Information processing device and information processing method

Abstract

To achieve colorful motion expression of an autonomous moving body through easier posture control.SOLUTION: An information processing system includes a motion control unit that controls a motion of an autonomous moving body. The autonomous moving body includes a wheel that can be stowed inside a main unit or jutted out of the main unit. When the autonomous moving body moves, the motion control unit causes the wheel to jut out of the main unit and sustain a standing condition, drives or controls the wheel, and controls the posture of the autonomous moving body. When the autonomous moving body is at a halt, the motion control unit stows the wheels inside the main unit and thus causes the autonomous moving body to stand still in a sitting condition.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 15

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an information processing device and an information processing method. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, various robot devices have been developed with the advancement of technology. Such robot devices include autonomous robot devices that perform flexible autonomous operations according to the user and surrounding conditions. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a dog-type robot device that performs information acquisition behavior as one of its autonomous operations. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2002-219677 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Incidentally, posture control is important for realizing various autonomous operations in an autonomous robot device such as that disclosed in Patent Document 1. Posture control tends to become more difficult as the structure of the robot device becomes more complex, while if the structure of the robot device is simplified, it is expected that the range of motion expression by the robot device will be limited, giving the user an impression of impersonality.

[0005] Therefore, the present disclosure proposes a new and improved information processing device and information processing method that can realize a rich range of motion expression of an autonomous moving body with easier attitude control. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] According to the present disclosure, there is provided an information processing device comprising an operation control unit that controls the operation of an autonomous mobile body, the autonomous mobile body having wheels that can be stored inside the main body and protrude outside the main body, and when the autonomous mobile body moves, the operation control unit protrudes the wheels outside the main body to maintain an upright position, and performs drive control of the wheels and attitude control of the autonomous mobile body, and when the autonomous mobile body is stopped, stores the wheels inside the main body to stop it in a sitting position.

[0007] Furthermore, according to the present disclosure, there is provided an information processing method including a processor controlling the operation of an autonomous moving body, the autonomous moving body having wheels that can be stored inside the main body and protrude outside the main body, and the controlling further including, when the autonomous moving body moves, protruding the wheels outside the main body to maintain an upright position, controlling the drive of the wheels and controlling the attitude of the autonomous moving body, and when the autonomous moving body is stopped, storing the wheels inside the main body to stop it in a sitting position.

[0008] Furthermore, according to the present disclosure, there is provided a program for causing a computer to function as an information processing device, comprising an operation control unit that controls the operation of an autonomous mobile body, the autonomous mobile body having wheels that can be stored inside the main body and protrude outside the main body, and the operation control unit protruding the wheels outside the main body to maintain an upright position when the autonomous mobile body moves, controlling the drive of the wheels and controlling the attitude of the autonomous mobile body, and storing the wheels inside the main body to stop the autonomous mobile body in a sitting position when it is stopped. Effect of the Invention

[0009] As described above, according to the present disclosure, it is possible to realize a wide range of motion expression of an autonomous moving body with easier attitude control.

[0010] 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]

[0011] [Figure 1] 1A and 1B are front and rear views of an autonomous moving body according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an autonomous moving body according to the embodiment. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a side view of the autonomous moving body according to the embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a top view of the autonomous moving body according to the embodiment. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the autonomous moving body according to the embodiment. [Figure 6] 2 is a schematic diagram for explaining an internal structure of an autonomous moving body according to the embodiment. FIG. [Figure 7] 2A and 2B are diagrams showing a configuration of a substrate according to the embodiment; [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a substrate according to the embodiment. [Figure 9] 3 is a diagram showing a peripheral structure of a wheel according to the embodiment; FIG. [Figure 10] 3 is a diagram showing a peripheral structure of a wheel according to the embodiment; FIG. [Figure 11] 11A and 11B are diagrams for explaining forward leaning running of the autonomous moving body according to the embodiment. [Figure 12] 11A and 11B are diagrams for explaining forward leaning running of the autonomous moving body according to the embodiment. [Figure 13A] 10A to 10C are diagrams for explaining the effect achieved by the forward tilting motion of the autonomous moving body 10 according to the embodiment. [Figure 13B] 10A to 10C are diagrams for explaining the effect achieved by the forward tilting motion of the autonomous moving body 10 according to the embodiment. [Figure 14] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a functional configuration of an autonomous moving body according to the embodiment. [Figure 15] 11A to 11C are diagrams for explaining posture control during stationary and moving operations according to the embodiment. [Figure 16]11A to 11C are diagrams for explaining posture control during stationary and moving operations according to the embodiment. [Figure 17] 11 is a diagram for explaining wheel control at the time of transition to a position state according to the embodiment. FIG. [Figure 18] 11 is a diagram for explaining wheel control at the time of transition to a position state according to the embodiment. FIG. [Figure 19] 4 is a diagram for explaining the arrangement of a flywheel according to the embodiment. FIG. [Figure 20] 5A and 5B are diagrams for explaining a rotational force generated by a gyroscopic effect of the flywheel according to the embodiment. [Figure 21] 11 is a diagram for explaining a flow of a return control from a fallen state according to the embodiment. FIG. [Figure 22] 11 is a diagram for explaining a flow of a return control from a fallen state according to the embodiment. FIG. [Figure 23] 11 is a diagram for explaining a flow of a return control from a fallen state according to the embodiment. FIG. [Figure 24] 11 is a diagram for explaining a flow of a return control from a fallen state according to the embodiment. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0012] 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.

[0013] The explanation will be given in the following order. 1. Embodiment 1.1. Overview 1.2. Configuration Example of Autonomous Mobile Body 10 1.3. Example of Functional Configuration of Autonomous Mobile Body 10 1.4.Details of attitude control 2. Summary

[0014] <1. Embodiment> <<1.1. Overview>> First, an overview of an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described. As described above, various robotic devices that perform autonomous operations have been developed. Such robotic devices are capable of autonomously performing various operations, including movement, in response to a user, surroundings, or the situation of the robot itself.

[0015] Here, in order to realize the above-mentioned autonomous operation, it is important to control the attitude of the robot device (hereinafter, also referred to as an autonomous moving body). The above-mentioned attitude control includes, for example, gyro control that controls the balance of the autonomous moving body based on the angular velocity detected by a gyro sensor equipped in the autonomous moving body. This control makes it possible to finely adjust the attitude of the autonomous moving body so as to prevent unintended tipping over, for example.

[0016] On the other hand, even when gyro control is performed, when the autonomous moving body does not move but remains stationary, the device body generally becomes unstable and wobbly. Also, power costs tend to increase when gyro control is continuously performed to prevent the autonomous moving body from falling over even when stationary.

[0017] The technical idea according to the present disclosure was conceived with a focus on the above points, and one of its features is that when stopped, the autonomous moving body is placed in a sitting position to increase the contact area with the installation surface, and the main body is stationary in a stable state even without gyro control. According to this feature, when movement is not required, the autonomous moving body is firmly stopped in place, and unnecessary gyro control is not performed, making it possible to effectively reduce power consumption.

[0018] In addition, one of the features of the autonomous moving body according to the present embodiment is that it performs moving actions such as forward and backward movement, turning movement, and rotational movement in a standing position maintaining a forward leaning posture. According to this feature, even if the autonomous moving body has a relatively simple external shape such as an oblong body, it is possible to wipe away the impression that it is an artificial object by clearly imagining the head and waist, and to give the user a reference that is closer to a real living organism.

[0019] The features of the autonomous moving body 10 according to this embodiment and the effects achieved by these features will be described in detail below.

[0020] <<1.2. Configuration Example of Autonomous Moving Body 10>> Next, a configuration example of the autonomous mobile body 10 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described. The autonomous mobile body 10 according to this embodiment can be various devices that perform autonomous operation based on environmental recognition. In the following, a case where the autonomous mobile body 10 according to this embodiment is an agent-type robot device with an oblong shape that runs autonomously on wheels will be described as an example. The autonomous mobile body 10 according to this embodiment realizes various communications including information presentation by performing autonomous operations according to, for example, the user, the surroundings, and its own situation. The autonomous mobile body 10 according to this embodiment may be a small robot having a size and weight that can be easily lifted by a user with one hand.

[0021] First, an example of the exterior of the autonomous moving body 10 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figs. 1 to 5. Fig. 1 is a front view and a rear view of the autonomous moving body 10 according to this embodiment. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the autonomous moving body 10 according to this embodiment. Fig. 3 is a side view of the autonomous moving body 10 according to this embodiment. Figs. 4 and 5 are a top view and a bottom view, respectively, of the autonomous moving body 10 according to this embodiment.

[0022] 1 to 4, the autonomous moving body 10 according to this embodiment includes two eyes 510 corresponding to a right eye and a left eye on the upper part of the main body. The eyes 510 are realized by, for example, an LED, and can express gaze, blinking, and the like. Note that the eyes 510 are not limited to the above example, and may be realized by, for example, two single or independent OLEDs (Organic Light Emitting Diodes).

[0023] Moreover, the autonomous moving body 10 according to this embodiment includes two cameras 515 above the eye unit 510. The cameras 515 have a function of capturing images of a user and the surrounding environment. Furthermore, the autonomous moving body 10 can realize simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) based on images captured by the cameras 515.

[0024] The eye 510 and the camera 515 according to this embodiment are disposed on a substrate 505 disposed inside the exterior surface. In this embodiment, the exterior surface of the autonomous moving body 10 is basically formed using an opaque material, but a head cover 550 using a transparent or semi-transparent material is provided for a portion corresponding to the substrate 505 on which the eye 510 and the camera 515 are disposed. This allows the user to recognize the eye 510 of the autonomous moving body 10, and allows the autonomous moving body 10 to capture an image of the outside world.

[0025] 1, 2, and 5, the autonomous moving body 10 according to this embodiment includes a ToF sensor 520 at the lower front surface. The ToF sensor 520 has a function of detecting the distance to an object present in front. The ToF sensor 520 can detect the distance to various objects with high accuracy, and can also detect steps and the like to prevent the autonomous moving body 10 from falling or tipping over.

[0026] 1, 3, etc., the autonomous moving body 10 according to this embodiment may be provided on the rear surface with a connection terminal 555 for an external device and a power switch 560. The autonomous moving body 10 can connect to an external device via the connection terminal 555 and communicate information.

[0027] As shown in FIG. 5, the autonomous moving body 10 according to this embodiment has two wheels 570 on the bottom surface. The wheels 570 according to this embodiment are driven by different motors 565. This allows the autonomous moving body 10 to realize moving operations such as forward, backward, turning, and rotation. The wheels 570 according to this embodiment are provided so as to be able to be stored inside the main body and protrude to the outside. The autonomous moving body 10 according to this embodiment can also perform a jumping operation by, for example, forcefully protruding the two wheels 570 to the outside. Note that FIG. 5 shows a state in which the wheels 570 are stored inside the main body.

[0028] The exterior of the autonomous moving body 10 according to this embodiment has been described above. Next, the internal structure of the autonomous moving body 10 according to this embodiment will be described. Fig. 6 is a schematic diagram for explaining the internal structure of the autonomous moving body 10 according to this embodiment.

[0029] 6, the autonomous moving body 10 according to this embodiment includes an inertial sensor 525 and a communication device 530 arranged on an electronic board. The inertial sensor 525 detects the acceleration and angular velocity of the autonomous moving body 10. The communication device 530 is configured to realize wireless communication with the outside, and includes, for example, a Bluetooth (registered trademark) or Wi-Fi (registered trademark) antenna.

[0030] The autonomous moving body 10 also includes a speaker 535, for example, inside the side surface of the main body. The autonomous moving body 10 can output various types of sound information, including voice, through the speaker 535.

[0031] 6, the autonomous moving body 10 according to this embodiment includes a plurality of microphones 540 on the inside of the upper part of the main body. The microphones 540 collect the user's speech and surrounding environmental sounds. By including the plurality of microphones 540, the autonomous moving body 10 can collect surrounding sounds with high sensitivity and realize the localization of the sound source.

[0032] 6, the autonomous moving body 10 includes a plurality of motors 565. The autonomous moving body 10 may include, for example, two motors 565 for vertically and horizontally driving a substrate on which the eye 510 and the camera 515 are arranged, two motors 565 for driving left and right wheels 570, and one motor 565 for realizing a forward tilting posture of the autonomous moving body 10. The autonomous moving body 10 according to this embodiment can express a variety of movements by using the plurality of motors 565.

[0033] Next, the configuration of the substrate 505 on which the eye 510 and the camera 515 according to the present embodiment are arranged, and the configuration of the eye 510 will be described in detail. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the configuration of the substrate 505 according to the present embodiment. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the substrate 505 according to the present embodiment. Referring to FIG. 7, the substrate 505 according to the present embodiment is connected to two motors 565. As described above, the two motors 565 can drive the substrate 505 on which the eye 510 and the camera 515 are arranged in the vertical and horizontal directions. This allows the eye 510 of the autonomous moving body 10 to be flexibly moved in the vertical and horizontal directions, making it possible to express a rich range of eye movements according to the situation and the operation.

[0034] 7 and 8, eye unit 510 is composed of central portion 512 corresponding to the iris and peripheral portion 514 corresponding to the so-called white of the eye. Central portion 512 expresses any color including blue, red, green, etc., and peripheral portion 514 expresses white. In this way, by separating the configuration of eye unit 510 into two, autonomous moving body 10 according to this embodiment can express natural eye expressions closer to those of an actual living creature.

[0035] Next, the structure of the wheel 570 according to this embodiment will be described in detail with reference to Fig. 9 and Fig. 10. Fig. 9 and Fig. 10 are diagrams showing the peripheral structure of the wheel 570 according to this embodiment. As shown in Fig. 9, the two wheels 570 according to this embodiment are each driven by an independent motor 565. With this configuration, in addition to simple forward and backward movement, it is possible to express movement movements such as turning and rotating on the spot in detail.

[0036] As described above, the wheel 570 according to this embodiment is provided so as to be capable of being stored inside the main body and protruding to the outside. Also, the damper 575 is provided coaxially with the wheel 570 according to this embodiment, so that it is possible to effectively reduce the transmission of impact and vibration to the axle and the main body.

[0037] 10, the wheel 570 according to this embodiment may be provided with an auxiliary spring 580. Driving the wheel according to this embodiment requires the most torque among the driving units of the autonomous moving body 10, but providing the auxiliary spring 580 makes it possible to standardize all the motors 565 without using different motors 565 for each driving unit.

[0038] Next, the characteristics of the autonomous moving body 10 according to this embodiment during running will be described. Fig. 11 is a diagram for explaining the forward leaning running of the autonomous moving body 10 according to this embodiment. One of the characteristics of the autonomous moving body 10 according to this embodiment is that it performs moving operations such as forward and backward movement, turning movement, and rotational movement while maintaining a forward leaning posture. Fig. 11 shows the autonomous moving body 10 when running as viewed from the side.

[0039] 11, one of the features of the autonomous moving body 10 according to this embodiment is that it moves while tilting forward at an angle θ in the vertical direction. The angle θ may be, for example, 10°.

[0040] At this time, the operation control unit 160 described later controls the movement operation of the autonomous moving body 10 so that the center of gravity CoG of the autonomous moving body 10 is located vertically above the rotation axis CoW of the wheel 570, as shown in FIG. 12. In addition, a weight part hp is arranged on the back side of the autonomous moving body 10 according to this embodiment in order to maintain balance when in a forward leaning posture. The weight part hp according to this embodiment may be a more important part compared to other components of the autonomous moving body 10, and may be, for example, a motor 565 or a battery. According to the above-mentioned component arrangement, gyro control is facilitated while maintaining balance even if the head is tilted forward, and it is possible to prevent the autonomous moving body 10 from falling unintentionally and realize stable forward leaning running.

[0041] Next, a moving operation in which the autonomous moving body 10 according to this embodiment maintains a forward leaning posture will be described in more detail. Figures 13A and 13B are diagrams for explaining the effect of the forward leaning operation of the autonomous moving body 10 according to this embodiment.

[0042] Here, Fig. 13A shows an example of a rotational motion when the autonomous mobile body does not take a forward-leaning posture. As shown in Fig. 13A, when the autonomous mobile body 10 does not take a forward-leaning posture and performs a moving motion such as rotation or back-and-forth movement while keeping the ellipsoid upright, the ellipsoid body does not have a sense of directionality, and it is difficult to erase the impression that the autonomous mobile body is an artificial object.

[0043] On the other hand, one of the features of the autonomous moving body 10 according to this embodiment is that it performs a moving action such as rotation while maintaining a forward leaning posture, as shown in Fig. 13B. According to this feature, the front upper part of the autonomous moving body 10 is reminiscent of the head, and the rear lower part is reminiscent of the waist, so that a simple oblong body is given directionality.

[0044] In this way, the forward leaning motion of the autonomous mobile body 10 according to this embodiment makes it possible to express structures equivalent to human body parts with a relatively simple exterior, and by anthropomorphizing the simple form, it becomes possible to give the user the impression that the robot is a living organism that goes beyond being a mere artificial object. As described above, the forward leaning motion according to this embodiment can be said to be a very effective means for enabling a robot having a relatively simple exterior such as an oblong body to express a rich range of facial expressions, and for evoking the complex movements of real living organisms.

[0045] A detailed description has been given above of a configuration example of the autonomous moving body 10 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Note that the above configuration described with reference to Figures 1 to 13B is merely an example, and the configuration of the autonomous moving body 10 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is not limited to this example. The shape and internal structure of the autonomous moving body 10 according to this embodiment can be designed arbitrarily.

[0046] <<1.3. Example of Functional Configuration of Autonomous Mobile Body 10>> Next, a functional configuration example of the autonomous moving body 10 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described. Fig. 14 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration example of the autonomous moving body 10 according to the present embodiment. Referring to Fig. 14, the autonomous moving body 10 according to the present embodiment includes a sensor unit 110, an input unit 120, a light source 130, an audio output unit 140, a drive unit 150, and an operation control unit 160.

[0047] (Sensor unit 110) The sensor unit 110 according to this embodiment has a function of collecting various sensor information related to the user and the surroundings. For this purpose, the sensor unit 110 according to this embodiment includes, for example, the above-mentioned camera 515, ToF sensor 520, microphone 540, inertial sensor 525, etc. In addition to the above, the sensor unit 110 may include various sensors such as a geomagnetic sensor, a touch sensor, an infrared sensor, and other optical sensors, a temperature sensor, and a humidity sensor.

[0048] (Input unit 120) The input unit 120 according to this embodiment has a function of detecting a physical input operation by a user. The input unit 120 according to this embodiment includes a button such as a power switch 560, for example.

[0049] (Light source 130) The light source 130 according to this embodiment expresses the eye movement of the autonomous moving body 10. For this purpose, the light source 130 according to this embodiment includes two eyes 510.

[0050] (Audio output unit 140) The audio output unit 140 according to the present embodiment has a function of outputting various sounds including voice. For this purpose, the audio output unit 140 according to the present embodiment includes a speaker 535, an amplifier, and the like.

[0051] (Drive unit 150) The driving unit 150 according to this embodiment expresses the physical movement of the autonomous moving body 10. For this purpose, the driving unit 150 according to this embodiment includes two wheels 570 and a plurality of motors 565.

[0052] (Operation control unit 160) The operation control unit 160 according to this embodiment has a function of controlling each component of the autonomous moving body 10. For example, the operation control unit 160 performs an action plan based on sensor information collected by the sensor unit 110, and controls eye expression by the light source 130 and audio output by the audio output unit 140. The operation control unit 160 may also control the operation of the drive unit 150 based on the above action plan.

[0053] An example of the functional configuration of the autonomous mobile body 10 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure has been described above. Note that the above configuration described using FIG. 14 is merely an example, and the functional configuration of the autonomous mobile body 10 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is not limited to the example. For example, the operation of the autonomous mobile body 10 according to the present embodiment may be controlled by an information processing server that communicates with the autonomous mobile body 10. In this case, the autonomous mobile body 10 may transmit sensor information to the information processing server via the above-mentioned communication device 530 and receive a control signal from the information processing server. The functional configuration of the autonomous mobile body 10 according to the present embodiment can be flexibly modified according to the shape of the autonomous mobile body 10, etc.

[0054] <<1.4. Details of attitude control>> Next, the attitude control of the autonomous moving body 10 by the operation control unit 160 according to this embodiment will be described in detail. As described above, one of the features of the operation control unit 160 according to this embodiment is that it controls the autonomous moving body 10 to move while maintaining a forward leaning attitude. According to the above-mentioned function of the operation control unit 160 according to this embodiment, it is possible to realize a richer expression of movement closer to that of a real living organism by giving directionality to the autonomous moving body 10.

[0055] Furthermore, the operation control unit 160 according to this embodiment may perform different posture control when stationary and when moving. FIG. 15 is a diagram for explaining posture control when stationary and when moving according to this embodiment. The left side of FIG. 15 shows a case where the autonomous moving body 10 stops on the spot without moving. At this time, the operation control unit 160 according to this embodiment may store the wheels 570 inside the main body of the autonomous moving body 10 and stop the autonomous moving body 10 in a sitting position.

[0056] According to the above control by the operation control unit 160 of this embodiment, when a moving operation is not required, the wheels 570 are stored inside the main body and the bottom is brought into contact with the installation surface, so that the autonomous moving body 10 can be firmly stopped and wobbling during stopping, as occurs with a general robot device, can be prevented. Furthermore, according to this control, the autonomous moving body 10 can be stabilized even without gyro control, and it is possible to effectively reduce the power consumption required for gyro control.

[0057] On the other hand, the right side of Fig. 15 shows a case where the autonomous moving body performs a moving operation. At this time, the operation control unit 160 according to this embodiment causes the wheels 570 to protrude outside the main body of the autonomous moving body 10 to maintain an upright state, and performs drive control and gyro control of the wheels 570.

[0058] As described above, the operation control unit 160 controls the autonomous moving body 10 so that the center of gravity CoG of the autonomous moving body 10 is positioned vertically above the wheels 570, thereby causing the autonomous moving body 10 to maintain a forward leaning posture. At this time, the operation control unit 160 may adjust the position of the wheels 570 to match the position of the center of gravity CoG.

[0059] According to the above-described control by the operation control unit 160 of this embodiment, the autonomous moving body 10 can be caused to move while maintaining a forward leaning posture, and even if the autonomous moving body 10 has a relatively simple external shape, it is possible to realize a rich expression of movement that is closer to that of a real living organism.

[0060] In the example shown in FIG. 15, the autonomous moving body 10 maintains a forward-leaning posture even in a seated state, but the posture of the seated state according to this embodiment is not limited to this example. FIG. 16 shows an example of a case where the autonomous moving body 10 according to this embodiment takes an upright posture in a seated state. In the example shown in FIG. 16, it can be seen that the angle of the bottom part is formed so as to be perpendicular to the body axis of the main body. In this way, the posture of the autonomous moving body 10 in a seated state can be appropriately adjusted by changing the angle of the bottom part.

[0061] In addition, when the angle of the bottom part is inclined with respect to the body axis so that the front is open, it is possible to further reduce the possibility that the front lower part will contact the traveling surface during the moving motion, as shown in Fig. 15. On the other hand, when the angle of the bottom part is formed perpendicular to the body axis, as shown in Fig. 16, it is expected to have the effect of making the autonomous moving body 10 more stable and stationary in the seated state.

[0062] 16, in this case, the center of gravity CoG of the autonomous mobile body 10 in the sitting state is shifted from the rotation axis of the wheel 570. If no control is performed, the center of gravity CoG will cause the main body of the autonomous mobile body 10 to move backward at the moment of transition to the standing state.

[0063] In order to prevent the above-mentioned situation, the operation control unit 160 of this embodiment may rotate the wheels 570 based on the amount of deviation between the center of gravity CoG of the autonomous moving body 10 in the vertical direction and the rotation axis of the wheels 570 when transitioning from a sitting position to a standing position.

[0064] FIG. 17 is a diagram for explaining wheel control during transition to a standing state according to this embodiment. FIG. 17 shows a situation in which the wheel 570 of the autonomous moving body 10 comes into contact with the running surface due to protrusion. At this time, the operation control unit 160 according to this embodiment may perform gyro control after rotating the wheel 570 by the above-mentioned deviation amount +α and positioning the center of gravity CoG vertically above the rotation axis of the wheel 570. According to the above control by the operation control unit 160, even if there is a deviation between the center of gravity and the rotation axis of the wheel 570 in the sitting state, the deviation can be offset, and the autonomous moving body 10 can be stably transitioned to a standing state without moving backward.

[0065] In the above, a case where the center of gravity and the axis of rotation are misaligned by forming the bottom surface perpendicular to the body axis has been described as an example, but such a misalignment can also occur when the running surface is inclined, as shown in Fig. 18. In the example shown in Fig. 18, the angle of the bottom surface is the same as the example shown in Fig. 15, but because the running surface is inclined, the center of gravity CoG in the seated position is misaligned from the axis of rotation of the wheels 570.

[0066] However, even in this case, as explained using Figure 17, the operation control unit 160 can rotate the wheels 570 based on the amount of deviation between the center of gravity CoG and the rotation axis of the wheels 570 in the vertical direction, thereby making it possible to stably transition the autonomous moving body 10 to an upright state without moving backwards.

[0067] The posture control in the sitting and standing states according to this embodiment has been described above. Next, the posture control using a flywheel according to this embodiment will be described. In addition to the above-mentioned configuration, the autonomous moving body 10 according to this embodiment may further include a flywheel 610. The operation control unit 160 according to this embodiment can realize posture control of the autonomous moving body 10 with higher accuracy by utilizing the gyro effect caused by the rotation of the flywheel 610.

[0068] Fig. 19 is a diagram for explaining the arrangement of the flywheel 610 according to this embodiment. Fig. 19 shows the arrangement relationship between the flywheel according to this embodiment and the substrate 505 from various angles. As shown in Fig. 19, the flywheel 610 according to this embodiment is arranged inside the substrate 505 on which the eye 510 and the camera 515 are arranged. In this case, the flywheel 610 according to this embodiment can be arranged on a gimbal that works in conjunction with the substrate 505 so as to have three rotation axes.

[0069] 19 is an axis for rotating the flywheel 610 at high speed. The operation control unit 160 according to this embodiment drives the motor 565w to rotate the flywheel 610 at high speed, and the attitude of the autonomous moving body 10 can be kept more stable by the generated gyro effect.

[0070] 19 is an axis for rotating flywheel 610 in the tilt direction in conjunction with substrate 505. Operation control unit 160 according to this embodiment drives motor 565a to tilt substrate 505 and the flywheel rotating at high speed in the tilt direction, thereby generating a large rotational force due to the gyro effect.

[0071] 19 is an axis for rotating the flywheel 610 in the pan direction in conjunction with the substrate 505. The operation control unit 160 according to this embodiment can adjust the orientation of the substrate 505 and the flywheel 610 in the pan direction by driving the motor 565b. This control makes it possible to determine the direction in which the rotational force caused by the gyro effect is generated in any direction.

[0072] The arrangement of the flywheel 610 according to this embodiment has been described above. Next, recovery from a fallen state using the flywheel 610 according to this embodiment will be described. As described above, the operation control unit 160 according to this embodiment rotates the flywheel 610 at high speed and tilts the flywheel 610 rotating at high speed in the tilt direction, thereby generating a large rotational force due to the gyro effect.

[0073] 20 is a diagram for explaining the rotational force generated by the gyro effect of the flywheel 610 according to this embodiment. When performing attitude control using the rotational force, the operation control unit 160 first rotates the flywheel 610 at high speed about the rotation axis Rw, thereby holding a large angular momentum.

[0074] Next, the operation control unit 160 according to this embodiment tilts the flywheel 610, which rotates at high speed, in the tilt direction about the rotation axis Ra, thereby generating a large rotational force by the gyro effect. At this time, the direction D of the rotational force generated by the gyro effect is perpendicular to the rotation axes Rw and Ra, as shown in FIG. 20. By using the rotational force generated as described above, the operation control unit 160 according to this embodiment can, for example, return the autonomous moving body 10, which is in a fallen state, to an upright state.

[0075] 21 to 24 are diagrams for explaining the flow of control for returning from a tumbled state according to this embodiment. Fig. 21 is a diagram showing an example of a case where the autonomous moving body 10 has tumbled sideways. In this case, the operation control unit 160 detects the orientation of the autonomous moving body 10 in the tumbled state based on the sensor information collected by the sensor unit 110.

[0076] Next, based on the orientation detected above, the operation control unit 160 drives the motor 565b to rotate the substrate 505 and the flywheel 610 in the pan direction around the rotation axis Rb so that the substrate 505 faces the direction in which it rises, as shown in Fig. 22. That is, the operation control unit 160 can adjust the direction in which the rotational force caused by the gyro effect is generated by tilting the flywheel 610 in the pan direction. According to this control, even if the autonomous moving body 10 falls in any direction, the autonomous moving body 10 can be returned to an upright state at a mechanically correct position.

[0077] 23, the operation control unit 160 drives the motor 565w to rotate the flywheel 610 at high speed. When the rotation speed of the flywheel 610 exceeds a threshold, the operation control unit 160 drives the motor 565a to tilt the substrate 505 and the flywheel 610 in the tilt direction at high speed around the rotation axis Ra.

[0078] According to the control described above, the autonomous moving body 10 can return from a fallen state to an upright state as shown in FIG. 24 by the rotational force due to the gyro effect.

[0079] The operation control unit 160 according to this embodiment is not limited to the recovery from the fallen state described above, but can perform various operation controls using the flywheel 610. For example, the operation control unit 160 can use the gyro effect of the flywheel 610 to stop the autonomous mobile body 10 in a state where the body axis is nearly horizontal, and can return from that state to an upright state. In addition, the operation control unit 160 can cause the autonomous mobile body 10 to perform jumps, forward rolls, cartwheels, and the like. The flywheel 610 and the operation control unit 160 according to this embodiment can realize stable attitude control of the autonomous mobile body 10 and realize a richer range of operation.

[0080] <2. Summary> As described above, the autonomous moving body 10 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes the wheels 570 that can be stored inside the main body and protrude outside the main body. In addition, the operation control unit 160 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure protrudes the wheels 570 outside the main body to maintain an upright state when the autonomous moving body 10 moves, and performs drive control of the wheels 570 and attitude control of the autonomous moving body 10. In addition, when the autonomous moving body 10 is stopped, the operation control unit 160 stores the wheels 570 inside the main body to stop the autonomous moving body 10 in a sitting state. With this configuration, it is possible to realize a rich expression of the autonomous moving body with easier attitude control.

[0081] 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.

[0082] 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.

[0083] Note that the following configurations also fall within the technical scope of the present disclosure. (1) an operation control unit that controls the operation of the autonomous moving body; Equipped with the autonomous moving body includes wheels that can be stored inside the main body and protrude outside the main body; The operation control unit, when the autonomous moving body moves, causes the wheels to protrude outside the main body to maintain an upright state, and performs drive control of the wheels and attitude control of the autonomous moving body, and when the autonomous moving body is stopped, causes the wheels to be stored inside the main body to stop the autonomous moving body in a sitting state. Information processing device. (2) the motion control unit performs posture control so that the autonomous moving body maintains a forward leaning posture in the standing state. The information processing device according to (1). (3) the motion control unit causes the autonomous moving body to move while maintaining a forward leaning attitude, The moving motion includes at least one of a forward / backward motion, a turning motion, or a rotational motion; The information processing device according to (2). (4) the motion control unit controls the autonomous moving body so that a center of gravity of the autonomous moving body is positioned vertically to a rotation axis of the wheel in the standing state. The information processing device according to (2) or (3). (5) the motion control unit rotates the wheels based on a deviation amount between a center of gravity of the autonomous moving body and the rotation axis in a vertical direction when transitioning from the sitting state to the standing state. The information processing device according to (4). (6) The motion control unit controls the wheels to rotate based on the amount of deviation when the wheels contact a traveling surface during the transition from the sitting state to the standing state, so that a center of gravity of the autonomous moving body is positioned vertically to a rotation axis of the wheels. The information processing device according to (5). (7) the motion control unit causes the autonomous moving body to remain stationary while maintaining a forward leaning posture in the sitting state. The information processing device according to any one of (1) to (6). (8) the motion control unit causes the autonomous moving body to stand still while maintaining an upright posture in the sitting state. The information processing device according to any one of (1) to (6). (9) The autonomous moving body includes a flywheel inside a main body, The operation control unit controls the attitude of the autonomous moving body by rotating the flywheel based on an attitude state of the autonomous moving body. The information processing device according to any one of (1) to (8). (10) When the autonomous moving body falls over, the operation control unit returns the autonomous moving body to the upright state by controlling rotation of the flywheel. The information processing device according to (9). (11) When the autonomous moving body falls over, the operation control unit tilts the rotated flywheel in a tilt direction to return the autonomous moving body to the upright state. The information processing device according to (10). (12) When the autonomous moving body falls over, the operation control unit adjusts a direction in which a rotational force of the flywheel caused by a gyro effect is generated by tilting the flywheel in a pan direction. The information processing device according to (11). (13) The autonomous moving body, The information processing device according to any one of (1) to (12). (14) A processor controls the operation of the autonomous vehicle; Including, the autonomous moving body includes wheels that can be stored inside the main body and protrude outside the main body; The controlling includes, when the autonomous moving body moves, protruding the wheels outside the main body to maintain an upright state, and controlling the driving of the wheels and the attitude of the autonomous moving body, and when the autonomous moving body is stopped, storing the wheels inside the main body to stop the autonomous moving body in a sitting state; Further comprising: Information processing methods. (15) Computer, an operation control unit that controls the operation of the autonomous moving body; Equipped with the autonomous moving body includes wheels that can be stored inside the main body and protrude outside the main body; The operation control unit, when the autonomous moving body moves, causes the wheels to protrude outside the main body to maintain an upright state, and performs drive control of the wheels and attitude control of the autonomous moving body, and when the autonomous moving body is stopped, causes the wheels to be stored inside the main body to stop the autonomous moving body in a sitting state. Information processing device, A program to function as a [Explanation of symbols]

[0084] 10 Autonomous Mobile Vehicles 110 Sensor section 120 Input section 130 Light source 140 Audio output section 150 Drive unit 160 Motion control section 570 wheels 610 Flywheel

Claims

1. A motion control unit that controls a motion of an autonomous moving body having wheels, The operation control unit is When the autonomous moving body is in an upright position, a center of gravity of the autonomous moving body is adjusted to perform posture control of the autonomous moving body so that the autonomous moving body maintains the upright position; When the autonomous moving body moves using the wheels, the attitude control is performed by adjusting the center of gravity of the autonomous moving body so that the autonomous moving body maintains a forward leaning attitude. An information processing device, the operation control unit controls the rotation of the wheels such that a center of gravity of the autonomous moving body is positioned vertically above a rotation axis of the wheels when the autonomous moving body transitions from a sitting state to the standing state. Information processing device.

2. The operation control unit controls the wheels to be stored inside a main body of the autonomous moving body, and controls the wheels to be protruded outside the main body. The information processing device according to claim 1 .

3. The moving motion includes at least one of a forward / backward motion, a turning motion, or a rotational motion; The information processing device according to claim 1 .

4. the operation control unit stores the wheels inside the main body when the autonomous moving body is stopped, thereby causing the autonomous moving body to stop in a sitting position. The information processing device according to claim 2 .

5. the motion control unit, when transitioning from the sitting state to the standing state, rotates the wheels based on an amount of deviation between a line connecting a rotation axis of the wheels and a center of gravity of the autonomous moving body and a line extending perpendicularly to the rotation axis of the wheels. The information processing device according to claim 4.

6. The motion control unit controls the wheels to rotate based on the amount of deviation when the wheels contact a traveling surface during the transition from the sitting state to the standing state, so that a center of gravity of the autonomous moving body is positioned vertically to a rotation axis of the wheels. The information processing device according to claim 5 .

7. The autonomous moving body includes a flywheel inside a main body, The operation control unit controls the attitude of the autonomous moving body by rotating the flywheel based on an attitude state of the autonomous moving body. The information processing device according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. When the autonomous moving body falls over, the operation control unit returns the autonomous moving body to the upright state by controlling the rotation of the flywheel. The information processing device according to claim 7.

9. When the autonomous moving body falls over, the operation control unit tilts the rotated flywheel in a tilt direction to return the autonomous moving body to the upright state. The information processing device according to claim 8.

10. When the autonomous moving body falls over, the operation control unit adjusts a direction in which a rotational force of the flywheel caused by a gyro effect is generated by tilting the flywheel in a pan direction. The information processing device according to claim 9.

11. The autonomous moving body, The information processing device according to any one of claims 1 to 10.

12. A processor controls the operation of the autonomous vehicle; Including, The autonomous moving body includes wheels, The controlling comprises: When the autonomous moving body is in an upright position, performing an attitude control of the autonomous moving body so that the autonomous moving body maintains the upright position by adjusting a center of gravity of the autonomous moving body; When the autonomous moving body moves using the wheels, the attitude control is performed by adjusting a center of gravity of the autonomous moving body so that the autonomous moving body maintains a forward leaning attitude. Including, When performing the posture control, the method includes controlling the rotation of the wheels so that a center of gravity of the autonomous moving body is positioned vertically to a rotation axis of the wheels when the autonomous moving body transitions from a sitting state to the standing state. Information processing methods.

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