Information processing system, information processing method, and information processing program

Abstract

To provide an information processing system, an information processing method, and an information processing program capable of adjusting a tactile sense obtained from work of a driven unit according to the work.SOLUTION: An information processing system (tactile sense presentation system 100) comprises an operation unit 10 which is operated by a user, a driven unit 20 which operates in response to operation of the operation unit, and at least one control part. The control part executes a step for identifying work performed by the operation unit and the driven unit or a request for the work, a step for causing the driven unit to operate with respect to an object in response to operation of the operation unit, a step for detecting reaction force obtained by the driven unit from the object during operation of the driven unit, a step for transmitting reaction force information corresponding to the reaction force from the driven unit to the operation unit, and a step for presenting a tactile sense corresponding to the reaction force information to the user. The information amount of the reaction force information is determined based on the identified work or the request for the work.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an information processing system, an information processing method, and an information processing program. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent document 1 discloses a system in which work is performed by a follower unit located at a remote location by operating an operation unit, and the tactile sensation obtained from the work performed by the follower unit is presented to the operator operating the operation unit. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2015-31976 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the above system, it is necessary to make the tactile sensation obtained from the operation of the follower unit felt in real time at the operation unit in response to the operation of the operation unit, but because the tactile data transmitted to the operation unit is not small, there is a risk of delay in the tactile sensation felt at the operation unit depending on the work content. The present invention has been made to solve this problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide an information processing system, an information processing method, and an information processing program that can adjust the tactile sensation obtained from the operation of the follower unit depending on the work. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] Item 1. An operation unit having an operation part operated by a user; a follower unit having a follower part that operates in response to an operation of the operation unit; At least one control unit; Equipped with The control unit specifying an operation or a request for an operation to be performed by the operation unit and the follower unit; operating the follower with respect to an object in response to an operation of the operation unit; detecting a reaction force experienced by the follower from the object during movement of the follower; transmitting reaction force information corresponding to the detected reaction force to the operation unit, and presenting a tactile sensation corresponding to the reaction force information to the user via the operation unit; Execute an amount of the reaction force information transmitted from the follower unit to the operation unit is determined according to the identified task or a request for the task; Information processing system.

[0006] Item 2. The information processing system according to Item 1, wherein the control unit allows the user to specify the task or a request for the task through input.

[0007] Item 3. When the specified requirement for the work is accuracy, the amount of information is increased. Item 1 or 2. An information processing system.

[0008] Item 4. When the identified requirement for the work is speed, the amount of information is reduced. Item 1 or 2. An information processing system.

[0009] Item 5. The amount of information in each of the tasks or requests for each of the tasks is set in advance; The preset amount of information is adjusted by the user. Item 5. An information processing system according to any one of items 1 to 4.

[0010] Item 6. An operation unit having an operation part operated by a user; a follower unit having a follower part that operates in response to an operation of the operation unit; At least one control unit; An information processing method in an information processing system, comprising: specifying an operation or a request for an operation to be performed by the operation unit and the follower unit; operating the follower with respect to an object in response to an operation of the operation unit; detecting a reaction force experienced by the follower from the object during movement of the follower; transmitting reaction force information corresponding to the detected reaction force to the operation unit, and presenting a tactile sensation corresponding to the reaction force information to the user via the operation unit; Equipped with an amount of the reaction force information transmitted from the follower unit to the operation unit is determined according to the identified task or a request for the task; Information processing methods.

[0011] Item 7. An operation unit having an operation part operated by a user; a follower unit having a follower part that operates in response to an operation of the operation unit; At least one control unit; The control unit in the information processing system includes: specifying an operation or a request for an operation to be performed by the operation unit and the follower unit; operating the follower with respect to an object in response to an operation of the operation unit; detecting a reaction force experienced by the follower from the object during movement of the follower; transmitting reaction force information corresponding to the detected reaction force to the operation unit, and presenting a tactile sensation corresponding to the reaction force information to the user via the operation unit; Execute an amount of the reaction force information transmitted from the follower unit to the operation unit is determined according to the identified task or a request for the task; Information processing program. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] According to the present invention, the tactile sensation obtained from the operation of the driven unit can be adjusted depending on the operation. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram of a tactile presentation system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a side view of FIG. 2. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a resistance generating device. [Figure 5] FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a side view of FIG. 5. [Figure 7] 1 is a graph showing the relationship between the value of a current to be supplied to a resistance generating device (horizontal axis) and the load value detected by a pressure sensor (vertical axis). [Figure 8] 10 is an example of a screen displayed on a touch panel display. [Figure 9A] 10 is an example of a screen displayed on a touch panel display. [Figure 9B] 10 is an example of a screen displayed on a touch panel display. [Figure 9C] 10 is an example of a screen displayed on a touch panel display. [Figure 10] 10 is an example of an object displayed on a touch panel display. [Figure 11] 10 is an example of a screen displayed on a touch panel display. [Figure 12] 10 is a graph showing the relationship between the displacement amount of the operation unit and the current value. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0014] An embodiment of the information processing system of the present invention applied to a tactile presentation system will be described below with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 1, the tactile presentation system 100 according to the present invention includes an operation unit 10, a follower unit 20, and an input unit 30, which are configured to transmit and receive data wirelessly to and from each other via a network 700. These units can also be connected via a wire. The operation unit 10 and the input unit 30 may also be integrated. In this tactile presentation system 100, an operator can operate the operation unit 10 to virtually grasp a remote object 1 via the follower unit 20, and the tactile sensation is realistically reproduced on the operation section of the operation unit 10, making the operator feel as if the object 1 is actually present at the operator's fingertips, etc. Each unit will be described in detail below.

[0015] <1. Operation unit> Fig. 2 is a front view of the operation unit, and Fig. 3 is a side view of Fig. 2. As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the operation unit 10 includes a casing 16, a resistance generator 50, an operation section 12, a transmission mechanism 13, a detection section 14, a control section 19, and a communication interface 18. Of these, the resistance generator 50 and the detection section 14 are housed inside the casing 16, while the operation section 12 and the transmission mechanism 13 are disposed outside the casing 16. Although not shown, the operation unit 10 also includes a battery section for driving each section.

[0016] The resistance generator 50 has a rotating shaft 51, which protrudes from the front surface of the casing 16. The resistance generator 50 changes the rotational resistance of the rotating shaft 51 by changing the strength of the magnetic field applied to the magnetorheological fluid contained therein. The rotating shaft 51 rotates in conjunction with the displacement of the operating unit 12, which will be described later. The specific configuration of the resistance generator 50 will be described later.

[0017] An encoder, for example, is used as the detection unit 14. The detection unit 14 is provided with a support shaft 17, which protrudes from the front surface of the casing 16. The operation unit 12, which will be described later, is connected to the support shaft 17, which detects the amount of displacement (rotation angle from a reference position) of the operation unit 12. Information about the detected amount of rotation is sequentially transmitted to a control unit 21 of the driven unit 20 via a communication interface 18, which will be described later. That is, information about the amount of rotation is transmitted from the control unit 19 to the driven unit 20 by real-time processing.

[0018] The operating unit 12 includes a first gripping portion 12a and a second gripping portion 12b. One end of each of the gripping portions 12a and 12b is formed with a hole through which the operator's finger can be inserted, and the other ends are arranged so that they overlap each other. The other end of the first gripping portion 12a is fixed so as not to move relative to the casing 16. Meanwhile, the other end of the second gripping portion 12b is fixed to the support shaft 17 and is rotatable around this support shaft 17. In other words, the first gripping portion 12a and the second gripping portion 12b operate similarly to the gripping portions of scissors. In addition, the second gripping portion 12b is biased toward its initial position by a return spring (not shown) or the like. As a result, when the operator is not operating the device, the hole in the first gripping portion 12a and the hole in the second gripping portion 12b are horizontally spaced a predetermined distance apart. The reference position of the support shaft 17 described above is the rotation position of the support shaft 17 when the second gripping portion 12b is in the initial position.

[0019] The transmission mechanism 13 is composed of a drive pulley 13a fixed to the support shaft 17, a driven pulley 13b fixed to the rotation shaft 51 of the resistance generator 50, and an endless belt 13c wound around these pulleys 13a and 13b to transmit power between them. The transmission mechanism 13 transmits the rotational resistance of the resistance generator 50 to the second grip part 12b of the operation part 12.

[0020] 4 is a cross-sectional view of the resistance generator 50. As shown in the figure, the resistance generator 50 includes a casing 53, which houses a rotating shaft 51, a disk 52, yokes 54 and 55, a coil 57, and a magnetorheological fluid 58.

[0021] The casing 53 has a cylindrical main body 531 and a disk-shaped lid 532 that closes one axial end of the main body 531. The other end of the main body 531 is fixed to the casing 16 of the operation unit 10.

[0022] The yokes 54 and 55 are made of a magnetic material and include a first yoke 54 and a second yoke 55. The first yoke 54 is formed in a disk shape and is disposed so as to come into contact with the lid portion 532.

[0023] The second yoke 55 is formed in a cylindrical shape and is disposed with a gap between it and the first yoke 54 in the axial direction of the casing 53. A shaft hole 60, through which the rotating shaft 51 is inserted, is formed in the center of the second yoke 55, and a bearing 59 for rotatably supporting the rotating shaft 51 is attached to the end of the shaft hole 60 opposite the lid portion 532. Furthermore, an annular recess 55b is formed in the surface of the second yoke 55 facing the lid portion 532, and a coil 57 is disposed in this recess.

[0024] The disk 52 is made of a magnetic material and is rotatably disposed between the first yoke 54 and the second yoke 55. The rotating shaft 51 is connected to the center of the disk 52, and this rotating shaft 51 is inserted into the shaft hole 60 and protrudes from the casing 53 on the side opposite the cover portion 532. As described above, the rotating shaft 51 is rotatably supported by the second yoke 55 via the bearing 59. This allows the rotating shaft 51 to rotate together with the disk 52 relative to the casing 53. It is desirable to use a non-magnetic material for the rotating shaft 51.

[0025] A circular recess is formed in the center of the surface of first yoke 54 that faces disk 52. A through hole is formed in the center of disk 52 so as to face this recess, and another circular recess is formed in the end face of rotating shaft 51 so as to connect to this through hole. A non-magnetic sphere 61 is housed in a rectangular prism-shaped space 62 formed by these two recesses and the through hole. This sphere 61 is used to make it easy to set the gap between first yoke 54 and disk 52, and the diameter of sphere 61 determines this gap.

[0026] The magnetorheological fluid 58 is sealed in the gap between the disk 52 and the first and second yokes 54 and 55. This magnetorheological fluid 58 is a liquid in which magnetic particles are dispersed in a dispersion medium, and in particular, a fluid in which the magnetic particles are nano-sized metal particles (metal nanoparticles) can be used. The magnetic particles are formed of a magnetizable metal material, and although there are no particular limitations on the metal material, a soft magnetic material is preferred. Examples of soft magnetic materials include alloys of iron, cobalt, nickel, and permalloy. The dispersion medium is not particularly limited, but one example is hydrophobic silicone oil. The amount of magnetic particles in the magnetorheological fluid 58 can be, for example, 3 to 40 vol%. Various additives can be added to the magnetorheological fluid 58 to obtain various desired properties.

[0027] In the resistance generator 50 having the above configuration, when a current is applied to the coil 57, a magnetic path is formed within the disk 52, the first yoke 54, and the second yoke 55 along the directions indicated by arrows Pa and Pb. This magnetic path penetrates the magnetorheological fluid 58 present in the gap between the disk 52 and the first yoke 54 and the gap between the disk 52 and the second yoke 55. As a result, the magnetorheological fluid 58 develops a viscosity (shear stress) corresponding to the strength of the magnetic field, and the torque transmitted between the disk 52 and the yokes 54 and 55 increases in accordance with the strength of the magnetic field. As a result, the rotational resistance of the rotating shaft 51 also increases in accordance with the value of the current supplied to the coil 57. Note that information on the current value input to the resistance generator 50 is transmitted from the driven unit 20, as will be described later. Then, based on the received current value information, a current is input from the battery unit to the resistance generator 50.

[0028] The control unit 19 can be configured, for example, by a microcomputer having a processor (CPU) and a storage unit (RAM, ROM, SSD, HDD, etc.). The control unit 19 has various control functions required for using the operation unit 10, such as controlling communication with the driven unit 20 and the input unit 30, storing information on the amount of rotation detected by the detection unit 14 and transmitting it to the driven unit 20, storing a current value transmitted from the driven unit 20, and inputting it to the resistance generator 50. The storage unit of the control unit 19 also stores programs for performing various processes, which will be described later.

[0029] The communication interface 18 includes, for example, a wireless device which is an interface for a wireless LAN or the like, and a mobile communication modem device which is an interface for a mobile phone network including a communication base station or the like. The wireless device includes, for example, a wireless module such as Wi-Fi (registered trademark) or Bluetooth (registered trademark). This allows the operation unit 10 to be connected to a network such as a wireless LAN, a public network such as the Internet, or a wireless network such as a mobile phone network including a communication base station. The operation unit 10 transmits and receives various data to and from the follower unit 20 and the input unit 30 by any of the above-mentioned means.

[0030] <2. Follower unit> Fig. 5 is a front view of the driven unit, and Fig. 6 is a side view of Fig. 5. As shown in Fig. 5 and Fig. 6, driven unit 20 includes a driven part 22, a reaction force detection part 23, a control part 21, a communication interface 24, and a casing 25. Although not shown, driven unit 20 also includes a battery part for driving each part.

[0031] The driven unit 22 is configured to displace (rotate) and clamp the object 1 in accordance with information on the displacement (rotation) amount transmitted from the operation unit 10. More specifically, the driven unit 22 is configured with a pair of servo motors 26 housed in a casing 25 and arms 22L and 22R connected to the servo motors 26. Each servo motor 26 has an output shaft 26a protruding from the casing, and the arms 22L and 22R are connected to the output shafts 26a. The arms 22L and 22R are symmetrically shaped in a generally L-shape, with their tip surfaces 22La and 22Ra facing each other. The two servo motors 26 are controlled to rotate in opposite directions at the same speed, thereby causing the tip surfaces 22La and 22Ra of the arms 22L and 22R to approach and move away from each other. In this way, the tip surfaces 22La and 22Rb of the arms 22L and 22R can clamp an object 1 of a predetermined size.

[0032] The reaction force detection unit 23 detects a reaction force acting on the driven unit 22 when the driven unit 22 clamps the object 1 (comes into contact with the object 1). The reaction force detection unit 23 is made up of a pressure sensor and is inserted into a slit 22Rb formed in one of the arms 22R. The reaction force detection unit 23 detects a load corresponding to a stress generated in the arm 22R when the left and right arms 22L, 22R clamp the object 1. Based on this detected load and predetermined parameters, the reaction force that the left and right arms 22L, 22R receive from the object 1 can be calculated.

[0033] The communication interface 24 has the same configuration as the communication interface 18 provided in the operation unit 10 , and transmits and receives various data between the follower unit 20 and the operation unit 10 and input unit 30 .

[0034] The control unit 21 can be configured, for example, by a microcomputer having a processor (CPU) and a storage unit (RAM, ROM, SSD, HDD, etc.). The control unit 21 has various control functions required for using the driven unit 20, such as controlling communication with the operation unit 10 and the input unit 30, storing and processing various types of information received from the operation unit 10, and transmitting various types of information to the operation unit 10. The control unit 21 also includes a controller for driving the servo motor 26, etc. The storage unit of the control unit 21 stores programs for performing various types of processing, which will be described later.

[0035] For example, information regarding the amount of rotation of the second grip portion 12b of the operation unit 10 and the output value of the reaction force detection portion 23 are input to the control portion 21. Also, the control portion 21 stores, for example, the relationship between the reaction force [N] obtained from the output of the reaction force detection portion 23 and the current value [A] (reaction force information) to be transmitted to the resistance generating device 50, as shown in Fig. 7. Note that Fig. 7 is an example, and the relationship between the reaction force and the current value is not limited to this.

[0036] The control unit 21 controls the amount of rotation of the arms 22L, 22R from the reference position of the servo motor 26 in accordance with information on the amount of rotation sent from the detection unit 14. As a result, the separation distance between the tip surfaces 22La, 22Ra of the arms 22L, 22R increases or decreases as the amount of rotation of the second gripping unit 12b of the operation unit 10 increases or decreases. In other words, when the two gripping units 12a, 12b of the operation unit 10 are operated to move closer to or farther apart, this movement is reproduced in the arms 22L, 22R. In this embodiment, the distance between the holes of the first gripping unit 12a and the second gripping unit 12b (the distance between the operator's fingers) is set to be approximately equal to the separation distance between the tip surfaces 22La, 22Ra of the arms 22L, 22R. Note that the reference position corresponds to the position when the second gripping unit 12b is in the return position.

[0037] When an object 1 is placed between the tip surfaces 22La, 22Ra of the arms 22L, 22R and the object 1 is clamped between the tip surfaces 22La, 22Ra of the arms 22L, 22R, the output value of the reaction force detection unit 23 increases. This output value increases in proportion to the magnitude of the clamping force. The control unit 21 uses the reaction force of the object 1 obtained from this output value as a parameter and reads out the current value from the relationship between the reaction force [N] and the current value [A] shown in FIG. 7. Then, information about the read-out current value is sequentially transmitted to the resistance generator 50 via the communication interface 24. That is, information about the current value is transmitted to the operation unit 10 by the control unit 21 through real-time processing. As a result, the reaction force corresponding to the current value shown in FIG. 7 is reproduced in the operation unit 10.

[0038] At this time, the control unit 21 performs processing for adjusting the amount of data for the current value to be transmitted to the operation unit 10, and after performing this adjustment processing, transmits information related to the current value to the operation unit 10. This point will be described later.

[0039] <3. Input unit> The input unit 30 has a control unit (not shown), a communication interface (not shown), and a touch panel display, and can be configured, for example, by a smartphone, a tablet computer, or the like. This input unit 30 allows various inputs, settings, and displays to be made to the tactile presentation system. The communication interface has the same function as the communication interface 18 provided in the operation unit 10 described above. This allows various data to be sent and received between the input unit 30 and the operation unit 10 and the follower unit 20. Therefore, communication connections between these units 10, 20, and 30 can also be made by the display unit.

[0040] The control unit can be configured, for example, by a microcomputer having a processor (CPU) and a memory unit (RAM, ROM, SSD, HDD, etc.). This control unit has various control functions required for controlling communication with the operation unit 10 and the follower unit 20, controlling various inputs and displays, and using the input unit 30. In addition, the memory unit of the control unit stores programs for performing various processes, which will be described later.

[0041] The input unit 30 has a function of allowing the operator to select a request related to the work to be performed in this tactile presentation system. The requests can be, for example, (1) the speed of the work, (2) the accuracy of the work, or (3) the balance between speed and accuracy, as shown in FIG. 8. The operator selects (touches) one of these requests before starting the work. The selected request is sent to the follower unit 20, and the control unit 21 of the follower unit 20 performs the following processing.

[0042] (1) Work speed When task speed is selected as a requirement, data relating to the current value transmitted from the driven unit 20 to the operation unit 10 is thinned out, reducing the amount of data (amount of information) transmitted. This increases the data transmission speed, allowing the operation unit 10 to instantly provide a tactile sensation when the second grip portion 12b is operated. In other words, the responsiveness to the operation of the second grip portion 12b increases. However, because the data is thinned out, although the data transmission speed increases, the amount of data decreases, reducing the accuracy of the tactile sensation obtained. For example, the reproducibility (resolution) of the tactile sensation may decrease, or the tactile sensation may be obtained intermittently.

[0043] (2) Accuracy of work When task accuracy is selected, the data relating to the current value transmitted from the driven unit 20 to the operation unit 10 is not thinned out, or the amount of thinning is reduced. In this case, the amount of data transmitted to the operation unit 10 is large, so the continuity of the tactile sensation obtained is high. For example, the tactile sensation of an object can be accurately reproduced, which can support delicate tasks.

[0044] The method for thinning out the data to be transmitted is not particularly limited, but for example, a current value can be transmitted for each predetermined amount of rotation of the second gripping part 12b transmitted from the operation unit 10. For example, when the operation unit 10 transmits the amount of rotation of the second gripping part 12b for each degree, if the above (1) is selected, the follower unit 20 can transmit a current value corresponding to the amount of rotation for each two degrees. Furthermore, when a current value corresponding to the amount of rotation is transmitted every unit time, the unit time can be lengthened to thin out the data to be transmitted.

[0045] (3) Speed ​​and accuracy (balance) If you select speed and accuracy (balance), the amount of data thinning will be between (1) and (2). Therefore, the amount of data transmitted will be balanced between speed and accuracy.

[0046] Furthermore, for each of the above requests, the amount of data thinning is preset, but the amount of thinning can also be adjusted. For example, Fig. 9A shows the initial screen for adjustment when work speed is selected as a work-related request, and the initial setting is to thin out a large amount of transmitted data. On this screen, the operator can adjust the responsiveness by moving button 31 on the screen to the "high (high speed)" side or the "low (low speed)" side.

[0047] For example, when button 31 is moved to the "High (High Speed)" side, the amount of data thinning becomes greater than the initial setting. In other words, the amount of data transmitted becomes smaller, further increasing responsiveness. On the other hand, when button 31 is moved to the "Low (Low Speed)" side, the amount of data thinning becomes smaller than the initial setting. In other words, the amount of data transmitted becomes larger, reducing responsiveness. In this way, the operator can adjust the amount of data thinning from the initial setting during work. On the other hand, when work accuracy is selected as a work-related requirement, an initial screen such as that shown in FIG. 9B is displayed. On this screen, the amount of transmitted data thinning is small by default, but the amount of data thinning can be adjusted as in FIG. 9A. On the other hand, when speed and accuracy (balance) are selected, an initial screen such as that shown in FIG. 9C is displayed. On this screen, the amount of transmitted data thinning is initially set to an intermediate value between those shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B.

[0048] The amount of data thinning can also be changed depending on the line speed connecting the operation unit 10 and the follower unit 20. For example, if the line speed is fast, the amount of data thinning can be set to a smaller initial setting in any of (1) to (3). On the other hand, if the line speed is slow, the amount of data thinning can be set to a larger initial setting in any of (1) to (3). Furthermore, on the thinning amount adjustment screens in each of Figures 9A to 9C, it is possible to visualize the range where delays are likely to occur and set a selected load according to the line speed.

[0049] <4. Operation of the tactile presentation system> Next, the operation of the tactile presentation system configured as above will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

[0050] First, the operator turns on the power of the operation unit 10, the follower unit 20, and the input unit 30, and starts a program in each unit. At this time, if the operation unit and the follower unit are located in remote locations, a first operator operates the operation unit 10 and the input unit 30, and a second operator operates the follower unit 20. The operation of the follower unit 20 is, for example, an operation to place an object between the arms 22L and 22R, and does not involve operating the follower unit 20 itself.

[0051] 10, after the operator turns on each of the units 10, 20, and 30, he issues a connection command in the input unit (step S101), which causes the three units to be connected so that they can communicate with each other.

[0052] Next, as shown in FIG. 8, the operator selects a request for the work on the input unit 30 (step S102). The selected request is transmitted to the follower unit 20. The follower unit 20 sets the amount of thinning of the information on the current value to be transmitted from the follower unit 20 to the operation unit 10 based on the received request for the work. Subsequently, when the operator operates the gripping portions 12a, 12b of the operation unit (step S201), the operation unit 10 detects the amount of rotation of the second gripping portion in real time and transmits information on the amount of rotation to the follower unit 20 (step S202).

[0053] The driven unit 20 drives the arms 22L, 22R in accordance with the rotation amount transmitted from the operation unit 10, and presses the object 1 (step S301). In response to this driving of the arms, the reaction force detection unit 23 detects the reaction force from the object (step S302), and acquires a current value from the relationship in the graph shown in Fig. 7. Then, the control unit 21 adjusts the amount of data, such as thinning, for the acquired current value in the above-mentioned manner in accordance with the input "request" (step S303), and transmits data related to the adjusted current value to the operation unit 10 (step S304).

[0054] Thereby, the operation unit 10 drives the resistance generating device 504 based on the received information on the current value. As a result, the operator can feel the reaction force that the arms 22L, 22R of the follower unit 20 receive from the object 1 as a tactile sensation (step S203).

[0055] The above processing is performed until the operation of the operation part 12 in the operation unit 10 is stopped (steps S204, S305), and during that time, the operation unit 10 can feel in real time (continuously) the resistance of the object 1 detected by the arms 22L, 22R according to the displacement of the gripping parts 12a, 12b.

[0056] <5. Features> The tactile presentation system according to the embodiment of the present invention described above is configured to adjust the amount of data transmitted from the follower unit 20 to the operation unit 10, for example, per unit time or per unit operation, in response to a request for work from the operator. Therefore, for example, in work that requires speed, the amount of data can be reduced, and the responsiveness of the tactile sensation felt by operating the operation unit 12 can be improved. On the other hand, in work that requires accuracy, the amount of data can be increased, and a more precise tactile sensation can be obtained by operating the grip units 12a, 12b.

[0057] <6. Variations> Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. The following modifications can be combined as appropriate. Furthermore, the following modifications can also be combined as appropriate with the above-described embodiment.

[0058] (1) In the above embodiment, the amount of data for the operation unit 10 is adjusted in response to a request from the input unit 30. However, the amount of data can also be further adjusted based on, for example, the reaction force from the object 1. That is, in addition to adjusting the amount of data in response to each request, fine adjustments can also be made. For example, when the amount of change in resistance of the object 1 to the pressure applied by the arms 22L and 22R is small (when the resistance changes delicately), the amount of data can be increased.

[0059] The amount of data can be further adjusted based on the change in the object 1, not just the detected resistance, but also, for example, by photographing the object 1 with a camera and then adjusting the amount of data based on the change in the photographed object. The initial value for adjusting the amount of data can also be determined based on the reaction force described above or images or videos captured by a camera. For example, the content of the task can be estimated from the images or videos, and an appropriate amount of data can be set for that task. In this case, the relationship between the task and the amount of data is stored in advance in the driven unit 20 or the like.

[0060] (2) When the work performed by the remote slave unit 20 is divided into multiple steps, the amount of data can be automatically adjusted for each step. In this case, the steps of the work performed by the slave unit are input in advance, and even if the requirements are the same, the amount of data for each step can be adjusted differently.

[0061] (3) There are no particular limitations on the method of connecting the operation unit 10, the follower unit 20, and the input unit 30. For example, the operation unit 10 and the input unit 30 can be connected via Bluetooth (registered trademark), and a request for a task can be transmitted from the input unit 30 to the follower unit 20 via the operation unit 10. Also, one or more of the operation unit 10, the follower unit 20, and the input unit 30 can be connected by wire.

[0062] (4) In the above embodiment, information about the current value (reaction force information) is transmitted from the driven unit 20 to the operation unit 10, and a current corresponding to this current value is input to the resistance generator 50 to present a tactile sensation. However, the reaction force information is not limited to this. For example, in addition to the current value, a frequency and a duty ratio can be used. When the frequency and duty ratio are set, the current value can be varied at a predetermined cycle, for example, like a pulse wave. This affects the tactile characteristics of the object. Therefore, when using an object 1 whose surface tactile sensation changes with changes in the pressure applied to the object, a more realistic tactile sensation can be obtained by also using the frequency and duty ratio.

[0063] Furthermore, information about the reaction force detected by the follower unit 20 can be transmitted to the operation unit 10 as reaction force information. The operation unit 10 can calculate a current value from the information about the reaction force received from the follower unit 20 and present a tactile sensation based on this current value. In this case, data indicating the relationship shown in FIG. 7 is stored in the memory of the operation unit 10. Note that in this example, frequency and duty ratio can also be used in addition to the current value. Furthermore, in this example, the information about the reaction force transmitted from the follower unit 20 to the operation unit 10 is configured to be thinned out as described above.

[0064] (5) In the above embodiment, the resistance generating device 50 is used to present a tactile sensation, but this is not limiting. For example, a motor can be used to change the load on the rotating shaft caused by an electric current, thereby presenting different tactile sensations. Additionally, the resistance generating device can present vibration, texture, or a warm / cold sensation, or a combination of these, in addition to the above-described reaction force, as a tactile sensation. Therefore, the data related to the current value (reaction force information) transmitted from the driven unit 20 is merely an example, and the resistance generating device 50 may be configured to present different tactile sensations.

[0065] (6) In the above embodiment, the work of the follower unit 20 is to pinch the object 1 with the arms 22L and 22R, but this is not limiting. For example, the follower unit can also perform work such as pushing, pulling, or moving the object, and the configuration of the operation section of the operation unit 10 can be changed accordingly. In this case, too, reaction force information based on detection by a pressure sensor when pushing or pulling can be used.

[0066] (7) In the above embodiment, a control unit is provided in each of the operation unit 10, the follower unit 20, and the input unit 30, and each control unit starts a program to perform control. However, a control unit that controls the entire tactile presentation system can be provided in any of the units 10, 20, 30, or in addition to these units, and the tactile presentation system can be controlled using this control unit.

[0067] (8) In the above embodiment, speed, accuracy, and the balance between the two can be selected as requirements for the work. However, a specific work name may also be selected. For example, "harvesting," "surgery," etc. can be set. "Harvesting" is a work in which the operation unit 10 is operated to harvest crops such as apples or mandarin oranges with the follower unit 20. "Surgery" is a work in which the operation unit 10 is operated to perform surgery or an auxiliary operation with the follower unit 20. When the work is "harvesting," the amount of data thinning is set so that the above-mentioned speed is emphasized. On the other hand, when the work is "surgery," precise operation is required, so the amount of data thinning is set so that the above-mentioned accuracy is emphasized.

[0068] (9) After a task request or task selection as described above, the screen shown in FIG. 11 may be displayed to allow the user to select a proficiency level. The proficiency level refers to the user's proficiency in the task. For example, the proficiency level can be set on a scale of 1 to 5 (1 being the lowest proficiency and 5 being the highest proficiency). For example, if "task accuracy" is selected, the amount of data thinning can be increased as the proficiency level increases. This is because a high level of proficiency allows accurate operation even without a high tactile sensitivity. On the other hand, a low level of proficiency allows less data thinning. This is because a low level of proficiency may prevent accurate operation even with a high tactile sensitivity, so the amount of data thinning is reduced. Note that the proficiency level can be selected not only by the user performing the task, but also by someone else, such as a supervisor. In this case, the proficiency level can be selected or set in advance. Furthermore, the proficiency level can be automatically determined and set by AI or other means based on video footage of the user's task and the behavior of the operation unit.

[0069] (10) In reproducing a tactile sensation, the current value indicating the region where the reaction force is high is often an important parameter, so it is preferable not to thin out data in this region. For example, when reproducing a tactile sensation using the relationship between the displacement of the operation unit and the current value as shown in FIG. 12, it is possible to not thin out data or to thin out data to a small extent in the range where the current value is equal to or greater than X. On the other hand, it is possible to thin out data to a large extent in the range where the current value is less than X. In this way, by dividing the region where data is thinned out, it is possible to adjust the overall amount of data thinning out depending on the requirements for the task or the task.

[0070] Furthermore, the vicinity of the peak (maximum value) of the current value (for example, the range from Y1 to Y2) or the vicinity of another peak (for example, another maximum value and minimum value) can be predicted, and the amount of data thinning in this region can be adjusted as described above. To determine where the vicinity of the peak of the current value is, for example, the points of maximum and minimum values ​​of the current value can be predicted from the history of past work or the object 1 used, and the amount of data thinning can be determined. The maximum and minimum values ​​of the past current values ​​can be calculated by using well-known peak detection on the waveform of the past current values. [Explanation of symbols]

[0071] 1: Object 10: Operation unit 20: Follower unit 21: Control unit 22: Driven part

Claims

1. an operation unit having an operation section operated by a user; a follower unit having a follower part that operates in response to an operation of the operation unit; At least one control unit; Equipped with The control unit specifying an operation or a request for an operation to be performed by the operation unit and the follower unit; operating the follower with respect to an object in response to an operation of the operation unit; detecting a reaction force experienced by the follower from the object during movement of the follower; transmitting reaction force information corresponding to the detected reaction force to the operation unit, and presenting a tactile sensation corresponding to the reaction force information to the user via the operation unit; Execute an amount of the reaction force information transmitted from the follower unit to the operation unit is determined according to the identified task or a request for the task; Information processing system.

2. The information processing system according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit specifies the work or a request for the work based on an input by the user.

3. When the specified requirement for the work is accuracy, the amount of information is increased.

3. The information processing system according to claim 1.

4. When the identified requirement for the work is speed, the amount of information is reduced.

3. The information processing system according to claim 1.

5. the amount of information in each of the tasks or in a request for each of the tasks is set in advance; The preset amount of information is adjusted by the user.

3. The information processing system according to claim 1.

6. an operation unit having an operation section operated by a user; a follower unit having a follower part that operates in response to an operation of the operation unit; At least one control unit; An information processing method in an information processing system, comprising: specifying an operation or a request for an operation to be performed by the operation unit and the follower unit; operating the follower with respect to an object in response to an operation of the operation unit; detecting a reaction force experienced by the follower from the object during movement of the follower; transmitting reaction force information corresponding to the detected reaction force to the operation unit, and presenting a tactile sensation corresponding to the reaction force information to the user via the operation unit; Equipped with an amount of the reaction force information transmitted from the follower unit to the operation unit is determined according to the identified task or a request for the task; Information processing methods.

7. an operation unit having an operation section operated by a user; a follower unit having a follower part that operates in response to an operation of the operation unit; At least one control unit; The control unit in the information processing system includes: specifying an operation or a request for an operation to be performed by the operation unit and the follower unit; operating the follower with respect to an object in response to an operation of the operation unit; detecting a reaction force experienced by the follower from the object during movement of the follower; transmitting reaction force information corresponding to the detected reaction force to the operation unit, and presenting a tactile sensation corresponding to the reaction force information to the user via the operation unit; Execute an amount of the reaction force information transmitted from the follower unit to the operation unit is determined according to the identified task or a request for the task; Information processing program.

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