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tahanson43206

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Registered: 2018-04-27

Posts: 19,443

AI Bussiness opportunity in Snow removal

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New topic created by SpaceNut

For SpaceNut .... I'm not sure where this would go, but if ** sort ** of fits in Housekeeping ....

If would be a better fit in Groundskeeping, but we don't have a topic for that yet.

I submitted this inquiry to a distributor of snow removal equipment today:

This product does not exist, but I'm hoping my inquiry will lead to the start of the thought process that will yield a version of it in time. What I'm looking for is an all-electric snow blower that can operate entirely under virtual control from an operator using a VR headset.  The range I have in mind is a city block.  The potential market is anyone who:
a) Lives in a city
b) Has enough disposable income to afford it
c) Has enough civic-minded orientation to clean walks
I have no idea how many people this might apply to, but there sure are plenty of people who live in cities, in snow belts, where there are sidewalks, and who would prefer an all-electric solution.
Thanks for considering this inquiry.
(th)

Edit#1: After posting the above, it occurred to me that this might be a fruitful field for public/private partnership.

It a scenario I just thought up, a snow removal machine such as described above could be owned by a city, and maintained in under-cover storage until snow season.  Then a machine like this could be delivered to a number of locations around a city, and each would be "housed" on a lot owned by a resident who is willing to sign a contract to keep the sidewalks in a given city block clear.  The compensation would be modest, but it would be sufficient (for example) to pay for the high speed Internet connection that would be needed.

The City would provide the control package and the snow blower package.  The citizen would provide power to keep the system charged.

Extending the idea of public/private partnership a bit further ... a ride-sharing company like Uber might be a candidate to handle the relationships. That way, the City only has the management company to deal with.

(th)

Last edited by tahanson43206 (2020-12-16 10:16:00)

SpaceNut

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From: New Hampshire

Registered: 2004-07-22

Posts: 29,433

Re: AI Bussiness opportunity in Snow removal

I took a review of the other topics that you have created and found the majority in this folder.

What you are describing is something that could be created from near existing products to build into a viable commodity for towns and cities to want.

It would reduce man hours in budgets for going out and plowing when storms arrive on mostly over time pay beyond the normal work week and hours in most cases.

tahanson43206

Moderator

Registered: 2018-04-27

Posts: 19,443

Re: AI Bussiness opportunity in Snow removal

For SpaceNut re new topic ...

Thanks for picking up on this!  The company to which I submitted the inquiry is represented by folks employed as first line responders.

The young lady (based upon the screen name) who answered did not forward the inquiry to a supervisor. Instead, she suggested I call the help desk and talk to someone there.  I am doubtful of the value of that advice, since the person working that desk will also be a front line help desk responder.

A proposal such as this one requires the background of a venture capitalist, and such a person is unlikely to be taking a shift at the help desk.

The systems to be integrated into a salable package include:

1) The mobile device itself
2) Communications technology suitable for high speed Internet traffic between the device and the operator
3) The Base station
4) The VR headset and controller (or a set of regular computer monitors could serve for the headset)
5) Licensing of the radio spectrum to be used for communications with the device
6) Any other licensing or requirements for a consumer product that could cause injury if misused or if control is lost

The average help desk person is not likely to be able to handle issues like those.

By coincidence, an ** actual ** venture capitalist is quoted in a post delivered today, about funding of a Hall Effect thruster.

That person is likely to achieve a greater return by funding the remote controlled snowplow venture, but both involve significant risk.

I'm pretty sure there are radio controlled snow plows already, but they require line-of-sight observation like a model airplane, car or boat.

(th)

SpaceNut

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From: New Hampshire

Registered: 2004-07-22

Posts: 29,433

Re: AI Bussiness opportunity in Snow removal

Repost

Edit#1: OK ... I'll go look to see if anyone ** is ** making remote control snowblowers commercially.  I ** know ** people have made them as home projects, because I've seen YouTube video showing the equipment, but it ** is ** line of sight and only good for the driveway.

Here's one YouTube example .... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHtsWqoCjq4

What I have in mind is this capability with full remote vision, able to operate as far away as a city block.

SpaceNut

Administrator

From: New Hampshire

Registered: 2004-07-22

Posts: 29,433

Re: AI Bussiness opportunity in Snow removal

I would start with an electronic star if a remote start is not available. Then I would add in a remote starter kit to the machines electrical system.
Next I would get one of those robot lawn cutters to see if it would support controlling the movement of the snow blower to make some functions work with.
This gets you a prototype to design from...

tahanson43206

Moderator

Registered: 2018-04-27

Posts: 19,443

Re: AI Bussiness opportunity in Snow removal

For SpaceNut re #5 ...

You've added some interesting elements to the vision ...

One factor to keep in mind is that (as far as I know) robot lawn cutters are restricted to enclosed areas.  The snowblower we are talking about would be working in open public areas where passersby could get injured if the machine were to lose positive control.  A feature that would seem needed is a "dead man" function, such that if the ping from the controller is not renewed every second or so, the machine would shut down.

The machine should have multiple cameras, similar to automated cars or trucks on the road today.

Most (if not all) vehicles planned for autonomous operation start out with remote control, with full vision delivered back to the operator in a building miles (or many miles) away.  This machine would have similar capability, except that I am ** not ** currently thinking of this as an autonomous machine, because I am ** also ** trying to think of ways to provide employment for humans.

(th)

SpaceNut

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From: New Hampshire

Registered: 2004-07-22

Posts: 29,433

Re: AI Bussiness opportunity in Snow removal

One could use the scanning unit that Walmart uses which makes use of cameras to detect the unenclosed aisle means to which we would be occupying with the units to remove snow with. Not sure that an automobile AI would be applicable for use.
This has another use besides the streets as one might see it being used in personal driveways as well...

SpaceNut

Administrator

From: New Hampshire

Registered: 2004-07-22

Posts: 29,433

Re: AI Bussiness opportunity in Snow removal

a practical use to keep from frost bite