Human shaped robot and program

Abstract

SOLUTION: A human shaped robot has: an upper half body part having at least one arm part; leg parts placed on a floor; and a coupling part for coupling rotatably, the upper half body part to the leg parts, where wheel parts are provided on the lower parts of the leg parts.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a humanoid robot and a program.

Background Art

[0002] In a factory production line, humanoid robots are used to perform operations automatically. Patent Document 1 describes the posture control of a humanoid robot.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, conventional humanoid robots are unstable for bipedal walking. Also, they cannot judge the distance and angle from an object. For this reason, when an object falls from the production line or when an object to be worked on is placed on the floor, the operation of picking up the object cannot be performed. Also, when performing operations such as pushing or pulling an object on the production line, there is a possibility of falling.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to solve the above problems.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The humanoid robot according to the present disclosure includes an upper body portion having at least one arm portion, a leg portion placed on the floor, and a connecting portion that rotatably connects the upper body portion to the leg portion, and wheels are provided at the lower end portions of the leg portions.

[0007] In the humanoid robot according to the present disclosure, the connecting portion may be configured to tilt the upper body portion with respect to the leg portion as a rotating operation.

[0008] In the humanoid robot according to the present disclosure, the connecting portion may be configured to rotate the upper body portion in the horizontal direction of the floor with respect to the leg portion as a rotating operation.

[0009] In the humanoid robot according to the present disclosure, four leg portions may be provided on the outer peripheral side of the connecting portion.

[0010] In the humanoid robot according to the present disclosure, an information acquisition unit that acquires information representing at least the distance and angle between the arm portion and an object to be worked on, and a control unit that controls at least one of the operations of the leg portion, the operations of the arm portion, and the rotation of the connecting portion based on the information may be provided.

[0011] The program according to the present disclosure causes a computer to function as a control unit of the humanoid robot according to the present disclosure.

[0012] Note that the above summary of the invention does not list all the necessary features of the present invention. Also, sub-combinations of these feature groups can also be inventions.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0013]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0014] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described through embodiments of the invention. However, the following embodiments do not limit the invention according to the claims. Also, not all combinations of features described in the embodiments are essential for the solution means of the invention.

[0015] Hereinafter, an example of an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, the same or equivalent components and parts are given the same reference numerals. Also, the dimensional ratios in the drawings are exaggerated for the convenience of explanation and may be different from the actual ratios.

[0016] FIG. 1 is a front view of a humanoid robot according to a first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the humanoid robot 1 according to the present embodiment includes an upper body part 2, leg parts 3, and a connecting part 4 that rotatably connects the upper body part 2 to the leg parts 3. It is arranged, for example, on a production line in a factory, etc., and performs work on objects on the line or on the floor.

[0017] The upper body part 2 has two arm parts 5. The arm parts 5 are rotatably attached to the left and right sides of the upper body part 2. Also, a gripping part 5a for gripping an object is attached to the tip of the arm part 5. Note that the number of arm parts is not limited to two, and may be one or three or more.

[0018] The leg parts 3 are provided so as to extend from the lower side of the connecting part 4 to the floor side. Also, wheels 6 are provided at the lower end of the leg parts 3, and the humanoid robot 1 can move on the floor where it is arranged. Also, four leg parts 3 are provided on the outer peripheral side of the connecting part 4. Note that the number of leg parts 3 is not limited to four, and any number can be used as long as it can support the humanoid robot 1, but it is preferably four in order to stabilize the humanoid robot 1.

[0019] In addition, a knee 7 is provided in the middle of the leg 3. By controlling the control unit 142 described later, the angle between the leg 3a on the wheel 6 side and the leg 3b on the connecting portion 4 side can be changed. This makes it easier to balance the humanoid robot 1. Also, by changing the angle between the leg 3a on the wheel 6 side and the leg 3b on the connecting portion 4 side, it is possible to change the height of the humanoid robot 1. Specifically, the upper body 2 can be lowered by making this angle acute and raised by making it obtuse. Thus, the vertical position of the upper body 2 with respect to the leg 3 can be adjusted to match the height of the workbench on the production line.

[0020] The connecting portion 4 rotatably connects the upper body 2 and the leg 3. Specifically, the connecting portion 4 includes a tilting mechanism using a motor or a cylinder. The motor and the cylinder can adopt any of electric, hydraulic, and pneumatic systems. Therefore, the upper body 2 can tilt forward and backward with respect to the leg 3.

[0021] Here, in the case of the tilting mechanism using a motor, when the motor fixed to one of the connecting portion 4 and the upper body 2 is driven, the other of the connecting portion 4 and the upper body 2 tilts. As a result, the upper body 2 tilts relatively with respect to the leg 3.

[0022] Also, in the case of the tilting mechanism using a cylinder, there is a fixed point where one end of the cylinder is fixed to one of the connecting portion 4 and the upper body 2, and an operating point where the other end of the cylinder is fixed to the other of the connecting portion 4 and the upper body 2. Then, by operating the cylinder to change the distance between the fixed point and the operating point, the upper body 2 tilts relatively with respect to the leg 3.

[0023] Therefore, as shown in FIG. 2, the humanoid robot 1 according to the present embodiment can tilt the upper body 2 forward with respect to the leg 3 to pick up an object 100 placed on the floor F or that has fallen to the floor F during work.

[0024] Note that the leg part 3 has a balance function to prevent the humanoid robot 1 from falling when the upper body part 2 leans forward or backward with respect to the leg part 3 or when the humanoid robot 1 moves.

[0025] Furthermore, the connecting part 4 of the present embodiment is configured to be able to rotate the upper body part 2 in the horizontal direction of the floor F surface with respect to the leg part 3 as a rotating operation. Specifically, the connecting part 4 includes a rotation mechanism by a motor or a cylinder. The motor and the cylinder can adopt any of electric, hydraulic, and pneumatic methods.

[0026] Here, in the case of the rotation mechanism by a motor, when the motor fixed to one of the upper part or the lower part of the connecting part 4 is driven, the other side of the upper part and the lower part of the connecting part 4 rotates. As a result, the upper body part 2 rotates relatively with respect to the leg part 3.

[0027] Also, in the case of the rotation mechanism by a cylinder, there is a fixed point where one end of the cylinder is fixed to one of the upper part and the lower part of the connecting part 4, and there is an operating point where the other end of the cylinder is fixed to the other of the upper part and the lower part of the connecting part 4. Then, by operating the cylinder to change the distance between the fixed point and the operating point, the upper body part 2 rotates relatively with respect to the leg part 3.

[0028] Note that in the case of the rotation mechanism by a cylinder, since there is a restriction on the rotatable angle, when rotating the upper body part 2 many times with respect to the leg part 3, it is advisable to adopt a crank mechanism or select a rotation mechanism by a motor.

[0029] According to the rotation mechanism of the connecting part 4, the following operations are possible. The humanoid robot 1 of the present embodiment can, for example, turn toward the workbench on the opposite side sandwiching the workbench and the humanoid robot 1 by driving the connecting part 4 to perform a rotational operation in the horizontal direction from the state of facing the workbench.

[0030] Note that the rotational operation in the horizontal direction of the connecting part 4 can not only rotate the upper body part 2 by 180 degrees, but also rotate in the range of 0 to 360 degrees and stop the upper body part 2 at an arbitrary position.

[0031] Also, the rotation angle is, for example, 90 degrees, but is not limited thereto, and rotations of 180 degrees or 360 degrees may be possible, or rotations at any angle may also be made possible.

[0032] Also, the humanoid robot 1 according to the present embodiment is driven under the control of a control system 10 mounted inside the humanoid robot 1.

[0033] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of an example of a control system of the humanoid robot according to the present embodiment. The control system 10 includes a sensor 12 mounted on the humanoid robot and an information processing device 14.

[0034] The sensor 12 sequentially acquires information representing at least the distance and angle between an object 100 on which the humanoid robot 1 works and the arm unit 5, which are around the humanoid robot 1. As the sensor 12, a camera with the highest performance, a solid-state LiDAR, a multi-color laser coaxial displacement meter, or various other sensor groups may be adopted. In addition, as the sensor 12, a vibrometer, a thermal camera, a hardness meter, a radar, a LiDAR, a high-pixel, telephoto, ultra-wide-angle, 360-degree, high-performance camera, vision recognition, fine sound, ultrasonic wave, vibration, infrared ray, ultraviolet ray, electromagnetic wave, temperature, humidity, spot AI weather forecast, high-precision multi-channel GPS, low-altitude satellite information, or long-tail incident AI data, etc. may be mentioned.

[0035] In addition to the above information, the sensor 12 detects images, distances, vibrations, heat, smells, colors, sounds, ultrasonic waves, ultraviolet rays, or infrared rays, etc. Other information detected by the sensor 12 includes the detection of the movement of the center of gravity of the humanoid robot 1, the detection of the material of the floor F on which the humanoid robot 1 is installed, the detection of the outside air temperature, the detection of the outside air humidity, the detection of the vertical, horizontal, and diagonal inclination angles of the floor F, the detection of the moisture content, etc.

[0036] The sensor 12 performs these detections, for example, every nanosecond.

[0037] The information processing device 14 includes an information acquisition unit 140, a control unit 142, and an information storage unit 144.

[0038] The information acquisition unit 140 acquires information on the object 100 detected by the sensor 12.

[0039] The control unit 142 controls operations of the leg part 3, the rotation operation of the connecting part 4, the operation of the arm part 5, etc. by using the information acquired by the information acquisition unit 140 and AI (Artificial Intelligence).

[0040] For example, the control unit 142 executes the following respective processes. (1) To control the driving of the wheels 6 so that the humanoid robot 1 moves to the position of the object 100 on the floor F. Specifically, the control unit 142 controls the rotation direction and the steering angle of each wheel 6 based on the distance to the object 100 detected by the sensor 12. (2) Drive the connecting part 4 so as to be able to pick up the object 100 on the floor F, and tilt the upper body part 2 forward or backward. (3) Drive the arm part 5 and the gripping part 5a so as to be able to grasp the object 100. In this case, drive the connecting part 4 as necessary to tilt the upper body part 2 forward or backward. (4) Take balance to prevent the humanoid robot 1 from falling. (5) Drive the connecting part 4 to rotate the upper body part 2 in the horizontal direction. (6) Control the driving of the wheels 6 so that the humanoid robot 1 can push forward a cart or the like.

[0041] The information storage unit 144 stores the information on the object 100 detected by the sensor 12. Also, it stores the log of the operations of the humanoid robot 1 controlled by the control unit 142.

[0042] When picking up the object 100 on the floor F, for example, the information processing device 14 repeatedly executes the flowchart shown in FIG. 4.

[0043] In step S100, the information acquisition unit 140 acquires the information of the object 100 detected by the sensor 12.

[0044] In step S102, the control unit 142 controls the leg portions 3, the connecting portion 4, and the arm portions 5 by using the information of the object 100 acquired in step S100 and AI, thereby picking up the object 100 on the floor F.

[0045] In step S104, the control unit 142 moves the picked-up object 100 to a predetermined position.

[0046] According to the present embodiment, the humanoid robot 1 includes an upper body portion 2, leg portions 3, and a connecting portion 4 that rotatably connects the upper body portion 2 and the leg portions 3. Further, the rotation of the connecting portion 4 is controlled based on the information acquired by the sensor 12. Therefore, the distance and angle between the humanoid robot 1 and the object 100 can be determined, and thus an operation such as picking up the object 100 on the floor F can be performed.

[0047] Further, the leg portions 3 have a balance function for preventing the humanoid robot 1 from falling when the upper body portion 2 tilts forward or backward with respect to the leg portions 3. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the humanoid robot 1 from falling when performing operations such as pushing or pulling the object 100 on the production line. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent a failure of the humanoid robot 1 due to a fall, or an injury to a person around the humanoid robot 1.

[0048] Further, the connecting portion 4 is configured to be rotatable in the horizontal direction in addition to tilting and telescoping operations. Therefore, the humanoid robot 1 can carry the object 100 to a location on the rotation path by rotating the connecting portion 4, or can successively perform operations at a plurality of workplaces on the rotation path.

[0049] Note that the humanoid robot 1 of the present embodiment may perform a rotation operation of the connecting portion 4 in a state where the upper body portion 2 is tilted forward or backward. That is, operations such as lifting or lowering the object 100 are possible.

[0050] As described above, when the upper body part 2 tilts or rotates by the connecting part 4, the above-described balance function operates to perform an operation so that the humanoid robot 1 does not fall. For example, the balance function maintains balance by changing the tilt and rotation angle of the upper body part 2. Also, for example, the balance function drives the wheels 6 and maintains balance by the driving torque thereof.

[0051] [Supplementary Explanation] FIG. 5 schematically shows an example of the hardware configuration of a computer 1200 that functions as the information processing apparatus 14. The program installed in the computer 1200 can cause the computer 1200 to function as one or more "parts" of the apparatus according to the present embodiment, or cause the computer 1200 to execute an operation associated with the apparatus according to the present embodiment or the one or more "parts", and / or cause the computer 1200 to execute the process according to the present embodiment or a stage of the process. Such a program may be executed by the CPU 1212 so as to cause the computer 1200 to execute specific operations associated with some or all of the blocks in the flowcharts and block diagrams described herein.

[0052] The computer 1200 according to the present embodiment includes a CPU 1212, a RAM 1214, and a graphic controller 1216, which are mutually connected by a host controller 1210. The computer 1200 also includes input / output units such as a communication interface 1222, a storage device 1224, a DVD drive, and an IC card drive, which are connected to the host controller 1210 via an input / output controller 1220. The DVD drive may be a DVD-ROM drive, a DVD-RAM drive, or the like. The storage device 1224 may be a hard disk drive, a solid state drive, or the like. The computer 1200 also includes input / output units such as a ROM 1230 and a keyboard, which are connected to the input / output controller 1220 via an input / output chip 1240.

[0053] The CPU 1212 operates according to programs stored in the ROM 1230 and the RAM 1214, thereby controlling each unit. The graphic controller 1216 acquires image data generated by the CPU 1212 in a frame buffer provided in the RAM 1214 or the like, or in itself, and causes the image data to be displayed on the display device 1218.

[0054] The communication interface 1222 communicates with other electronic devices via a network. The storage device 1224 stores programs and data used by the CPU 1212 in the computer 1200. The DVD drive reads programs or data from a DVD-ROM or the like and provides them to the storage device 1224. The IC card drive reads programs and data from an IC card and / or writes programs and data to an IC card.

[0055] The ROM 1230 stores therein a boot program or the like executed by the computer 1200 at activation, and / or a program dependent on the hardware of the computer 1200. The input / output chip 1240 may also connect various input / output units to the input / output controller 1220 via a USB port, a parallel port, a serial port, a keyboard port, a mouse port, or the like.

[0056] The program is provided by a computer-readable storage medium such as a DVD-ROM or an IC card. The program is read from the computer-readable storage medium, installed in the storage device 1224, the RAM 1214, or the ROM 1230, which is also an example of a computer-readable storage medium, and executed by the CPU 1212. The information processing described in these programs is read by the computer 1200, resulting in cooperation between the programs and the various types of hardware resources described above. The apparatus or method may be configured by realizing an operation or processing of information according to the use of the computer 1200.

[0057] For example, when communication is executed between the computer 1200 and an external device, the CPU 1212 may execute a communication program loaded in the RAM 1214 and instruct the communication interface 1222 to perform communication processing based on the processing described in the communication program. Under the control of the CPU 1212, the communication interface 1222 reads transmission data stored in a transmission buffer area provided in a recording medium such as the RAM 1214, the storage device 1224, the DVD-ROM, or the IC card, transmits the read transmission data to the network, or writes the received data received from the network to a reception buffer area or the like provided on the recording medium.

[0058] Further, the CPU 1212 may cause all or a necessary part of a file or database stored in an external recording medium such as the storage device 1224, the DVD drive (DVD-ROM), the IC card, etc. to be read into the RAM 1214 and perform various types of processing on the data on the RAM 1214. The CPU 1212 may then write back the processed data to the external recording medium.

[0059] Various types of information such as various types of programs, data, tables, and databases may be stored in a recording medium and may undergo information processing. The CPU 1212 may perform various types of processing on the data read from the RAM 1214, including various types of operations, information processing, conditional judgment, conditional branching, unconditional branching, information search / replacement, etc., described throughout this disclosure and specified by the instruction sequence of the program, and write back the results to the RAM 1214. Also, the CPU 1212 may search for information in files, databases, etc. within the recording medium. For example, when a plurality of entries each having an attribute value of a first attribute associated with an attribute value of a second attribute are stored in the recording medium, the CPU 1212 searches for an entry that matches the condition where the attribute value of the first attribute is specified among the plurality of entries, reads the attribute value of the second attribute stored in the entry, and thereby may obtain the attribute value of the second attribute associated with the first attribute that satisfies a predetermined condition.

[0060] The program or software module described above may be stored in a computer-readable storage medium on or near the computer 1200. Also, a recording medium such as a hard disk or RAM provided within a dedicated communication network or a server system connected to the Internet can be used as a computer-readable storage medium, thereby providing the program to the computer 1200 via the network.

[0061] ​In the flowcharts and block diagrams in this embodiment, the blocks may represent stages of a process in which operations are performed or "parts" of a device that play a role in performing the operations. Specific stages and "parts" may be implemented by a dedicated circuit, a programmable circuit supplied with computer-readable instructions stored on a computer-readable storage medium, and / or a processor supplied with computer-readable instructions stored on a computer-readable storage medium. The dedicated circuit may include digital and / or analog hardware circuits, and may include integrated circuits (ICs) and / or discrete circuits. The programmable circuit may include, for example, a reconfigurable hardware circuit including logical products, logical sums, exclusive logical sums, negative logical products, negative logical sums, and other logical operations, flip-flops, registers, and memory elements, such as a field programmable gate array (FPGA) and a programmable logic array (PLA).

[0062] The computer-readable storage medium may include any tangible device capable of storing instructions executable by an appropriate device. As a result, a computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored therein will comprise a product including instructions that can be executed to create means for performing the operations specified in the flowchart or block diagram. Examples of computer-readable storage media may include electronic storage media, magnetic storage media, optical storage media, electromagnetic storage media, semiconductor storage media, etc. More specific examples of computer-readable storage media may include floppy (registered trademark) disks, diskettes, hard disks, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), static random access memory (SRAM), compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), digital versatile disc (DVD), Blu-ray (registered trademark) disc, memory stick, integrated circuit card, etc.

[0063] Computer-readable instructions may include any combination of one or more programming languages, including assembly instructions, instruction set architecture (ISA) instructions, machine instructions, machine-dependent instructions, microcode, firmware instructions, state-setting data, or source code or object code written in an object-oriented programming language such as Smalltalk®, JAVA®, C++, and a conventional procedural programming language such as the "C" programming language or a similar programming language.

[0064] Computer-readable instructions may be provided to a processor of a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus, or to a programmable circuit, locally or via a wide area network (WAN) such as a local area network (LAN), the Internet, etc., to cause the processor or programmable circuit to execute the operations specified in a flowchart or block diagram by generating means for performing the operations. Examples of processors include computer processors, processing units, microprocessors, digital signal processors, controllers, microcontrollers, etc.

[0065] As described above, the present invention has been described using embodiments, but the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the scope described in the above embodiments. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes or improvements can be made to the above embodiments. It is apparent from the description of the claims that forms with such changes or improvements may also be included in the technical scope of the present invention. As described above, the present invention has been described using embodiments, but the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the scope described in the above embodiments. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes or improvements can be made to the above embodiments. It is apparent from the description of the claims that forms with such changes or improvements may also be included in the technical scope of the present invention.

[0066] In the claims, the specification, and the drawings, the execution order of each process such as operations, procedures, steps, and stages in the apparatus, system, program, and method shown is not explicitly indicated as "earlier than" or "preceding" etc. in particular, and it should be noted that it can be realized in any order as long as the output of the previous process is not used in the subsequent process. Regarding the operation flows in the claims, the specification, and the drawings, even if explanations are made using "first," "next," etc. for convenience, it does not mean that it is essential to implement in this order.

[0067] As described above, the present invention has been described using the embodiments, but the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the scope described in the above embodiments. It is obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes or improvements can be made to the above embodiments. It is clear from the description of the claims that forms with such changes or improvements can also be included in the technical scope of the present invention.

[0068] In the claims, the specification, and the drawings, the execution order of each process such as operations, procedures, steps, and stages in the apparatus, system, program, and method shown is not explicitly indicated as "earlier than" or "preceding" etc. in particular, and it should be noted that it can be realized in any order as long as the output of the previous process is not used in the subsequent process. Regarding the operation flows in the claims, the specification, and the drawings, even if explanations are made using "first," "next," etc. for convenience, it does not mean that it is essential to implement in this order.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0069] 1 Humanoid robot, 2 Upper body part, 3 Leg part, 4 Connecting part, 5 Arm part, 5a Gripping part, 6 Wheel, 7 Knee part, 10 Control system, 12 Sensor, 14 Information processing device, 100 Object, 1200 Computer, 1210 Host controller, 1212 CPU, 1214 RAM, 1216 Graphic controller, 1218 Display device, 1220 Input / output controller, 1222 Communication interface, 1224 Storage device, 1230 ROM, 1240 Input / output chip

Claims

1. an upper body part having at least one arm part, a leg part placed on the floor, a connecting part that rotatably connects the upper body part to the leg part, and a humanoid robot having wheels at the lower end of the leg part.

2. The humanoid robot according to claim 1, wherein the connecting part is configured to be able to tilt the upper body part with respect to the leg part as a rotation operation.

3. The humanoid robot according to claim 1, wherein the connecting part is configured to be able to rotate the upper body part in the horizontal direction of the floor with respect to the leg part as a rotation operation.

4. The humanoid robot according to claim 1, wherein four leg parts are provided on the outer peripheral side of the connecting part.

5. an information acquisition unit that acquires information representing at least the distance and angle between the object that the arm part is about to work on, a control unit that controls at least one of the operation of the leg part, the operation of the arm part, and the rotation of the connecting part based on the information, and The humanoid robot according to claim 1, comprising.

6. A program for causing a computer to function as the control unit of the humanoid robot according to claim 5.

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