generated by an apparatus in which the patient is pushed (Fig. 6). Alternatively, the magnetic arrangement can also be installed in a small device that can be guided by the therapist with his hand on the abdominal wall.

2. The gyro can then be rotated by a motor located in the examination unit (as in the description of the actuator unit, see Fig. 7). By changing the axis of the gyroscope, a torque acts on the case of the pill. Thus, the orientation of the pill in the medium can be actively changed. Here, therefore, not only the position of the device is stabilized by the gyro, but induced by changing the relative position of the gyro in relation to the position of the housing of the device changes in position of the housing. In this way, the axis can be rotated in any relation to the housing of the examination device, which after the Inertia principle leads to acting on the housing torque. In fluids or soft media such as epithelial tissue, forward motion can also be induced by externally applied fins and other asymmetries.

Legend

Fig. 1 a: Connections for servomotors

b: Motor for gyro

c: inner gimbal ring

d: outer gimbal ring

e: frame

Fig. 2 f: Servomotor Sl

g: servomotor S2

Fig. 4 h: Soft segments

i: Hard core with rotary actuator and pumps

Fig. 5 k: Magnet

1: gimbal (card suspension)

m: servomotor

n: gyro

Fig. 6 o: incorporated device

p: coils

Fig. 7 q: Gyro

r: engine

s: gimbal

t: servomotor

Claims

Claims regarding application device 1:

1. Any type of objects moving over land or on the surface of water that can be controlled by a gyro in a gimbal with actively moving rings (gimbals).

2. As in 1. but for the type of controlled rings described above with the help of gears.

3. As in 1. but as an actuator in an object surrounded by air chambers.

4. As in 1. but as an alternative alternative propulsion to stabilize movements.

5. On autonomous vehicles over land with inertial actuators that have gas-filled cushions as the outer shell.

6. On autonomous vehicles on land or water, which have air bags attached as an outer shell and use them to illuminate the environment.

7. On land or water vehicles that have airbags attached to the outer shell and use them to project advertising or other content onto these air cushions.

8. On vehicles that have attached airbags as an outer shell and have attached to these apparatus for the production of energy.

9. On autonomous vehicles that move over land, and have gas-filled chambers, and let escape the air from these chambers in various dangerous situations.

10. Like 5th on robots for guarding and securing. Claims regarding application device 2:

11. A robot that moves inland with the help of the active change of the axis of a gyro and has an antenna system.

12. Like 11th, however, for a robot for the calibration of global positioning systems in any form.

13. As 11. but as a mobile relay station for radio signals of any kind.

14. Like 13th, however, as an autonomous robot, with positioning control systems.

15. Like 11. for a robot with a soft shell.

16. For the combination of 13th and 15th ..

17. For several robots, among which there are robots according to 11, that build an Ad-Hoc Network (ANET).

18. Same as 13th but for mobile according to the LTE Advanced Standard.

19. Like 11th, however, in combination with photovoltaics built into the shell of the robot for autonomous, renewable power generation.

20. Like the 13th, but in combination with the robot's built-in photovoltaic for autonomous, renewable power generation.

Claims regarding application device 3:

21. A device for stabilizing a medical, incorporable examination device comprising a gyro for stabilization and active movement.

22. Any type of incorporatable device with remote control or autonomous intelligence that uses a gyroscope for active motion generation.

23. Like 21., where the examination apparatus is cable-free and a gyroscope consisting of or containing permanent magnets is driven externally by means of extracorporeal alternating magnetic fields.

24. Same as 21, with the examination device having an asymmetric sheath.

25. Like 21., wherein the examination apparatus has an asymmetrical shell, whereby agitation can be generated by shaking the gyro axis.

26. Like 21st, for gastro-colonial investigations.

27. Like 21st, for the bloodstream.

28. Like 21st, for the ventricular system of the brain.

29. As 21st, for the purpose of minimally invasive surgery.

30. Like 21., where the axis of the gyro can be turned by means of a gimbal and gears mounted on the gimbals.