Autonomous Mobile Robot and System for Transportation and Delivery of Carts
Embodiments relate to autonomous operation of a mobile robot, which can include use of a receiver hitch, a tow arm, and a trained model. Embodiments include use of sensors and identifiers to facilitate autonomous operation based solely on receiver hitch data. The receiver hitch data can allow the robot to autonomously position itself and orient the tow arm for proper alignment with the receiver hitch. Receiver hitch data can also be used to autonomously increase a field of view for the robot. Additional sensor data can allow the robot to detect a ledge or similar obstacle and avoid steering towards or over the ledge.
1 . An autonomous mobile robot for towing wheeled carts, the robot comprising:
a wheeled housing assembly;
a drive system operatively connected to the wheeled housing assembly providing driving and steering control for the robot;
a tow arm mounted to the housing assembly, the tow arm pivotable between a stowed position and a deployed position for attachment to a cart, the tow arm including an end effector having self-centering side walls configured to align a clamp of the end effector on a side post of a hitch attached to the cart, wherein the tow arm is movable vertically to match a height of the hitch;
a first sensor mounted to the housing configured to determine the presence of the hitch attached to the cart;
a second sensor configured to capture a 3D image of the hitch; and
a computing unit configured to:
determine an orientation of the hitch relative to the tow arm,
actuate the drive system to maneuver the robot, based on the determined orientation of the hitch, to align the tow arm with the hitch, and
actuate the end effector to cause mechanical engagement between the tow arm and the hitch.
2 . A receiver hitch for a cart configured to be towed by an autonomous robot, comprising:
a member having a front face and a rear face, the member comprising:
a rear plate, two side members, two side posts, and front opening forming a cavity configured to receive a tow arm of the autonomous robot;
each side member having an angled structure so as to form a broader cavity space at the front face and a narrower cavity space at the rear face; and
each side post located at a position more proximal to the front face than the rear face, where each side post is configured to mechanically engage with the tow arm.
3 . The receiver hitch of claim 2 , further comprising:
an identifier attached to the member, the identifier including information related to the cart to which the receiver hitch is attached.
4 . The receiver hitch of claim 3 , wherein:
the identifier is an RFID tag.
5 . A tow arm of an autonomous mobile robot, comprising:
an elongate member having a head end and a pivot end;
the pivot end attached to a robot, wherein the pivot end comprises:
an actuator configured to cause the elongate member to pivot vertically; and
an actuator configured to cause the elongate member to translate vertically;
the head end configured to temporary attach to a hitch, wherein the head end comprises:
an end effector including a clamp, the clamp configured to mechanically engage with the hitch; and
a magnet configured to provide temporary securement via magnetic attraction between the tow arm and the hitch.
6 . A mobile robot, comprising:
a computing unit;
a tow arm, the tow arm attached to a housing of the robot so as to allow the tow arm to pivot to and from a stowed and deployed position, and to allow the tow arm to translate vertically;
a sensor configured to receive information related to a receiver hitch attached to a cart;
wherein the computing unit is configured to receive receiver hitch data from the sensor, pivot the tow arm to a deployed position, and translate the tow arm vertically to align the tow arm with an opening of the receiver hitch.
7 . The mobile robot of claim 6 , further comprising:
the housing, wherein the housing includes a stow zone configured to receive the tow arm when in a stowed position.
8 . The mobile robot of claim 6 , wherein:
the computing unit is configured to translate the tow arm vertically to align the tow arm with the opening of the receiver hitch based only on the receiver hitch data.
9 . The mobile robot of claim 6 , further comprising:
a rotatable drive head including a drive wheel;
wherein the computing unit is configured to position the robot via actuation of the rotatable drive head to align the tow arm with the opening of the receiver hitch.
10 . The mobile robot of claim 6 , further comprising:
a repositionable arm having a sensor configured to generate navigation related data; and
wherein the computing unit is configured to reposition the arm and receive the navigation related data.
11 . The mobile robot of claim 6 , further comprising:
an extendable and retractable arm having a sensor configured to generate navigation related data;
wherein the computing unit is configured to actuate the extendable and retractable arm and receive the navigation related data.
12 . The mobile robot of claim 11 , wherein:
the receiver hitch data includes dimension information about the cart.
13 . The mobile robot of claim 6 , wherein:
the sensor is configured to receive information related to the receiver hitch from an identifier attached to the receiver hitch.
14 . The mobile robot of claim 13 , wherein:
the identifier is an RFID tag.
15 . The mobile robot of claim 6 , further comprising:
a ledge detection sensor configured to generate information related to a ledge in proximity to the robot.
16 . The mobile robot of claim 6 , further comprising:
a rotatable drive head including a drive wheel;
a ledge detection sensor configured to generate information related to a ledge in proximity to the robot; and
an electrical breaker switch;
wherein the computing unit is configured to receive the ledge sensor data and active the electrical breaker switch to prevent electrical power from being transmitted to the rotatable drive head when a ledge is detected.
17 . The mobile robot of claim 6 , wherein:
the computing unit includes a processor and memory, the memory having a trained model stored thereon that allows the processor to use machine learning to predict type and/or dimension information about the receiver hitch.
18 . The mobile robot of claim 17 , further comprising:
a rotatable drive head including a drive wheel;
wherein the computing unit controls the rotatable drive head and the tow arm to position the robot and the tow arm for alignment of the tow arm with the opening of the receiver hitch.
19 . The mobile robot of claim 6 , wherein:
the tow arm includes an end effector having a clamp configured to engage the receiver hitch.
20 . The mobile robot of claim 6 , wherein:
the tow arm incudes a magnet.