With advancements in edge AI, micro-drive systems can help service robots optimize gears and space for intelligent actuation, reducing performance and power consumption. Micro-geared motors are low-cost, highly efficient, low-noise, and long-lasting. This opens up possibilities for their deployment in the service robot field, such as autonomous humanoid server robots.
The autonomous movement of humanoid robots, besides the interactions between many components, faces major challenges in terms of power supply and the space required for each part. Miniature transmission solutions offer a solution to these critical issues. They possess considerable power density, combined with high efficiency and minimal space requirements, increasing torque and enabling the robot to move flexibly for extended periods.
Service robots, however, are a more recent development, typically used to replace or substitute for human activities. Most are mobile or semi-mobile ; some specialized service robots have robotic arms capable of handling light loads or performing complex movements. Currently, several challenges limit the practicality of specialized service robots. These include : performance limitations : certain “processing-intensive” activities require complex handling – there is still room for improvement in interaction quality and accuracy. Additionally, there are battery capacity limitations : mobile specialized service robots rely on batteries to operate, and power often limits their capabilities.
For battery-powered robots, it's impractical to run mobile machine learning algorithms using traditional chips that consume hundreds or even thousands of watts of power. There are also connectivity limitations : maintaining reliable connections for specialized service robots that typically require mobility is often difficult. Wire connections are one solution, but this limits mobility. Wi-Fi is an inexpensive option, but service quality is not guaranteed, and switching between access points is often unreliable. Furthermore, 4G network connections suffer from latency issues, limiting the robot's ability to react quickly. In addition to the above, improving the robot's field of vision and agility to facilitate effective mobility is also a challenge that needs to be addressed.
Shenzhen Zhaowei Electromechanical Co., Ltd. ( hereinafter referred to as "Zhaowei" ) is a manufacturing enterprise that researches and develops precision transmission systems and precision gear injection molded parts. It adheres to market orientation and takes technological innovation as its core, combining market demand with product research and development to continuously meet the differentiated needs of global smart manufacturing customers.
By developing wear-resistant materials technology, optimizing processing technology, lubrication technology, assembly technology, reliability and life testing technology, and exploring transmission mechanisms, Zhaowei has developed efficient, small-volume, high-torque, low-noise reducers ( gearboxes ) suitable for robot applications, which greatly improves the performance of intelligent robots in terms of perception and recognition, mechanism and transmission, control and interaction.
For the robot's wheeled locomotion drive, a DC motor and a 38mm planetary gearbox are combined in an anti-symmetrical mounting configuration. This method allows for coaxial wheel sets, providing greater power ( typically, the motor's size and power are proportional ) , while reducing the stress points on the reducer's output shaft, significantly shortening the wheelbase, saving space, and enabling miniaturization of the robot. This mounting method allows for a wider range of motor choices. The 38mm metal geared motor used by Zhaowei increases torque, reduces speed, and utilizes frictional self-locking to act as a brake when needed, while also extending the wheelbase to meet wheel set installation requirements. The steering wheel uses an electromagnetic brake that locks in place when power is off and can be manually released. Two drive motors control the left and right rear drive wheels respectively, enabling the robot to better perform steering tasks. Ultrasonic ranging sensors and infrared obstacle avoidance sensors are also installed on the device, allowing the robot to detect obstacles ahead and steer to avoid them in advance, solving the problem of poor obstacle avoidance capabilities in wheeled mobile robots.
In the field of robot vision systems, Zhaowei uses camera lifting or rotating modules to solve the drawbacks of visual navigation technology. This solves the cost problem and improves the reliability and lifespan of robot products, showing great promise.
In the past two years, service robots have become increasingly popular in the retail, hospitality, healthcare ( e.g., exoskeletons ) , and logistics ( in warehouses or distribution centers ) . These robots can also be used in safety-critical operating environments, such as space and defense, and the construction industry ( especially for demolition purposes ) . They are also widely applied in agriculture, such as automated planting, harvesting, and weeding. Despite the growth over the past decade, several technological hurdles remain to overcome before service robots can truly enter the mainstream. Now and in the future, Zhaowei is helping intelligent robots achieve intelligence and technological sophistication in micro-drive systems.
