Adaptive automated guided vehicles and methodologies of operation
Embodiments of the present disclosure provide adaptive autonomous guided vehicles capable of performing a myriad of specialized task operations. Some embodiments include a base vehicle, a vertical carousel including at least one carousel conveyor shelf, where the vertical carousel is affixable to a top of the based vehicle, and a rotatable top conveyor affixable to a top of the vertical carousel. Some embodiments include processing circuitry communicatively coupled to with each of the base vehicle, the vertical carousel, and the rotatable top conveyor, where the processing circuitry executes computer-coded instructions that at least partially cause the processing circuitry to control each of the base vehicle, the vertical carousel, and/or the rotatable top conveyor. The processing circuitry controls such components to perform any of a number of specific task operations. Some embodiments align multiple adaptive autonomous guided vehicles that interact to perform specific task operation(s).
1. An adaptive autonomous guided vehicle comprising:
a base vehicle;
a vertical carousel comprising at least one carousel conveyor shelf, the vertical carousel affixable to a top of the base vehicle;
a rotatable top conveyor affixable to a top of the vertical carousel, wherein the rotatable top conveyor is configured to rotate in a plurality of directions to expel objects to a plurality of systems, and wherein the rotatable top conveyor rotates independently from the base vehicle and the vertical carousel; and
processing circuitry communicatively coupled with each of the base vehicle, the vertical carousel, and the rotatable top conveyor, wherein the processing circuitry executes computer-coded instructions that at least partially cause the processing circuitry to control each of the base vehicle, the vertical carousel, and the rotatable top conveyor.
2. The adaptive autonomous guided vehicle according to claim 1 , the processing circuitry further caused to:
receive control instructions to align with at least one other adaptive autonomous guided vehicle; and
align the rotatable top conveyor of the adaptive autonomous guided vehicle with at least one other rotatable top conveyor of the at least one other adaptive autonomous guided vehicle by at least utilizing the base vehicle to position the adaptive autonomous guided vehicle at a target position.
3. The adaptive autonomous guided vehicle according to claim 2 , wherein the target position indicates a position in side-by-side alignment with the at least one other adaptive autonomous guided vehicle side-by-side.
4. The adaptive autonomous guided vehicle according to claim 2 , wherein the target position indicates a position in forward-facing alignment with the at least one other adaptive autonomous guided vehicle.
5. The adaptive autonomous guided vehicle according to claim 2 , wherein to align the rotatable top conveyor of the adaptive autonomous guided vehicle with the at least one other rotatable top conveyor of the at least one other adaptive autonomous guided vehicle, the processing circuitry is further caused to:
rotate the rotatable top conveyor to a target rotation.
6. The adaptive autonomous guided vehicle according to claim 2 , the adaptive autonomous guided vehicle further comprising at least one environment sensor, each environment sensor of the at least one environment sensor housed in or fixedly attached to the base vehicle, the vertical carousel, or the rotatable top conveyor, and wherein the processing circuitry is further caused to:
retrieve real-time sensor data from the at least one environment sensor; and
generate control instructions for the base vehicle based at least in part on the real-time sensor data.
7. The adaptive autonomous guided vehicle according to claim 1 , the processing circuitry further caused to:
manipulate the vertical carousel to position the at least one carousel conveyor shelf based at least in part on a balanced center of gravity determined for a current load distribution applied to the vertical carousel.
8. The adaptive autonomous guided vehicle according to claim 1 , the adaptive autonomous guided vehicle further comprising:
a display fixedly attached to the rotatable top conveyor, such that there is a gap between the display and the rotatable top conveyor, wherein the gap defines an area through which an object traverses along the rotatable top conveyor.
9. The adaptive autonomous guided vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is communicatively coupled with a display to cause output of display data via the display.
10. The adaptive autonomous guided vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein each carousel conveyor shelf of the at least one carousel conveyor shelf comprises an unobstructed space between a first end of the carousel conveyor shelf and a second end of the carousel conveyor shelf.
11. The adaptive autonomous guided vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein each carousel conveyor shelf of the at least one carousel conveyor shelf comprises an extendable slide controlled by a motor.
12. The adaptive autonomous guided vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the base vehicle comprises forklift arms.
13. The adaptive autonomous guided vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is further caused to:
align a first carousel conveyor shelf of the vertical carousel with a second carousel conveyor shelf of a second vertical carousel of another adaptive autonomous guided vehicle; and
activate the first carousel conveyor shelf to traverse an object engaged with the first carousel conveyor shelf to the second carousel conveyor shelf.
14. The adaptive autonomous guided vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is further caused to:
rotate a first carousel conveyor shelf of the vertical carousel to a particular rotation;
align the first carousel conveyor shelf of the vertical carousel with a target position; and
activate the first carousel conveyor shelf to traverse an object engaged with the first carousel conveyor shelf to the target position.
15. The adaptive autonomous guided vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the base vehicle comprises retractable forklift arms, and wherein the processing circuitry is further caused to:
control the base vehicle to engage at least one object utilizing the retractable forklift arms;
determine the at least one object impedes at least one space associated with the vertical carousel; and
control the adaptive autonomous guided vehicle for offloading the at least one object engaged by the retractable forklift arms before offloading a second at least one object engaged by the vertical carousel.
16. The adaptive autonomous guided vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the base vehicle comprises retractable forklift arms, and wherein the processing circuitry is further caused to:
control the base vehicle to engage at least one object utilizing the retractable forklift arms;
determine the at least one object impedes at least one space associated with the vertical carousel; and
rotate the vertical carousel to position the at least one carousel conveyor shelf aligned with an unobstructed space.
17. The adaptive autonomous guided vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is further caused to:
detect an object engaged at a first end of a first carousel conveyor shelf;
activate the first carousel conveyor shelf to traverse the object towards a second end of the first carousel conveyor shelf; and
extend a first extendable slide at the second end of the first carousel conveyor shelf,
wherein the object traverses along the first extendable slide during offloading from the first extendable slide.
18. The adaptive autonomous guided vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is further caused to:
control the base vehicle to traverse to a reconfiguration location; and
cause activation of a reconfiguration system, wherein the reconfiguration system engages the adaptive autonomous guided vehicle to remove the rotatable top conveyor and/or the vertical carousel.
19. An adaptive autonomous guided vehicle comprising:
a base vehicle comprising retractable forklift arms;
a vertical carousel comprising at least one carousel conveyor shelf, the vertical carousel affixable to a top of the base vehicle;
a rotatable top conveyor affixable to a top of the vertical carousel;
at least one environment sensor, each environment sensor of the at least one environment sensor housed in or fixedly attached to the base vehicle, the vertical carousel, or the rotatable top conveyor; and
processing circuitry communicatively coupled with each of the base vehicle, the vertical carousel, and the rotatable top conveyor, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to:
rotate the rotatable top conveyor to a first direction associated with a first object type;
activate the rotatable top conveyor to traverse a first object in a first direction towards a first system;
rotate the rotatable top conveyor to a second direction associated with a second object type; and
activate the rotatable top conveyor to traverse a second object in a second direction towards a second system, wherein the rotatable top conveyor rotates independently from the base vehicle and the vertical carousel.
20. An adaptive autonomous guided vehicle comprising:
a base vehicle comprising retractable forklift arms;
a vertical carousel comprising at least one carousel conveyor shelf, the vertical carousel affixable to a top of the base vehicle;
a rotatable top conveyor affixable to a top of the vertical carousel, wherein the rotatable top conveyor is configured to rotate in a plurality of directions to expel objects to a plurality of systems, and wherein the rotatable top conveyor rotates independently from the base vehicle and the vertical carousel;
at least one environment sensor, each environment sensor of the at least one environment sensor housed in or fixedly attached to the base vehicle, the vertical carousel, or the rotatable top conveyor; and
processing circuitry communicatively coupled with each of the base vehicle, the vertical carousel, and the rotatable top conveyor, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to:
retrieve real-time sensor data from the at least one environment sensor;
apply the real-time sensor data to a perception model; and
at least partially control each of the base vehicle, the vertical carousel, and/or the rotatable top conveyor based at least in part on applying the real-time sensor data to the perception model.