Enhanced Environment Simulator for Proxy Robot Handlers

• US 20150321337A1
• Filed: 05/06/2014
• Published: 11/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jr., Kenneth Dean Stephens
• Original Assignee: Jr., Kenneth Dean Stephens
• Inventors: Stephens, Kenneth Dean Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 9,821,465 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2022/0271 omnidirectional
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/009 the load of the exercise apparatus being controlled in synchronism with visualising systems, e.g. hill slope
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0096 using performance related parameters for controlling electronic or video games or avatars
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0638 Displaying moving images of recorded environment, e.g. virtual environment
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0023 the inclination of the main axis of the movement path being adjustable, e.g. the inclination of an endless band
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0235 driven by a motor
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0285 Physical characteristics of the belt, e.g. material, surface, indicia
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/05 Image processing for measuring physical parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/78 Surface covering conditions, e.g. of a road surface
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/806 Video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0087 Electric or electronic controls for exercising apparatus of groups A63B21/00 - A63B23/00, e.g. controlling load
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 3/00 Manipulators of master-slave type, i.e. both controlling unit and controlled unit perform corresponding spatial movements
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 5/00 Manipulators mounted on wheels or on carriages B25J1/00 takes precedence; programme-controlled manipulators B25J9/00 ; vehicle aspects B60, B62, e.g. remote-controlled steering for motor vehicles B62D1/24; control of position of vehicles G05D1/00
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/161 Hardware, e.g. neural networks, fuzzy logic, interfaces, processor
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1689 Teleoperation
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40126 Virtual landmarks, reference points for operator
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40311 Real time simulation
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40318 Simulation of reaction force and moment, force simulation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/012 Walk-in-place systems for allowing a user to walk in a virtual environment while constraining him to a given position in the physical environment
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/01 Mobile robot

Abstract

An omnidirectional treadmill environment simulator is disclosed. The omnidirectional treadmill environment simulator includes a circular simulator stage area, a plurality of transport mechanisms that maintain an object at or near the center of a circular simulator stage area and at least one processor. The processor is configured to collect position data of the object and process the position data to control the transport mechanisms. Also included is a receiver for receiving data from a remote location and a terrain analysis computer for processing the data received from the remote location. The terrain analysis computer collects the data received from the remote location to form an accurate simulation of an upcoming condition at the remote location. The omnidirectional treadmill environment simulator includes a transmitter for transmitting the position data to a remote location.

Claims

1. An omnidirectional treadmill environment simulator comprising:

a generally circular simulator stage area;

a plurality of transport mechanisms configured to maintain an object at or near the center of the generally circular simulator stage area;

at least one processor, wherein the at least one processor is configured to collect position data of the object, and wherein the at least one processor is configured to process the position data to control the plurality of transport mechanisms;

a receiver for receiving data from a remote location;

a terrain analysis computer for processing the data received from the remote location;

wherein the terrain analysis computer is further configured to collect the data received from the remote location to form an accurate simulation of an upcoming condition at the remote location; and

a transmitter for transmitting the position data to the remote location.

2. The omnidirectional treadmill environment simulator of claim 1, wherein the generally circular simulator stage area further comprises a plurality of tiles, wherein the plurality of tiles are individually shaped as equilateral triangles which mesh together to form the floor of the generally circular simulator stage;

a second set of a plurality of tiles directly corresponding to the first set of the plurality of tiles but inverted from the first set, wherein the second set of the plurality of tiles constitutes the bottom of the omnidirectional treadmill environment simulator;

a plurality of transport mechanisms which is coupled at the top of the treadmill to the first set of a plurality of tiles and that maintain a user at or near the center of a circular simulator stage; and

wherein the plurality of transport mechanisms are operational to enable movement of the tiles along different axes.

3. The omnidirectional treadmill environment simulator of claim 2, wherein the transport mechanism further comprises a plurality of ball bearings attached to a portion of the plurality of tiles wherein a roller mechanism causes the ball bearings to move the plurality of tiles move along one of the axes.

4. The omnidirectional treadmill environment simulator of claim 2, wherein the transport mechanism further comprises a gear and sprocket mechanism.

6. The omnidirectional treadmill environment simulator of claim 2, wherein position data includes data from monitors that capture the movement of the object.

7. The omnidirectional treadmill environment simulator of claim 6, wherein the transmitter transmits the position data to a remotely-located robotic device to enable “

follow me”

commands to control the remotely-located robotic device.

8. The omnidirectional treadmill environment simulator of claim 2, wherein the object is a human operator.

9. The omnidirectional treadmill environment simulator of claim 2, further comprising a plurality of extendable legs controlled by the at least one processor configured to extend and contract to simulate the contours of a surface terrain.

10. The omnidirectional treadmill environment simulator of claim 9, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to receive terrain data from a remote location and the processor processes the converted terrain data for the extension and contraction of the extendable legs.

11. The omnidirectional treadmill environment simulator of claim 2, further comprising a gravity harness that attaches to the object to provide lift of the object sufficient to simulate a reduced gravity environment.

12. The omnidirectional treadmill environment simulator of claim 2, further comprising a conveyance guide to guide the plurality of tiles around the semi-circular sides of the continuous tile loop of each transport mechanism.

13. The omnidirectional treadmill environment simulator of claim 2, wherein the plurality of tiles are individually shaped as squares which mesh together to form the floor of the simulator stage.

14. The omnidirectional treadmill environment simulator of claim 2, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to send a plurality of location parameters of the object to a robotic device at a remote location.

15. The omnidirectional treadmill environment simulator of claim 1, wherein the circular simulator stage area comprises a sphere and wherein the sphere further comprises:

an upper support from which the spherical platform protrudes through a circular opening in the upper support;

a boundary between the spherical platform and the upper support which facilitates movement of the spherical platform; and

a lower support upon which the spherical platform rests and allows the spherical platform to rotate with a minimal of resistance.

16. The omnidirectional treadmill environment simulator of claim 15, further comprising a boom winch that attaches to the object to stabilize the object in a specific location on the circular stage area and provides lift of the object sufficient to simulate a reduced gravity environment.

5. The omnidirectional treadmill environment simulator of 2, wherein the transport mechanism further comprises an elongated gear.

17. A remote vehicle simulator comprising:

a plurality of extendable legs configured to extend and contract to simulate the contours of a surface terrain of a remote location;

a terrain analysis computer, wherein the terrain analysis computer is configured to receive terrain data of the surface terrain of the remote location and wherein the computer is enabled thereby to construct upcoming terrain conditions for use in the remote vehicle simulator;

a processor, wherein the processor is configured to receive constructed upcoming terrain conditions and wherein the processor processes the constructed upcoming terrain conditions to control the plurality of extendible legs to simulate the surface terrain of the remote location and wherein the processor is configured to collect operational data of a vehicle mounted on the plurality of extendible legs; and

wherein the processor is configured to collect “

follow me”

data representative of a series of positions of a human operator of the remote vehicle simulator; and

a transmitter for transmitting the “

follow me”

data to a robotic device at the remote location.

18. The remote vehicle simulator of claim 17, wherein the terrain data includes a streaming video of the terrain data of the surface terrain surrounding the remote vehicle as received from the remote location, such that the streaming video may be used by the terrain analysis computer to construct the upcoming terrain conditions for the remote vehicle simulator.

19. An immersive environment simulator apparatus comprising:

a plurality of cylindrical telescoping piston mechanisms configured to extend and retract to simulate a three-dimensional physical terrain;

a computer that receives data of an actual physical terrain and generates a data matrix of the simulated three-dimensional physical terrain;

a control unit in communication with the computer that provides commands to the plurality of the cylindrical telescoping piston mechanisms to extend and/or contract the plurality of the cylindrical telescoping piston mechanisms to correspond to the simulated three-dimensional physical terrain;

a plurality of tiles resting on each of the plurality of the cylindrical telescoping piston mechanisms upon which an object is placed, and

wherein the received data is continuously streamed such that as the object moves along the simulated three-dimensional physical terrain provided by the plurality of the cylindrical telescoping piston mechanisms, the object movement along the simulated three-dimensional physical terrain mimics the actual physical terrain.

20. The immersive environment simulator apparatus of claim 19, wherein position data of the object is recorded and transmitted as “

follow me”

commands to a remotely-located robotic device.

21. The immersive environment simulator apparatus of claim 19, wherein the object is a human operator.