Social robot based on pneumatic driving and interaction system thereof

Abstract

The invention discloses a social robot based on pneumatic driving and an interaction system thereof. The social robot comprises a shell, a body software actuator, a head actuator, a hand reinforced fiber actuator, a sensing module and a sound module. According to the social robot, interaction state information between a user and the robot is obtained through the sensing module, the control and drive module can generate rhythm parameters according to the interaction state information, the body software actuator and the head actuator can generate deformation actions synchronous with respiratory rhythm according to the rhythm parameters, and meanwhile, the motion of the user is controlled to be more stable. The sound module can modulate the envelope and intensity of sound output according to the rhythm parameters, so that the tactile feedback and the auditory feedback are consistent in time, the tactile feedback, the sound feedback and the breathing mechanism are combined, in addition, the hand reinforcing fiber actuator can attract a user to interact with the robot, and the user experience is improved. In this way, the user can obtain stable, continuous and perceptible breathing experience without excessive active operation or continuous attention, and pressure can be better relieved for the user.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of human-computer interaction technology, and in particular to a pneumatically driven social robot and its interaction system. Background Technology

[0002] Short-term, high-frequency work stress can activate the sympathetic nervous system, causing physiological and psychological reactions such as shallow breathing, increased heart rate, muscle tension, and emotional stress, which can further affect emotional stability and cognitive performance. Without timely and low-burden management methods, long-term stress accumulation can easily lead to problems such as anxiety, burnout, and decreased work efficiency.

[0003] To alleviate anxiety and tension, social robots are used to interact with people and relieve stress. However, existing social robots in stress relief applications mainly focus on verbal, facial, or visual feedback, with relatively limited tactile interaction, resulting in poor effectiveness in relieving stress.

[0004] Therefore, existing technologies still need to be improved and developed. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of the shortcomings of the prior art, the purpose of this invention is to provide a pneumatically driven social robot and its interaction system to solve the problem that the tactile interaction method in the stress relief method of existing social robots is limited, resulting in poor stress relief effect for people.

[0006] The technical solution of the present invention is as follows: In a first aspect, the present invention provides a pneumatically driven social robot, comprising: a shell, a body soft actuator, a head actuator, a hand-reinforced fiber actuator, a sensing module, and a sound module; wherein, The body soft actuators are arranged around the housing to simulate changes in respiratory rhythm; The head actuator is located in the middle of the housing and is used to realize up-and-down movement synchronized with the breathing rhythm; The hand-reinforced fiber actuators are disposed on both sides of the housing and are used to generate a swinging motion through a bending motion; The sensing module is located inside the housing and is used to acquire interaction status information between the user and the social robot. The sound module is located inside the housing and is used to provide auxiliary auditory feedback to the user.

[0007] In a further embodiment of the present invention, the body soft actuator includes several independent air chamber structures, which are embedded in the side of the housing; wherein each of the air chamber structures expands and contracts synchronously during the inflation and deflation process.

[0008] In a further embodiment of the present invention, the hand-reinforced fiber actuator comprises: a silicone inner layer, a silicone outer layer, and a fiber layer; the silicone outer layer covers the silicone inner layer; and the fiber layer is located between the silicone outer layer and the silicone inner layer.

[0009] In a further embodiment of the present invention, the hand-reinforced fiber actuator is symmetrically arranged on both sides of the housing.

[0010] In a further embodiment of the present invention, the fiber layer is made of a directional reinforcing fiber material; when the hand-reinforcing fiber actuator is in an inflated state, the fiber layer can constrain the expansion direction of the hand-reinforcing fiber actuator, so that the hand-reinforcing fiber actuator produces controlled bending deformation when inflated.

[0011] In a further embodiment of the present invention, the head actuator includes: a dual-axis push rod mechanism, a chassis, support columns, and a support member; the dual-axis push rod mechanism is disposed within the housing; the chassis is disposed on the dual-axis push rod mechanism; the support columns are spaced apart on the chassis and located between the support member and the chassis.

[0012] In a further embodiment of the present invention, the sound module includes: a power amplifier circuit and a speaker unit; the power amplifier circuit is connected to the speaker unit and is used to drive the speaker unit to work.

[0013] In a second aspect, the present invention provides a pneumatically driven social robot interaction system, which includes: a power supply module, a control and drive module, and the social robot as described above; The power supply module is connected to the control and drive module and is used to supply power to the control and drive module; The control and drive module is connected to the body soft actuator, the head actuator, the hand reinforced fiber actuator, the sensing module, and the sound module, respectively. It is used to control the body soft actuator, the head actuator, and the hand reinforced fiber actuator to perform coordinated driving based on the interaction status information fed back by the sensing module, and to control the sound module to provide auxiliary auditory feedback during the interaction process.

[0014] In a further embodiment of the present invention, the control and drive module includes: a Raspberry Pi, a relay unit, a pneumatic drive unit, and a solenoid valve unit; The Raspberry Pi is connected to the sensing module, the relay unit, the pneumatic drive unit, and the sound module, respectively, and is used to generate rhythm parameters describing the current breathing stage and its corresponding amplitude based on the interactive status information fed back by the sensing module, and to control the working state of the relay unit and the pneumatic drive unit based on the rhythm parameters. The relay unit is connected to the solenoid valve unit and is used to control the working state of the solenoid valve unit; The solenoid valve unit is connected to the body soft actuator, the head actuator, and the hand reinforced fiber actuator respectively, and is used to control the inflation and deflation of the body soft actuator, the head actuator, and the hand reinforced fiber actuator.

[0015] In a further embodiment of the present invention, the Raspberry Pi, in the process of generating rhythmic parameters describing the current breathing stage and its corresponding amplitude based on the interactive state information fed back by the sensing module, includes entering a mirror breathing mode and a guided breathing mode.

[0016] This invention provides a pneumatically driven social robot and its interaction system. The social robot includes: a shell, body soft actuators, a head actuator, hand-reinforced fiber actuators, a sensing module, and a sound module. The body soft actuators are disposed around the shell to simulate changes in respiratory rhythm; the head actuator is disposed in the middle of the shell to achieve up-and-down movement synchronized with the respiratory rhythm; the hand-reinforced fiber actuators are disposed on both sides of the shell to generate swinging movements through bending actions; the sensing module is disposed within the shell to acquire interaction status information between the user and the social robot; and the sound module is disposed within the shell to provide auxiliary auditory feedback to the user. The social robot provided by this invention acquires the interaction state information between the user and the robot through a perception module. The control and drive module can generate rhythm parameters based on the interaction state information. The body soft actuator and head actuator can generate deformation movements synchronized with the breathing rhythm based on the rhythm parameters. At the same time, the sound module can also modulate the envelope and intensity of the sound output based on the rhythm parameters, so that the tactile and auditory feedback are consistent in time. Thus, by combining tactile, sound feedback and breathing mechanisms, users can obtain a stable, continuous and perceptible breathing experience without much active operation or continuous attention, which can better relieve users' stress. Attached Figure Description

[0017] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the structures shown in these drawings without creative effort.

[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a usage scenario of a social robot in one embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] Figure 2This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the social robot in one embodiment of the present invention.

[0020] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a body soft actuator in one embodiment of the present invention.

[0021] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the head actuator and the body soft actuator in one embodiment of the present invention.

[0022] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the head actuator in one embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] Figure 6 This is a side view of the air cavity structure mounted on the housing in one embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] Figure 7 This is a top view of a schematic diagram of the air cavity structure mounted on the housing in one embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of a structure in one embodiment of the present invention, showing multiple air cavity structures installed on one side of the housing.

[0026] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of a structure in one embodiment of the present invention, showing multiple air cavity structures installed on the other side of the housing.

[0027] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the expansion and contraction states of the air cavity structure in one embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a hand-reinforced fiber actuator in one embodiment of the present invention.

[0029] Figure 12 This is a block diagram illustrating the control principle of the interaction system of a social robot in one embodiment of the present invention.

[0030] Figure 13 This is a block diagram illustrating the power supply principle of the social robot's interaction system in one embodiment of the present invention.

[0031] The following are the markings in the attached diagram: 1. Housing; 2. Body soft actuator; 21. Air chamber structure; 3. Head actuator; 31. Dual-axis push rod mechanism; 32. Chassis; 33. Support column; 34. Support component; 4. Hand-reinforced fiber actuator; 41. Silicone inner layer; 42. Silicone outer layer; 43. Fiber layer; 5. Sensing module; 6. Sound module; 61. Power amplifier circuit; 62. Speaker unit; 7. Power supply module; 71. Switching power supply; 72. Adjustable step-down voltage regulator module; 73. Step-down voltage regulator. Modules; 8. Control and Drive Module; 81. Raspberry Pi; 82. Relay Unit; 83. Pneumatic Drive Unit; 831. First Dual Air Pump Module; 832. Second Dual Air Pump Module; 833. Third Dual Air Pump Module; 834. Fourth Dual Air Pump Module; 84. Solenoid Valve Unit; 841. First Three-Way Solenoid Valve; 842. Second Three-Way Solenoid Valve; 843. Third Three-Way Solenoid Valve; 844. Fourth Three-Way Solenoid Valve; 845. Fifth Three-Way Solenoid Valve; 846. Two-Position Five-Way Solenoid Valve. Detailed Implementation

[0032] This invention provides a pneumatically driven social robot and its interaction system. To make the objectives, technical solutions, and effects of this invention clearer and more explicit, the invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and examples. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the invention and are not intended to limit the invention.

[0033] In the implementation methods and claims, unless otherwise specified in the text, the terms "a," "an," "the," and "the" may also include plural forms. If the embodiments of the present invention involve descriptions of "first," "second," etc., such descriptions are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Therefore, a feature defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of those features.

[0034] It should be further understood that the term "comprising" as used in this specification means the presence of the stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but does not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof. It should be understood that when an element is referred to as "connected" or "coupled" to another element, it can be directly connected or coupled to the other element, or there may be intermediate elements present. Furthermore, "connected" or "coupled" as used herein can include wireless connections or wireless coupling. The term "and / or" as used herein includes all or any of the units and all combinations thereof of one or more associatedly listed items.

[0035] It will be understood by those skilled in the art that, unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein (including technical and scientific terms) have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. It should also be understood that terms such as those defined in general dictionaries should be understood to have the same meaning as in the context of the prior art, and should not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless specifically defined as herein.

[0036] Furthermore, the technical solutions of the various embodiments can be combined with each other, but this must be based on the ability of those skilled in the art to implement them. When the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or cannot be implemented, it should be considered that such combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection claimed by this invention.

[0037] The inventors' research revealed that existing solutions for breathing regulation technology mostly rely on mobile phones, computers, or wearable devices, using animations, graphics, progress bars, or voice prompts to guide users through breathing exercises according to preset rhythms. While these technologies are mature and widely used, they typically depend on users actively focusing on the interface or instructions, easily consuming attention in office settings. To reduce visual dependence, some existing technologies use rhythmic sounds, music beats, or volume changes to cues the breathing rhythm, allowing users to complete breathing exercises without continuously looking at a screen.

[0038] Social robots, as interactive devices possessing physical presence, social realism, and human-like expressive abilities, have been applied in scenarios such as emotional soothing, companionship, and mental health intervention. Existing social robots mostly establish emotional connections with users through voice interaction, facial expressions, lighting, or simple movements. Some systems combine voice prompts or rhythmic guidance to guide users in breathing relaxation exercises, thereby achieving stress relief to some extent.

[0039] Existing breathing guidance technologies largely rely on visual or explicit commands, which can easily create additional cognitive burden in office settings. Rhythmic cues based on sound or vibration lack a soft, compliant tactile feel, making it difficult to produce a sustained soothing effect. Although pneumatic haptic technology can provide a more natural breathing simulation experience, existing solutions are mostly single devices or experimental prototypes, lacking systematic interaction design and struggling to integrate naturally into everyday office environments. Therefore, current technologies as a whole still exhibit a fragmented development of breathing regulation, haptics, and social robots, making it difficult to achieve a low-intrusion, embodied, and emotionally resonant stress-relieving experience in office settings.

[0040] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this invention provides a pneumatically driven social robot and its interaction system. A sensing module acquires interaction state information between the user and the robot, while a control and drive module generates rhythm parameters based on this information. Body soft actuators and head actuators generate deformation movements synchronized with the breathing rhythm according to these parameters. Simultaneously, a sound module modulates the envelope and intensity of the sound output based on the rhythm parameters, achieving temporal consistency between tactile and auditory feedback. This integrates tactile, auditory, and respiratory mechanisms. Furthermore, a hand-reinforced fiber actuator attracts the user to interact with the robot, allowing for a stable, continuous, and perceptible breathing experience without excessive active operation or sustained attention. This effectively relieves user stress and is suitable for long-term placement on office desks. It also features a friendly, safe, and non-threatening appearance, avoiding interference with the work environment.

[0041] Please also refer to Figures 1 to 13 The present invention provides a preferred embodiment of an interaction system for social robots.

[0042] In some embodiments, please refer to Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 12 and Figure 13 This invention provides a pneumatically driven social robot system, comprising: a power supply module 7, a control and drive module 8, and a social robot. The power supply module 7 is connected to the control and drive module 8 and supplies power to the control and drive module 8; the control and drive module 8 is connected to the social robot and generates rhythmic information based on the interactive state information fed back by the social robot, and controls the operation of the social robot based on the rhythmic information.

[0043] First, it's important to understand that a social robot refers to a desktop social robot that can adapt to a real office environment. Social robots can adapt to natural postures commonly seen in users under stress or fatigue, such as hugging or leaning against something, allowing users to interact with the robot without needing to adjust their posture. In this embodiment, the social robot can be used during work breaks in an office environment. It adopts a desktop design, providing close-to-the-body companionship, supporting natural postures such as hugging and leaning against something. No explicit activation is required, allowing it to continuously exist and interact in the office environment with low interference.

[0044] In some embodiments, such as Figures 2 to 5As shown, the social robot includes: a shell 1, body soft actuators 2, head actuators 3, hand-reinforced fiber actuators 4, a sensing module 5, and a sound module 6. The body soft actuators 2 are disposed around the shell 1 to simulate changes in respiratory rhythm; the head actuators 3 are disposed in the center of the shell 1 to achieve up-and-down movements synchronized with the respiratory rhythm; the hand-reinforced fiber actuators 4 are disposed on both sides of the shell 1 to generate swinging movements through bending actions; the sensing module 5 is disposed inside the shell 1 to acquire information about the interaction status between the user and the social robot; in some embodiments, the sensing module 5 can also be disposed on the shell 1, i.e., outside the shell; the sound module 6 is disposed inside the shell 1 to provide auxiliary auditory feedback to the user.

[0045] In this embodiment, a support frame formed by 3D printing of PLA pearl white resin material is used to fix the internal actuators, pneumatic circuits, and electronic components, and to provide overall structural stability. The housing 1 is small in size, suitable for placement on an office desk. The sides of the housing 1 are rounded, providing greater comfort when in contact with the user, achieving a close-fitting companion form that supports natural postures such as hugging or resting against the body to trigger interaction. Flexible actuators are introduced in key areas that directly contact the user's body to form a tactile interface, outputting rhythmic tactile feedback, providing a soft and safe tactile experience while ensuring structural strength.

[0046] The body soft actuator 2 is embedded in the side of the housing 1. Controlled by the control drive module, it expands or contracts in accordance with rhythmic parameters, creating uniform and continuous undulating deformation to simulate rhythmic changes during breathing. The hand-reinforced fiber actuator 4 constrains the expansion direction with reinforcing fibers, producing controlled bending deformation. This outputs slight, rhythmically consistent swaying movements, attracting user interaction and enhancing the robot's sense of life and social presence. The head actuator 3 carries rhythmic movements, achieving small up-and-down movements synchronized with the breathing rhythm. The sound module 6 is located within the head actuator 3, and together with the head actuator 3, it provides auditory and tactile feedback, forming a consistent multi-sensory rhythmic expression.

[0047] The control and drive module 8 is connected to the body soft actuator 2, the head actuator 3, the hand reinforced fiber actuator 4, the sensing module 5, and the sound module 6, respectively. It generates rhythm parameters based on the interaction status information fed back by the sensing module 5, controls the coordinated drive of the body soft actuator 2, the head actuator 3, and the hand reinforced fiber actuator 4, and controls the sound module 6 to provide auxiliary auditory feedback during the interaction. The rhythm parameters can be generated based on respiratory signals, heart rate, movement amplitude, time templates, or user settings, as long as they can drive the actuators to output respiratory rhythm deformation and achieve relaxation guidance.

[0048] This invention provides users in office settings with low-interference, embodied breathing guidance and emotional support through flexible tactile feedback and multi-sensory interaction. Using a desktop social robot as a platform, the invention combines pneumatic tactile feedback, breathing guidance, and sound feedback, enabling the robot to interact with users continuously and gently, similar to animal breathing, thus helping them gradually enter a relaxed state without occupying too much of their attention. This invention proposes goals and interaction methods for stress relief during work breaks, based on interaction needs, physiological regulation mechanisms, and emotional support characteristics. In terms of objectives, this invention constructs a desktop social robot adaptable to real-world office scenarios. Specifically, it should be able to adapt to natural postures commonly used by users under stress or fatigue, such as hugging or leaning against something, so that the interaction process does not require deliberate adjustments to the usage method. Simultaneously, the system operates without relying on a screen interface or complex operations, embedding itself into the work rhythm in a way that is low-cognitive-load, easy to understand, and easy to use. Furthermore, this invention not only focuses on the physiological regulation effects of breathing rhythms but also emphasizes providing emotional companionship and psychological comfort to users through embodied interaction methods, enabling physiological regulation and emotional support to be achieved synergistically in the same interaction process. In terms of form and structure design, the robot should be suitable for long-term placement in an office desktop environment, possessing friendly, safe, and non-threatening appearance characteristics to avoid interfering with the work environment.

[0049] Based on the aforementioned design goals, this invention further refines the interaction methods: First, an interaction principle centered on breathing guidance, using stable and continuous fluctuations in pneumatic tactile output to guide users to gradually slow their breathing; second, a soothing emotional tactile principle, utilizing flexible structures to provide compliant and acceptable physical touch to enhance a sense of security and relaxation; third, a multi-sensory collaborative principle of tactile dominance and sound assistance, using sound as a low-salience auxiliary cue to maintain synchronization with tactile rhythms without occupying primary attentional resources; and fourth, a low-interference companionship principle for office scenarios, enabling the robot to naturally enter, maintain, and exit interactive states without explicit operation, thereby providing users with physical companionship and stress relief support in a passive and continuous manner.

[0050] The technical effects of this invention are as follows: By combining pneumatic tactile feedback, sound feedback, and a breathing guidance mechanism with a desktop social robot platform, the system can provide users with a stable, continuous, and perceptible breathing experience without requiring excessive user intervention or sustained attention. This guides users to gradually slow their breathing rhythm and enter a more stable physiological state. Specifically, the soft tactile undulations create a direct perception of breathing rhythm at the physical contact level, effectively reducing cognitive load during interaction compared to solutions relying solely on visual or auditory cues. The multi-sensory collaborative approach, with tactile dominance and sound assistance, allows rhythmic feedback to continue functioning without interfering with work tasks, enhancing the acceptability and stability of rhythmic guidance. Simultaneously, the embodied form and companionship attributes of the social robot help provide continuous emotional support and psychological comfort in the work environment. Through these technical means, this invention improves the usability and naturalness of breathing regulation during work breaks, providing a low-interference and sustainable technical path for short-term stress relief in the office environment.

[0051] In some embodiments, such as Figure 4 and Figure 6 , Figure 7 As shown, the body soft actuator 2 includes several independent air chamber structures 21, which are embedded in the side of the housing 1; wherein, each of the air chamber structures 21 expands and contracts synchronously during the inflation and deflation process.

[0052] In this embodiment, the body soft actuator 2 employs a pneumatically driven flexible structure to generate compliant, continuous deformation feedback. It is made of silicone material and embedded in a curved support structure, wherein the silicone material is food-grade silicone with a Shore A hardness of 5–20. In one implementation, the silicone material has a Shore A hardness of 10. The number of air chamber structures 21 is 20-80, and the planar dimensions of a single air chamber can be 2–6 cm × 2–6 cm. In one implementation, the multi-chamber structure includes 52 independent air chambers, and the planar dimensions of a single air chamber are approximately 4 cm × 4 cm. Figure 8 and Figure 9 As shown. Each air chamber structure 21 expands or contracts synchronously during the inflation and deflation process, such as... Figure 10 As shown, this creates a uniform and continuous undulating deformation overall, simulating the rhythmic changes during breathing. The synergistic effect of multiple chambers helps to achieve stable control of the deformation amplitude and direction while maintaining tactile compliance.

[0053] The manufacturing process of a single air cavity structure 21 is as follows: first, mold design is carried out, then the mold is printed using 3D printing, then release material is applied, the mold is assembled, then semi-transparent silicone material is poured, and after standing for a period of time, the silicone is demolded to obtain the air cavity structure 21.

[0054] In some embodiments, such as Figure 11 As shown, the hand-reinforced fiber actuator 4 includes: a silicone inner layer 41, a silicone outer layer 42, and a fiber layer 43; the silicone outer layer 42 covers the silicone inner layer 41; and the fiber layer 43 is located between the silicone outer layer 42 and the silicone inner layer 41.

[0055] In this embodiment, the hand-reinforced fiber actuator 4 comprises a three-layer structure: a silicone inner layer 41, a fiber layer 43, and a silicone outer layer 42, arranged sequentially from the inside out. The silicone inner layer 41 and the silicone outer layer 42 are made of food-grade silicone material, and the fiber layer 43 consists of directional reinforcing fibers. The silicone inner layer 41 has a cavity, and the hand-reinforced fiber actuator 4 has an air inlet. When the hand-reinforced fiber actuator 4 is inflated, the fiber layer 43 can constrain the expansion direction, allowing the actuator to produce controlled bending deformation during inflation, thereby outputting a slight and rhythmic oscillating motion.

[0056] In terms of manufacturing method, the hand-reinforced fiber actuators 4 are all prepared using a mold forming process. Silicone materials are mixed in a 1:1 ratio recommended by the manufacturer, degassed, poured into a mold, and cured to form an air cavity structure 21 (first, a silicone inner layer 41 with the air cavity structure 21 is prepared in the mold; then, a fiber layer 43 is prepared on the silicone inner layer 41; and finally, a silicone outer layer 42 is prepared using a mold). Reinforcing fibers or connecting interfaces are introduced at appropriate locations. The molded soft actuator is integrated with the support structure inside the housing 1 and connected to the control and drive module 8 via an air circuit.

[0057] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1 As shown, the hand-reinforced fiber actuator 4 is symmetrically arranged on both sides of the housing 1.

[0058] In this embodiment, the hand-enhancing fiber actuators 4 are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the housing 1. In this way, the hand-enhancing fiber actuators 4 output a slight oscillation through bending motion, which can attract user interaction and enhance the sense of life and social presence of the social robot.

[0059] In some embodiments, such as Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the head actuator 3 includes: a dual-axis push rod mechanism 31, a chassis 32, a support column 33, and a support member 34; the dual-axis push rod mechanism 31 is disposed inside the housing 1; the chassis 32 is disposed on the dual-axis push rod mechanism 31; the support column 33 is spaced apart on the chassis 32 and located between the support member 34 and the chassis 32.

[0060] In this embodiment, the support member 34 has a curved structure and is mounted on the chassis 32 via the support column 33. The dual-axis push rod mechanism 31 is disposed within the housing 1 and connected to the chassis 32. When in the air intake state, the dual-axis push rod mechanism 31 can raise the support member 34, and when deflated, the support member 34 returns to its initial position, thereby achieving small up-and-down movements synchronized with the breathing rhythm.

[0061] In some embodiments, such as Figure 5 and Figure 12 As shown, the sound module 6 includes: a power amplifier circuit 61 and a speaker unit 62; the power amplifier circuit 61 is connected to the speaker unit 62 and is used to drive the speaker unit 62 to work.

[0062] In this embodiment, the sound module 6 consists of a power amplifier circuit 61 and a speaker unit 62. The power amplifier circuit 61 and the control and drive module 8 can be connected via wired or wireless means, thereby receiving the rhythmic signals generated by the control and drive module 8 to drive the speaker unit 62 to output sound synchronized with the breathing rhythm. In one implementation, the power amplifier circuit 61 communicates with the control and drive module 8 via a Bluetooth communication module. For example, the Bluetooth communication module can be an HC-05 or a functionally equivalent module. The head actuator 3, the hand-reinforced fiber actuator 4, the body soft actuator 2, and the sound module 6 work under the coordination of the control and drive module 8, providing rhythmic tactile and auxiliary auditory feedback to the user during interaction to achieve multi-part rhythmic coordinated interactive performance. The order sound feedback generated by the sound module 6 can be replaced by a single rhythmic tone with ambient sound, white noise, animal-like breathing sounds, or other low-significance audio, as long as it is synchronized or correlated with the tactile rhythm.

[0063] In some embodiments, the sensing module 5 is installed inside the front of the housing 1 to acquire interaction status information between the user and the robot. The non-contact sensing unit can be a millimeter-wave radar sensor, an infrared distance sensor, or a capacitive proximity sensor; in one embodiment, a 60G millimeter-wave radar sensor (HLK-LD6002B / C) and its base plate are used. Its sensing area faces the user's body area and is used to detect minute displacement changes in the chest cavity when the user approaches, holds, or rests against the Catbot, sending the sensing signal to the control and drive module 8 as input for rhythmic interaction triggering and adjustment. It should be noted that the non-contact sensing unit can be replaced with other sensing methods capable of acquiring "proximity / contact / breathing-related signals" (distance, pressure, micro-motion, physiological signals, etc.), the core function being to trigger interaction and provide input for rhythm parameter generation.

[0064] In some embodiments, such as Figure 12As shown, the control and drive module 8 includes: a Raspberry Pi 81, a relay unit 82, a pneumatic drive unit 83, and a solenoid valve unit 84; the Raspberry Pi 81 is connected to the sensing module 5, the relay unit 82, the pneumatic drive unit 83, and the sound module 6, respectively, and is used to generate rhythm parameters describing the current breathing stage and its corresponding amplitude based on the interactive state information fed back by the sensing module 5, and to control the working state of the relay unit 82 and the pneumatic drive unit 83 according to the rhythm parameters; the relay unit 82 is connected to the solenoid valve unit 84 and is used to control the working state of the solenoid valve unit 84; the solenoid valve unit 84 is connected to the body soft actuator 2, the head actuator 3, and the hand reinforced fiber actuator 4, respectively, and is used to control the inflation and deflation of the body soft actuator 2, the head actuator 3, and the hand reinforced fiber actuator 4.

[0065] In this embodiment, the control and drive module 8 is used to uniformly schedule each execution unit. The control and drive module 8 receives signals from the sensing module 5 and controls the working state of the pneumatic drive unit 83 and the solenoid valve unit 84 via electrical connection, causing gas to be distributed to different execution areas according to a predetermined path. Through independent control of each drive channel, the social robot can coordinate the drive of the actuators in the body, head, and hand areas respectively.

[0066] In this embodiment, as Figure 12 As shown, the pneumatic drive unit 83 includes a first dual-pump module 831, a second dual-pump module 832, a third dual-pump module 833, and a fourth dual-pump module 834. The solenoid valve unit 84 includes a first three-way solenoid valve 841, a second three-way solenoid valve 842, a third three-way solenoid valve 843, a fourth three-way solenoid valve 844, a fifth three-way solenoid valve 845, and a two-position five-way solenoid valve 846. Each dual-pump module includes two pumps responsible for inflation and deflation, respectively, and their corresponding control base plates. Each dual-pump module is connected to at least one solenoid valve assembly for controlling the air chamber of the corresponding soft actuator for evacuation and depressurization.

[0067] In one embodiment, the two pumps of the dual-pump module can be 555 vacuum pumps with a negative pressure operating range of -60 to -100 kPa to meet the deformation requirements of the soft pneumatic actuator during rhythmic interaction. In this embodiment, the first dual-pump module 831 is connected to the first three-way solenoid valve, the second dual-pump module 832 is connected to the second three-way solenoid valve 842, the third dual-pump module 833 is connected to the two-position five-way solenoid valve 846, the two-position five-way solenoid valve 846 is connected to the third three-way solenoid valve 843 and the fourth three-way solenoid valve 844 respectively, and the fourth dual-pump module 834 is connected to the fifth three-way solenoid valve 845.

[0068] The first three-way solenoid valve 841 and the second three-way solenoid valve 842 are connected to the body soft actuator 2 to control the body soft actuator 2 to expand or contract synchronously with the breathing rhythm, achieving uniform and continuous undulating deformation as a whole. The third three-way solenoid valve 843 and the fourth three-way solenoid valve 844 are connected to the cylinder of the dual-axis push rod mechanism 31 to achieve small up-and-down swinging motion synchronized with the breathing rhythm. The fifth three-way solenoid valve 845 is connected to the hand-reinforced fiber actuator 4 to achieve bending deformation, outputting a slight swinging motion consistent with the breathing rhythm.

[0069] The relay unit 82 is electrically connected to the first three-way solenoid valve 841, the second three-way solenoid valve 842, the third three-way solenoid valve 843, the fourth three-way solenoid valve 844, and the two-position five-way solenoid valve 846, respectively, to control the working state of each solenoid valve.

[0070] In practical implementation, the control and drive module 8 is used to convert the rhythm parameters generated based on the user status interaction information fed back by the sensing module 5 into specific control commands for each actuator and feedback unit. The control and drive module 8 uses a solenoid valve to connect / disconnect the air chamber and the vacuum pump, and switches to the pressure relief path when rebound or reset is required, allowing the air chamber pressure to return to near atmospheric pressure, thus forming periodic contraction and rebound deformation. Based on the breathing stage and amplitude parameters, the control and drive module 8 updates the pneumatic drive state of the body soft actuator 2 and the head actuator 3 in real time, causing them to produce deformation movements synchronized with the breathing rhythm; simultaneously, it sends the corresponding rhythm parameters to the sound module 6 to modulate the envelope and intensity of the sound output, ensuring consistency in the temporal characteristics of tactile and auditory feedback. To ensure the stability and safety of the interaction process, the control and drive module 8 is equipped with a time-constrained monitoring mechanism. When the pumping duration exceeds a preset upper limit or an abnormal state is detected, the system shuts down the vacuum pump and switches to the pressure relief path to avoid excessive negative pressure causing actuator damage or tactile discomfort. In addition, the system uses an event-triggered method to control the hand-reinforced fiber actuator 4. When a user is detected approaching, a prompt action of a preset duration is triggered, and the action ends automatically after it is completed.

[0071] In this embodiment, the software system of the social robot is used to realize user state perception, respiratory rhythm generation, and coordinated control of actuators and feedback modules, forming a continuous control flow from perception input, rhythm parameter generation to multimodal output. The software system consists of two parts: a perception and software system, and a control and drive system, corresponding to the generation of rhythm information and the execution output, respectively. The software part of the social robot system runs on the Raspberry Pi 81 platform, such as a Raspberry Pi 5, and can complete user state perception, respiratory rhythm analysis, and rhythm parameter generation. The Raspberry Pi 81 uses the data collected by the non-contact perception module 5 as input, extracts key information for respiratory analysis through data analysis and filtering, and determines whether the user has entered the preset interaction range. When the system detects that the user is approaching and establishes an interactive posture with the social robot, it starts the respiratory rhythm analysis process; if the interaction conditions are not met, the system remains in standby mode and does not generate rhythm output. During the interaction, the system enters either mirror breathing mode or guided breathing mode according to the current settings, and generates rhythm parameters describing the current breathing stage and its corresponding amplitude in both modes, providing input basis for subsequent execution and feedback control.

[0072] In this embodiment, the Raspberry Pi 81 generates rhythm parameters describing the current breathing stage and its corresponding amplitude based on the interactive state information fed back by the sensing module 5, including entering mirror breathing mode and guided breathing mode.

[0073] Specifically, during the interaction, the social robot employs a multi-sensory interaction method, primarily using pneumatic tactile feedback supplemented by auditory feedback. It outputs rhythmic tactile changes simulating breathing fluctuations through various pneumatic actuators, simultaneously accompanied by low-interference rhythmic auditory feedback. Depending on the usage state, the social robot can adopt two interaction strategies: one is a mirror breathing mode, which outputs tactile and auditory feedback based on the user's current breathing rhythm; the other is a guided breathing mode, which provides continuous, slow breathing prompts to the user based on a preset stable breathing rhythm, thereby guiding their breathing to gradually stabilize. Based on these methods, the social robot allows users to perceive a stable and continuous breathing rhythm at the physical contact level, thus passively and continuously obtaining relaxation and emotional companionship during work breaks. In some embodiments, the mirror and guided strategies can be expanded to multiple rhythm templates, progressive rhythm adjustments, or automatic switching based on the user's state; strategy switching can be triggered based on perception thresholds, time windows, or behavioral events.

[0074] In some embodiments, such as Figure 13 As shown, the power supply module 7 is externally mounted on the social robot and separated from the internal hardware units, which reduces the size of the social robot and improves its overall operational stability. The power supply module 7 includes a switching power supply 71, an adjustable step-down regulator module 72, and a step-down regulator module 73. The switching power supply 71 is a 24V power supply, connected to the adjustable step-down regulator module 72, the step-down regulator module 73, and the pneumatic drive unit 83, and can directly power the pneumatic drive unit 83. The adjustable step-down regulator module 72 can convert the 24V power supply to 6V to power the relay unit 82, and the step-down regulator module 73 can convert the 24V power supply to 5V to power the Raspberry Pi 81.

[0075] In this embodiment, the flexible actuator uses pneumatic tactile sensing, and can also use motor undulation or vibration to achieve flexible deformation.

[0076] In summary, the pneumatically driven social robot and its interaction system provided by this invention have the following beneficial effects: The sensory module acquires interaction state information between the user and the robot. The control and drive module generates rhythm parameters based on this information. The body soft actuator and head actuator generate deformation movements synchronized with the breathing rhythm based on these parameters. Simultaneously, the sound module modulates the envelope and intensity of the sound output based on the rhythm parameters, ensuring temporal consistency between tactile and auditory feedback. This combines tactile feedback, sound feedback, and the breathing mechanism to achieve a multi-sensory breathing rhythm guidance method that is tactile-led and sound-assisted. Furthermore, the hand-enhanced fiber actuator attracts the user to interact with the robot. This allows the user to obtain a stable, continuous, and perceptible breathing experience without requiring excessive active operation or continuous attention (the interaction begins when the user approaches the robot). This avoids consuming attentional resources and better relieves user stress. While maintaining overall structural stability, this system achieves compliant tactile output, multi-part breathing rhythm coordination, and a companion-type interaction mode adapted to office desktop scenarios.

[0077] It should be understood that the application of the present invention is not limited to the examples above. Those skilled in the art can make improvements or modifications based on the above description, and all such improvements and modifications should fall within the protection scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A pneumatically driven social robot, characterized in that, include: The system comprises a housing, a body soft actuator, a head actuator, a hand-reinforced fiber actuator, a sensing module, and a sound module; among which, The body soft actuators are arranged around the housing to simulate changes in respiratory rhythm; The head actuator is located in the middle of the housing and is used to realize up-and-down movement synchronized with the breathing rhythm; The hand-reinforced fiber actuators are disposed on both sides of the housing and are used to generate a swinging motion through a bending motion; The sensing module is located inside the housing and is used to acquire interaction status information between the user and the social robot. The sound module is located inside the housing and is used to provide auxiliary auditory feedback to the user.

2. The pneumatically driven social robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The body soft actuator includes several independent air chamber structures, which are embedded in the side of the housing; wherein each air chamber structure expands and contracts synchronously during the inflation and deflation process.

3. The pneumatically driven social robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The hand-reinforced fiber actuator includes: a silicone inner layer, a silicone outer layer, and a fiber layer; the silicone outer layer covers the silicone inner layer; and the fiber layer is located between the silicone outer layer and the silicone inner layer.

4. The pneumatically driven social robot according to claim 3, characterized in that, The hand-reinforced fiber actuators are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the housing.

5. The pneumatically driven social robot according to claim 3, characterized in that, The fiber layer is made of directional reinforcing fiber material; when the hand-reinforcing fiber actuator is in an inflated state, the fiber layer can constrain the expansion direction of the hand-reinforcing fiber actuator, so that the hand-reinforcing fiber actuator produces controlled bending deformation when inflated.

6. The pneumatically driven social robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The head actuator includes: a dual-axis push rod mechanism, a chassis, support columns, and support members; the dual-axis push rod mechanism is disposed within the housing; the chassis is disposed on the dual-axis push rod mechanism; the support columns are spaced apart on the chassis and located between the support members and the chassis.

7. The pneumatically driven social robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The sound module includes: a power amplifier circuit and a speaker unit; the power amplifier circuit is connected to the speaker unit and is used to drive the speaker unit to work.

8. An interactive system for a pneumatically driven social robot, characterized in that, include: Power supply module, control and drive module, and the social robot as described in any one of claims 1-7; The power supply module is connected to the control and drive module and is used to supply power to the control and drive module; The control and drive module is connected to the body soft actuator, the head actuator, the hand reinforced fiber actuator, the sensing module, and the sound module, respectively. It is used to control the body soft actuator, the head actuator, and the hand reinforced fiber actuator to perform coordinated driving based on the interaction status information fed back by the sensing module, and to control the sound module to provide auxiliary auditory feedback during the interaction process.

9. The interactive system according to claim 8, characterized in that, The control and drive module includes: a Raspberry Pi, a relay unit, a pneumatic drive unit, and a solenoid valve unit; The Raspberry Pi is connected to the sensing module, the relay unit, the pneumatic drive unit, and the sound module, respectively, and is used to generate rhythm parameters describing the current breathing stage and its corresponding amplitude based on the interactive status information fed back by the sensing module, and to control the working state of the relay unit and the pneumatic drive unit based on the rhythm parameters. The relay unit is connected to the solenoid valve unit and is used to control the working state of the solenoid valve unit; The solenoid valve unit is connected to the body soft actuator, the head actuator, and the hand reinforced fiber actuator respectively, and is used to control the inflation and deflation of the body soft actuator, the head actuator, and the hand reinforced fiber actuator.

10. The interactive system according to claim 9, characterized in that, In the process of generating rhythm parameters describing the current breathing stage and its corresponding amplitude based on the interaction status information fed back by the sensing module, the Raspberry Pi includes entering mirror breathing mode and guided breathing mode.

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