Holding device, communication system, holding method, and holding program

Abstract

To provide a holding device, a communication system, a holding method, and a holding program which can simply reproduce a holing state by a user.SOLUTION: A holding device 1 includes a support 10a, a first holding part 141 which extends from the support 10a and is swingably pivoted, a handle part 13 which is projectingly provided on the support 10a and is holdable by one hand of a user together with the first holding part 141, a second holding part 142 which extends from the support 10a and is swingably pivoted, and swings in a direction opposite to a direction of swinging according to swinging of the first holding part 141 by holding, and a state information acquisition part for acquiring state information indicating the state of the swinging in the first holding part 141 and the second holding part 142. The holding device 1 may further include a signal processing part for outputting a control signal for controlling other communication-connected device, according to the state information acquired by the state information acquisition part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a holding device, a communication system, a holding method, and a holding program that output a control signal for controlling another device that is communicatively connected to the holding device by a user's holding. [Background technology]

[0002] Currently, various devices that output control signals to control the operation of equipment are being researched. In recent years, in order to assist the user's physical actions using a computer or to create a sense of realism in a virtual reality (VR) space, technologies have been developed that acquire hand gesture information as input information using various sensors and haptics technology, perform predetermined calculations, and specify and control the operation of the equipment according to the calculation results. To realize these technologies, a technology is required to reproduce the user's hand movements, specifically the state of gripping by the user's hand.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses a device that enables input of the movement of an operator's hand in three axes. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2008-112459 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The device disclosed in Patent Document 1 can more appropriately reproduce human physical actions. However, the device disclosed in Patent Document 1 has a problem in that it cannot easily reproduce the state of a user's grip because it must be manufactured using materials that enable precise processing due to the complexity of the calculations based on the control rules for identifying the spatial orientation of the back of the hand.

[0006] Therefore, the present invention has been devised in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and its object is to provide a gripping device, a communication system, a gripping method, and a gripping program that can easily reproduce the gripping state of a user. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The gripping device in the first invention is characterized by comprising a support, a first gripping portion extending from the support and supported by a pivot so as to be swingable, a handle portion protruding from the support and capable of being held by a user together with the first gripping portion in one hand, a second gripping portion extending from the support and supported by a pivot so as to be swingable, and swinging in a direction opposite to the direction of swinging of the first gripping portion in response to swinging of the first gripping portion due to the gripping, and a status information acquisition portion that acquires status information indicating the swinging state of the first gripping portion and the second gripping portion.

[0008] The gripping device in the second invention is characterized in that, in the first invention, it further comprises a signal output unit that outputs a control signal for controlling another device that is communicatively connected in accordance with the status information acquired by the status information acquisition unit.

[0009] The gripping device according to a third aspect of the present invention is the first or second aspect of the present invention, characterized in that the first gripping portion swings in response to swinging of the second gripping portion by the one hand.

[0010] The gripping device in a fourth invention is characterized in that, in the first or second invention, it further includes a force identification unit that identifies a force applied to the first gripping portion, and the status information acquisition unit acquires the status information corresponding to the force identified by the force identification unit.

[0011] The communication system of the fifth invention includes a pair of gripping devices that are communicatively connected to each other and communicate bidirectionally, each of the pair of gripping devices comprising a support, a first gripping portion extending from the support and supported by a pivot so as to be swingable, a handle portion that protrudes from the support and can be held by a user together with the first gripping portion in one hand, a second gripping portion extending from the support and supported by a pivot so as to be swingable, and that swings in a direction opposite to the direction of swing of the first gripping portion due to the gripping, and a signal output portion that outputs a control signal according to the swing state of the first gripping portion and the second gripping portion, and one of the gripping devices swings at the first gripping portion and the second gripping portion based on the control signal received from the other gripping device.

[0012] The communication system of the sixth invention is the same as that of the fifth invention, further comprising a grip strength adjustment unit that converts the control signal to adjust the grip strength of one of the gripping devices, and the one of the gripping devices oscillates between the first gripping portion and the second gripping portion based on the control signal converted by the grip strength adjustment unit.

[0013] The communication system of the seventh invention is characterized in that, in the fifth or sixth invention, it further includes a memory unit that stores the control signal, and one of the holding devices swings between the first holding portion and the second holding portion based on at least any of the status information and the control signal stored in the memory unit.

[0014] The gripping method of the eighth invention is characterized by having a first gripping portion extended from a support and supported by a pivot so as to be swingable, and a handle portion protruding from the support and capable of being held in one hand by a user together with the first gripping portion, a gripping operation step in which, in response to the swinging of the first gripping portion due to the gripping, a second gripping portion extended from the support and supported by a pivot so as to be swingable swings in a direction opposite to the direction of the swinging of the first gripping portion, and a status information acquisition step of acquiring status information indicating the swinging state of the first gripping portion and the second gripping portion due to the gripping operation step.

[0015] The gripping program in the ninth invention is characterized in that it causes a computer to execute a gripping operation step in which a first gripping portion extended from a support body and supported so as to be swingable, and a handle portion protruding from the support body and capable of being held by a user in one hand together with the first gripping portion, and a second gripping portion extended from the support body and supported so as to be swingable, swings in a direction opposite to the direction of swing of the first gripping portion due to the gripping, and a status information acquisition step in which status information indicating the state of swing of the first gripping portion and the second gripping portion due to the gripping operation step is acquired. Effect of the Invention

[0016] According to the first to fourth aspects of the invention, the device includes a second gripping section that swings in a direction opposite to the direction of swing of the first gripping section when the first gripping section and the handle section are held in one hand, and a status information acquisition section that acquires status information indicating the swinging status of the first gripping section and the second gripping section. That is, the status information acquisition section acquires status information indicating the state of one-axis motion of the first gripping section and the second gripping section. Therefore, the state of gripping by the user can be identified without performing strict control calculations of position and speed. This makes it possible to easily reproduce the state of gripping by the user without relying on a member that enables precise control calculations.

[0017] In particular, according to the second aspect of the present invention, the device further includes a signal output unit that outputs a control signal according to the information acquired by the state information acquisition unit. That is, the signal output unit outputs a control signal according to the uniaxial movement of the first gripping unit and the second gripping unit. Therefore, the operation of the other device to be controlled can be identified without performing strict control calculations for position and speed. This makes it possible to easily reproduce the user's operation without relying on a component that enables precise control calculations for the control of the other device.

[0018] In particular, according to the third aspect of the present invention, the first gripping portion swings in response to the swinging of the second gripping portion by one hand. That is, the first gripping portion and the second gripping portion open and close in response to the movement of the user's one hand. This makes it possible to identify the state of the user's grip without applying kinetic energy to the first gripping portion and the second gripping portion by elastic force or electronic control. This makes it possible to easily and accurately reproduce the state of the user's grip.

[0019] In particular, according to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the device further includes a force specifying unit that specifies the force applied to the first gripping unit, and the state information acquiring unit acquires state information corresponding to the force specified by the force specifying unit. Therefore, the state of the grip by the user can be specified without performing strict control calculations of position and speed according to the force accompanying the swinging of the first gripping unit. This makes it possible to easily and accurately reproduce the state of the grip by the user.

[0020] According to the fifth to seventh inventions, the pair of gripping devices includes a second gripping section that is extended from the support and pivotally supported by the support, and that swings in the opposite direction to the direction of swinging of the first gripping section when held by one hand, and a signal output section that outputs a control signal according to the swinging state of the first gripping section and the second gripping section, and one of the gripping devices swings in the first gripping section and the second gripping section based on the control signal received from the other of the gripping devices. That is, the gripping device outputs a control signal according to the uniaxial movement of the first gripping section and the second gripping section, and the other gripping device swings based on the control signal. Therefore, the user's gripping action can be transmitted to the other user via the pair of gripping devices without strict position and speed control calculation. This makes it possible to easily reproduce the user's operation without relying on a member that enables precise control calculation regarding the communication system between users.

[0021] In particular, according to the sixth aspect of the present invention, the communication system further includes a grip strength adjustment unit that converts the control signal to adjust the grip strength of the other gripping device. Therefore, even if there is a difference in the strength used by users to operate the device by gripping it with one hand due to differences in gender, age, etc., two-way communication can be performed according to the user, for example by adjusting the strength of the force to an appropriate level depending on the user. This improves the operability of the communication system between users.

[0022] In particular, according to the seventh aspect of the present invention, the communication system further includes a storage unit that stores at least one of the state information and the control signal. Therefore, the past gripping state by the user can be transmitted to the user. This improves the convenience of the communication system between users.

[0023] According to the eighth aspect of the present invention, the method includes a gripping operation step in which the second gripping part swings in the opposite direction to the swinging direction of the first gripping part when the first gripping part and the handle part are gripped with one hand, and a state information acquisition step in which state information indicating the swinging state of the first gripping part and the second gripping part is acquired. That is, the state information acquisition unit acquires state information indicating the state of one-axis motion of the first gripping part and the second gripping part. Therefore, the state of gripping by the user can be specified without performing strict position and speed control calculations. This makes it possible to easily reproduce the state of gripping by the user without relying on a member that enables precise control calculations.

[0024] According to the ninth aspect of the present invention, a computer is caused to execute a gripping operation step in which the second gripping section swings in a direction opposite to the direction of swinging of the first gripping section when the first gripping section and the handle section are gripped with one hand, and a state information acquisition step in which state information indicating the swinging state of the first gripping section and the second gripping section is acquired. That is, the state information acquisition unit acquires state information indicating the state of one-axis motion of the first gripping section and the second gripping section. Therefore, the state of gripping by the user can be specified without performing strict position and speed control calculations. This makes it possible to easily reproduce the state of gripping by the user without relying on a member that enables precise control calculations. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0025] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a gripping device according to the present embodiment and another device. [Diagram 2] 2(a) and 2(b) are schematic diagrams showing an example of the configuration of the gripping device and other devices in this embodiment. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a detailed configuration of the gripping device and other devices in this embodiment. [Figure 4] 4(a) to 4(d) are schematic diagrams showing an example of the configuration of a gripping device in this embodiment, where FIG. 4(a) is a perspective view, FIG. 4(b) is a front view, FIG. 4(c) is a side view, and FIG. 4(d) is a partially enlarged view of FIG. 4(a). [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the gripping device in this embodiment. [Figure 6] 6(a) and 6(b) are schematic diagrams showing an example of the operation of the gripping device in this embodiment. [Figure 7] 7(a) and 7(b) are schematic diagrams showing an example of the operation of the gripping device in this embodiment. [Figure 8] 8(a) and 8(b) are schematic diagrams showing modified examples of the configuration of the gripping device in this embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a communication system in this embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a detailed configuration of the communication system in this embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the operation of the communication system in this embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the operation of the communication system in this embodiment. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram showing a modified example of the operation of the communication system in this embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0026] Hereinafter, an example of a gripping device 1, a communication system 100, a gripping method, and a gripping program as an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, a first direction X is indicated, one direction perpendicular to the first direction X is indicated as a second direction Y, and a direction perpendicular to each of the first direction X and the second direction Y is indicated as a third direction Z. The configurations in each drawing are illustrated diagrammatically for the purpose of explanation, and for example, the size of each configuration and the size comparison between the configurations may differ from those in the drawings.

[0027] (Gripping device 1) An example of a gripping device 1 in the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0028] The gripping device 1 is a device operated by a user U by gripping it, as shown in Fig. 1 for example. The gripping device 1 can specify a state of gripping by the user U by being gripped by the user U. When the gripping device 1 is communicatively connected to another device 2, the gripping device 1 can cause the other device 2 to display a state of gripping by the user U, and can control the operation of the other device 2 according to the state of gripping by the user U. The gripping device 1 may be connected to a server 3 via a communication network 9, for example.

[0029] 2(a), the gripping device 1 includes a housing 10, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 101, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 102, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 103, a storage unit 104, and I / Fs 105 to 107. The components 101 to 107 are connected by an internal bus 110. The housing 10 may include components integrated in a known electronic device, such as a known single-board computer mounted thereon, such as a Raspberry Pi (registered trademark), or an externally connected laptop (notebook) PC, desktop PC, tablet terminal, or smartphone.

[0030] The CPU 101 controls the entire gripping device 1. The ROM 102 stores operation codes for the CPU 101. The RAM 103 is a working area used when the CPU 101 operates. The storage unit 104 stores various information such as backups of data stored in the ROM 102, databases, and learning target data. As the storage unit 104, for example, a data storage device such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or an SSD (Solid State Drive) is used. For example, the gripping device 1 may have a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) (not shown).

[0031] The I / F 105 is an interface for transmitting and receiving various information to and from other devices 2 and the server 3 as necessary via the communication network 9. The I / F 106 is an interface for transmitting and receiving information to and from the input unit 108. As the input unit 108, for example, a keyboard or a mouse is used, and the user U inputs various information via the input unit 108. The I / F 107 is an interface for transmitting and receiving various information to and from the display unit 109. The display unit 109 displays various information stored in the storage unit 104, evaluation results, etc. A display is used as the display unit 109, and in the case of a touch panel type, for example, it is provided integrally with the input unit 108.

[0032] As shown in FIG. 3, the gripping device 1 includes a support 10a, a communication unit 11, a storage unit 12, a handle unit 13, a pair of gripping units 14, and a status information acquisition unit 15. The gripping device 1 may further include a signal output unit 16. The communication unit 11, the storage unit 12, the status information acquisition unit 15, and the signal output unit 16 are realized by the CPU 101 executing a program stored in the ROM 102, the storage unit 104, etc., using the RAM 103 as a working area. In addition, mechanical energy input by the pair of gripping units 14 swinging is converted into electrical energy via, for example, a motor (not shown), and transmitted to any one of the communication unit 11, the storage unit 12, the status information acquisition unit 15, and the signal output unit 16.

[0033] <Support 10a> The support body 10a pivotally supports a pair of gripping parts 14. A handle part 13 is provided protruding from the support body 10a.

[0034] The support 10a is distinguished from, for example, the housing 10. For example, a transmission line is attached to the support 10a, which electrically connects the housing 10 to the pair of gripping parts 14 or a motor interlocking with the pair of gripping parts 14. The support 10a may store the housing 10, or may store each component stored in the housing 10 in place of the housing 10.

[0035] The shape of the support 10a is arbitrary as long as it can support the pair of gripping parts 14. For example, it may be a framework structure with the inside exposed, or a box shape with the inside protected.

[0036] The material of the support body 10a may be any material as long as it has the strength to support the pair of grip parts 14 and to allow the handle part 13 to protrude, but a lightweight material is preferable so that the pair of grip parts 14 can be easily swung by the operation of the user U. The material of the support body 10a may be, for example, aluminum, or plastic (synthetic resin) or stainless steel (SUS304, etc.) described in ISO1043-1 or JIS K 6899-1.

[0037] <Communications Division 11> The communication unit 11 transmits information to, for example, another device 2. The communication unit 11 transmits, for example, information acquired, generated, or stored by each component of the gripping device 1 to the other device 2 via the communication network 9. The communication unit 11 receives, for example, information acquired, generated, or stored by the other device 2 via the communication network 9.

[0038] <Storage section 12> The storage unit 12 stores, for example, information acquired or generated by each component of the gripping device 1 in a database stored in the storage unit 104 as necessary. The storage unit 12 retrieves, for example, various pieces of information stored in the database stored in the storage unit 104 as necessary.

[0039] <Handle section 13> The handle portion 13 protrudes from the support 10a so as to be grippable. The handle portion 13 protrudes in a protruding direction Fp, for example, as shown in Figs. 4(a) to 4(c). The handle portion 13 protrudes from a position where the user U can grip it with one hand together with a first grip portion 141 (described later) constituting the pair of grip portions 14. The handle portion 13 is fixed to the support 10a so as not to swing when gripped by the user U, for example. In this case, the user U can easily swing the first grip portion 141 with one hand hooked on the handle portion 13. This can improve the operability for the user U.

[0040] The shape of the handle 13 may be any shape that can be held by the user U, and may be, for example, rod-like, cylindrical, hollow tubular, or the like, and may be curved so that the user U can easily hold it. In the example of FIG. 4(a), the handle 13 is shaped to resemble the little finger of a human right hand. The handle 13 is provided protruding from the lower part of the support 10a corresponding to the position of the little finger of the right hand as shown in FIG. 4(b) to FIG. 4(c), with a first gripping part 141 of the pair of gripping parts 14, which will be described later, being likened to the index finger 141a, middle finger 141b, and ring finger 141c, and a second gripping part 142, which will be described later, being likened to the thumb.

[0041] The material of the handle 13 may be any material as long as it has the strength to be gripped by the user U, and may be, for example, plastic (synthetic resin) specified in ISO1043-1 or JIS K 6899-1.

[0042] <Pair of gripping parts 14> The pair of gripping parts 14 are pivotally supported by the support 10a so as to be able to swing. The pair of gripping parts 14 are pivotally supported by a support such as an axis arranged along a swing axis S supported by the support 10a. Here, the swing axis S is an axis that specifies the swing direction of the pair of gripping parts 14, and is distinguished from the axis serving as a support.

[0043] The pair of gripping parts 14 is composed of a first gripping part 141 and a second gripping part 142. The pair of gripping parts 14 can be opened and closed by swinging the second gripping part 142 in response to swinging of the first gripping part 141. The material of each of the gripping parts 141, 142 constituting the pair of gripping parts 14 may be the same as that of the handle part 13, for example.

[0044] In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 4(a), an example will be described in which the first gripping portion 141 is supported on the swing axis Sa of the swing axis S, and the second gripping portion 142 is supported on the swing axis Sb of the swing axis S, but both of the gripping portions 141 and 142 may be supported on the swing axis Sa, or both may be supported on the swing axis Sb. In the example of Fig. 4, the swing axes Sa and Sb are parallel to the third direction Z. At this time, the pair of gripping portions 14 swing in a plane direction perpendicular to the third direction Z as the swing direction.

[0045] The pair of gripping parts 14 may be fitted with a gear adjustment part 10b having one or more speed change gears, as shown in FIG. 4(b), for example. The pair of gripping parts 14 has an interlocking gear that is fixed to a shaft supporting the pair of gripping parts 14 and interlocks with the swinging of the pair of gripping parts 14, and the interlocking gear is fitted with a motor gear to transmit mechanical energy to the motor. At this time, by interposing one or more speed change gears having a larger number of teeth than the interlocking gear between the interlocking gear and the motor gear, a rotation speed less than the rotation speed of the interlocking gear (for example, about 1 / 150 of the rotation speed of the interlocking gear) can be transmitted to the motor gear. This makes it possible to suppress the transmission of noise such as physiological tremor in one hand of the user U to the motor gear.

[0046] <First grip part 141> The first gripping portion 141 extends from the support 10a and is pivotally supported so as to be able to swing. The first gripping portion 141 is pivotally supported from the support 10a on the handle portion 13 side so as to be able to swing. The first gripping portion 141 is pivotally supported by a support such as a shaft arranged along a swing axis Sa supported by the support 10a, for example.

[0047] First grip portion 141 swings together with handle portion 13 within a range that allows user U to hold it in one hand, for example. First grip portion 141 swings when gripped by user U who holds first grip portion 141 and handle portion 13 in one hand. Here, gripping by user U refers to a state in which first grip portion 141 and handle portion 13 are grasped, and includes a state in which first grip portion 141 swings and a state in which it is stationary.

[0048] The shape of the first gripping portion 141 may be any shape that the user U can grip, and may be, for example, rod-like, cylindrical, hollow tubular, or the like, and may be curved so that the user U can grip it easily. The first gripping portion 141 is curved in the same direction as the handle portion 13, for example. In this case, the user U can easily hook one hand between the handle portion 13 and the first gripping portion 141, and can easily swing the first gripping portion 141 while gripping it with one hand. This can improve the operability of the user U.

[0049] In the example of Figures 4(a) to 4(c), the shape of the first gripping portion 141 is likened to the index finger 141a, middle finger 141b, and ring finger 141c of a human right hand, and is supported on a swing axis Sa so that it can swing near the left side surface of the support body 10a corresponding to the position of each finger.

[0050] First grip portion 141 has a region R on which a force is applied when gripped by a user U, for example. The force applied to first grip portion 141 is identified by a force identifying unit 141e attached to first grip portion 141, for example.

[0051] The force applied to the first gripping part 141 is specified based on, for example, a strain associated with bending in the swing direction that may occur when the first gripping part 141 swings. In this case, the force specifying unit 141e may specify the force amount (load amount) from the strain in the first gripping part 141, for example, by using a relational expression of elastic deformation stored in advance in the gripping device 1 or the server 3. As shown in, for example, FIG. 4(a) and FIG. 4(d), the first gripping part 141 may have a through hole 141d drilled along the third direction Z in a region R in the vicinity of the swing axis Sa, and the force specifying unit 141e may be attached to a surface in the vicinity of the through hole 141d that is subjected to tension or compression in the swing of the first gripping part 141. The surface in the vicinity of the through hole 141d is thinner than other surfaces, so that the force caused by the gripping by the user U is locally concentrated, and therefore the surface is easily locally bent, i.e., the force is easily specified by the force specifying unit 141e. The force specifying unit 141e specifies the amount of load acting on the first gripping portion 141 based on the strain caused by the deflection due to the swinging of the first gripping portion 141, and acquires this as the force acting on the first gripping portion 141. Depending on the strength of the first gripping portion 141, the diameter of the through hole 141d may be increased or decreased, or the drilling of the through hole 141d may be omitted.

[0052] For example, a contact type strain gauge is used as the force specifying unit 141e. Alternatively, the force specifying unit 141e may be configured with a marker used in a non-contact type digital image correlation (DIC) method.

[0053] <Second grip part 142> The second gripping portion 142 extends from the support 10a and is pivotally supported so as to be able to swing. The second gripping portion 142 is pivotally supported, for example, on the handle portion 13 side of the support 10a. The second gripping portion 142 is pivotally supported by a support such as a shaft arranged along a swing axis Sb supported by the support 10a, as shown in FIG. 4(a), for example.

[0054] The second gripping portion 142 swings in the opposite direction to the direction of swinging of the first gripping portion 141 in response to the swinging of the first gripping portion 141. That is, the second gripping portion 142 can perform an opening and closing operation by pairing with the first gripping portion 141. Specifically, for example, as shown in FIG. 6(b), when the first gripping portion 141 swings in the direction toward the handle portion 13, the second gripping portion 142 swings in the direction toward the handle portion 13 in response to the swinging. As a result, the pair of gripping portions 14 can perform a gripping operation of closing in the direction toward the handle portion 13 during the opening and closing operation.

[0055] 7(b), for example, when the second gripping portion 142 swings in a direction away from the handle portion 13, the first gripping portion 141 swings in a direction away from the handle portion 13 in response to the swinging. As a result, the pair of gripping portions 14 can perform a gripping release operation in which they open in a direction away from the handle portion 13 during the opening and closing operation.

[0056] That is, the first gripping portion 141 and the second gripping portion 142 open and close in response to the movement of one hand of the user U. In this case, the state of gripping by the user U can be specified by elastic force or electronic control without imparting kinetic energy to the first gripping portion 141 and the second gripping portion 142. This can improve the reproducibility of the operation of the user U with respect to the control of the other device 2.

[0057] The shape of the second gripping portion 142 may be the same as that of the handle portion 13 or the first gripping portion 141, such as a rod shape, a cylinder shape, a hollow tube shape, or the like, or may be curved. The second gripping portion 142 is curved, for example, in the opposite direction to the first gripping portion 141. In this case, the user U can easily hook one hand on the second gripping portion 142 and easily swing the second gripping portion 142 with one hand. This can improve the operability for the user U.

[0058] The shape of the second gripping portion 142 in the example of Figure 4(a) is likened to the thumb of a human right hand, and is supported on a swing axis Sb so that it can swing near the right side portion of the support body 10a corresponding to the positions of each finger as shown in Figures 4(b) and 4(c).

[0059] <Status information acquisition unit 15> The state information acquisition unit 15 acquires information indicating the swing state of the first gripping portion 141 and the second gripping portion 142. Here, the swing state includes a state in which each of the gripping portions 141, 142 swings and a state in which each of the gripping portions 141, 142 is stationary.

[0060] The state information acquisition unit 15 acquires the state of each of the gripping parts 141, 142 based on, for example, the number of rotations of a motor gear of a motor to which mechanical energy accompanying the swing of the first gripping part 141 is transmitted. The state information acquisition unit 15 may acquire the state of each of the gripping parts 141, 142 based on, for example, the swing speed of each of the gripping parts 141, 142 acquired by a speed sensor (not shown) attached to each of the gripping parts 141, 142, or the swing acceleration of each of the gripping parts 141, 142 acquired by an acceleration sensor (not shown) attached to each of the gripping parts 141, 142.

[0061] The state information acquisition unit 15 acquires information indicating a state of oscillation according to the uniaxial motion of the first gripping unit 141 and the second gripping unit 142. That is, the state information acquisition unit 15 acquires information indicating a state of uniaxial motion of the first gripping unit 141 and the second gripping unit 142. In this case, the state of gripping by the user U can be identified without performing strict position and speed control calculations. This makes it possible to easily reproduce the state of gripping by the user U without relying on members that enable precise control calculations. In addition, since there is no need to manufacture using members that enable precise processing, it is possible to reduce manufacturing costs.

[0062] The state information acquisition unit 15 may acquire information indicating the state in which each of the gripping units 141, 142 swings, for example, based on the force identified by the force identification unit 141e. In this case, the state of gripping by the user U can be identified without strictly controlling the position and speed according to the force accompanying the swinging of the first gripping unit 141. This makes it possible to simply and accurately reproduce the state of gripping by the user U.

[0063] The swing state of each gripping portion 141, 142 may be specified by status information previously associated with the specific thresholds of the swing speed, swing acceleration, and applied force (load amount) of each gripping portion 141, 142 as information indicating the state of the hand of the user U. The status information includes, for example, time information such as "holding tightly" or "holding loosely" and information on changes over time such as "the grip strength gradually increases" and "the grip strength alternates between strong and weak". The user U may specify the emotion and action instruction of the user U by message information previously associated with at least one of the specific thresholds of the swing speed, swing acceleration, and applied force (load amount) indicating the swing state of each gripping portion 141, 142 and the status information. For example, the user U may specify the message information "happy" previously associated with the status information "holding tightly" as the emotion of the user U, and the message information "please stop" previously associated with the status information "holding tightly" as the action instruction of the user U. The status information and message information are stored in advance in the storage unit 104 or a server, for example.

[0064] <Signal output section 16> The signal output unit 16 outputs a control signal for controlling the operation of the other device 2 connected in communication, in accordance with the information acquired by the state information acquisition unit 15. The signal output unit 16 outputs a control signal for controlling the operation of the other device 2 connected in communication, in accordance with the information indicating the swing state of the first gripping unit 141 and the second gripping unit 142, acquired by the state information acquisition unit 15. The signal output unit 16 may output a control signal for controlling the operation of the other device 2, in accordance with the swing speed or swing acceleration of the gripping units 141, 142 acquired by the above-mentioned speed sensor or acceleration sensor.

[0065] That is, the signal output unit 16 outputs a control signal according to one-axis motion of the first gripping unit 141 and the second gripping unit 142. In this case, it is possible to identify the operation of the other device 2 to be controlled without performing strict control calculations for position and speed. This makes it possible to easily reproduce the operation of the user U without relying on a member that enables precise control calculations for the control of the other device 2.

[0066] Furthermore, the signal output unit 16 may output a control signal according to the force identified by the force identification unit 141e. In this case, a more accurate control signal can be output according to the force accompanying the swinging of the first gripping unit 141. This can improve the reproducibility of the operation of the user U with respect to the control of the other device 2. Details of the control signal will be described later in the operation method of the gripping device 1.

[0067] <Other Device 2> The other device 2 receives, for example, information indicating a state of holding by the user U from the holding device 1. The other device 2 may be, for example, a display device for displaying at least one of information indicating a state of holding by the user U, status information, and message information. As this display device, for example, a known display may be used.

[0068] The other device 2 may be, for example, a device for gripping an object in response to information received from the gripping device 1. In this case, the other device 2 may include a configuration similar to that of the gripping device 1. The other device 2 is communicatively connected to the gripping device 1 via, for example, a communication network 9. The other device 2 performs a gripping operation or a release operation on the object in response to, for example, a control signal received from the gripping device 1 via the communication network 9.

[0069] 2(b), the other device 2 includes a housing 20, a CPU 201, a ROM 202, a RAM 203, a storage unit 204, and an I / F 205. The components 201 to 205 are connected by an internal bus 210. As part of the configuration of the other device 2, for example, a known electronic device similar to the other gripping device 1 is used.

[0070] The CPU 201 controls the whole other device 2. The ROM 202 stores the operation code of the CPU 201. The RAM 203 is a working area used when the CPU 201 operates. The storage unit 204 stores various information such as backup of the data stored in the ROM 202, database, learning target data, etc. As the storage unit 204, for example, a data storage device similar to the storage unit 104 is used. The I / F 205 is an interface for transmitting and receiving various information to and from the gripping device 1 and the server 3 as necessary via the communication network 9. The other device 2 may have I / Fs 206-207 corresponding to the I / Fs 106-107, an input unit 208 corresponding to the input unit 108, and a display unit 209 corresponding to the display unit 109.

[0071] 3, the other device 2 includes a communication unit 21, a storage unit 22, and a grip unit 29. Each component of the other device 2 is realized by a CPU 201 executing a program stored in a ROM 202, a storage unit 204, etc., using a RAM 203 as a working area.

[0072] <Communications Division 21> The communication unit 21 receives information, for example, from the gripping device 1. The communication unit 21 receives, for example, information acquired, generated, or stored by the gripping device 1 via the communication network 9. The communication unit 21 transmits, for example, information acquired, generated, or stored by each component of another device 2 to the gripping device 1 via the communication network 9.

[0073] <Storage section 22> The storage unit 22 stores, for example, information acquired or generated by each component of the other device 2 in a database stored in the storage unit 204 as necessary. The storage unit 22 retrieves, for example, various pieces of information stored in the database stored in the storage unit 204 as necessary.

[0074] <Grip part 29> The gripping unit 29 is a member for gripping an object by the other device 2. The gripping unit 29 performs a gripping action that is specified based on a signal that is output by the signal output unit 16 and received by the communication unit 21, for example.

[0075] <Server 3> The server 3 stores, for example, information acquired or generated by the gripping device 1 or the other device 2. The server 3 is connected to the gripping device 1 or the other device 2 via, for example, a communication network 9, and may transmit and receive any data to and from the gripping device 1 or the other device 2. The server 3 may store, in advance, information for outputting various control signals, and transmit the information in response to a request from the gripping device 1 or the other device 2.

[0076] <Communication Network 9> The communication network 9 is, for example, an Internet network to which the gripping device 1 and the other device 2 are connected via a communication circuit. The communication network 9 may be configured as a so-called optical fiber communication network. The communication network 9 may be realized by a known communication technology such as a wireless communication network in addition to a wired communication network.

[0077] (Operation method of gripping device 1) 5 to 7, an example of an operation method of the gripping device 1 will be described as a gripping method in this embodiment. The operation method of the gripping device 1 includes a gripping operation step S11 and a state information acquisition step S12, as shown in Fig. 5. The operation method of the gripping device 1 may further include a signal output step S13, for example.

[0078] <Grabbing operation step S11> In the gripping action step S11, the user U grips the first grip portion 141 and the handle portion 13 with one hand H, as shown in Fig. 6(a), for example. Specifically, the user U grips the first grip portion 141 and the handle portion 13 with one hand H by hooking the thumb of the hand H, for example the right hand, on the first grip portion 141 and hooking at least one of the index finger, middle finger, ring finger, and little finger of the hand H on the handle portion 13.

[0079] After that, the user U swings the first grip portion 141 with the thumb of one hand H along the gripping motion direction Fg1, as shown in Fig. 6(b), for example. At this time, the second grip portion 142 also swings along the gripping motion direction Fg1 in response to the swinging of the first grip portion 141. As a result, the one hand H is gripped by the first grip portion 141 and the second grip portion 142.

[0080] For example, as shown in FIG. 7(a), the user U may move the hand H in the one-hand movement direction Fh1 as shown in FIG. 7(b) in a state where the hand H is held by the first gripping portion 141 and the second gripping portion 142, thereby swinging the second gripping portion 142 in the grip releasing movement direction Fr1. At this time, the first gripping portion 141 also swings in the grip releasing movement direction Fr1 in response to the swinging of the second gripping portion 142. As a result, the hand H is released from the grip of the first gripping portion 141 and the second gripping portion 142. Note that, although an example in which the whole hand H is moved in the one-hand movement direction Fh1 has been described in FIG. 7(b), the second gripping portion 142 may be swung by moving at least one of the index finger, middle finger, ring finger, and little finger of the hand H in the one-hand movement direction Fh1 by the movement of opening the hand H.

[0081] <State information acquisition step S12> In the state information acquisition step S12, the state information acquisition unit 15 acquires state information D1a indicating a state in which the gripping parts 141, 142 are swung in a gripping motion direction Fg1 by the user U gripping them, as shown in Fig. 6 for example. In addition, the state information acquisition unit 15 acquires state information D2a indicating a state in which the gripping parts 141, 142 are swung in a grip release motion direction Fr1 by the user U gripping them, as shown in Fig. 7 for example. The state information acquisition unit 15 may transmit the acquired state information D1a, D2a to another device 2 or the server 3, for example.

[0082] Here, each of the state information D1a, D2a may include, for example, the speed, acceleration, and force (load) of each of the gripping parts 141, 142 in the swing direction, and the above-mentioned status information and message information corresponding thereto. Each of the state information D1a, D2a may indicate the speed, acceleration, and force (load) of the swing direction in which the gripping motion direction Fg1 is positive (negative) and the grip release motion direction Fr1 is negative (positive). The state information D1a may include, for example, the force (load) caused by the gripping of the user U identified by the force identification unit 141e. The swing speed of each of the gripping parts 141, 142 is, for example, 1 rad / s to 10 rad / s in terms of the angular velocity of the rotation axis, and is 0.1 m / s to 1 m / s when the length from the rotation axis to the fingertip is 10 cm. The swing acceleration of each of the gripping parts 141 and 142 is, for example, 0.1 m / s when the swing speed reaches the range of the above-mentioned range in 0.1 s to 1 s. 2 ~10m / s 2 The force (load) specified by the force specifying unit 141e is, for example, 0.01 N to 1 N when the mass of the movable part is 100 g.

[0083] The state information acquiring unit 15 acquires, for example, each piece of state information D1a, D2a based on the number of rotations of a motor gear of a motor to which mechanical energy accompanying the swing of the first gripping unit 141 is transmitted. The state information acquiring unit 15 may, for example, acquire each piece of multiple pieces of state information D1a, D2a in chronological order.

[0084] <Signal output step S13> In the signal output step S13, the signal output unit 16 outputs a control signal D1b for controlling the operation of the other device 2 connected in communication in response to the state information D1a acquired by the state information acquisition unit 15, as shown in FIG. 6(b), for example. Also, the signal output unit 16 outputs a control signal D2b for controlling the operation of the other device 2 connected in communication in response to the state information D2a acquired by the state information acquisition unit 15, as shown in FIG. 7(b), for example. The signal output unit 16 may output a control signal in response to a state in which the first gripping unit 141 and the second gripping unit 142 are stationary and not swinging. The signal output unit 16 may output each control signal D1b, D2b in chronological order in response to each of a plurality of pieces of state information D1a, D2a acquired in chronological order by the state information acquisition unit 15, for example.

[0085] <Operation steps of other device 2> After the signal output step S13, the other device 2 receives the control signals D1b, D2b output by the signal output unit 16 via the communication unit 21, and then stores them in the storage unit 204 by, for example, the storage unit 22. The other device 2 controls the operation of the gripper 29 based on the received control signals D1b, D2b. The other device 2 may receive the state information D1a, D2a, and then output the control signals D1b, D2b in accordance with the state information D1a, D2a in the other device 2.

[0086] The other device 2 may, for example, grip the object via the gripping unit 29 based on the received control signal D1b, and release the grip of the object via the gripping unit 29 based on the received control signal D2b. In this case, even if the user U has little experience in operating the other device 2, the user U can operate it intuitively. This can improve the operability of the other device 2 for the user U. Note that the other device 2 may, for example, grip the object via the gripping unit 29 based on the received control signal D2b, and release the grip of the object via the gripping unit 29 based on the received control signal D1b.

[0087] After performing each of the above-mentioned steps, the operation of the gripping device 1 in this embodiment is completed. Note that the gripping device 1 may perform each of the above-mentioned steps repeatedly, for example.

[0088] (Modification of the gripping device 1) Modified examples of the gripping device 1 in this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 8. Fig. 8(a) and Fig. 8(b) show gripping devices 1 in which the position of the oscillation axis S is different.

[0089] In FIG. 8(a), point A indicates the end of the first gripping portion 141 opposite the oscillation axis Sa when the pair of gripping portions 14 perform a gripping release operation. Point B indicates the end of the first gripping portion 141 opposite the oscillation axis Sa when the pair of gripping portions 14 perform a gripping operation. Point C indicates the position of the oscillation axis Sa of the first gripping portion 141. Angle ACB indicates the oscillation angle θ1 of the first gripping portion 141. Length L1 indicates the length of the first gripping portion 141 in the oscillation radial direction. Length W1 indicates the length in the protruding direction Fp from the end 10a' of the support body 10a on the handle portion 13 side to the oscillation axis Sa of the first gripping portion 141.

[0090] For example, the length L1 of the first grip portion 141 is longer than the length W1. That is, the first grip portion 141 swings so as to overlap at least a portion of the handle portion 13 in a plan view. In this case, the user U can easily grasp the first grip portion 141 and the handle portion 13 with one hand H. This can further improve the operability for the user U.

[0091] FIG. 8(b) shows the gripping device 1 in which the swing axis S in FIG. 8(a) is shifted in the opposite direction to the protruding direction Fp. As for the correspondence between the respective points, point D corresponds to point A, point E corresponds to point B, point F corresponds to point C, angle DFE corresponds to angle ACB, swing angle θ2 corresponds to swing angle θ1, length L2 corresponds to length L1, and length W1 corresponds to length W2. The length W2 is longer than the length W1. In addition, in consideration of the ease of gripping by the user U, point D is set to the position of point A and point E is set to the position of point B, so that the swing radius is longer and the length L2 is longer than the length L1. In addition, by increasing the swing radius, the swing angle θ2 becomes smaller than the swing angle θ1.

[0092] In this case, when the swing radius is longer, that is, when the gripping device 1 having the length W2 as shown in FIG. 8(b) is used, the user U can swing the first gripping unit 141 with less force due to the force moment law. On the other hand, when the swing radius of the first gripping unit 141 is shorter, that is, when the gripping device 1 having the length W1 as shown in FIG. 8(a) is used, the user U needs a larger force to swing the first gripping unit 141, which is useful for removing noise such as postural tremor not intentionally loaded by the user U and physiological tremor due to tension. This can improve the operability of the user U. Also, when the gripping device 1 having the length W1 is used, the user U can swing a larger swing angle θ1. In this case, a more accurate control signal can be output in response to the operation of the user U. This can improve the reproducibility of the operation of the user U with respect to the control of other devices.

[0093] From the above, by providing the oscillation axis S closer to the end portion 10a', it is possible to improve the operability for the user U and the reproducibility of the operation of the user U.

[0094] (Communication System 100) Next, an example of a communication system 100 using the above-mentioned gripping device 1 will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0095] The communication system 100 includes a pair of gripping devices that are communicatively connected to each other and perform bidirectional communication, as shown in Fig. 9. The pair of gripping devices includes one gripping device 1 (similar to gripping device 1) and the other gripping device 2 (another device 2, similar to the other gripping device 2).

[0096] The one gripping device 1 and the other gripping device 2 have the same configuration as the above-mentioned gripping device 1, for example, as shown in Fig. 10. Specifically, the other gripping device 2 includes a handle unit 23, a pair of gripping units 24, a status information acquisition unit 25, and a signal output unit 26 in addition to the above-mentioned communication unit 21 and memory unit 22. The support body 20a corresponds to the support body 10a, the handle unit 23 corresponds to the handle unit 13, the pair of gripping units 24 (each of the gripping units 241, 242) corresponds to the pair of gripping units 14 (each of the gripping units 141, 142), the status information acquisition unit 25 corresponds to the status information acquisition unit 15, and the signal output unit 26 corresponds to the signal output unit 16. Each of the gripping devices 1 and 2 may further include, for example, grip strength adjustment units 17 and 27.

[0097] The other gripping device 2 is a device for the user U2 to control the operation of the other gripping device 2 that is communicatively connected via, for example, a communication network 9. The other gripping device 2 is a device operated by the user U2. The other gripping device 2 may be connected to a server 3 via, for example, the communication network 9.

[0098] <Grip strength adjustment section 17, 27> The grip strength adjustment unit 17 converts the control signal received from the other grip device 2 to adjust the grip strength of one grip device 1. The grip strength adjustment unit 27 converts the control signal received from one grip device 1 to adjust the grip strength of the other grip device 2. In this case, even if there is a difference in the strength of one-handed operation between the users U and U2 due to gender differences, age differences, etc., two-way communication can be performed according to the users U and U2, such as adjusting the strength to an appropriate level according to the users U and U2. This can improve the operability of each user U and U2 with respect to the communication system 100 between the users U and U2. Note that the above-mentioned gear adjustment unit 10b differs from the grip strength adjustment units 17 and 27 that convert the control signal after output in that it adjusts the grip strength before outputting the control signal.

[0099] (Operation method of communication system 100) 11 and 12, an example of an operation method of the communication system 100 will be described as a gripping method in this embodiment. The operation method of the communication system 100 includes a gripping operation step S11, a state information acquisition step S12, and a signal output step S13.

[0100] <Grabbing operation step S11> In the gripping motion step S11, the user U grips the first grip portion 141 and the handle portion 13 with one hand H, and swings the first grip portion 141 along the gripping motion direction Fg1 with the thumb of the hand H, as shown in Fig. 11 for example. At this time, in response to the swinging of the first grip portion 141, the second grip portion 142 also swings in the gripping motion direction Fg1. As a result, the one hand H is gripped by the first grip portion 141 and the second grip portion 142.

[0101] 12, the user U may move one hand H along a one-hand movement direction Fh1 while the one hand H is held by the first gripping portion 141 and the second gripping portion 142, thereby swinging the second gripping portion 142 in a grip releasing movement direction Fr1. At this time, in response to the swinging of the second gripping portion 142, the first gripping portion 141 also swings along the grip releasing movement direction Fr1. As a result, the one hand H is released from the grip between the first gripping portion 141 and the second gripping portion 142.

[0102] <State information acquisition step S12> In the state information acquisition step S12, the state information acquisition unit 15 acquires state information D3a indicating a state in which the gripping portions 141, 142 are swung in a gripping motion direction Fg1 by the user U gripping them, as shown in Fig. 11. The state information acquisition unit 15 also acquires state information D4a indicating a state in which the gripping portions 141, 142 are swung in a gripping release motion direction Fr1 by the user U gripping them, as shown in Fig. 12.

[0103] The state information D3a may be the same as the state information D1a, and the state information D4a may be the same as the state information D2a. The state information acquisition unit 15 may transmit the acquired state information D3a and D4a to, for example, another gripping device 2 or the server 3.

[0104] <Signal output step S13> 11, for example, in response to status information D3a acquired by the status information acquisition unit 15, the signal output unit 16 outputs a control signal D3b for controlling the first gripping unit 241 and the second gripping unit 242 of the other communication-connected gripping device 2 to perform a gripping operation in the gripping operation direction Fg2. In addition, the signal output unit 16 outputs a control signal D4b for controlling the operation of the other communication-connected gripping device 2 in response to status information D4a acquired by the status information acquisition unit 15, for example, as shown in FIG.

[0105] <Operation steps of the other gripping device 2> The other gripping device 2 receives the control signals D3b, D4b output by the signal output unit 16 in, for example, the signal output step S13 via the communication unit 21, and then stores the control signals in the storage unit 204 by, for example, the storage unit 22. In addition, the other device 2 controls the operations of the first gripping unit 241 and the second gripping unit 242 based on the received control signals D3b, D4b.

[0106] The other holding device 2 swings the first holding portion 241 and the second holding portion 242 in a gripping operation direction Fg2 based on, for example, the received control signal D3b, and holds the hand H2 of the user U2. Also, the other holding device 2 swings the first holding portion 241 and the second holding portion 242 in a grip releasing operation direction Fr2 based on, for example, the received control signal D4b, and releases the grip of the hand H2 of the user U2.

[0107] That is, the gripping device 1 outputs control signals D3b and D4b according to one-axis motion of the first gripping part 141 and the second gripping part 142, and the other gripping device 2 swings based on the control signals D3b and D4b. Therefore, the motion of the user U gripped can be transmitted to the other user U2 via the pair of gripping devices without strict control calculation of position and speed. This makes it possible to easily reproduce the operations of the users U and U2 without relying on members that enable precise control calculation for the communication system 100 between the users U and U2.

[0108] Each of the gripping devices 1 and 2 may include a camera (not shown) for capturing images of each of the users U and U2. In this case, each of the gripping devices 1 and 2 may display an image of the other user U2 captured by the camera of the other gripping device 2 on the display unit 109 on the user U side, and display an image of the user U captured by the camera of the gripping device 1 on the display unit 209 on the user U2 side, as shown in, for example, Figs. 11 and 12. In addition, at least one of the swing speed, swing acceleration, and applied force (load amount) showing the swing state of each of the gripping parts 241 and 242 operated by the other user U2, status information and message information of the other user U2 may be displayed on the display unit 109 on the user U side, and at least one of the swing speed, swing acceleration, and applied force (load amount) showing the swing state of each of the gripping parts 141 and 142 operated by the user U, status information and message information of the user U may be displayed on the display unit 209 on the other user U2 side. In this case, tactile information from each of the gripping devices 1, 2 can be communicated bidirectionally together with visual information from each of the display units 109, 209. This can improve the sense of realism of communication between the users U and U2.

[0109] <Operation steps of the other gripping device 2> Although not shown in the drawing, the user U2 may perform an operation on another gripping device 2 similar to the operation of the user U on the gripping device 1, for example.

[0110] That is, the user U2 may hold the first gripping portion 241 and the handle portion 23 with one hand H2, swing the first gripping portion 241 in the gripping motion direction Fg2 or the gripping release motion direction Fr2 with the thumb of the hand H2, and swing the second gripping portion 242 in the gripping motion direction Fg2 or the gripping release motion direction Fr2 in response to the swinging of the first gripping portion 241. Thereafter, the status information acquisition unit 25 may acquire status information indicating a state in which the gripping portions 241, 242 are swinging in the gripping motion direction Fg2 or a state in which the gripping portions 241, 242 are swinging in the gripping motion direction Fg2 or a state in which the gripping portions 241, 242 are swinging in the gripping release motion direction Fr2 due to the gripping of the user U2.

[0111] Thereafter, the signal output unit 26 may output a control signal for controlling the first gripping portion 141 and the second gripping portion 142 of the communication-connected gripping device 1 to perform a gripping operation in the gripping operation direction Fg1, for example, in accordance with status information acquired by the status information acquisition unit 25, and may also output a control signal for controlling the first gripping portion 141 and the second gripping portion 142 of the communication-connected gripping device 1 to perform a gripping operation in the gripping release operation direction Fr1 based on the swinging of the first gripping portion 241 and the second gripping portion 242 in the grip release operation direction Fr2.

[0112] Further, the other user U2 may execute the operation step of the other gripping device 2 even during the execution of the operation step of the other gripping device 2. When the other user U2 performs an operation that repels the operation of the other gripping device 2 by the operation step of the other gripping device 2, for example, when the first gripping part 241 and the second gripping part 242 are swung in the grip release operation direction Fr2 in repelling the operation of swinging in the gripping operation direction Fg2, the other user U2 may output a control signal for controlling the gripping device 1 via the signal output unit 26 based on the swing speed and swing acceleration of each gripping part 241, 242 actually acquired by the state information acquisition unit 25, the number of rotations of the motor gear of the motor to which the mechanical energy accompanying the swing of the first gripping part 241 is transmitted, the force (load amount) applied to the first gripping part 241, and a stress value specified from the force (load amount) applied to the first gripping part 241.

[0113] (Modification of the operation method of the communication system 100) 13, a modified operation method of the communication system 100 using the above-mentioned gripping device 1 will be described. In this modified operation, before the operation of the communication system 100, a gripping operation step S11 by a past user U3, a state information acquisition step S12, and a signal output step S13 are performed in advance.

[0114] <Advance preparation> The past user U3 performs the above-mentioned gripping operation step S11, state information acquisition step S12, and signal output step S13, for example, using the gripping device 1. Thereafter, the control signal output in the signal output step S13 is transmitted to the server 3. Note that the state information acquisition step S12 may transmit, for example, the acquired state information to the server 3. The storage unit of the server 3 stores in the storage unit of the server 3 the state information or control signal acquired or output by the operation of the past user U3 and received from the gripping device 1.

[0115] The past user U3, for example, by the same method as described above, causes the status information acquisition unit 15 to acquire status information D5a indicating a state of swinging in the gripping operation direction Fg1 in each of the gripping parts 141, 142, or status information D6a indicating a state of swinging in the gripping release operation direction Fr1, as shown in Figs. 13(a) to 13(b). In addition, the past user U3 may output a control signal D5b for controlling the first gripping part 141 and the second gripping part 142 of the gripping device 1 to swing in the gripping operation direction Fg1 according to the status information D5a acquired by the status information acquisition unit 15, or a control signal D6b for controlling the swinging in the gripping release operation direction Fr1 according to the acquired status information D6a, together with or instead of each status information D5a, D6a.

[0116] Thereafter, the past user U3 causes the server 3 to store at least one of the state information D5a, D6a acquired by the state information acquisition unit 15 and the control signals D5b, D6b output by the signal output unit 16. Note that the state information D5a may be similar to the state information D1a, and the state information D6a may be similar to the state information D2a.

[0117] <Operation steps of gripping device 1> After the user U3 makes a preparation in advance, the gripping device 1 receives at least one of the state information D5a, D6a and the control signals D5b, D6b from the server 3, and then stores the information in the storage unit 104, for example, by the storage unit 12. The gripping device 1 swings the first gripping unit 141 and the second gripping unit 142 based on the control signals D5b, D6b output via the signal output unit 16 based on the state information D5a, D6a received from the server 3, or based on the control signals D5b, D6b received from the server 3. In this case, the past gripping state by the user U3 can be transmitted to the user U. This can improve the convenience of the user U with respect to the communication system 100 between the users U and U3.

[0118] The gripping device 1 swings the first gripping portion 141 and the second gripping portion 142 in a gripping operation direction Fg1 based on, for example, the received status information D5a or the control signal D5b, and grips one hand H of the user U. Also, the gripping device 1 swings the first gripping portion 141 and the second gripping portion 142 in a gripping release operation direction Fr1 based on, for example, the received status information D6a or the control signal D6b, and releases the grip of one hand H of the user U. At this time, the gripping device 1 may display, for example, an image of the user U3 captured in the past by the camera of the gripping device 1 on the display unit 109, and may display at least one of the swing speed, swing acceleration, and applied force (load amount) indicating the swing state of the gripping portions 141 and 142 operated in the past by the past user U3, and the status information and message information of the past user U3. In this case, tactile information by the gripping device 1 of the past user U3 can be transmitted to the user U together with visual information by the display unit 109. This can improve the sense of realism of communication between the users U and U3. Note that the past user U3 may perform each of the above steps using, for example, another gripping device 2.

[0119] The past user U3 may store, for example, each piece of state information D5a, D6a or each control signal D5b, D6b in the storage unit 104 of the gripping device 1 via the storage unit 12. In this case, the gripping device 1 may directly retrieve each piece of state information D5a, D6a or each control signal D5b, D6b from the storage unit 104 without receiving it from the server 3, and then swing the first gripping unit 141 and the second gripping unit 142 based on each piece of state information D5a, D6a or each control signal D5b, D6b.

[0120] After the above steps are performed, the operation of the communication system 100 in this embodiment ends. Note that the communication system 100 may perform the above steps repeatedly, for example.

[0121] According to this embodiment, the second gripping section 142 swings in the opposite direction to the direction of swinging of the first gripping section 141 when the first gripping section 141 and the handle section 13 are gripped with one hand H, and a state information acquiring section 15 is provided for acquiring state information D1a to D6a indicating the state of swinging of the first gripping section 141 and the second gripping section 142. That is, the state information acquiring section 15 acquires state information D1a to D6a indicating the state of one-axis motion of the first gripping section 141 and the second gripping section 142. Therefore, the state of gripping by the user U can be specified without performing strict control calculation of position and speed. This allows the operation of the user U to be reproduced easily without relying on a member that enables precise control calculation.

[0122] Moreover, according to this embodiment, the device further includes a signal output unit 16 that outputs control signals D1b-D6b according to the state information D1a-D6a acquired by the state information acquisition unit 15. That is, the signal output unit 16 outputs control signals D1b-D6b according to one-axis motion of the first gripping unit 141 and the second gripping unit 142. Therefore, the operation of the other device 2 that is the control target can be specified without performing strict control calculations for position and speed. This makes it possible to easily reproduce the user's operation without relying on a member that enables precise control calculations for the control of the other device 2.

[0123] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the first gripping portion 141 swings in response to the swinging of the second gripping portion 142 by one hand H. That is, the first gripping portion 141 and the second gripping portion 142 open and close in response to the movement of one hand H of the user U. Therefore, the state of gripping by the user U can be specified without imparting kinetic energy to the first gripping portion 141 and the second gripping portion 142 by elastic force or electronic control. This makes it possible to reproduce the state of gripping by the user U simply and accurately.

[0124] Moreover, according to this embodiment, the device further includes a force specifying unit 141e that specifies the force applied to the first gripping unit 141, and the state information acquiring unit 15 acquires state information D1a to D6a corresponding to the force specified by the force specifying unit 141e. Therefore, the state of gripping by the user U can be specified without performing strict control calculation of the position and speed according to the force accompanying the swinging of the first gripping unit 141. This makes it possible to simply and accurately reproduce the state of gripping by the user U.

[0125] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the pair of gripping devices 1, 2 are each provided with a second gripping portion 142, 242 that is extended from the support body 10a, 20a and pivotally supported, and that swings in the opposite direction to the direction of swing of the first gripping portion 141, 241 when held with one hand H, H2, and signal output units 16, 26 that output control signals D3b, D4b in accordance with the swing state of the first gripping portion 141, 241 and the second gripping portion 142, 242, and one of the gripping devices 1 (2) swings at the first gripping portion 141 (241) and the second gripping portion 142 (242) based on the control signal received from the other of the gripping devices 2 (1). That is, the gripping device 1 (2) outputs control signals D3b, D4b according to the uniaxial movement of the first gripping portion 141 (241) and the second gripping portion 142 (242), and the other gripping device 2 (1) swings based on the control signals D3b, D4b. Therefore, the gripping action of the user U (U2) can be transmitted to the other user U2 (U) via the pair of gripping devices without strict position and speed control calculation. This allows the operation of the user U, U2 to be reproduced easily without relying on members that enable precise control calculation regarding the communication system 100 between the users U and U2.

[0126] Moreover, according to this embodiment, the communication system 100 further includes a grip strength adjustment unit 17 (27) that converts the control signals D3b to D4b to adjust the grip strength of the other grip device 2 (1). Therefore, even if there is a difference in the strength of the users U and U2 to operate by gripping with one hand H, H2 due to gender difference, age difference, etc., it is possible to perform bidirectional communication tailored to the users U and U2, such as adjusting the strength to an appropriate level depending on the users U and U2. This can improve the operability of the users U and U2 with respect to the communication system 100 between the users U and U2.

[0127] Moreover, according to this embodiment, the communication system 100 further includes a storage unit 12 (a storage unit of the server 3) that stores at least one of the state information D5a, D6a and the control signals D5b, D6b. Therefore, the past state of holding by the user U3 can be transmitted to the user U. This can improve the convenience of the user U with respect to the communication system 100 between the users U and U3.

[0128] Further, according to this embodiment, there are a gripping operation step S11 in which the second gripping part 142 swings in the opposite direction to the swinging direction of the first gripping part 141 when the first gripping part 141 and the handle part 13 are gripped with one hand H, and a state information acquisition step S12 in which state information D1a to D6a indicating the swinging state of the first gripping part 141 and the second gripping part 142 is acquired. That is, the state information acquisition unit 15 acquires state information D1a to D6a indicating the state of one-axis motion of the first gripping part 141 and the second gripping part 142. Therefore, the state of gripping by the user U can be specified without performing strict control calculation of the position and the speed. This makes it possible to easily reproduce the state of gripping by the user U without relying on a member that enables precise control calculation.

[0129] Further, according to this embodiment, the computer executes a gripping operation step S11 in which the second gripping part 142 swings in the opposite direction to the swinging direction of the first gripping part 141 when the first gripping part 141 and the handle part 13 are gripped with one hand H, and a state information acquisition step S12 in which state information D1a to D6a indicating the swinging state of the first gripping part 141 and the second gripping part 142 is acquired. That is, the state information acquisition unit 15 acquires state information D1a to D6a indicating the state of one-axis motion of the first gripping part 141 and the second gripping part 142. Therefore, the state of gripping by the user U can be specified without performing strict control calculation of the position and the speed. This makes it possible to easily reproduce the state of gripping by the user U without relying on a member that enables precise control calculation.

[0130] Although some embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their modifications are included in the scope and spirit of the invention, and are included in the scope of the invention and its equivalents described in the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0131] 1, 2 gripping device, other device, other gripping device 10, 20 Case 101, 201 CPU 102, 202 ROM 103, 203 RAM 104, 204 Preservation Department 105~107, 205~207 I / F 108, 208 Input section 109, 209 Display section 110, 210 Internal Bus 10a, 20a support 10b Gear adjustment part 11, 21 Communications Department 12, 22 Storage section 13, 23 Handle section 14, 24 Pair of gripping parts 141, 241 1st grip part 141a~141c Finger part 141d Through hole 141e Force identification part 142, 242 Second grip part 15, 25 Status information acquisition section 16, 26 Signal output section 17, 27 Grip strength adjustment part 29 Gripping part 3 Server 9. Communication Network R region S11 Grasping operation step S12 Signal output step D1~D6 Control signals H, H2 One-handed U, U2, U3 users, other users, past users S Swing Axis Fp protruding direction Fg1, Fg2 Grip operation direction Fr1, Fr2 Grip release operation direction Fh1 One-handed movement direction

Claims

1. A support; A first gripping portion extended from the support and pivotally supported thereon; a handle portion that is protruding from the support body and that can be held by a user together with the first grip portion in one hand; A second gripping portion that is extended from the support body and pivotally supported so as to be swingable, and that swings in a direction opposite to the direction of swing of the first gripping portion in response to the swing of the first gripping portion by the gripping; a state information acquisition unit that acquires state information indicating a swing state of the first grip portion and the second grip portion; To be prepared A gripping device comprising:

2. The apparatus further includes a signal output unit that outputs a control signal for controlling another device that is communicatively connected in accordance with the state information acquired by the state information acquisition unit. The gripping device according to claim 1 .

3. The first gripping portion swings in response to the swinging of the second gripping portion by the one hand. The gripping device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that

4. A force specifying unit that specifies a force applied to the first gripping unit, The state information acquisition unit acquires the state information corresponding to the force identified by the force identification unit. The gripping device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that

5. A pair of gripping devices communicatively connected to each other for two-way communication; The pair of gripping devices A support; A first gripping portion extended from the support and pivotally supported thereon; a handle portion that is protruding from the support body and that can be held by a user together with the first grip portion in one hand; A second gripping portion that is extended from the support body and pivotally supported so as to be swingable, and that swings in a direction opposite to the direction of swing of the first gripping portion in response to the swing of the first gripping portion by the gripping; a signal output unit that outputs a control signal according to a swing state of the first gripping unit and the second gripping unit; Each of them has The one of the gripping devices is adapted to swing between the first gripping portion and the second gripping portion based on the control signal received from the other of the gripping devices. A communication system characterized by:

6. A gripping strength adjustment unit that converts the control signal to adjust the gripping strength of one of the gripping devices, The gripping device swings between the first gripping portion and the second gripping portion based on the control signal converted by the gripping strength adjustment portion.

6. The communication system according to claim 5,

7. A storage unit that stores the control signal is further provided. The gripping device swings between the first gripping portion and the second gripping portion based on at least one of the state information stored in the storage portion and the control signal.

7. A communication system according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that

8. a gripping operation step in which a first gripping portion extended from a support and pivotally supported to be swingable, and a handle portion protruding from the support and capable of being held by a user together with the first gripping portion in one hand, in response to the swinging of the first gripping portion by the gripping, a second gripping portion extended from the support and pivotally supported to be swingable swings in a direction opposite to the direction of the swinging of the first gripping portion; a state information acquiring step of acquiring state information indicating a state of swing of the first gripping portion and the second gripping portion due to the gripping operation step; Having A gripping method comprising:

9. a gripping operation step in which a first gripping portion extended from a support and pivotally supported to be swingable, and a handle portion protruding from the support and capable of being held by a user together with the first gripping portion in one hand, in response to the swinging of the first gripping portion by the gripping, a second gripping portion extended from the support and pivotally supported to be swingable swings in a direction opposite to the direction of the swinging of the first gripping portion; a state information acquiring step of acquiring state information indicating a state of swing of the first gripping portion and the second gripping portion due to the gripping operation step; to have a computer execute A grasping program characterized by:

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