Robot

Abstract

The invention provides a robot. The robot comprises a mechanical body, a shell, a first coating layer and a second coating layer. The mechanical body comprises a plurality of body units, each body unit comprises a head, a body and four limbs, each limb comprises a plurality of limb section parts and joint modules connected with the adjacent limb section parts, and each limb has multiple degrees of freedom. The shell comprises a plurality of independent inner shell units corresponding to the body units, and each inner shell unit is fixedly arranged around the periphery of the corresponding body unit. The first coating layer comprises a plurality of independent coating units corresponding to the inner shell units, and each coating unit is fixedly arranged around the periphery of the corresponding inner shell unit. The coating unit has a preset thickness and is made of a flexible material. The second coating layer is made of a flexible material and covers the first coating layer.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of machinery, and more particularly to a robot. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, humanoid robots that incorporate artificial intelligence are developing rapidly, and companion robots designed for home or daily companionship scenarios are becoming increasingly popular among users.

[0003] However, existing companion robots generally have the following problems: First, some existing companion robots only have a head and simple upper limb structure, and do not have lower limbs or autonomous movement ability, thus limiting their range of motion; Second, the skeleton, mechanical structure and shell of existing companion robots are directly exposed to users, or the outer skin covering them has poor fit with the shell, and the outer skin is prone to wrinkles when moving, which seriously affects the appearance and the user's tactile and visual experience. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a robot with stronger mobility, which greatly enhances the user experience.

[0005] This invention provides a robot, comprising a mechanical body, a shell, a first covering layer, and a second covering layer; wherein, the mechanical body includes multiple body units, each body unit including a head, a torso, and four limbs, each limb including multiple limb segments and joint modules connecting adjacent limb segments, each limb having multiple degrees of freedom; the shell includes multiple independent inner shell units corresponding to the body units, each inner shell unit being fixedly disposed around the outer periphery of the corresponding body unit; the first covering layer includes multiple independent covering units corresponding to the inner shell units, each covering unit being fixedly disposed around the outer periphery of the corresponding inner shell unit; each covering unit has a preset thickness and is made of a flexible material; the second covering layer is made of a flexible material and covers the first covering layer.

[0006] In one embodiment, the covering unit is detachably fixed to the inner shell unit; and / or one or more of the covering units are fixed to one of the inner shell units.

[0007] In one embodiment, the second covering layer is detachably wrapped around the outside of the first covering layer; and / or the inner circumferential dimension of the second covering layer is less than or equal to the outer circumferential dimension of the first covering layer.

[0008] In one embodiment, the head has three degrees of freedom: it can pitch in the vertical direction, rotate in a horizontal plane, and swing in a plane perpendicular to the horizontal plane; and / or the body includes a torso and hips connected by the joint module, the hips having two degrees of freedom; the joint module includes a lateral rotation joint motor and a reduction mechanism, the reduction mechanism being used to increase the output torque of the lateral rotation joint motor; and / or the robot further includes a circuit board compartment, a power supply, and a charging module compartment, the circuit board compartment being located on the front side of the body, and the power supply and the charging module compartment being located on the rear side of the body.

[0009] In one embodiment, the limb includes a first limb segment, a second limb segment, and a third limb segment connected sequentially via the joint module. The first limb segment is connected to the torso via the joint module. The joint module includes at least one joint motor, such that the first limb segment, the second limb segment, and the third limb segment each have at least one degree of freedom.

[0010] In one embodiment, at least one of the first limb segment, the second limb segment, and the third limb segment of the lower limb includes a beam body. The beam body has a hollow structure and simple supports at both ends. The stator of the joint motor is fixedly connected to the simple supports, and the rotor shaft of the joint motor is connected to the simple supports to drive the beam body to move.

[0011] In one embodiment, the robot further includes a control module, a perception module, and an expression module; the perception module is used to acquire perception information issued by the user, the control module outputs control commands based on the perception information, and the expression module outputs corresponding expression information in response to the control commands.

[0012] In one embodiment, the sensing module includes at least one tactile sensing unit for acquiring contact information of a user touching the robot; the tactile sensing unit is disposed in a combination of one or more of the head, the torso, and the limbs; and / or the sensing module further includes at least one visual sensing unit for acquiring user action information, facial expression information, and / or environmental information; and / or the sensing module further includes at least one auditory sensing unit for acquiring user voice information and / or environmental sound information; and / or the sensing module further includes a posture sensing unit for acquiring the robot's body posture information.

[0013] In one embodiment, the expression module includes at least one visual expression unit for outputting visual feedback information; and / or the expression module further includes at least one auditory expression unit for outputting auditory feedback information.

[0014] In one embodiment, the control module includes a first control unit and a second control unit connected by communication; the robot includes at least one emotion mode; the first control unit has an emotion decision model corresponding to the emotion mode, the emotion decision model being used to determine the user's emotional state based on the user's perceived information, and to determine the robot's emotion mode based on the user's emotional state; the second control unit responds to an instruction in the emotion mode by controlling the corresponding body unit and / or expression module to execute the instruction.

[0015] In one embodiment, the first control unit is further configured to acquire historical interaction information between the robot and the user, analyze the historical interaction information through a deep neural network to obtain user emotional preference information, and adjust the parameters of the emotional decision-making model based on the user emotional preference information.

[0016] In one embodiment, the robot further includes a heat dissipation module; wherein the heat dissipation module includes a cooling fan and a temperature sensor; the cooling fan faces the robot's control module and power module; the temperature sensor is disposed in the control module, the power module, and the joint module to monitor the temperature; the control module is used to obtain the temperature of the heat-generating device corresponding to the temperature sensor, and control the start / stop of the cooling fan and / or the heat generation of the heat-generating device according to the temperature of the heat-generating device.

[0017] In one embodiment, the control module is configured to control the corresponding cooling fan to turn on if the temperature of the heating device is greater than a temperature warning threshold; and / or the control module is configured to adjust the operating parameters of the joint motor of the joint module if the difference between the temperature of the joint module and the joint temperature warning threshold is less than a preset temperature difference; and / or the control module is configured to control the status indicator light to display a corresponding warning color and output temperature abnormality information to the operator if the temperature of the heating device rises to the temperature warning threshold after the cooling fan is turned on; and / or multiple cooling fans form an air duct in the housing, allowing air to enter the housing from the air duct; and / or at least a portion of the mechanical body and the housing have a thermal conductivity greater than 170 W / (m·K).

[0018] In one embodiment, the robot further includes a wireless charging module that can adjust the charging power according to the current remaining battery power.

[0019] The robot of this invention has a four-layer composite structure design consisting of a mechanical body, a shell, a first covering layer, and a second covering layer. On one hand, the mechanical body includes a complete head, torso, and four limbs. Each limb is connected to multiple limb segments through joint modules and is given multiple degrees of freedom, enabling the robot to have rich limb movement capabilities in a small volume. This not only breaks through the problem of limited activity range of existing companion robots, but also enables various actions and emotional transmissions through multi-degree-of-freedom limb movements. It makes up for the shortcomings of existing companion robots, which suffer from insufficient body language and poor emotional companionship due to insufficient joint freedom.

[0020] On the other hand, the three-layer structure of this invention, which works in conjunction with the mechanical body, solves the problems of poor appearance and tactile experience in existing companion robots. The inner shell unit, independently fixed around each body unit, provides stable support. The first covering layer, with a certain thickness, uses biomimetic design to simulate the soft touch of human muscles, significantly improving the user experience, enhancing the robot's friendliness, and achieving functions such as improved tactile feel and safety protection. The second covering layer, with its overall coverage characteristic, continuously wraps around the outside of the first covering layer of the entire robot, including the transition areas between the joint modules. This eliminates the problem of wrinkles caused by poor fit between the outer skin and the shell during joint movement, ensuring a smooth and continuous appearance surface throughout the robot's movement. Simultaneously, it provides complete protection for the entire mechanism, including the joint modules, preventing the internal structure from being directly exposed to the external environment, thereby improving the user's visual experience and the overall safety of the robot. Furthermore, the elasticity of the second covering layer allows it to adaptively expand and contract with the movement of the joint modules, always conforming to the outer surface of the second covering layer without restricting the mechanical body's freedom of movement. This solves the problem of wrinkles caused by the outer skin's inability to adapt to deformation during movement, improving motion performance. Meanwhile, flexible materials are more skin-friendly and have a cushioning function, providing a soft tactile feedback when users come into contact with the robot, enhancing the touch experience, and cushioning external impacts to a certain extent, further improving safety. Attached Figure Description

[0021] The above and other features, properties and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments, wherein: Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the mechanical body of a robot according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the housing of a robot according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the first covering layer according to an embodiment of a robot based on the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the second covering layer according to an embodiment of a robot based on the present invention; Figure 5 yes Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the inner shell unit corresponding to the head of the shell shown; Figure 6 yes Figure 5 The top view of the inner shell unit corresponding to the head shown; Figure 7 yes Figure 5 The isometric view of the inner shell unit corresponding to the head shown; Figure 8 yes Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the covering unit corresponding to the head of the first covering layer shown; Figure 9 yes Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the structure of the inner shell unit corresponding to the shell body shown; Figure 10 yes Figure 9 The diagram shown is a schematic representation of the rear side of the inner shell unit corresponding to the body. Figure 11 yes Figure 3 The diagram shows a cover unit corresponding to the body of the first cover layer. Detailed Implementation

[0022] Existing robot products can be broadly categorized as follows: The first type is large humanoid robots designed for industrial applications. These robots have height, weight, and body shape similar to adults, high power, high load capacity, and large size and mass. They are suitable for replacing humans in performing heavy or dangerous labor tasks, but cannot be adapted to family or daily companionship scenarios.

[0023] Secondly, there are high-performance robots designed for performance and display scenarios. These robots have strong movement and dynamic balance capabilities, but lack the emotional interaction capabilities for daily companionship.

[0024] Thirdly, there are companion robots designed for home or daily companionship scenarios, which can provide users with immersive emotional companionship.

[0025] While some companion robots currently possess certain mobility mechanisms, they utilize wheeled chassis, resulting in limited joint range of motion, short upper limbs, and insufficient freedom of movement. This limits their ability to express emotions through body language, making it difficult to convey feelings through rich physical movements and leading to poor emotional companionship.

[0026] Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments of the invention, one or more examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Each example is provided to explain the invention and not to limit it. In fact, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations may be made to the invention without departing from the scope or spirit thereof. For example, a feature shown or described as part of one embodiment may be used with another embodiment to produce yet another embodiment. Therefore, the invention is intended to cover these modifications and variations that fall within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

[0027] As used herein, the terms “first,” “second,” and “third” are used interchangeably to distinguish one component from another and are not intended to indicate the location or importance of the individual components.

[0028] The robots provided by this invention include, but are not limited to, companion robots. Companion robots, or emotional robots, are intelligent robots whose main functions are emotional interaction and companionship services. They can interact naturally with users through language, actions, and facial expressions to meet users' emotional needs, social needs, or daily life assistance needs.

[0029] Figures 1 to 11 The structure of the robot of the present invention is shown. From the inside out, the robot of the present invention comprises a mechanical body 100, a shell 200, a first covering layer 300, and a second covering layer 400. Specifically, the mechanical body 100 is the structural foundation and motion execution carrier of the robot, including but not limited to a skeleton, motors, a power supply, sensors, and control devices. The robot of the present invention has a humanoid shape. Referring to the human body structure, the mechanical body 100 includes multiple body units, specifically, the multiple body units include a head 110, a torso, and four limbs 140. The torso includes a trunk 120 and a waist / hip 130. The head 110, trunk 120, and waist / hip 130 are connected sequentially. The limbs 140 are divided into upper limbs and lower limbs, each numbered in pairs, to simulate human arms and legs. The two upper limbs are connected to the left and right sides of the trunk 120, and the two lower limbs are connected to the left and right sides of the waist / hip 130, respectively.

[0030] Each limb 140 includes multiple limb segments and joint modules 150 connecting adjacent limb segments. The multiple limb segments constituting the upper limb simulate the upper arm, forearm, and hand of a human body, while the multiple limb segments constituting the lower limb simulate the thigh, knee, calf, and foot of a human body. The joint module 150 includes at least one joint motor to provide at least one degree of freedom. Thus, each limb 140 has multiple degrees of freedom.

[0031] The robot of the present invention has a movable head 110, torso 120, waist and hips 130 and limbs 140, which can be connected by small-sized rotary motors according to the connection relationship, so as to realize the movement of the neck, neck pitch, left and right shoulder pitch, left and right shoulder rotation, left and right shoulder roll, left and right elbow, left and right hip pitch, left and right hip rotation, left and right hip roll, left and right knee movement and left and right ankle movement. The total degree of freedom of the robot can reach 23 or more.

[0032] The head 110 of the robot of the present invention has three degrees of freedom. The head 110 can perform pitching motion in the vertical direction, rotational motion on the horizontal plane, and swaying motion on the plane perpendicular to the horizontal plane, that is, pitching, rotation and head swaying motion, and can perform compound motion to achieve agile feedback.

[0033] In addition, the compact design of the internal structure of the robot's head 110 allows for the design of different head 110 shapes without being affected by the internal mechanism.

[0034] The robot's hips 130 have two degrees of freedom. The joint module 150 connecting the torso 120 and the hips 130 includes a lateral rotary joint motor and a reduction mechanism. The reduction mechanism is used to increase the output torque of the lateral rotary joint motor and to stack the lateral rotary joint motor on the waist, thereby saving space and reducing the robot's height. This allows for more space to be arranged for internal circuit boards, batteries, etc., thus improving space utilization.

[0035] The robot also includes a circuit board compartment, a power supply compartment, and a charging module compartment. The circuit board compartment is located on the front of the body, while the power supply and charging module compartment is located on the rear of the body. This design clearly defines the internal layout, makes good use of space, and allows the robot's center of gravity to be centered on its feet, increasing the robot's stability.

[0036] In one embodiment, the upper limb of the limb 140 includes a first limb segment, a second limb segment, and a third limb segment connected sequentially by a joint module 150. The first limb segment is connected to the torso via the joint module 150. The joint module 150 includes at least one joint motor, such that the first limb segment, the second limb segment, and the third limb segment each have at least one degree of freedom.

[0037] Furthermore, the lower limb in limb 140 includes a first limb segment (corresponding to the thigh), a second limb segment (corresponding to the knee), a third limb segment (corresponding to the lower leg), and a fourth limb segment (corresponding to the foot), at least one of which includes a beam body with a hollow structure. The beam body has simple supports at both ends. The stator of the joint motor is fixedly connected to the simple supports, and the rotor shaft of the joint motor is connected to the simple supports to drive the beam body to move.

[0038] Specifically, the robot's lower limb 140 adopts a simply supported beam structure. The hip, knee, and ankle joints all use hollow aluminum alloy beams with simple supports at both ends as the main load-bearing components. The beam cross-section is elliptical (major axis is 42mm, minor axis is 28mm). A high torque density frameless torque motor (peak torque ≥15N·m) is embedded inside. The motor stator is directly fixed to the beam end support, and the rotor shaft passes through the central hole of the beam to drive the joint. Compared with the traditional L-shaped bracket, the above structure can reduce weight by 37% and increase bending stiffness by 2.1 times (according to ANSYS simulation results), and avoid the problem of stress concentration at the root of the cantilever structure under fall impact.

[0039] In addition, a sliding bearing provides support on the back side of the output shaft of the joint module 150. This structure improves the robot's impact resistance while ensuring lightweight design. The left and right limbs 140 adopt the same structure. The left and right limbs 140 are distinguished by different installation positions of the standard limit block parts, so as to achieve separate and precise control of the left and right limbs 140.

[0040] In conjunction with the above embodiments, the robot of the present invention has a humanoid shape, is small in size, has a standing height of 70-90 cm, and weighs no more than 20 kg. It resembles a humanoid elf, a little monster, or a cute pet. While maintaining a small size, it can achieve movement functions including but not limited to autonomous balance, falling and getting up, obstacle avoidance and navigation, turning in place, moving forward, backward, and turning. Compared with the wheeled structure in related technologies, it has better movement performance.

[0041] The robot shell 200 of the present invention is divided according to the joint module 150, including multiple independent inner shell units 201 corresponding to the main body unit, and each inner shell unit 201 is fixedly arranged around the outer periphery of the corresponding main body unit. Inner shell units 201 are fixedly connected to the head 110, torso 120, waist and hips 130, and the first limb segment, second limb segment, third limb segment and fourth limb segment of each limb 140.

[0042] like Figure 2 As shown, the inner shell unit 201 specifically includes: a head inner shell 210, a torso inner shell 220, a waist and hip inner shell 230, a first upper limb inner shell 241, a second upper limb inner shell 242, a third upper limb inner shell 243, a first lower limb inner shell 251, a second lower limb inner shell 252, a third lower limb inner shell 253, and a fourth lower limb inner shell 254. Each of the above inner shell units 201 is independently set and does not interfere with each other.

[0043] The material of the inner shell unit 201 has a certain hardness. Different inner shell units 201 are installed independently and do not affect the movement of the joint module 150.

[0044] The first covering layer 300 includes multiple independent covering units 301 corresponding to the inner shell unit 201, and each covering unit 301 is fixedly disposed around the outer periphery of the corresponding inner shell unit 201. The covering unit 301 has a certain thickness and is made of flexible material.

[0045] Specifically, the covering unit 301 is made of multiple pieces of soft, compressible, lightweight material in a modular fashion. One or more covering units 301 are fixed to an inner shell unit 201, meaning that each relatively fixed inner shell unit 201 of the robot can be covered by one or more covering units 301. It should be noted that inner shell units 201 connected by the joint module 150 will not be covered by the same covering unit 301.

[0046] like Figure 3 As shown, the covering unit 301 specifically includes: a head covering unit 310 (fixed to the inner shell of the head 210), a torso covering unit 320 (fixed to the inner shell of the torso 220), a waist and hip covering unit 330 (fixed to the inner shell of the waist and hip 230), a first upper limb covering unit 341 (fixed to the inner shell of the first upper limb 241), a second upper limb covering unit 342 (fixed to the inner shell of the second upper limb 242), a third upper limb covering unit 343 (fixed to the inner shell of the third upper limb 243), a first lower limb covering unit 351 (fixed to the inner shell of the first lower limb 251), a second lower limb covering unit 352 (fixed to the inner shell of the second lower limb 252), a third lower limb covering unit 353 (fixed to the inner shell of the third lower limb 253), and a fourth lower limb covering unit 354 (fixed to the inner shell of the fourth lower limb 254).

[0047] The covering unit 301 is detachably fixed to the inner shell unit 201. The fixing method includes, but is not limited to, fixing it to the inner shell unit 201 corresponding to the robot head 110, torso 120, waist and hips 130, and limbs through buckles, Velcro, etc.

[0048] Optionally, the covering unit 301 includes a first flexible layer, a second flexible layer, and a filling layer (not shown). Both the first and second flexible layers are made of fine mesh fabric. The first flexible layer is the inner layer that fits the inner shell unit 201 and has skin-friendly and non-slip characteristics; the second flexible layer is the outer layer that contacts the outside world and is wear-resistant and durable; the fine mesh fabric can be tightly sewn to the filling layer to prevent the filling material from shifting.

[0049] Alternatively, the filling layer can be made of hollow fiber materials such as sponge, flexible fabric, or nine-hole fiber cotton, which can be selected according to the needs of different parts, taking into account both soft touch and functionality. Sponge and fiber cotton filling materials are absorbent and can absorb water when a small amount of liquid is splashed, delaying the penetration of liquid into internal components and improving daily waterproofing.

[0050] When dirt or wear occurs, the corresponding parts can be disassembled, cleaned, and replaced individually without disassembling the entire robot, significantly reducing the daily maintenance cost of the product. The composite layered structure with a first flexible layer, a second flexible layer, and a pre-thickness filling layer sandwiched between them can stably form a full and soft touch that simulates human muscles, relying on the flexible filling characteristics and certain thickness of the filling layer. This solves the problem of insufficient tactile feel of a single thin soft outer skin. Combined with the split design, it achieves high adaptability to the complex curved surfaces of the robot shell. It can maintain a stable fit and soft touch throughout the robot's operation under all working conditions, fully meeting the core needs of human-computer interaction in daily companionship scenarios and effectively improving the user experience.

[0051] The second covering layer 400 is made of a flexible material and covers the first covering layer 300. The second covering layer 400 is the outermost layer of the robot and uses an integral, elastic, and resilient skin-friendly material to simulate the feel of human skin, including but not limited to fitting the body through elastic bands, fasteners, and other means.

[0052] The second covering layer 400 is detachably wrapped around the outside of the first covering layer 300. The outer covering is also designed to be wearable and removable, allowing for the replacement of skin or external appearance.

[0053] The inner circumferential dimension of the second covering layer 400 is less than or equal to the outer circumferential dimension of the first covering layer 300. That is, the size of the second covering layer 400 fits the outer size of the first covering layer 300. Combined with the elasticity of the second covering layer 400, it can be in a slightly taut state in its natural state. Thus, it always maintains a close fit with the outer surface of the first covering layer 300 when the robot performs various actions. It will not produce local loosening, stacking or wrinkling due to joint movement. This ensures that the outer surface of the robot remains flat and smooth during dynamic movement. The robot presents a high-quality appearance and feel, without redundant material accumulation. It avoids the cheap and rough feeling caused by the loose skin or wrinkling during movement of the robot in related technologies. The overall appearance of the robot presents a high-quality form similar to high-end bionic skin, which significantly improves the visual quality of the robot.

[0054] Meanwhile, the continuous fit of the outer covering structure allows users to feel a uniform, firm, and taut surface texture when touching the robot, further enhancing the realism and high-quality experience of the bionic skin. This enables users to obtain a consistent high-quality perception in both visual and tactile dimensions, thereby effectively improving the overall user experience of the companion robot.

[0055] In conjunction with the above embodiments, the combination of the first covering layer 300 and the second covering layer 400 can improve the tactile experience, enhance aesthetics and personalization, improve safety, optimize heat dissipation performance, facilitate maintenance and replacement, improve waterproofing, and the modular design facilitates subsequent upgrades and customization.

[0056] The second covering layer 400 can protect the entire mechanism, including the joint module 150, and weaken or even eliminate the wrinkles on the surface of the first covering layer 300. In addition, the first covering layer 300 and the second covering layer 400 can be made of environmentally friendly and skin-friendly materials, which are easy to clean and replace, and have the advantages of wear resistance, lightweight and low cost.

[0057] In one embodiment, the robot further includes a control module (not shown), a perception module, and an expression module, which can be integrated onto the robot's mechanical body 100. The perception module acquires perception information emitted by the user, the control module outputs control commands based on the perception information, and the expression module outputs corresponding expression information in response to the control commands.

[0058] In this embodiment, further, at the tactile level, the sensing module includes at least one tactile sensing unit for acquiring contact information of the user touching the robot, such as the action of touching the head 110. The tactile sensing unit is disposed in a combination of one or more of the head 110, torso, and limbs 140.

[0059] Optionally, the tactile sensing unit includes electronic skin. The electronic skin employs sensors disposed on the inner surface of the housing 200 and can be installed throughout the body, preferably on the head 110 (e.g., the top of the head, the area before and after the parting line, and the left and right sides of the upper middle of the back of the head), arms (e.g., after the arm is in the zero position, the outer side of the upper arm, and the outer side of the forearm tip), torso 120 (e.g., below the depth camera module and above the area connecting with the pelvis), and legs (e.g., the outer front side of the groin, in a flat ring shape).

[0060] At the visual level, the perception module also includes at least one visual perception unit for acquiring user action information, facial expression information, and environmental information.

[0061] Optionally, the visual perception unit may include a fisheye camera 211 disposed on the head 110, which can be used to recognize the user's face and facial expression information. (Reference) Figures 5 to 7 The front side of the inner shell 210 of the head is provided with a first reserved hole 211a to cooperate with the fisheye camera 211.

[0062] The visual perception unit may also include a binocular camera 221 located on the chest (i.e. the front side of the torso 120) for identifying the environment and constructing a map based on the identified environmental information.

[0063] The visual perception unit may also include an infrared visual sensing module for environmental perception.

[0064] At the auditory level, the perception module also includes at least one auditory perception unit for acquiring user voice information and environmental sound information.

[0065] Optionally, the auditory sensing unit includes a microphone array 212. The microphone array 212 may be positioned on the head 110 and is capable of listening to the user's voice. (Reference) Figure 5 and Figure 6 The top of the head inner shell 210 is provided with multiple second reserved holes 212a that cooperate with the microphone array 212.

[0066] At the body posture level, the perception module also includes a posture perception unit, which is used to acquire the robot's body posture information.

[0067] Optionally, the posture sensing unit can be a gyroscope. The gyroscope allows for real-time monitoring of body posture information, enabling the expression of emotional information through gestures and movements.

[0068] In this embodiment, further, at the visual level, the expression module includes at least one visual expression unit for outputting visual feedback information.

[0069] Optionally, the visual expression unit includes a screen, and two eye LED screens 213 can be simultaneously mounted on the head 110, capable of displaying various eye expressions such as blinking, squinting, happiness, and anger, and providing visual interaction based on the user's position. (Reference) Figures 5 to 7 The front side of the head inner shell 210 is provided with two third reserved holes 213a to cooperate with the eye LED screen 213. In addition, a heart-shaped breathing light 223 can be provided on the front side of the torso. Different information can be output through different colors of the breathing light 223, such as the robot's emotional mode, working status, etc.

[0070] It should be noted that exposed functional components, such as the binocular camera 221, breathing light 223, and power switch 224, can be positioned using the fixing structure 520. Specifically, the fixing structure 520 is equipped with a buckle (not shown) and a clamping part (not shown). The buckle is detachably connected to the inner shell unit 201, and the clamping part can press the first covering layer 300 and the second covering layer 400, ensuring that the functional components maintain accurate positions during robot movement and preventing warping or loosening. The fixing structure 520 can be quickly assembled and disassembled without tools, significantly reducing the difficulty of maintenance, replacement, or upgrades and improving the maintainability of the entire machine.

[0071] At the auditory level, the expression module also includes at least one auditory expression unit for outputting auditory feedback information.

[0072] Optionally, the auditory expression unit includes multiple speakers 214 capable of outputting emotionally supportive sounds customized by the robot's emotional decision-making model. The speakers 214 may be mounted on the head 110. (Reference) Figure 7 The head inner shell 210 has multiple fourth reserved holes 214a on its left and right sides to cooperate with the horn 214.

[0073] In conjunction with the above embodiments, the robot of the present invention, combined with a multimodal data fusion algorithm, can not only visually recognize users and understand facial expressions and body language; but also auditorily identify sound features and sound source direction; and tactilely possess full-body touch perception capabilities.

[0074] In one embodiment, the robot of the present invention has an emotion decision-making model, which can build a multi-faceted emotion network after the user specifies information such as the robot's personality, emotional patterns, memory system, current state machine, and perception data.

[0075] Specifically, the control module includes a first control unit and a second control unit connected via communication. The first control unit can be understood as the human brain, and the second control unit as the cerebellum. The hardware foundation of the first control unit is a high-performance computing control board, responsible for cognition, memory, and emotional decision-making, possessing the capabilities of state machine judgment, emotional understanding, and decision generation.

[0076] The second control unit also consists of a high-performance hardware main control board, which is responsible for motion control, balance, autonomous behavior, and has the ability to execute actions, control posture, and protect safety.

[0077] The first and second control units are connected by a line to achieve information flow, and the two work together to control the robot.

[0078] The robot of this invention includes at least one emotional mode. An emotional mode can be understood as the robot's personality, a set of emotional states presented and their corresponding behavioral outputs. It represents different operating states of the robot switched by the emotional decision-making module based on input information. Different emotional modes can be achieved through the coordinated action, sound, and eye LED screen 213. An emotional mode may include at least one action command, a sound output command controlling the auditory expression unit, and an eye change command controlling the visual expression unit.

[0079] The first control unit has an emotion decision model corresponding to the emotion pattern. This model determines the user's emotional state based on perceived information and then determines the robot's emotion pattern based on that state. The second control unit responds to commands within the emotion pattern by controlling the corresponding body unit expression module to execute those commands. Through the coordinated use of movement, voice, and eye movements, the robot's emotion transmission is precisely matched to the emotion type and intensity, resulting in an exponentially enhanced effect.

[0080] The first control unit is also used to acquire historical interaction information between the robot and the user. Through multi-dimensional analysis of this historical interaction information using a deep neural network, it obtains user emotional preference information and dynamically adjusts the parameters of the emotional decision-making model based on this information. For example, when the user sets the robot to a "gentle and considerate" emotional mode, the emotional decision-making model will prioritize activating modules related to positive emotions. Combining this with user emotional preference information stored in the memory system (such as the user's past positive responses to comforting language), it will generate an emotional expression strategy that conforms to this emotional mode.

[0081] In the "big brain and little brain" collaborative architecture consisting of the first control unit and the second control unit, the state machine judgment module of the first control unit continuously receives input from various perception modules. For example, if the visual perception unit captures the user's frowning expression or the auditory perception unit receives the user's low voice, the first control unit will combine this information to determine that the user may be in a negative emotional state. Then, the emotional understanding results are transformed into specific decision instructions, such as "approach the user and provide comforting actions".

[0082] In this situation, the second control unit responds immediately, precisely coordinating the joint motors through motion control algorithms to drive the robot to perform a gentle tapping motion on the user's shoulder. Simultaneously, a gyroscope monitors the body's posture in real time, ensuring smooth movement and compliance with safety regulations.

[0083] In terms of emotion transmission, when the robot senses that the user has achieved something, the LED screen 213 in its eyes will display a bright crescent-shaped "happy eye"; the speaker 214 will output a congratulatory sound with a joyful tone; and the body will cooperate by waving and puffing out its chest. The above three dimensions of expression reinforce each other, making the transmission of the emotion of "happiness" more three-dimensional and vivid.

[0084] When a user shows signs of distress, the LED screen 213 around the eyes gently droops, the voice becomes a soft, comforting tone, and the body leans slightly forward, creating an empathetic atmosphere so that the user can clearly perceive the robot's emotional response.

[0085] In conjunction with the above embodiments, the robot of the present invention possesses a large-scale emotional model based on high-computing-power hardware. It can make emotional and personalized behavioral decisions based on multi-dimensional external information provided by vision, hearing, and touch, relying on the underlying hardware foundation and combined with the cognitive memory of the self-level, through a state machine system, priority strategy, and emotional decision-making model. This completely eliminates the dependence on remote control, enabling the robot to have a fully autonomous and complete closed-loop capability of autonomous perception, autonomous decision-making, and autonomous action.

[0086] In one embodiment, the robot further includes a heat dissipation module for cooling the robot's heat-generating components. The heat dissipation module includes a cooling fan and a temperature sensor. The cooling fan faces the robot's heat-generating components, such as the control module and power module. The temperature sensor is located in the control module, power module, and joint module 150 to monitor the temperature of the heat-generating components.

[0087] The control module is used to obtain the temperature of the heating device corresponding to the temperature sensor, and control the start and stop of the cooling fan based on the temperature of the heating device. It can also control the heat generation of the heating device.

[0088] Specifically, the robot of the present invention has a whole-machine temperature control strategy.

[0089] If the temperature of a heat-generating component exceeds the temperature warning threshold, the control module activates the corresponding cooling fan. In other words, when the temperature in a specific area rises above a preset temperature warning threshold, the cooling fan can be controlled to reduce the temperature of overheated parts of the chassis. The system analyzes and predicts data collected from various temperature sensors in real time using a comprehensive temperature control model algorithm.

[0090] If the difference between the real-time temperature of the joint module 150 and the joint temperature warning threshold is less than the preset temperature difference, that is, when the temperature sensor detects that the temperature of a certain joint motor is close to the joint temperature warning threshold, the control module adjusts the operating parameters of the joint motor of the joint module 150, such as reducing the output power of the motor or optimizing the motion trajectory, to reduce heat generation from the source.

[0091] If the real-time temperature of the heat-generating components continues to rise after the cooling fan is turned on and exceeds the temperature warning threshold, a tiered warning mechanism will be triggered. The control module will control the status indicator lights to display the corresponding warning color, that is, display the corresponding warning color on the robot's status indicator lights; and output temperature anomaly information to the operator, sending the temperature anomaly information to the control terminal through the internal communication module, so that the operator can understand the situation in a timely manner and take further measures.

[0092] In addition, the temperature sensors of the control module and the power module work together. When the temperature of the power module is too high, the control module will automatically adjust the power supply strategy to ensure that the core components operate stably within a safe temperature range. This effectively avoids hardware damage or performance degradation caused by local overheating, thereby ensuring the reliability and service life of the robot under long-term, high-intensity work.

[0093] The robot of this invention has multiple cooling fans forming air ducts within the housing 200, allowing air to enter the interior of the housing 200 through these ducts. Considering that heat-generating components are distributed throughout the robot's interior, and that each major heat-generating point is equipped with a temperature sensor, the robot's internal temperature is maintained within a stable range by detecting the heat source temperature and utilizing the air ducts, under the control of an algorithm.

[0094] like Figure 7 As shown, the inner shell 210 of the head is provided with a head heat dissipation channel 215. (As indicated...) Figure 8 As shown, the head covering unit 310 is provided with a head covering heat dissipation channel 311. For example... Figure 10 As shown, the inner shell 220 of the torso is provided with a torso heat dissipation channel 222. For example... Figure 2 As shown, the waist and hip inner shell 230 is provided with a waist and hip heat dissipation channel 231, and the first lower limb inner shell 251 and the second lower limb inner shell 252 are respectively provided with lower limb heat dissipation channels.

[0095] The robot's mechanical body 100 uses a skeleton and shell 200 made of materials with high thermal conductivity, preferably materials with a thermal conductivity greater than 170 W / (m·K), such as aluminum alloy. The thermal conductivity of the material used for the shell 200 is higher than that of conventional plastic materials, so that the internal temperature can be conducted to the first covering layer 300 and the second covering layer 400 through the structural components and shell 200, achieving a uniform heating effect. This makes the robot's body temperature relatively stable throughout and with small differences between different parts. Moreover, users can feel warmth when touching the robot, giving them a warm feeling similar to that of a real living being when making physical contact with the robot. This enhances the realism and immersion of emotional companionship, and improves the user's tactile experience and emotional interaction.

[0096] In combination with the above embodiments, the heat dissipation module not only protects the temperature of high-temperature parts, but also coordinates the heat-generating parts of the whole machine, optimizing the heat-generating structure to body temperature, thus enhancing the robot's sense of life.

[0097] like Figure 10 As shown, in one embodiment, the robot also includes a wireless charging module 510, which can adjust the charging power according to the current remaining power.

[0098] Specifically, the robot of this invention employs electromagnetic induction wireless charging technology. Its charging base has a built-in transmitting coil, while the corresponding position on the robot chassis integrates a receiving coil. When the robot needs charging, it simply aligns its chassis with the designated area on the charging base; precise alignment of the interface is not required to achieve contactless power transfer.

[0099] The 510 wireless charging module supports adaptive power output of 5W-15W. It can intelligently adjust the charging power according to the robot's current remaining power. When the power is low, it charges quickly with a higher power and automatically switches to trickle charging mode when it is close to full charge, effectively protecting battery life.

[0100] Meanwhile, the wireless charging module 510 features overcurrent protection, overvoltage protection, short circuit protection, and foreign object detection. When a metallic foreign object is detected between the charging base and the robot, charging will immediately stop and a buzzer will sound to ensure the safety of the charging process. The charging status can be clearly displayed via LED indicators on the robot's head 110: red indicates charging is in progress, green indicates charging is complete, and yellow indicates charging abnormality or foreign object interference.

[0101] In addition, the wireless charging module 510 also supports communication with the robot's main control system to provide real-time feedback on charging progress, battery health status, and other information, making it convenient for users to remotely monitor the charging status through the accompanying APP.

[0102] Optionally, the wireless charging module 510 is installed on the lower part of the back, which is convenient for charging and is located in a place that is not easily touched by the user and the external environment, thus providing high safety and convenience.

[0103] like Figure 8 As shown, the head-covering unit 310 is provided with a first cover-up reserved hole 312 that cooperates with two eye LED screens 213 and a third reserved hole 213a, thus exposing the two eye LED screens 213 to interact with the user through eye changes displayed on the eye LED screens 213. The head-covering unit 310 is also provided with multiple second cover-up reserved holes 313 that cooperate with a speaker 214 and multiple fourth reserved holes 214a.

[0104] In conjunction with the above embodiments, the robot of the present invention adopts wireless charging technology, which eliminates the need for an open charging head. This improves charging safety and allows the robot to charge by moving its body or sitting down when the battery is low. Furthermore, compared to contact charging solutions in related technologies, which suffer from poor contact, wear, and other issues, and have a more complex structural design, as well as affecting the appearance, the wireless charging technology of the present invention ensures that no metal contacts are exposed above the second covering layer 400, allowing for more decorative design options and solving the problems associated with contact charging.

[0105] While the present invention has been disclosed above with reference to preferred embodiments, it is not intended to limit the invention. Any variations and modifications can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, any modifications, equivalent changes, and alterations made to the above embodiments based on the technical essence of the present invention, without departing from the scope of the invention, fall within the protection scope defined by the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A robot, characterized in that, It includes a mechanical body, a housing, a first covering layer, and a second covering layer; wherein, The mechanical body includes multiple body units, each of which includes a head, a torso, and four limbs. Each limb includes multiple limb segments and joint modules connecting adjacent limb segments, and each limb has multiple degrees of freedom. The housing includes multiple independent inner shell units corresponding to the main body unit, and each inner shell unit is fixedly arranged around the outer periphery of the corresponding main body unit. The first covering layer includes a plurality of independent covering units corresponding to the inner shell unit, and each covering unit is fixedly disposed around the outer periphery of the corresponding inner shell unit; the covering unit has a preset thickness and is made of a flexible material; The second covering layer is made of a flexible material and covers the first covering layer.

2. The robot as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The covering unit is detachably fixed to the inner shell unit; and / or One or more of the covering units are fixed on the inner shell unit.

3. The robot as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The second covering layer is removably wrapped around the outside of the first covering layer; and / or The inner circumferential dimension of the second covering layer is less than or equal to the outer circumferential dimension of the first covering layer.

4. The robot as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The head has three degrees of freedom: it can pitch in the vertical direction, rotate in the horizontal plane, and swing in a plane perpendicular to the horizontal plane; and / or The torso includes a trunk and hips connected via the joint module, the hips having two degrees of freedom; the joint module includes a transverse rotary joint motor and a reduction mechanism, the reduction mechanism being used to increase the output torque of the transverse rotary joint motor; and / or The robot also includes a circuit board compartment, a power supply compartment, and a charging module compartment. The circuit board compartment is located on the front side of the body, and the power supply compartment and the charging module compartment are located on the rear side of the body.

5. The robot as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The limb includes a first limb segment, a second limb segment, and a third limb segment connected sequentially by the joint module, wherein the first limb segment is connected to the torso via the joint module; The joint module includes at least one joint motor, such that the first limb segment, the second limb segment, and the third limb segment each have at least one degree of freedom.

6. The robot as described in claim 5, characterized in that, At least one of the first limb segment, the second limb segment, and the third limb segment of the lower limb includes a beam body. The beam body has a hollow structure and simple supports at both ends. The stator of the joint motor is fixedly connected to the simple supports, and the rotor shaft of the joint motor is connected to the simple supports to drive the beam body to move.

7. The robot as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The robot also includes a control module, a perception module, and an expression module; The sensing module is used to acquire sensing information sent by the user, the control module outputs control commands based on the sensing information, and the expression module responds to the control commands by outputting corresponding expression information.

8. The robot as described in claim 7, characterized in that, The sensing module includes at least one tactile sensing unit for acquiring contact information of a user touching the robot; the tactile sensing unit is disposed in a combination of one or more of the head, the torso, and the limbs; and / or The perception module further includes at least one visual perception unit for acquiring user action information, facial expression information, and / or environmental information; and / or The sensing module further includes at least one auditory sensing unit for acquiring user voice information and / or environmental sound information; and / or The perception module also includes an attitude perception unit for acquiring the robot's body attitude information.

9. The robot as described in claim 7, characterized in that, The expression module includes at least one visual expression unit for outputting visual feedback information; and / or The expression module also includes at least one auditory expression unit for outputting auditory feedback information.

10. The robot as described in claim 7, characterized in that, The control module includes a first control unit and a second control unit connected via communication. The robot includes at least one emotional mode; The first control unit has an emotion decision model corresponding to the emotion pattern. The emotion decision model is used to determine the user's emotional state based on the user's perceived information, and to determine the robot's emotion pattern based on the user's emotional state. The second control unit responds to the instruction in the emotional mode by controlling the corresponding body unit and / or expression module to execute the instruction.

11. The robot as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that, The first control unit is also used to acquire historical interaction information between the robot and the user, analyze the historical interaction information through a deep neural network to obtain user emotional preference information, and adjust the parameters of the emotional decision-making model according to the user emotional preference information.

12. The robot as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, The robot also includes a heat dissipation module; wherein... The heat dissipation module includes a cooling fan and a temperature sensor; The cooling fan faces the robot's control module and power module; the temperature sensor is installed in the control module, the power module, and the joint module to monitor the temperature; The control module is used to obtain the temperature of the heating device corresponding to the temperature sensor, and control the start / stop of the cooling fan and / or the heat generation of the heating device according to the temperature of the heating device.

13. The robot as described in claim 12, characterized in that, The control module is used to control the corresponding cooling fan to turn on if the temperature of the heat-generating device exceeds a temperature warning threshold; and / or The control module is used to adjust the operating parameters of the joint motor of the joint module if the difference between the temperature of the joint module and the joint temperature warning threshold is less than a preset temperature difference; and / or The control module is used to display the corresponding warning color on the control status indicator and output abnormal temperature information to the operator if the temperature of the heat-generating device rises to the temperature warning threshold after the cooling fan is turned on. and / or The plurality of cooling fans form air ducts within the housing, allowing air to enter the housing interior through the air ducts; and / or At least a portion of the mechanical body and the housing have a thermal conductivity greater than 170 W / (m·K).

14. The robot as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, The robot also includes a wireless charging module, which can adjust the charging power according to the current remaining power.

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