ROBOT DEVICE AND CONTROL METHOD

Abstract

Faithfully reproduces the movements of a four-legged animal. [Solution] The robot device according to the present disclosure comprises a torso, feet connected to the torso through joints, and a sensor provided on the torso that detects touch by a user, the sensor being at least one of an electrostatic sensor and a pressure-sensitive sensor, and detecting user movements based on sensor data from the sensor.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a robotic device and a control method. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, Patent Document 1 listed below describes a robot device that can not only walk on four legs, but also stand on two legs. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2004-66381 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, the robot device described in the above Patent Document 1 has a limited number of joints, and has the problem of being unable to faithfully reproduce the movements of four-legged animals such as dogs.

[0005] Therefore, there was a need to faithfully reproduce the movements of a four-legged animal. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] According to the present disclosure, a torso portion, a foot portion connected to the torso portion through a joint portion, A robotic device comprising: A sensor that detects a user's touch is provided on the body. sa, The sensor is an electrostatic sensor and a pressure sensor; Using the electrostatic sensor and the pressure sensor in combination, Detecting a user action based on sensor data from the sensor and ignoring a response of the pressure sensor when the user's action is not detected by the electrostatic sensor, and detecting the user's action by the pressure sensor without using the electrostatic sensor when the robot device is stationary. A robotic device is provided. Effect of the Invention

[0007] As described above, according to the present disclosure, it is possible to faithfully reproduce the movements of a four-legged animal. It should be noted that the above effects are not necessarily limiting, and any of the effects shown in this specification, or other effects that can be understood from this specification, may be achieved in addition to or instead of the above effects. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram showing the appearance of a robot device and rotation axes of joints. FIG. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the left hind leg of the robot device as viewed from the left side. [Diagram 3] 3 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which a cover covering the arm shown in FIG. 2 is removed. FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a mechanism for driving the tip of the arm. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a left side view of the robot device. [Figure 6A] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the bottom of the foot as viewed from below. [Figure 6B] This shows the state where the paw has been removed from the state shown in FIG. 6A. [Figure 6C] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the area around the base of the left front leg. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a head portion of the robot device. [Figure 8A] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing ear 320 and its surroundings in detail. [Figure 8B] 13 is a schematic diagram for explaining the movement of an ear 320. FIG. [Figure 9A] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the appearance of a tail provided on the robot device. [Figure 9B] FIG. 9B is a schematic diagram showing the state in which the tail has been removed from the state in FIG. 9A. [Figure 10] 8 is a schematic diagram showing a cross section taken along dashed line II' in FIG. 7. FIG. [Figure 11A] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the abdomen of the robot device. [Figure 11B] 11B is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the cover is removed from the state shown in FIG. 11A. FIG. [Figure 12A] FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the cover is removed. [Figure 12B] FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the cover is removed. [Figure 12C] FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the cover is removed. [Figure 13] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of a battery. [Figure 14] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a frame of a robot device and an arrangement of substrates. [Figure 15] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a frame of a robot device and an arrangement of substrates. [Figure 16] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a frame of a robot device and an arrangement of substrates. [Figure 17] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing wiring of a circuit board from the body to the head of the robot device. [Figure 18] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing wiring of a circuit board from the body to the head of the robot device. [Figure 19] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a screw and a cover for hiding the screw. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In this specification and the drawings, components having substantially the same functional configurations are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description will be omitted.

[0010] The explanation will be given in the following order. 1. Structure of the joints 2. Mechanism for moving the legs 3. Structure of the Ear 4. Tail structure 5. Sensor configuration and layout examples 6. Eye Structure 7. Structure of the storage compartment cover 8. Battery Configuration 9.Frame, board, and wiring configuration 10. Screw-hiding structure

[0011] 1. Structure of the joints 1 is a schematic diagram showing the external appearance and rotation axes of joints of a robot device 1000. The robot device 1000 has four legs 100, 110, 120, and 130 driven by electric motors such as servo motors.

[0012] As shown in FIG. 1, the robot device 1000 includes a plurality of joints. For ease of explanation, the robot device 1000 will be classified into a right front leg system, a left front leg system, a right hind leg system, a left hind leg system, a body system, and a head system based on its movements. The right front leg system includes joints 102, 104, and 106. The left front leg system includes joints 112, 114, and 116. The right hind leg system includes joints 122, 124, and 126. The left hind leg system includes joints 132, 134, and 136. The body system includes joint 142. The head system includes joints 152, 154, 156, and 158. Each of these systems is connected to a trunk 140. The joints shown in Fig. 1 indicate main joints driven by electric motors. In addition to the joints shown in Fig. 1, the robot device 1000 has joints that move following the movements of other joints. The robot device 1000 also has a plurality of moving parts such as a mouth, ears, and tail, which are also driven by electric motors or the like.

[0013] In Figure 1, each joint is shown as a cylinder. The central axis of each joint corresponds to the axis of rotation of the joint.

[0014] In this embodiment, the number of joints is increased compared to conventional robot devices. In the head system, a joint 152 is provided, which allows the robot device 1000 to tilt its head left and right when viewed from the front. In the main body system, a joint 142 is provided, which allows the robot device 1000 to swing its hips left and right when viewed from above. This allows the robot device 1000 to perform a wider variety of movements than ever before.

[0015] Each joint is driven by an electric motor (hereinafter simply referred to as a motor) such as a servo motor. The drive source is not particularly limited. The motor of each joint is housed in a box together with a gear mechanism and a microcontroller for driving the motor. The box is made of a resin material (such as plastic). By housing the motor and gear mechanism in a single box and sealing it, it is possible to increase the quietness of the robot device 1000.

[0016] Boxes for housing motors, gear mechanisms, and microcontrollers include two-axis boxes and one-axis boxes. Taking the left hind leg system as an example, the motors, gear mechanisms, and microcontrollers of joints 132 and 134 are housed in one box 200, and this box 200 constitutes a two-axis rotation axis. On the other hand, the motor, gear mechanism, and microcontroller of joint 136 are housed in one box 210, and this box 210 constitutes a one-axis rotation axis.

[0017] In this embodiment, a spherical joint can be realized by storing two rotation shafts in one box 200. Also, storing two rotation shafts in one box can reduce the space required for the joints, and it becomes possible to decide the shape of the robot device 1000 with an emphasis on design.

[0018] Each system, such as the right front leg system, described above, is controlled by a microcomputer provided in each joint. Among the joints, for example, the joint 158 ​​of the head system is configured to be electrically braked. If the joint 158 ​​becomes free to rotate when the power is off, the head may drop and hit the user's hand. By applying the brake to the joint 158, such a situation can be avoided. The brake can be realized by a method of determining the rotation of the motor based on the electromotive force generated by the rotation of the motor of the joint 158 ​​when the power is off, and generating a driving force in the opposite direction to the direction in which the motor is trying to rotate.

[0019] 2. Mechanism for moving the legs Next, the mechanism for moving the lower part of the leg below the knee will be described in detail using the left hind leg system as an example. The configuration of the other legs is the same as that of the left hind leg system. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the left hind leg 130 as viewed from the left side of the robot device 1000. The left hind leg 130 is composed of an arm 130a, an arm 130b, and an arm tip 130c. The arm 130a is provided with both a box 200 having two rotation axes and a box 210 having one rotation axis.

[0020] FIG. 3 shows a state where the cover 302 covering the arm 130a shown in FIG. 2 is removed, and shows a state where the arm 130a of the left leg is rotated in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 3. Note that the arm 130b and the arm tip 130c are omitted in FIG. 3. As shown in FIG. 3, a box 200 having two rotating shafts and a box 210 having one rotating shaft are provided on the arm 130a. The box 200 has a rotating shaft 132 and a rotating shaft 134, and the box 210 has a rotating shaft 136. By consolidating and arranging all of the boxes 200 and 210 equipped with the motor for driving the left hind leg 130 on one arm 130a, it becomes possible to use the space of the other arm 130b for another function, and it is possible to effectively utilize the space. In addition, by arranging the box 200 having two rotating shafts on the connecting part 131a between the body 140 of the arm 130a and the box 210, it becomes possible to configure the exterior of the connecting part 131a in a spherical shape.

[0021] 4 is a schematic diagram showing a mechanism for driving the arm tip 130c, and shows a state in which a cover 300 provided on the arm 130b is removed from the state shown in FIG. 2. The arm tip 130c rotates with respect to the arm 130b, but no motor is provided on the rotation shaft 138. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 4, the rotation shaft 136 about which the arm 130a and the arm 130b rotate relatively and the rotation shaft 138 about which the arm 130b and the arm tip 130c rotate relatively are connected by a link 230. Therefore, the arm tip 130c rotates with the rotation of the arm 130b with respect to the arm 130a.

[0022] Specifically, when arm 130b rotates relative to arm 130a by the driving force of the motor provided in box 210 of rotating shaft 136, the position of upper shaft 310 of link 230 does not move relative to arm 130a. Therefore, for example, when arm 130b rotates in the direction of arrow A1 relative to arm 130a, arm tip 130c rotates in the direction of arrow A2 relative to arm 130b. As a result, when arm 130b rotates in the direction of arrow A1 relative to arm 130a and the knee of the left hind leg is bent, arm tip 130c corresponding to the ankle rotates in the direction of arrow A2, realizing the movement of the ankle when squatting with the knee bent.

[0023] In addition, with this mechanism, for example, when lifting the left hind leg up to walk, arm tip 130c rotates in the direction of arrow A2, and the tip of arm tip 130c is raised, preventing the tip of the left leg from getting caught on the ground. This makes it possible to reduce the amount of lifting of the leg when walking, thereby achieving smooth and fast walking.

[0024] Fig. 5 is a schematic diagram showing the left side of the robot device 1000. As shown in Fig. 5, a foot 130d is attached to the arm tip 130c, and the foot 130d is freely rotatable in the direction of arrow A3 with a rotation shaft 139 as the center of rotation with respect to the arm tip 130c. The foot 130d is biased in the counterclockwise direction in Fig. 5 by a spring (not shown) to a predetermined stopper position. This enables the foot 130d to accurately grasp the surface of the road (floor) when the robot device 1000 walks.

[0025] Fig. 6A is a schematic diagram showing the bottom side of the toe 130d as viewed from below. Paw pads 310 and 312 are provided on the bottom side of the toe 130d. Both paw pads 310 and 312 are made of rubber and have built-in load sensors. Paw pad 312 is removable and replaceable. Fig. 6B shows the state in which paw pad 312 has been removed from the state shown in Fig. 6A. When paw pad 312 becomes worn, the user can remove paw pad 312 and replace it with a new one.

[0026] In addition, by replacing the paw 312, the paw 310 and the paw 312 can be made of different materials, or the paw 312 can have different functions. This allows the paw 312 to be equipped with an optimal function according to, for example, the material of the floor. Furthermore, by replacing the paw 312 with a different color, the color can be changed to the user's preference.

[0027] 6C is a schematic diagram showing the periphery of the base of the left front leg 110, and shows a cross section when viewed from the front side of the robot device 1000. As shown in FIG. 6C, the rotating shafts 112 and 114 at the base of the left front leg 110 are stored in a two-shaft box 200. The box 200 is stored in the left leg 110 with the rotating shaft 114 fixed to the left leg 110. In addition, the box 200 is fixed to the frame 400 by fixing the rotating shaft 112 to the body 140 (frame 400 described later).

[0028] The portion of left foot 110 facing frame 400 is spherical as described above, and faces concave area 402a of frame 402, which will be described later. With this configuration, by driving rotation shaft 112 and rotation shaft 114, left foot 110 can be freely rotated relative to frame 400. The other feet are configured in the same manner as in FIG. 6C.

[0029] 6C, when the rotating shaft 114 is driven, the foot 110 is driven in the direction of the arrow A7. At this time, in order to avoid interference with the rotating shaft 112, a groove 740 corresponding to the rotating shaft 112 is provided on the exterior of the foot 110. By providing the groove 740, the foot 110 can be rotated in the direction of the arrow A7 by driving the rotating shaft 114.

[0030] On the other hand, when the foot 110 rotates, for example, 90° or more in the direction of the arrow A7 from the state shown in Fig. 6C, the groove 740 rotates to a position where it does not face the frame 400, and the groove 740 may become exposed to the outside. In this case, there is a possibility that a foreign object may be caught in the groove 740. For this reason, a spherical cover 750 is provided as shown in Fig. 6C. The cover 750 is spherical to match the shape of the adjacent foot 110. . Cover 750 may be adapted to move in response to the movement of foot 110. Also, a spring may be provided to bias cover 750 in a predetermined direction so that cover 750 comes into contact with a predetermined stopper.

[0031] 3. Structure of the Ear 7 is a schematic diagram showing the head 150, particularly the face, of the robot device 1000. The robot device 1000 is provided with ears 320. The ears 320 rotate in the direction of arrow A4 around a rotation shaft 322 by the driving force of a motor. In addition to rotating in the direction of arrow A4, the ears 320 of the robot device 1000 are also driven around a rotation shaft 324 as a rotation center in a direction in which their tips open to the left and right when viewed from the front (in the direction of arrow A5). In FIG. 7, the angle α by which the ears 320 open in the direction of arrow A5 is referred to as the opening angle.

[0032] FIG. 8A is a schematic diagram showing ear 320 and its surroundings in detail. Ear 320 rotates in the direction of arrow A4 around rotating shaft 322 by the drive of a built-in motor. As shown in FIG. 8A, ear 320 is rotatable around rotating shaft 324. In addition, at the base of ear 320, inclined cam 328 fixed to head 150 is provided. When ear 320 rotates in the direction of arrow A4 around rotating shaft 322, cam follower 326 provided on ear 320 slides on inclined cam 328. As a result, ear 320 rotates in the direction of arrow A5 around rotating shaft 324.

[0033] FIG. 8B is a schematic diagram for explaining the movement of the ear 320. When the ear 320 rotates around the rotation shaft 322 as a rotation center, the opening angle α of the ear 320 increases as the tip of the ear 320 rotates toward the front of the robot device 1000. As an example, the opening angle α of the ear 320 can be opened up to a maximum of 28 degrees, assuming that the state in which the ear 320 is most open to the left and right is 0 degrees. As shown in FIG. 8B, when the rotation angle of the ear 320 around the rotation shaft 322 is in the range of 0 to 70 degrees, the opening angle of the ear 320 is basically 0. On the other hand, since the cam follower 326 is mounted on the oblique cam 328, even if the rotation angle of the ear 320 around the rotation shaft 322 is in the range of 0 to 70 degrees, when the user touches the ear 320 with his / her hand and moves the tip of the ear 320 in the direction of opening, the ear 320 can be freely opened within the free movable range of the opening angle α of 0 to 28 degrees. In other words, when the rotation angle of ear 320 around rotation shaft 322 is 0 to 70°, cam follower 326 moves away from inclined cam 328, allowing ear 320 to rotate in the direction of arrow A5 within the free range of motion with rotation shaft 324 as the center of rotation.

[0034] When ear 320 rotates about rotation shaft 324 as the center of rotation, when opening angle α reaches 28 degrees, ear 320 hits a predetermined mechanical stopper and ear 320 cannot open any further. When the rotation angle of ear 320 around rotation shaft 322 is in the range of 0 to 70 degrees, the free movement range is the range from when cam follower 326 is in contact with inclined cam 328 to when cam follower 326 separates from inclined cam 328 and ear 320 hits the above-mentioned mechanical stopper.

[0035] 8B, when the rotation angle around the rotation shaft 322 is in the range of 0 to -95 degrees, the smaller the rotation angle, the more the cam follower 326 rises along the inclined cam 326, and the opening angle α of the ear 320 increases. Therefore, the free range of motion in the opening direction of the ear 320 becomes smaller. Then, when the rotation angle around the rotation shaft 322 becomes -95 degrees, the opening angle of the ear 320 becomes 28 degrees, and the free range of motion becomes 0.

[0036] As described above, by changing the opening angle α of the ear 320 according to the rotation angle of the ear 320 about the rotation axis 322, it is possible to make the movement of the ear 320 more realistic and to enrich the emotional expression of the robot device 1000. Even when the ear 320 is not open, by providing a free movement range in the opening direction of the ear 320, the ear 320 can open when the user touches the ear 320, and the movement of the ear 320 can be made more realistic.

[0037] 4. Tail structure FIG. 9A is a schematic diagram showing the appearance of the tail 330 provided on the robot device 1000. FIG. 9B is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the tail 330 is removed from the state of FIG. 9A. The tail 330 is attached to a tail attachment part 340. The tail attachment part 340 rotates in the direction of the arrow A6 by driving a motor. The tail 330 is made of silicon rubber and is thicker at the tip side than at the base. A hole is provided at the base of the tail 330 for inserting the tail attachment part 340. The tail 330 is solid in an area where a hole for inserting the tail attachment part 340 is not formed. In this way, the tail 330 is made of silicon rubber, thicker at the tip side than at the base, and solid, so that the tip side is heavy. Therefore, when the tail attachment part 340 is driven in the direction of the arrow A6, the tail 330 vibrates appropriately. In addition, the tail 330 also vibrates appropriately when the robot device 1000 walks. The tail 330 vibrates appropriately, allowing the user to feel a sense of closeness and attachment to the robot device 1000.

[0038] 5. Sensor configuration and layout examples The robot device 1000 is equipped with various sensors. Pressure sensors and electrostatic sensors are provided over a wide area on the back 344 of the robot device 1000 shown in Fig. 5. The pressure sensors provided are capable of detecting loads of several tens to several thousands of grams. By providing both the electrostatic sensors and the pressure sensors on the back 344, when the user strokes or hits the back 344, the user's action can be reliably detected.

[0039] In particular, by using both the electrostatic sensor and the pressure sensor, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of false detection. For example, when the robot device 1000 is walking, there is a possibility that the pressure sensor will falsely detect the user's hand due to the detection of vibration. In such a case, if the hand is not detected by the electrostatic sensor, the reaction of the pressure sensor can be ignored. When the robot device 1000 is stationary, the possibility of false detection by the pressure sensor is low, so the user's hand may be detected based only on the detection by the pressure sensor without using the electrostatic sensor.

[0040] The pressure sensor and electrostatic sensor arranged on the back of the robot device 1000 are both built inside the cover 344a of the back 344. The surface of the cover 344a arranged on the outside of the pressure sensor and electrostatic sensor is covered with a coating made of silicone rubber. This coating has a fine mesh-like pattern. With this configuration, when the user touches the back, a "smooth feeling" can be given, making it possible to improve the tactile sensation. As a result, in the interaction between the user and the robot device 1000, a tactile sensation that makes the user want to touch the robot device 1000 can be given, and the user's feelings can be better conveyed.

[0041] In Fig. 7, an electrostatic sensor is built into region 352, which is surrounded by a dashed line from the top of the head to the nose. Also, as shown in Fig. 17, an electrostatic sensor is built into region 354, which is surrounded by a dashed line on the chin. Therefore, even if the user strokes region 352 from the top of the head to the nose or region 354 on the chin, the user's movement can be detected reliably.

[0042] When the robot device 1000 is stroked by a user, the robot device 1000 can recognize the action as a reward. This allows the robot device 1000 to perform more of the action that was performed immediately before the robot device 1000 was stroked.

[0043] As shown in Fig. 7, a camera 700 is attached to the nose of the robot device 1000. In addition, as shown in Fig. 9A and Fig. 9B, a camera 710 is attached to the back of the robot device 1000, in front of the tail 330. The robot device 1000 can recognize people and objects in the vicinity by capturing images of the surroundings with the cameras 700 and 710.

[0044] In addition, a human sensor and a PSD (Position Sensitive Detector) are provided around the nose of the robot device 1000. For example, the human sensor can detect the temperature of a person up to 5 m away. The robot device 1000 can detect the user by using these sensors. Furthermore, the robot device 1000 is also provided with an illuminance sensor that detects illuminance.

[0045] The robot device 1000 also includes gyro sensors (acceleration sensors) on its body and head, which enable the robot device 1000 to detect its own posture. Furthermore, the gyro sensors enable the robot device 1000 to detect whether it has fallen or been picked up by a user.

[0046] The head of the robot device 1000 has five microphones embedded therein, and holes are provided in the exterior of the head corresponding to the positions of the microphones. Specifically, two microphones are embedded on each of the left and right sides, and the remaining microphone is embedded in the back of the head. In general, by acquiring sounds from three microphones, it is possible to estimate the position of the sound source.

[0047] For example, when a voice is heard from the right side of the robot device 1000, the joints 152, 154, 156, and 158 of the head system are controlled so that the head of the robot device 1000 turns to the right. By embedding a microphone in the head, natural head movement can be achieved.

[0048] 6. Eye Structure The eyes 350 of the robot device 1000 shown in Fig. 7 are configured to perform various movements and displays in response to the operation of the robot device 1000. For this purpose, the robot device 1000 is provided with a self-luminous display device (OLED) 3520 in each of the left and right eyes 350. Fig. 10 is a schematic diagram showing a cross section taken along dashed line II' in Fig. 7. As shown in Fig. 10, the eyes 350 of the robot device 1000 are configured to include an OLED 3520, a lens 3540, and a cover glass 356.

[0049] The OLED 3520, the lens 3540, and the cover glass 356 are provided for each of the left and right eyes 350. If a flat display device is provided in common for the left and right eyes, the eyes will be arranged in a flat manner, and it will be impossible to configure the eyes three-dimensionally. In this embodiment, by providing the OLED 3520 individually for each of the left and right eyes 350, the orientation of the left and right eyes 350 can be optimally arranged, and the left and right eyes 350 can be configured three-dimensionally.

[0050] The OLED 3520 displays information related to the eye 350, such as blinking, white of the eye, black of the eye, and movement of the black of the eye 350. The lens 3540 refracts light so as to magnify the display of the OLED 3520 and make the display of the OLED 3520 appear wider.

[0051] The lens 3540 has a convex curved surface on the front side, and the display of the OLED 3520 is reflected by the curved surface. This expresses the sphere of the eyeball. As shown in FIG. 10, the lens 3540 is thicker at the center and thinner at the periphery. By changing the thickness of the lens 3540 at the center and the periphery, the curvature of the front and back of the lens 3540 differs, and a lens effect can be generated. In addition, when the user looks at the eye 350, it is possible to produce the above-mentioned spread of the display. In addition, if the lens 3540 is arranged without any gaps so that the front of the OLED 352 is filled, the lens effect becomes too strong, but by providing a space between the lens 3540 and the OLED 3520, the lens effect can be adjusted appropriately.

[0052] Although the display by the OLED 3520 is planar, the display can be performed at a desired position on a sphere by performing coordinate conversion on the curved surface of the lens 3540. Therefore, by controlling the pitch angle and yaw angle on the lens 3540, it is possible to control the position of the pupil to face the user.

[0053] The cover glass 356 is made of a transparent resin material or the like with a uniform thickness. The surface of the cover glass 356 forms a curved surface that is continuous with the surface of the head of the adjacent robot device 1000. This prevents the user from feeling a step even when the user touches the eye 350 and its surroundings, thereby preventing the user from feeling uncomfortable.

[0054] 7. Cover (lid) structure Fig. 11A is a schematic diagram showing the belly of the robot device 1000. The belly of the robot device 1000 is provided with contact terminals 360, 362, and 364 for contacting a charging station to receive power. For example, a battery 380 can be stored behind the contact terminals 360, 362, and 364, and the battery 380 is exposed to the outside by removing a cover 370. In addition, by removing the cover 370, the user can access various terminals and operation keys. Fig. 11B is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the cover 370 has been removed from the state shown in Fig. 11A.

[0055] 12A, 12B, and 12C are schematic diagrams showing how to remove cover 370. Unlike general electrical appliances, cover 370 is not provided with a structure for hooking a nail to remove it. When removing cover 370, first, as shown in FIG. 12A, the end of cover 370 on the rear foot side is pressed with a finger. This causes the front end of cover 370 to lift up as shown in FIG. 12B. Therefore, cover 370 can be removed by pulling up the front end of cover 370 as shown in FIG. 12C.

[0056] 8. Battery Configuration Fig. 13 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the battery 380. As shown in Fig. 13, the battery 380 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, and two of the six sides of the rectangular parallelepiped are curved. The battery 380 has six terminals 380a that are electrically connected to the robot device 1000. By providing six terminals 380a, it is possible to reliably supply power to the robot device 1000, which handles a large amount of power.

[0057] Furthermore, two opposing surfaces 382, ​​384 of the battery 380 are provided with rectangular recesses 386, 388. The recesses 386, 388 are provided at opposing positions on the two surfaces 382, ​​384. This allows the recesses 386, 388 to be grasped with, for example, the index finger and thumb, making it easy to attach and detach the battery 380 to and from the robot device 1000.

[0058] Furthermore, a recess 390 is formed on the surface 385 of the battery, providing a standing wall 392. This makes it possible to remove the battery 380 from the robot device 1000 by hooking a finger on the standing wall 392.

[0059] An arrangement recess 394 is formed at the tip of each of the six terminals 380a. The arrangement recess 394 is open in the direction of connection between the six terminals 380a and the connection terminals on the robot device 1000 side that are connected to each of the terminals 380a. The arrangement recess 394 is formed by arrangement recess forming surfaces 396, 398. surface At least a part of 396, 398 is formed as an inclined surface in the direction in which arrangement recess 394 opens, such that the opening area of ​​arrangement recess 394 increases as it moves away from terminal 380a. The housing of battery 380 is formed, for example, by joining an upper case and a lower case from above and below. In the storage space of the housing, a plurality of cells, separators for separating and arranging the cells, connecting metal plates connected to the cells, a circuit board, etc. are arranged. The basic configuration of battery 380 can be configured similarly to the battery described in, for example, Japanese Patent No. 6191795.

[0060] 9.Frame, board, and wiring configuration 14 to 16 are schematic diagrams showing the arrangement of frame 400 and substrate 500 of robot device 1000. As an example, frame 400 is made of magnesium die-casting, and mainly comprises four components 402, 404, 406, and 408. Figs. 14 to 16 show the same frame 400 from different viewing angles, but Figs. 15 and 16 omit illustration of components 406 and 408.

[0061] The parts 402 and 404 are formed with concave regions 402a and 404a, respectively, and the joints 112 and 114 of the left front leg and the joints 102 and 104 of the right front leg are connected to the regions 402a and 404a, respectively. The part 408 also has a concave portion 408a, and the joints 122 and 124 of the right hind leg 120 are connected to the concave portion 408a. The part 406 also has a concave portion to which the joints 132 and 134 of the left hind leg 130 are connected, similar to the part 408. The frames 406 and 408 rotate relative to the frames 402 and 404 around a vertical rotation axis as the center of rotation, by the driving force of the motor of the joint portion 142. As a result, as described above, when the robot device 1000 is viewed from above, a movement of swinging the hips from side to side is realized.

[0062] By constructing the frame 400 from magnesium die-casting, the rigidity of the robot device 1000 can be increased compared to when the frame is constructed from sheet metal.

[0063] 14 to 16, circuit boards 500, 502, 504, 506, and 509 are disposed on frame 400. By distributing circuit boards 500, 502, 504, 506, and 509 on frame 400, the heat dissipation effect can be improved.

[0064] In addition, while the frame of the robot device 1000 is usually made up of a box-shaped housing, in this embodiment, the frame is made up of magnesium die-cast parts 402, 404, 406, and 408 instead of a box-shaped housing, which allows for significantly increased freedom in the arrangement of circuit boards 500, 502, 504, 506, and 509.

[0065] 17 and 18 are schematic diagrams showing the wiring of the circuit board 510 from the body to the head of the robot device 1000. As shown in Fig. 17, the circuit board 510 connecting the body 140 and the head 150 of the robot device 1000 is provided along the arm 170 connecting the joint unit 156 and the joint unit 158. Since the head 150 moves with respect to the body 140, it is preferable that the circuit board 510 is made of a flexible printed circuit (FPC). As shown in Fig. 18, the circuit board 510 is separated into two circuit boards 512 and 514, which are connected to another circuit board provided in the head 150.

[0066] The main circuit board of the robot device 1000 is provided on the torso side. On the other hand, since various sensors, eye display devices, etc. are concentrated in the head 150, a circuit board 510 with a relatively large number of wires is used.

[0067] 10. Screw-hiding structure Although screws are used when assembling the robot device 1000, all of the screws are hidden so as not to be exposed to the outside. For this reason, all of the screws are disposed inside an exterior cover. FIG. 19 is a schematic diagram showing a screw 600 and a cover 610 that covers the screw 600. The screw 600 and the cover 610 are revealed when any of the exterior covers are removed. The cover 610 shown in FIG. 19 has the function of hiding the screw 600 and preventing the screw 600 from loosening.

[0068] 19, uneven portions 602 are formed on the side surface of the head of the screw 600. A hole 612 into which the head of the screw 600 is inserted is provided in the cover 610, and uneven portions 614 corresponding to uneven portions 602 on the outer periphery of the head of the screw 600 are provided on the inner periphery of the hole 612.

[0069] Further, a recess 620 is formed in the exterior surrounding the screw 600. A protrusion 616 corresponding to the recess 620 is provided in the cover 610. As a result, when the cover 610 is placed over the screw 600, the uneven portion 614 of the cover 610 fits into the uneven portion 602 of the head of the screw 600, and the protrusion 616 of the cover 610 fits into the recess 620 of the exterior. This makes it possible to prevent the screw 600 from loosening.

[0070] Although the preferred embodiment of the present disclosure has been described in detail above with reference to the attached drawings, the technical scope of the present disclosure is not limited to such examples. It is clear that a person having ordinary knowledge in the technical field of the present disclosure can conceive of various modified or amended examples within the scope of the technical ideas described in the claims, and it is understood that these also naturally belong to the technical scope of the present disclosure.

[0071] In addition, the effects described in this specification are merely descriptive or exemplary and are not limiting. In other words, the technology according to the present disclosure may achieve other effects that are apparent to a person skilled in the art from the description of this specification, in addition to or in place of the above effects.

[0072] Note that the following configurations also fall within the technical scope of the present disclosure. (1) a head connected to a torso; Four legs on the front left and right and the rear left and right connected to the torso; A first joint portion for tilting the head left and right; a second joint portion that rotates one of the left and right rear foot portions forward and the other rear foot portion backward with respect to the trunk; A robot device comprising: (2) The robot device according to (1), wherein the connecting portion between the torso side and the foot portion is provided with two rotation shafts for rotating the foot portion in the forward / backward direction and the left / right direction, and the two rotation shafts are stored in a single box. (3) A groove is provided on the exterior of the foot to prevent interference of one of the two rotating shafts with the other of the two rotating shafts due to driving of the other of the two rotating shafts, The robot device according to (2), further comprising a cover that covers the groove. (4) The robot device according to any one of (1) to (3), wherein the foot portion has a plurality of rotational shafts, and the two rotational shafts provided at the connection between the torso side and the foot portion and the rotational shaft located directly below the connection portion are provided on one arm constituting the foot portion. (5) The robot device according to any one of (1) to (4), wherein the foot has a plurality of joints, any one of the joints is connected to other joints via links, and the other joints move in conjunction with the driving force of the any one of the joints. (6) The robot device according to (5), wherein the arbitrary joint is a joint corresponding to a knee, and the other joint is a joint corresponding to an ankle. (7) A robot having ears on the head, The robot device according to any one of (1) to (6), wherein the tips of the ears rotate back and forth. (8) The robot device according to (7), wherein the tips of the ears rotate back and forth and open left and right. (9) The robot device according to (8), wherein the opening angle of the ears increases as the ears rotate forward. (10) The robot device according to any one of (1) to (9), further comprising a tail that is rotatably driven relative to the body. (11) The robot device according to (10), wherein the tail is made of silicone rubber and thickens from its base on the body side toward its tip. (12) The robot device according to any one of (1) to (11), further comprising a sensor that detects a user's touching of the torso or the head. (13) The robot device according to (12), wherein the sensor is configured by a combination of a pressure sensor and an electrostatic sensor. (14) The head has eyes, The eye has a display device and a lens disposed outside the display device, The robot device according to any one of (1) to (13), wherein the display device is provided for each of the eyes. (15) The robot device according to (14), wherein the lens has a different thickness at a position corresponding to a center of the display device and a position corresponding to a periphery of the display device. (16) The robot device according to any one of (1) to (15) above, further comprising a charging terminal for electrical connection to a charging station. (17) The robot device according to any one of (1) to (16) above, further comprising a removable battery. (18) The battery has a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface; The robot device according to (17), wherein rectangular recesses are formed in corresponding positions on the first surface and the second surface. (19) The robot device according to (17) or (18), wherein the battery has a recess formed adjacent to a ridge line connecting two surfaces, and the recess forms a vertical wall at the ridge line. (20) A storage section in which the battery is stored; A lid that closes the storage section, The robot device according to any one of (17) to (19), wherein when an end of the lid is pressed, an opposite side to the end is lifted, making the lid removable. ( 21 ) The fuselage is constituted by a magnesium die-cast frame, 20 2. The robot device according to claim 1 , ( 22 The frame is composed of a plurality of parts divided in the left and right direction. 21 ) The robot device described in. ( 23 ) A plurality of circuit boards are arranged on the frame. 21 ) or ( 22 ) The robot device described in. ( 24 ) an arm connecting said torso and said head, The above-mentioned (1) to ( 23 2. The robot device according to claim 1 , [Explanation of symbols]

[0073] 100,110,120,130 feet 102,104,106,112,114,116,122,124,126,132,134,136,142,152,154,156,158 Joints 140 Torso 150 head 1000 Robotic Device

Claims

1. A body portion and a foot portion connected to the torso portion through a joint portion, The robot device includes: a sensor provided on the body portion for detecting a touch by a user; Equipped with The sensor is an electrostatic sensor and a pressure sensor; Detecting a user action based on sensor data from the electrostatic sensor and the pressure sensor in combination; If the electrostatic sensor does not detect the user's action, the response of the pressure sensor is ignored; When the robot device is stationary, the pressure sensor detects the user's action without using the electrostatic sensor. Robot device.

2. The sensor is provided on a back portion of the torso. The robotic device according to claim 1 .

3. The cover disposed on the outside of the sensor is provided with a coating having a fine mesh pattern. The robotic device according to claim 1 .

4. The electrostatic sensor is further provided on a head connected to the torso. The robotic device according to claim 1 .

5. The electrostatic sensor is provided in a predetermined region of the head from the top to the nose. The robot device according to claim 4.

6. The electrostatic sensor is provided in a predetermined area of ​​a chin portion of the head. The robot device according to claim 4.

7. recognizing the user action detected based on the sensor data as a reward; The robotic device according to claim 1 .

8. When the user action is recognized as the reward, the action immediately before the user action is detected is executed more frequently. The robotic device according to claim 7.

9. a robot device including a torso and feet connected to the torso via joints, the robot device being provided on the torso and configured to detect touch by a user, the robot device using a combination of an electrostatic sensor and a pressure sensor to detect a user's action based on sensor data from the electrostatic sensor and the pressure sensor; If the electrostatic sensor does not detect the user's action, the response of the pressure sensor is ignored; When the robot device is stationary, the pressure sensor detects the user's action without using the electrostatic sensor. Control methods.

Images