Robots, methods of expression, and programs

Abstract

To express feeling of a living creature even while charging, despite its simple structure.SOLUTION: A robot 200 imitating a living creature is powered by a rechargeable battery 252, and includes a motion unit for making the robot perform motions imitating the living creature, and a control unit. The control unit executes: processing for making the robot perform a breathing motion that is a motion imitating the breathing of the living creature at a predetermined cycle; and processing for making control contents of the motion unit different between a breathing motion at the time of charging that is a breathing motion while the battery 252 is being charged, and a breathing motion at the time of non-charing that is a breathing motion while the battery 252 is not being charged.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to robots, Expression method and programs.

Background Art

[0002] In order to make robots feel like familiar beings such as friends or pets, technologies for creating a sense of living things have been developed. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for expressing a sense of living things by performing a "charging performance" such as making a robot act as if it is sleeping during charging, and performing a "charging completion performance" in which theme music is output when charging is completed to show that the robot has recovered energy.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the technology disclosed in Patent Document 1, an additional function for maintaining the performance of the robot is provided to the charging station so that the robot can express a sense of living things even during charging. However, such a charging station has a complex structure and high costs.

[0005] Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a robot that can express a sense of living things even during charging with a simple configuration, Expression method and a program.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] To achieve the above objective, one embodiment of the robot according to the present invention is a robot having a biological appearance and equipped with a rechargeable battery, An outer casing formed in a bag shape, covering a first housing corresponding to the torso of the robot and a second housing corresponding to the head of the robot, When the robot is made to perform a simulated breathing motion, The aforementioned For the first enclosure The aforementioned The second cabinet The aforementioned A control unit that drives predetermined movable parts so that they operate inside the exterior. and, The control unit is characterized in that, when causing the robot to perform the simulated breathing motion, it drives a predetermined movable part such that the operation of the second housing relative to the first housing inside the outer casing differs depending on whether the battery is being charged or not. Furthermore, another embodiment of the robot according to the present invention is a robot having a biological appearance and equipped with a power receiving unit for wirelessly charging a battery, An outer casing formed in a bag shape, covering a first housing corresponding to the torso of the robot and a second housing corresponding to the head of the robot, When the robot is made to perform a simulated breathing motion, The aforementioned For the first enclosure The aforementioned The second cabinet The aforementioned A control unit that drives predetermined movable parts so that they operate inside the exterior. and, The control unit drives a predetermined movable part such that, when causing the robot to perform the simulated breathing motion, the operation of the second housing relative to the first housing inside the outer casing differs depending on whether the robot is positioned in a location where the battery can be wirelessly charged via the power receiving unit or not. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, despite its simple configuration, it is possible to express a sense of life even while charging. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view showing the appearance of the robot according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 2] This is a cross-sectional view of the robot according to Embodiment 1, perpendicular to the left-right direction. [Figure 3]It is a cross-sectional view perpendicular to the vertical direction of the robot according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 4] It is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the robot according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 5] It is a diagram for explaining an example of the emotion map according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 6] It is a diagram for explaining an example of the control content table according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 7] It is a flowchart showing the flow of the robot control process of the robot according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 8] It is a flowchart showing the flow of the breathing imitation process of the robot according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 9] It is a diagram for explaining the non-charging breathing operation of the robot according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 10] It is another diagram for explaining the non-charging breathing operation of the robot according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 11] It is a diagram for explaining the charging breathing operation of the robot according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 12] It is another diagram for explaining the charging breathing operation of the robot according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 13] It is a flowchart showing the flow of the operation process at the end of charging of the robot according to Embodiment 2.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, the same or corresponding parts are denoted by the same reference numerals.

[0010] (Embodiment 1) As shown in FIG. 1, the robot 200 according to Embodiment 1 is a pet robot that mimics a small animal. For ease of understanding, FIG. 1 shows the front-back, left-right directions, and the description will be made with reference to these directions as appropriate. The robot 200 includes two decorative parts 202 that mimic eyes on the front side. Also, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the robot 200 includes a housing 207 and an exterior 201 having flexibility that covers the housing 207. And the exterior 201 mimics fur and has a large number of fluffy hairs 203. In FIGS. 2 and 3, for ease of viewing the drawings, the hatching is omitted.

[0011] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the housing 207 of the robot 200 is composed of a head 204, a connecting part 205, and a body part 206, and the rear end of the head 204 and the front end of the body part 206 are connected by the connecting part 205. As shown in FIG. 2, the body part 206 extends in the front-back direction. And the body part 206 contacts the placement surface such as the floor or table on which the robot 200 is placed through the exterior 201. Also, as shown in FIG. 2, a torsion motor 221 is provided at the front end of the body part 206, and the head 204 is connected to the front end of the body part 206 through the connecting part 205. And an up-down motor 222 is provided in the connecting part 205. In FIG. 2, the torsion motor 221 is provided in the body part 206, but it may be provided in the connecting part 205 or in the head 204.

[0012] The connecting section 205 connects the body section 206 and the head section 204 so that they can rotate freely (by the twist motor 221) around a first rotation axis that extends through the connecting section 205 in the front-rear direction of the body section 206. The twist motor 221 can rotate the head section 204 clockwise or counterclockwise around the first rotation axis relative to the body section 206. In this explanation, clockwise rotation refers to clockwise rotation when viewed from the head section 204 toward the body section 206. Clockwise rotation is also called "twist rotation to the right," and counterclockwise rotation is also called "twist rotation to the left." The maximum angle at which the head 204 is twisted and rotated to the right (clockwise) or left (counterclockwise) by the twist motor 221 is arbitrary. However, the angle of the head 204 when it is not twisted to the right or left is called the twist reference angle, and the left-right rotation angle of the head 204 at this time is set to 0 degrees. Furthermore, when the head 204 is rotated to the right of the twist reference angle, the left-right rotation angle of the head 204 is positive, and when it is rotated to the left of the twist reference angle, the left-right rotation angle of the head 204 is negative.

[0013] Furthermore, the connecting section 205 connects the body section 206 and the head section 204 so that they can rotate freely (by the up / down motor 222) around a second rotation axis that extends in the width direction of the body section 206 through the connecting section 205. The up / down motor 222 can rotate the head section 204 up and down around the second rotation axis as indicated by arrow Y1. The maximum value of the angle of rotation upward or downward is arbitrary, but the angle of the head section 204 when it is not rotated upward or downward is called the up / down reference angle, and the up / down rotation angle of the head section 204 at this time is set to 0 degrees. Also, when the head section 204 is rotated upward above the up / down reference angle, the value of the up / down rotation angle of the head section 204 is positive, and when it is rotated downward below the up / down reference angle, the value of the up / down rotation angle of the head section 204 is negative.

[0014] When the head 204 is rotated upward or to the vertical reference angle by vertical rotation around the second rotation axis (i.e., when the vertical rotation angle of the head 204 is 0 degrees or greater), it can contact the mounting surface such as the floor or table on which the robot 200 is placed, via the outer casing 201. In Figure 2, an example is shown where the first rotation axis and the second rotation axis are orthogonal to each other, but the first and second rotation axes do not have to be orthogonal to each other.

[0015] Furthermore, the torso portion 206, which constitutes part of the housing 207, has a shape like a rectangular parallelepiped that is long in the front-to-back direction, and as shown in Figure 2, it is placed on a mounting surface 101 such as a floor or table via the outer casing 201. Therefore, when the torso portion 206 is placed on the mounting surface 101, the head portion 204 is connected to the front end of the torso portion 206 so that it can rotate around the connection point with the torso portion 206 (the second rotation axis of the connecting portion 205) in a direction that changes the distance between the front end of the head portion 204 and the mounting surface 101.

[0016] The head 204, which constitutes part of the housing 207, is the part corresponding to the head of the robot 200, which is modeled after a small animal. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, a convex part 271A is attached to the left and right sides of the head 204, each serving as a first engaged part that engages with a first engaging part (engaging plate 275A) provided on the exterior 201. That is, the first engaged part is located in front of the connection position (the second rotation axis of the connecting part 205). In addition, the exterior 201 is provided with an exterior convex part (convex part 276) within a specific range of the engaging plate 275A (for example, within 2 cm from the engaging plate 275A), and the head 204 is provided with a head recess (recess 272) within a specific range of the convex part 271A (for example, within 2 cm from the convex part 271A).

[0017] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the left and right sides and the top surface of the body portion 206 are each provided with convex parts 271B, which serve as second engaging parts, similar to those provided on the head portion 204. Similar to the first engaging part, the convex parts 271B as second engaging parts engage with a second engaging part (engaging plate 275B) provided on the exterior 201. In the following description, the first engaging part (engaging plate 275A) and the second engaging part (engaging plate 275B) will be collectively referred to simply as the engaging part (engaging plate 275). Also, the first engaging part (convex part 271A) and the second engaging part (convex part 271B) will be collectively referred to simply as the engaged part (convex part 271).

[0018] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the exterior 201 is elongated in the front-to-back direction and has a stretchable, bag-like shape that can accommodate the housing 207 inside. The surface of the exterior 201 has numerous hairs 203 that mimic the fur of small animals, as shown in Figures 1 to 3, which can be made of, for example, pile fabric. This makes the texture of the robot 200 similar to that of small animals.

[0019] As shown in Figure 1, a wire fastener 208 is attached to the rear of the exterior 201. With the housing 207 housed inside the exterior 201, sliding the slider 208a of the wire fastener 208 closes the wire fastener 208, thus maintaining the housing 207 (Figure 2) housed in the exterior 201. On the other hand, sliding the slider 208a opens the wire fastener 208, allowing the housing 207 to be inserted into and removed from the exterior 201.

[0020] When housing the casing 207 in the outer casing 201, the engaging portion (engaging plate 275) and the engaged portion (convex part 271) of the outer casing 201 are engaged, and the outer casing protrusion (convex part 276) is inserted into the head recess (recess 272). By engaging the engaging portion (engaging plate 275) and the engaged portion (convex part 271) of the outer casing 201, the outer casing 201 is locked to the casing 207 and follows the movement of the casing 207. As a result, the upper side of the outer casing 201 is pulled or slackens in accordance with the movement of the casing 207. In addition, by inserting the outer casing protrusion (convex part 276) into the head recess (recess 272), the position of the outer casing protrusion of the outer casing 201 is fixed to the position of the head recess of the casing 207, improving the accuracy of the outer casing 201's tracking of the movement of the casing 207.

[0021] Then, the outer casing 201 moves in accordance with the movement of the housing 207, which is caused by the driving of the twist motor 221 and the up / down motor 222. As the outer casing 201 moves in accordance with the housing 207, the upper part of the outer casing 201 is pulled and sags, and this movement mimics the movement of a small animal. Therefore, by controlling the movable part 220, the control unit 110 can make the robot 200, which mimics a small animal, move as if it were alive.

[0022] Conventionally, in order to accurately follow the movement of the housing 207 to the exterior 201, it was necessary to provide a large number of engagement plates 275 and convex parts 271 (for example, 9 of each). However, in this embodiment, the number of convex parts 271A on the head 204 was reduced to one on each side (2 in total), and the number of convex parts 271B on the body 206 was reduced to one on each side and on the top (3 in total). Even with this reduction in the number of parts, the housing 207 is equipped with convex parts 271 and the exterior 201 is equipped with engagement plates 275 in appropriate positions where the exterior 201 is likely to be pulled or slackened during the breathing motion described later. Furthermore, by providing a recess in the head and a convex part in the exterior, the accuracy of the exterior 201 following the movement of the housing 207 is further improved. In addition, the reduction in the number of these parts has reduced the assembly man-hours and simplified the attachment of the exterior 201, making it possible to reduce costs. Moreover, it has become easier for the user to attach and detach the exterior 201.

[0023] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 2, the robot 200 is equipped with a touch sensor 211 on its head 204, which can detect when a user strokes or taps the head 204. The body 206 is also equipped with a touch sensor 211, which can detect when a user strokes or taps the body 206.

[0024] Furthermore, the robot 200 is equipped with an acceleration sensor 212 on its torso 206, which can detect the robot's posture (orientation) and whether it has been lifted, turned, or thrown by the user. In addition, the robot 200 is equipped with a gyro sensor 214 on its torso 206, which can detect whether the robot 200 is rolling or rotating.

[0025] Furthermore, the robot 200 is equipped with a microphone 213 on its body 206, which allows it to detect external sounds. In addition, the robot 200 is equipped with a speaker 231 on its body 206, which allows it to emit sounds (sound effects).

[0026] Furthermore, the robot 200 is equipped with a power receiving unit 251 on the bottom surface of its torso 206. The robot 200 is powered by a rechargeable battery 252 located inside the housing 207, and the power receiving unit 251 receives power transmitted from the wireless charger to charge the battery 252. The wireless charger is modeled after a pet cage (house) and has a sheet-like power supply surface. When the robot 200 is placed on the power supply surface of the wireless charger, charging of the battery 252 begins.

[0027] In this embodiment, the acceleration sensor 212, gyro sensor 214, microphone 213, and speaker 231 are provided on the torso 206, but all or some of these may be provided on the head 204. In addition, in addition to the acceleration sensor 212, gyro sensor 214, microphone 213, and speaker 231 provided on the torso 206, all or some of these may also be provided on the head 204. Furthermore, the touch sensor 211 is provided on both the head 204 and the torso 206, but it may be provided on only one of either the head 204 or the torso 206. In addition, multiple touch sensors may be provided.

[0028] Furthermore, in this embodiment, since the housing 207 of the robot 200 is covered by the outer casing 201, the head 204 and torso 206 indirectly contact the surface on which the robot 200 is placed, such as the floor or table, via the outer casing 201. However, the embodiment is not limited to this configuration, and the head 204 and torso 206 may directly contact the surface on which the robot is placed. For example, the lower part of the outer casing 201 (the part that contacts the surface on which the robot is placed) may be absent, leaving the lower part of the housing 207 (the part that contacts the surface on which the robot is placed, for example, the bottom surface of the torso 206) exposed, or the outer casing 201 may be absent at all, leaving the entire housing 207 exposed.

[0029] Next, the functional configuration of the robot 200 will be described. As shown in Figure 4, the robot 200 comprises a device control unit 100, an external stimulus detection unit 210, a movable part 220, an audio output unit 230, an operation input unit 240, and a power control unit 250. The device control unit 100 comprises a control unit 110, a storage unit 120, and a communication unit 130. In Figure 4, the device control unit 100, the external stimulus detection unit 210, the movable part 220, the audio output unit 230, the operation input unit 240, and the power control unit 250 are connected via a bus line BL, but this is just one example. The device control unit 100, the external stimulus detection unit 210, the movable part 220, the audio output unit 230, the operation input unit 240, and the power control unit 250 may be connected via a wired interface such as a USB (Universal Serial Bus) cable or a wireless interface such as Bluetooth®. Furthermore, the control unit 110 and the storage unit 120 and the communication unit 130 may be connected via a bus line BL.

[0030] The device control unit 100 controls the operation of the robot 200 (movement by the movable part 220, output of sounds from the sound output unit 230, etc.) using the control unit 110 and the memory unit 120.

[0031] The control unit 110 is composed of, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and executes various processes (such as robot control processing) described later, based on the program stored in the memory unit 120. The control unit 110 supports multithreading, allowing it to execute multiple processes in parallel, thus enabling it to execute various processes (such as robot control processing, breathing simulation processing, and charging completion processing) in parallel. Furthermore, the control unit 110 also includes clock and timer functions, enabling it to measure dates and times.

[0032] The memory unit 120 consists of ROM (Read Only Memory), flash memory, RAM (Random Access Memory), etc. The ROM stores the program executed by the CPU of the control unit 110 and the data necessary in advance for executing the program. The flash memory is a writable, non-volatile memory that stores data that should be preserved even after the power is turned off. The RAM stores data that is created or modified during program execution.

[0033] The communication unit 130 is equipped with a communication module compatible with wireless LAN (Local Area Network), Bluetooth (registered trademark), etc., and communicates data with external devices such as smartphones. Examples of data communication include receiving requests for battery level notifications and transmitting battery level information in order to display the remaining battery level of the robot 200 on a smartphone or the like.

[0034] The external stimulus detection unit 210 includes the aforementioned touch sensor 211, acceleration sensor 212, gyro sensor 214, and microphone 213. The control unit 110 acquires the detection values ​​detected by the various sensors in the external stimulus detection unit 210 as external stimulus data representing external stimuli acting on the robot 200. The external stimulus detection unit 210 may also include sensors other than the touch sensor 211, acceleration sensor 212, gyro sensor 214, and microphone 213. By increasing the types of sensors included in the external stimulus detection unit 210, the types of external stimuli that the control unit 110 can acquire can be increased. Conversely, the external stimulus detection unit 210 does not necessarily need to include all of the above-mentioned sensors. For example, if angular velocity detection is not required, the external stimulus detection unit 210 does not need to include the gyro sensor 214.

[0035] The touch sensor 211 detects when an object makes contact with it. The touch sensor 211 is composed of, for example, a pressure sensor or a capacitance sensor. Based on the values ​​detected from the touch sensor 211, the control unit 110 can detect whether the robot 200 is being stroked or tapped by the user.

[0036] The acceleration sensor 212 detects acceleration in three axes: the front-to-back direction (X-axis direction), the width (left-to-right) direction (Y-axis direction), and the up-and-down direction (Z-axis direction) of the robot's torso 206. When the robot 200 is stationary, the acceleration sensor 212 detects gravitational acceleration, so the control unit 110 can detect the current posture of the robot 200 based on the gravitational acceleration detected by the acceleration sensor 212. Furthermore, if, for example, a user lifts or throws the robot 200, the acceleration sensor 212 detects acceleration associated with the movement of the robot 200 in addition to gravitational acceleration. Therefore, the control unit 110 can detect the movement of the robot 200 by removing the component of gravitational acceleration from the detected value obtained by the acceleration sensor 212.

[0037] The gyro sensor 214 detects the angular velocity when rotation is applied to the torso 206 of the robot 200. Specifically, the gyro sensor 214 detects the angular velocity of three-axis rotations consisting of rotation around the front-to-back direction (X-axis direction), rotation around the width (left-to-right) direction (Y-axis direction), and rotation around the up-and-down direction (Z-axis direction). The control unit 110 can detect the movement of the robot 200 with greater accuracy by combining the detected values ​​from the acceleration sensor 212 and the detected values ​​from the gyro sensor 214.

[0038] The touch sensor 211, acceleration sensor 212, and gyro sensor 214 are synchronized, detecting contact strength, acceleration, and angular velocity at the same time and outputting the detected values ​​to the control unit 110. Specifically, the touch sensor 211, acceleration sensor 212, and gyro sensor 214 detect contact strength, acceleration, and angular velocity at the same time, for example, every 0.25 seconds.

[0039] The microphone 213 detects sounds around the robot 200. Based on the sound components detected by the microphone 213, the control unit 110 can detect, for example, that a user is calling out to the robot 200 or clapping their hands.

[0040] The movable part 220 is used to make the robot 200 perform movements that mimic those of living organisms, and is equipped with a twist motor 221 and an up / down motor 222. The movable part 220 (twist motor 221 and up / down motor 222) is driven by the control unit 110. The twist motor 221 and up / down motor 222 are servo motors, and when the control unit 110 instructs them to rotate with a specified operating time and operating angle, they operate to rotate to a position with a specified operating angle within the specified operating time. As a result, the robot 200 can perform actions such as lifting the head 204 relative to the torso 206 (rotating it upward around the second rotation axis) or twisting it to the side (twisting and rotating it to the right or left around the first rotation axis). Motion data for driving the movable part 220 to perform these actions is recorded in the control content table 124, which will be described later.

[0041] Furthermore, when the twist motor 221 is rotated to a certain operating angle θ, the left-right rotation angle of the head 204 becomes θ. Also, when the up-down motor 222 is rotated to a certain operating angle θ, the up-down rotation angle of the head 204 becomes θ.

[0042] The audio output unit 230 is equipped with a speaker 231, and when the control unit 110 inputs sound data to the audio output unit 230, sound is output from the speaker 231. The sound output by the audio output unit 230 is not limited to speech; it can output any sound. For example, when the control unit 110 inputs data of the robot 200's vocalizations to the audio output unit 230, the robot 200 emits a simulated vocalization (for example, a vocalization that imitates the vocalizations of an animal). This vocalization data is also recorded as sound effect data in the control content table 124.

[0043] The movable part 220 and the sound output part 230 are both functional parts that enable the robot to perform actions that mimic living organisms (including not only physical movements but also actions that produce sound, etc.), and are therefore collectively referred to as the action parts. The robot 200 may also be equipped with additional functional parts other than those mentioned above to enable it to perform actions that mimic living organisms, in which case the additional functional parts will also be referred to as the action parts.

[0044] The operation input section 240 consists of, for example, operation buttons, volume knobs, etc. The operation input section 240 is an interface for receiving user operations such as turning the power on / off and adjusting the output volume.

[0045] The power control unit 250 includes a sub-microcontroller, a charging IC (Integrated Circuit), a power control IC, a power receiving unit 251, etc., and performs charging of the robot 200's battery 252, acquisition of the remaining charge of the battery 252, and power control of the robot 200.

[0046] In robot 200, in order to express a sense of life, the battery 252 is charged wirelessly without connecting charging cables or the like. The wireless charging method is arbitrary, but in this embodiment, the electromagnetic induction method is used. When robot 200 is placed on the power supply surface of the wireless charger, an induced magnetic flux is generated between the receiving antenna of the power receiving unit 251 provided on the bottom surface of the body 206 and the transmitting antenna of the external wireless charger, causing the wireless charger to perform a power supply operation for charging the battery 252, and the battery 252 is charged.

[0047] Next, we will explain, in order, the emotion data 121, emotion change data 122, growth days data 123, and control content table 124, which are among the data stored in the memory unit 120 of the device control unit 100.

[0048] Emotional data 121 is data used to give the robot 200 simulated emotions, and it is data (X,Y) that indicates coordinates on the emotion map 300. As shown in Figure 5, the emotion map 300 is represented by a two-dimensional coordinate system with the X axis 311 as the axis of security (anxiety) and the Y axis 312 as the axis of excitement (apathy). The origin 310(0,0) on the emotion map represents the normal emotion. The more positive the X coordinate value (X value) and the larger its absolute value, the higher the level of security, and the more positive the Y coordinate value (Y value) and the larger its absolute value, the higher the level of excitement. Also, the more negative the X value and the larger its absolute value, the higher the level of anxiety, and the more negative the Y value and the larger its absolute value, the higher the level of apathy.

[0049] The emotion data 121 has two values, X values ​​(level of reassurance, level of anxiety) and Y values ​​(level of excitement, level of apathy), which represent multiple (four in this embodiment) different pseudo-emotions. Points on the emotion map 300, represented by the X and Y values, represent the pseudo-emotions of the robot 200. The initial value of the emotion data 121 is (0,0). Since the emotion data 121 is a parameter that represents the pseudo-emotions of the robot 200, it is also called an emotion parameter. In Figure 5, the emotion map 300 is represented in a two-dimensional coordinate system, but the number of dimensions of the emotion map 300 is arbitrary. The emotion map 300 may be defined in one dimension, and one value may be set as the emotion data 121. Alternatively, the emotion map 300 may be defined in a coordinate system of three or more dimensions by adding other axes, and the number of values ​​corresponding to the number of dimensions of the emotion map 300 may be set as the emotion data 121.

[0050] In this embodiment, the initial size of the emotion map 300 is such that both the X and Y values ​​have a maximum value of 100 and a minimum value of -100, as shown in frame 301 of Figure 5. During the first period, for every day the simulated growth period of the robot 200 increases, both the maximum and minimum values ​​of the emotion map 300 increase by 2. Here, the first period is the period during which the robot 200 simulates growth, and is, for example, 50 days from the simulated birth of the robot 200. The simulated birth of the robot 200 refers to the first time the robot 200 is started by the user after being shipped from the factory. When the growth period reaches 25 days, as shown in frame 302 of Figure 5, both the X and Y values ​​have a maximum value of 150 and a minimum value of -150. Then, after the first period (50 days in this example), the simulated growth of robot 200 is considered complete, and as shown in frame 303 of Figure 5, both the X and Y values ​​have a maximum value of 200 and a minimum value of -200, and the size of the emotion map 300 is fixed.

[0051] The emotion change data 122 is data that sets the amount of change to increase or decrease the X and Y values ​​of the emotion data 121, respectively. In this embodiment, the emotion change data 122 corresponding to the X of the emotion data 121 includes DXP, which increases the X value, and DXM, which decreases the X value, and the emotion change data 122 corresponding to the Y value of the emotion data 121 includes DYP, which increases the Y value, and DYM, which decreases the Y value. In other words, the emotion change data 122 consists of the following four variables. These variables are parameters that change the simulated emotions of the robot 200, and are therefore also called emotion change parameters. DXP: Ease of feeling safe (ease of positive change in the X value on the emotion map) DXM: Susceptibility to anxiety (ease of the X value in the emotion map changing in a negative direction) DYP: Excitability (ease of change in the positive direction of the Y value on the emotion map) DYM: Proneness to lethargy (ease of the Y value in the emotion map changing in the negative direction)

[0052] In this embodiment, as an example, the initial values ​​of these variables are all set to 10, and are increased to a maximum of 20 through a process that learns emotion change data during the robot control process, which will be described later. As a result of this learning process, the emotion change data 122 (i.e., the degree of emotion change) changes, so the robot 200 will have various personalities depending on how the user interacts with the robot 200. In other words, the personality of the robot 200 will be formed differently for each individual depending on how the user interacts with it.

[0053] Therefore, in this embodiment, each personality data (personality value) is derived by subtracting 10 from each emotion change data 122. Specifically, the value obtained by subtracting 10 from DXP, which indicates ease of reassurance, is set as the personality value (cheerful); the value obtained by subtracting 10 from DXM, which indicates ease of anxiety, is set as the personality value (shy); the value obtained by subtracting 10 from DYP, which indicates ease of excitability, is set as the personality value (active); and the value obtained by subtracting 10 from DYM, which indicates ease of apathy, is set as the personality value (clingy). In this way, the values ​​of the emotion change parameters (emotion change data 122) can be said to represent the pseudo-personality of the robot 200.

[0054] The growth days data 123 has an initial value of 1 and is increased by 1 each day that passes. The growth days data 123 represents the pseudo growth days (pseudonym of days since birth) of robot 200. Here, we will refer to the period of growth days represented by the growth days data 123 as the second period.

[0055] As shown in Figure 6, the control content table 124 stores control conditions and control data in correspondence. When a control condition (for example, when some external stimulus is detected) is met, the control unit 110 controls the movable part 220 and the sound output unit 230 based on the corresponding control data (motion data for expressing movement in the movable part 220 and sound effect data for outputting sound effects from the sound output unit 230).

[0056] As shown in Figure 6, the motion data is a series of sequence data that controls the movable part 220 (in the order of "time (milliseconds): rotation angle of the up / down motor 222 (degrees): rotation angle of the twist motor 221 (degrees)"). For example, when the body is stroked, the control unit 110 controls the movable part 220 by setting the rotation angles of the up / down motor 222 and the twist motor 221 to 0 degrees (up / down reference angle and twist reference angle) at first (0 seconds), raising the head 204 so that the rotation angle of the up / down motor 222 becomes 60 degrees at 0.5 seconds, and twisting the head 204 so that the rotation angle of the twist motor 221 becomes 60 degrees at 1 second.

[0057] Furthermore, although Figure 6 includes explanatory text for each sound effect data for clarity, the actual sound effect data itself (sampled sound data) described in these texts is stored as sound effect data in the control content table 124.

[0058] Note that the control content table shown in Figure 6 does not include conditions related to emotions (represented by coordinates on the emotion map 300) in the control conditions. However, by including conditions related to emotions in the control conditions, the control data may be changed according to the emotion.

[0059] Next, the robot control process performed by the control unit 110 of the device's control device 100 will be explained with reference to the flowchart shown in Figure 7. The robot control process is the process by which the device's control device 100 controls the movement and sounds of the robot 200 based on detected values ​​from the external stimulus detection unit 210, etc. The robot control process starts when the user turns on the power to the robot 200.

[0060] First, the control unit 110 initializes various data such as emotion data 121, emotion change data 122, and growth days data 123 (step S101). Note that for the second and subsequent startups of the robot 200, step S101 may be configured to set the values ​​at the time the robot 200 was last powered off. This can be achieved by the control unit 110 saving the values ​​of each data in the non-volatile memory (flash memory, etc.) of the storage unit 120 when the power was last turned off, and then setting the values ​​of each data to the saved values ​​when the power is turned on.

[0061] Next, the control unit 110 acquires the detection value detected by the external stimulus detection unit 210 (step S102). Then, based on the acquired detection value, the control unit 110 determines whether or not an external stimulus was present (step S103).

[0062] If an external stimulus is present (step S103; Yes), the control unit 110 acquires emotion change data 122 according to the detected value of the external stimulus acquired in step S102 (step S104). Specifically, for example, if the touch sensor 211 on the head 204 detects that the head 204 has been stroked as an external stimulus, the robot 200 will gain a pseudo-sense of security, so the control unit 110 acquires DXP as emotion change data 122 to be added to the X value of the emotion data 121.

[0063] Then, the control unit 110 sets the emotion data 121 according to the emotion change data 122 acquired in step S104 (step S105). Specifically, for example, if DXP was acquired as emotion change data 122 in step S104, the control unit 110 adds the DXP of emotion change data 122 to the X value of emotion data 121.

[0064] In steps S104 and S105, it is possible to arbitrarily set what kind of emotion change data 122 is acquired and what kind of emotion data 121 is set for each external stimulus, but here is an example.

[0065] Being petted on head 204 (feels reassuring): X = X + DXP Hitting the head 204 (causing anxiety): X=X-DXM (These external stimuli can be detected by the touch sensor 211 on the head 204.) When the torso 206 is stroked (excited): Y=Y+DYP The torso 206 is struck (becomes lethargic): Y=Y-DYM (These external stimuli can be detected by the touch sensor 211 on the torso 206.) Being held with its head up (happy): X = X + DXP and Y = Y + DYP Suspended upside down (sad): X=X-DXM and Y=Y-DYM (These external stimuli can be detected by the touch sensor 211, the accelerometer 212, and the gyroscope 214.) A gentle voice calls out (peace is restored): X = X + DXP, and Y = Y - DYM Being yelled at loudly (irritating): X = X - DXM, and Y = Y + DYP (These external stimuli can be detected by microphone 213.)

[0066] However, if adding emotion change data 122 causes the value of emotion data 121 (X value, Y value) to exceed the maximum value of emotion map 300, the value of emotion data 121 will be set to the maximum value of emotion map 300. Also, if subtracting emotion change data 122 causes the value of emotion data 121 to fall below the minimum value of emotion map 300, the value of emotion data 121 will be set to the minimum value of emotion map 300.

[0067] Next, the control unit 110 refers to the control content table 124 and obtains control data corresponding to the control conditions satisfied by the detected value of the acquired external stimulus (step S106).

[0068] Then, the control unit 110 plays back the control data acquired in step S106 (step S107) and proceeds to step S111.

[0069] On the other hand, if no external stimulus is present in step S103 (step S103; No), the control unit 110 determines whether or not to perform a spontaneous action (such as a breathing action that mimics the respiration of an organism) (step S108). The method for determining whether or not to perform a spontaneous action is arbitrary, but in this embodiment, it is assumed that the determination in step S108 becomes Yes every respiratory cycle (for example, every 2 seconds), and a breathing action is performed.

[0070] If the robot does not perform a spontaneous action (step S108; No), the control unit 110 proceeds to step S111. If the robot does perform a spontaneous action (step S108; Yes), the control unit 110 performs a breathing action, which is an action that mimics the respiration of a living organism, as a spontaneous action (step S109), and proceeds to step S111. Details of the breathing action will be described later. In this embodiment, the only action that the control unit 110 is instructed to perform as a spontaneous action is the breathing action, but the robot 200 may perform other spontaneous actions in place of or in addition to the breathing action.

[0071] Furthermore, although omitted in Figure 7, in step S109, the control of spontaneous actions may also be changed based on emotional data, similar to when an external stimulus is present.

[0072] In step S111, the control unit 110 uses its clock function to determine whether the date has changed or not. If the date has not changed (step S111; No), the control unit 110 returns to step S102.

[0073] If the date has changed (step S111; Yes), the control unit 110 determines whether or not it is the first period (step S112). If the first period is defined as a period of 50 days from the simulated birth of the robot 200 (for example, the first time it is started by the user after purchase), the control unit 110 determines that it is the first period if the growth days data 123 is 50 or less. If it is not the first period (step S112; No), the control unit 110 proceeds to step S115.

[0074] If it is during the first period (step S112; Yes), the control unit 110 performs learning of the emotion change data 122 (step S113). Specifically, learning of the emotion change data 122 is a process of updating the emotion change data 122 by adding 1 to the DXP of the emotion change data 122 if the X value of the emotion data 121 is set to the maximum value of the emotion map 300 at least once in step S105 of that day, adding 1 to the DYP of the emotion change data 122 if the Y value of the emotion data 121 is set to the maximum value of the emotion map 300 at least once, adding 1 to the DXM of the emotion change data 122 if the X value of the emotion data 121 is set to the minimum value of the emotion map 300 at least once, and adding 1 to the DYM of the emotion change data 122 if the Y value of the emotion data 121 is set to the minimum value of the emotion map 300 at least once.

[0075] However, if each value in the emotion change data 122 becomes too large, the amount of change in the emotion data 121 in a single instance will become too large. Therefore, each value in the emotion change data 122 is limited to a maximum of, for example, 20. Also, although we have decided to add 1 to each value in the emotion change data 122 here, the value to be added is not limited to 1. For example, the number of times each value in the emotion data 121 is set to the maximum or minimum value of the emotion map 300 can be counted, and if that number is high, the value added to the emotion change data 122 can be increased.

[0076] Returning to Figure 7, the control unit 110 then expands the emotion map 300 (step S114). Specifically, expanding the emotion map means that the control unit 110 expands both the maximum and minimum values ​​of the emotion map 300 by 2. However, this expansion value of "2" is merely an example; it may be expanded by 3 or more, or by only 1. Furthermore, the expansion values ​​may differ for each axis of the emotion map 300, and for the maximum and minimum values.

[0077] Furthermore, in Figure 7, the learning of emotion change data 122 and the expansion of the emotion map 300 are performed after the control unit 110 determines in step S111 that the date has changed, but this may be changed to be performed after determining that a reference time (for example, 9 p.m.) has been reached. Also, the determination in step S111 may not be based on the actual date, but on a value accumulated by the timer function of the control unit 110 for the time the robot 200 has been powered on. For example, the learning of emotion change data 122 and the expansion of the emotion map 300 may be performed each time the accumulated power-on time reaches a multiple of 24 hours, assuming that the robot 200 has grown by one day.

[0078] Returning to Figure 7, the control unit 110 adds 1 to the growth days data 123 (step S115), initializes the emotion data to 0 for both X and Y values ​​(step S116), and returns to step S102. If it is better for the robot 200 to carry over the simulated emotion from the previous day to the next day, the control unit 110 returns to step S102 without performing the process in step S116.

[0079] Next, the breathing imitation process performed in step S109 of the robot control process described above will be explained with reference to Figure 8. In the breathing imitation process, two variables are used to store the range in which the up and down motors 222 are rotated when breathing (the initial angle (reference angle) and the angle at which the movement reverses (intermediate angle)). These variables are RA0, which stores the reference angle, and RA1, which stores the intermediate angle. When breathing is performed, the control unit 110 periodically performs the process of rotating the up and down motors 222 to the reference angle and the process of rotating them to the intermediate angle alternately at a predetermined period (for example, the breathing cycle).

[0080] First, the control unit 110 sets the variable RA0 to a first reference angle (e.g., 0 degrees) and the variable RA1 to a first intermediate angle (e.g., 10 degrees (upward)) (step S201). The first reference angle is the central angle when the head 204 is not rotated up or down, so it is also called the central reference angle. The first intermediate angle is the angle when the head 204 is rotated upward, so it is also called the upward reference angle.

[0081] The control unit 110 then determines whether the robot 200 is placed on the power supply surface of the wireless charger (step S202). The control unit 110 can determine whether the robot 200 is placed on the power supply surface of the wireless charger by determining whether the power receiving unit 251 is receiving power from the wireless charger.

[0082] Alternatively, to determine whether the robot 200 is placed on the power supply surface of the wireless charger, a pressure sensor or capacitance sensor may be installed on the lower part of the housing 207, and if the pressure sensor or capacitance sensor detects contact or proximity between the housing 207 and the surface, it may be determined that the robot 200 is placed on the power supply surface of the wireless charger.

[0083] When the robot 200 is placed on the power supply surface of the wireless charger, the power control unit 250 starts charging the battery 252, but stops charging when the battery 252 is fully charged. However, even after charging is complete, the robot 200 can receive power transmitted from the wireless charger via the power receiving unit 251 while it is placed on the power supply surface of the wireless charger, so it can operate with almost no depletion of the battery 252, and can be immediately recharged when the battery 252 is depleted.

[0084] If the robot 200 is not placed on the power supply mounting surface of the wireless charger (step S202; No), the control unit 110 sets the variable RA0 to a second reference angle (e.g., -10 degrees (downward)) and the variable RA1 to a second intermediate angle (e.g., 0 degrees) (step S203), and proceeds to step S204. The second reference angle is the angle at which the head 204 pushes the mounting surface 101, causing the front end of the body 206 to be lifted up by a first distance from the mounting surface 101. It is the angle at which the head 204 is rotated downwards, and is therefore also called the downward reference angle. The second intermediate angle is the angle at which the front end of the body 206 is not lifted up from the mounting surface 101, and the distance between the front end of the body 206 and the mounting surface 101 is returned to a second distance, which is shorter than the first distance. It is the central angle at which the head 204 is not rotated upwards or downwards, and is therefore also called the central reference angle.

[0085] If robot 200 is placed on the power supply surface of the wireless charger (step S202; Yes), proceed to step S204.

[0086] In step S204, the control unit 110 rotates the up and down motor 222 to rotate the head 204 to the angle set by variable RA0 (reference position for breathing).

[0087] Next, the control unit 110 waits for a first waiting period (e.g., 700 milliseconds) using its timer function (step S205). If the control unit 110 has a sleep function, it may be set to wake up after the first waiting period and enter sleep mode, thereby reducing the power consumption of the robot 200.

[0088] Then, the control unit 110 rotates the up and down motor 222 to rotate the head 204 to the angle set by variable RA1 (the intermediate position of the breathing motion) (step S206).

[0089] Next, the control unit 110 waits for a second waiting period (e.g., 700 milliseconds) using its timer function (step S207), and then terminates the breathing imitation process. If the control unit 110 has a sleep function, in step S207, it may also be set to wake up after the second waiting period and enter sleep mode, thereby reducing the power consumption of the robot 200.

[0090] While both the reference angle and the intermediate angle can be set to any angle, it is preferable to set them so that an angle of 0 degrees (upper and lower reference angle) or greater is included between the reference angle and the intermediate angle. This is because setting them in this way creates a period of time during the breathing operation when the entire bottom surface of the torso 206 is in contact with the mounting surface 101 (this contact includes indirect contact via the outer casing 201). When the robot 200 is placed on the power supply mounting surface 102 of the wireless charger, if the rotation angle of the head 204 is 0 degrees or greater, the power control unit 250 can detect the wireless charger and start charging the battery 252.

[0091] Through the above breathing imitation process, the robot 200 will perform different breathing movements depending on whether it is placed on the wireless charger or not.

[0092] For example, if the robot is not placed on the wireless charger (i.e., no power supply operation is being performed to charge the battery 252), the robot 200 first rotates its head 204 to a downward reference angle as shown in Figure 9, lifting the front end of the torso 206 off the mounting surface 101 (the distance at which it is lifted can be set to, for example, about 10% of the height dimension of the torso 206 (first distance) to simulate natural breathing). This action of the robot 200 is called the first action. The first action can also be described as rotating the head 204 in a direction that shortens the distance between the front end of the head 204 and the mounting surface 101, or as rotating the head 204 in a direction that shortens the distance between the front end of the head 204 and the torso 206.

[0093] Subsequently, as shown in Figure 10, the head 204 is rotated to an intermediate reference angle so that the bottom surface of the body 206 contacts the mounting surface 101 via the outer casing 201 (the distance between the bottom surface of the body 206 via the outer casing 201 and the mounting surface 101 is, for example, about 5 mm (a second distance shorter than the first distance), which is the distance at which the body 206 can receive power from the wireless charger). This movement of the robot 200 is called the second movement. The second movement can also be described as rotating the head 204 in a direction that increases the distance between the front end of the head 204 and the mounting surface 101, or as rotating the head 204 in a direction that increases the distance between the front end of the head 204 and the body 206. By performing the second movement, the bottom surface of the body 206 becomes parallel to the mounting surface 101.

[0094] When the first operation is performed, the first engaged portion moves to a position lower than the upper surface of the head 204 above the connection position (the second rotation axis of the connecting portion 205), and the distance from the first engaged portion through the upper surface of the head 204 to the second engaged portion becomes longer than when the second operation is performed, causing the upper side of the outer casing 201 to be pulled.

[0095] The control unit 110 of the robot 200 controls the movement of the movable part 220 so that the first and second operations are performed alternately and periodically at a predetermined cycle (for example, a breathing cycle). This control is called the first control. The first control can also be described as the control of the movable part 220 so as to move the head 204 so as to change the state in which the head 204 presses against the mounting surface 101, thereby alternately changing the distance between the front end of the torso 206 and the mounting surface 101 between a first distance and a second distance.

[0096] In Figure 9 and Figure 12 (described later), the dashed lines indicate the position of the head 204' when the rotation angle of the upper and lower motor 222 is 0 degrees, and θ is the angle difference between RA0 and RA1 (for example, 10 degrees).

[0097] When the control unit 110 executes the first control, the robot 200 performs a breathing motion that mimics the respiration of a living organism. Since the control unit 110 executes the first control when the battery 252 is not charged, the breathing motion performed by the robot 200 as a result of the control unit 110 executing the first control is called the non-charged breathing motion. In the non-charged breathing motion, the control unit 110 controls the movable part 220 so that the distance between the power receiving unit 251 and the power supply mounting surface 102 changes. In other words, the control unit 110 moves the head 204 so that the distance between the front end of the torso 206 and the mounting surface 101 changes. Note that the first control includes a first movement that lifts the front end of the torso 206 off the mounting surface 101, and since proximity to the mounting surface 101 is not maintained, it is also called proximity-not-maintaining control.

[0098] Furthermore, when the robot 200 is placed on the power supply mounting surface 102 of the wireless charger (when power supply operation for charging the battery 252 is being performed), the robot 200 rotates its head 204 to the central reference angle as shown in Figure 11, so that the bottom surface of the body 206 contacts the power supply mounting surface 102 of the wireless charger. This operation of the robot 200 is called the third operation. Subsequently, as shown in Figure 12, the robot rotates its head 204 to the upward reference angle, so that the bottom surface of the body 206 contacts the power supply mounting surface 102, while also turning the head 204 upward. This operation of the robot 200 is called the fourth operation. The control unit 110 of the robot 200 then controls the movement of the movable part 220 so that the third operation and the fourth operation are performed alternately at a predetermined cycle (for example, a breathing cycle). This control is called the second control.

[0099] When the fourth action is performed, the first engaged portion moves to a higher position than when the third action was performed, and the distance from the first engaged portion to the second engaged portion, passing over the top surface of the head 204, becomes shorter than when the third action was performed, causing the upper side of the outer casing 201 to sag even more.

[0100] The robot 200 also performs a breathing motion, which mimics the respiration of a living organism, when the control unit 110 executes a second control. Since the control unit 110 executes the second control when the battery 252 is charging, the breathing motion performed by the robot 200 as a result of the control unit 110 executing the second control is called the charging breathing motion. In the charging breathing motion, the control unit 110 controls the movable part 220 so that the power receiving unit 251 is kept close to the power supply mounting surface 102. In other words, the control unit 110 moves the head 204 so that the distance between the front end of the torso 206 and the mounting surface 101 does not change. The second control is also called proximity holding control because it keeps the bottom surface of the torso 206 close to the mounting surface 101.

[0101] By performing the breathing motion, which mimics the respiration of living organisms, in the non-charging state (when not placed on the wireless charger), when the control unit 110 performs the first operation (at the reference position (Figure 9)), the rear end of the torso 206 remains close to the mounting surface 101, while the front end of the torso 206 is lifted above the mounting surface 101. When the second operation is performed (at the intermediate position (Figure 10)), the front end of the torso 206 returns from being lifted above the mounting surface 101 to not being lifted. In other words, in the non-charging breathing motion, the central part of the robot 200 moves up and down at a predetermined cycle, making it appear as if the fur-covered robot 200 is breathing naturally. Furthermore, since the torso 206 itself moves up and down, it can stably mimic the breathing motion of living organisms without being affected by the mounting state of the exterior 201.

[0102] Thus, in the non-charging breathing operation, it is possible to mimic the breathing motion of an organism independently of the change in the pulling state of the upper part of the outer casing 201. Furthermore, the breathing motion of an organism is also mimicked by the change in the pulling state of the upper part of the outer casing 201, as follows.

[0103] When the control unit 110 performs the first operation (at the reference position (Figure 9)), the upper part of the outer casing 201 is pulled, causing the central part of the outer casing 201 to flatten. When the control unit 110 performs the second operation (at the intermediate position (Figure 10)), the upper part of the outer casing 201 sags, causing the central part of the outer casing 201 to bulge upward. In this way, the breathing motion causes both the height of the front end of the torso 206 and the tension of the outer casing 201 to change periodically at a predetermined cycle, making it visually clear that the robot 200 is breathing.

[0104] Furthermore, during charging (when placed on the wireless charger), the upper part of the outer casing 201 becomes even more sagging when the fourth operation is performed (intermediate position (Figure 12)) than when the control unit 110 performs the third operation (reference position (Figure 11)), making it visually apparent that the robot 200 is breathing. As can be seen from Figure 11 (reference position) and Figure 12 (intermediate position), the entire bottom surface of the torso 206 is always in contact with the power supply mounting surface 102 during these operations (this contact includes indirect contact via the outer casing 201), so the transmitting antenna 253 for power supply of the wireless charger and the receiving unit 251 of the robot 200 are always in close proximity even during breathing, enabling stable charging.

[0105] In this way, the control unit 110 performs a process that makes the control content of the movable part 220 in the breathing operation different for the breathing operation when the battery 252 is being charged (charging breathing operation) and the breathing operation when the battery 252 is not being charged (non-charging breathing operation). As a result, stable power can be supplied from the wireless charger when charging, and the pulling state of the exterior becomes clearer when not charging, which can express a more lifelike feel. In the above description, the control content in the breathing operation was mainly described as the control content of the movable part 220, but instead of the movable part 220, or in addition to the movable part 220, it may be the control content that controls the sound output unit 230 (i.e., the control content of the operating unit).

[0106] As mentioned above, in steps S205 and S207, the control unit 110 may reduce the power consumption of the robot 200 by entering sleep mode. In sleep mode, the power consumption of each motor of the movable part 220 can also be reduced by freeing up each motor. However, in this case, freeing up the up and down motors 222 will result in the motors being affected by a force (gravity) that brings their rotation angle closer to zero. To minimize this effect, it is preferable to make the difference between the reference angle and the intermediate angle less than 10 degrees.

[0107] Furthermore, the first and second waiting times do not need to be fixed values. For example, if the robot 200 receives an external stimulus such as being petted, spoken to, startled, or flipped over, the breathing cycle at the time of judgment in step S108 of the robot control process (Figure 7) may be shortened, or the first and second waiting times may be reduced, and then gradually returned to their original values. In this way, it is possible to mimic the way the robot 200's breathing quickens when its simulated emotions are heightened, and then gradually calms down.

[0108] Furthermore, in the breathing imitation process described above (Figure 8), not only can the first and second waiting times be changed, but the control content of the movable part 220 may also be changed according to the emotion data 121 and the emotion change data 122. For example, if the simulated emotion of the robot 200 tends to be calm, the head 204 may only be moved slowly up and down, while if it tends to be irritated, the head 204 may be moved not only up and down but also left and right. The difference in the vertical rotation angle and the difference in the horizontal rotation angle between the reference position and the intermediate position may also be increased according to the magnitude of each value in the emotion data 121.

[0109] (Embodiment 2) When the robot 200 is placed on the power supply mounting surface 102 of the wireless charger, the power control unit 250 charges the battery 252. The remaining battery level can be displayed on the wireless charger or on a smartphone connected via the communication unit 130. The robot 200 may also be equipped with a display unit such as an LED (Light Emitting Diode) to display the remaining battery level. However, in order to express a sense of life, it is desirable that the remaining battery level be expressed through the movements of the robot 200. Therefore, Embodiment 2 will be described in which the robot 200 performs actions (gestures) according to the remaining battery level when it is removed from the power supply mounting surface 102 of the wireless charger.

[0110] The functional configuration and structure of the robot 200 according to Embodiment 2 are the same as those of Embodiment 1, so a description will be omitted.

[0111] When the robot 200 is placed on the power supply mounting surface 102 of the wireless charger, the robot 200's battery 252 enters a power supply state (a state in which it is being charged by receiving power from the wireless charger). More specifically, when the robot 200 is placed on the power supply mounting surface 102, an induced magnetic flux is generated between the receiving antenna of the power receiving unit 251 provided on the bottom surface of the body 206 and the transmitting antenna provided on the power supply mounting surface 102 of the wireless charger. The power control unit 250 detects this induced magnetic flux and starts charging the battery 252.

[0112] Furthermore, when the robot 200 moves away from the power supply mounting surface 102, the robot 200's battery 252 enters a non-powered state (not receiving power from the wireless charger and not being charged). More specifically, when the robot 200 moves away from the power supply mounting surface 102, the induced magnetic flux generated between the receiving antenna of the power receiving unit 251 and the transmitting antenna of the wireless charger disappears, and the power supply operation stops. The power control unit 250 detects the disappearance of this induced magnetic flux and terminates the charging of the battery 252. If the robot 200 is equipped with a pressure sensor or a capacitance sensor on the lower part of the housing 207, the charging may be terminated by detecting that it has moved away from the power supply mounting surface 102 using these pressure sensors or capacitance sensors. Also, as described above, the power supply operation stops when the robot 200 is removed from the charger by user operation, but the power supply operation also stops when the battery 252 is fully charged, regardless of user operation.

[0113] When the power control unit 250 finishes charging the battery 252, the control unit 110 starts executing the charging completion operation process. This charging completion operation process will be explained with reference to Figure 13. However, the timing at which the control unit 110 starts executing the charging completion operation process is not limited to when the robot 200 leaves the power supply mounting surface 102, but may also be when the power supply operation stops.

[0114] First, the control unit 110 determines whether the remaining charge of the battery 252 is above a first threshold (for example, 80%) (step S301). If the remaining charge of the battery 252 is above the first threshold (step S301; Yes), the control unit 110 controls the movable part 220 and the sound output unit 230 to perform an action that mimics the actions of an animal that indicates it is healthy (first mimicry action) as the first post-charge operation (step S302), and then terminates the end-of-charge operation processing. An action that mimics the actions of an animal that indicates it is healthy is, for example, outputting a lively chirp from the sound output unit 230 and preening itself (controlling the movable part 220 to tilt the head 204 downwards and move it up and down slightly). Note that the first mimicry action is not limited to an action that mimics the actions of an animal that indicates it is healthy. For example, the actions could be those that mimic the actions of animals, such as "an action that shows satisfaction," "an action that looks around excitedly because they are happy to be able to go outside," "an action that starts dancing because they are happy to be able to go outside," or "an action that grooms itself in satisfaction."

[0115] On the other hand, if the remaining charge of the battery 252 is less than the first threshold (step S301; No), the control unit 110 determines whether the remaining charge of the battery 252 is less than or equal to the second threshold (for example, 60%) (step S303).

[0116] If the remaining charge of the battery 252 is below the second threshold (step S303; Yes), the control unit 110 controls the movable part 220 and the sound output unit 230 to perform an action that mimics the actions of an animal that indicates it is unwell (second mimicry action) as a second post-charge operation (step S304), and terminates the end-of-charge operation process. An action that mimics the actions of an animal that indicates it is unwell is, for example, an action that outputs a cry indicating it is unhappy from the sound output unit 230 and performs an unhappy gesture (controlling the movable part 220 to make the head 204 shake from side to side). Note that the second mimicry action is not limited to an action that mimics the actions of an animal that indicates it is unwell. For example, it may be an action that mimics the actions of an animal such as "an action that indicates it is not satisfied," "an action that shakes its head in displeasure," or "an action that makes a sad cry."

[0117] On the other hand, if the remaining charge of the battery 252 exceeds the second threshold (step S303; No), the control unit 110 terminates the charging completion operation process without doing anything.

[0118] As described above, when the user lifts the robot 200 from the power supply surface 102 of the wireless charger, the robot 200 will perform actions according to the current charge state (remaining charge) of the battery 252. In this way, the control unit 110 changes the control content of the operating unit according to the remaining charge of the battery 252 when the robot 200 changes from a powered state to a non-powered state, so that the robot 200 can notify the user of the remaining charge of the battery 252 while expressing a sense of life.

[0119] For example, when the robot 200 changes from a powered state to a non-powered state, if the remaining charge of the battery 252 is above a first threshold (e.g., 80%), it performs a first post-charge operation (an operation that mimics the movements of a healthy organism) to indicate that the battery is fully charged. If the remaining charge of the battery 252 is below a second threshold (e.g., 60%), it performs a second post-charge operation (an operation that mimics the movements of a lethargic organism) to indicate that the battery is not fully charged. Thus, the robot 200 can express a sense of life while also informing the user of the remaining charge of the battery 252.

[0120] In the above-mentioned charging completion operation process (Figure 13), if the remaining charge of the battery 252 exceeds the second threshold but falls below the first threshold, the robot 200 will perform its normal non-charging breathing operation without performing any special actions. However, in this case, the control unit 110 may control the movable part 220 and the sound output unit 230 to perform an action that indicates it is reasonably healthy (third post-charging action). An action that indicates it is reasonably healthy is, for example, outputting a quiet cry from the sound output unit 230 and nodding (setting both the left-right rotation angle and the up-down rotation angle of the head 204 to 0 degrees, and then controlling the movable part 220 to move the head 204 up and down slightly).

[0121] Furthermore, these post-charge operations (first post-charge operation, second post-charge operation, third post-charge operation) do not need to be limited to two or three. By setting more precise thresholds, four or more post-charge operations may be defined, and the control unit 110 may control the movable unit 220 and the audio output unit 230 to perform one of the post-charge operations depending on the remaining charge of the battery 252.

[0122] Furthermore, in each of the above-described post-charging operations, the control unit 110 may set (for example, change) the emotion data 121 according to the remaining charge of the battery 252, and at the same time, perform different post-charging operations according to the changed emotion data 121. In this case, for example, the degree of anxiety and lethargy may be stronger as the remaining charge of the battery 252 decreases, and the degree of relief and excitement may be stronger as the remaining charge of the battery 252 increases. In addition, the operation at the end of charging may be an operation that emphasizes emotions more than the operation corresponding to normal emotions.

[0123] Furthermore, each of the above-mentioned post-charging operations does not need to be a fixed operation, and the control unit 110 may change the control content of the movable part 220 and the sound output unit 230 according to the emotion data 121 and emotion change data 122. For example, as a lively cry and movement as the first post-charging operation, the control unit 110 may make the cry and movement more subdued if the simulated emotion of the robot 200 is leaning towards apathy, and make a cry and movement that conveys excitement if it is leaning towards excitement. Also, if the simulated emotion of the robot 200 is leaning towards excitement, the control unit 110 may speed up the cycle of the movement or increase the amount of movement. Also, if it is leaning towards joy, it may perform the operation with its head tilted upward.

[0124] Similarly, as a post-charge action to indicate displeasure, the control unit 110 may make sounds or movements that convey sadness (for example, a lower pitch with slow changes in pitch and volume) or movements that convey sadness if the simulated emotion of the robot 200 is leaning towards sadness, or make sounds that convey irritation (for example, a higher pitch with fast changes in pitch and volume) or movements that convey irritation if the simulated emotion of the robot 200 is leaning towards sadness. In addition, if the simulated emotion of the robot 200 is leaning towards sadness, the control unit 110 may make the robot 200 move with its head tilted downwards.

[0125] Furthermore, the breathing imitation process (Figure 8) may be modified not only when the battery changes from a charged state to a non-charged state, but also during charging, according to the remaining charge of the battery 252. For example, the first intermediate angle may be increased when the remaining charge is low (e.g., less than 30%) (e.g., 25 degrees), and the first intermediate angle may be decreased accordingly as the remaining charge increases (e.g., 20 degrees if the remaining charge is between 30% and 60%, 15 degrees if the remaining charge is between 60% and 80%, 10 degrees if the remaining charge is 80%, etc.).

[0126] Furthermore, while the left-right rotation angle of the head 204 was set to 0 degrees in the breathing motion described above, the control unit 110 is not required to always set the left-right rotation angle of the head 204 to 0 degrees during the breathing motion.

[0127] During the breathing operation while charging, the left-right rotation angle can be freely set within a range as long as the entire bottom surface of the torso 206 is always in contact with the power supply mounting surface 102. For example, if the vertical rotation angle of the head 204 is set to a specific angle (e.g., 20 degrees) or more, the head 204 will not hit the power supply mounting surface 102 even when the head 204 is rotated left or right, so in this case, the left-right rotation angle can be freely set. The control unit 110 may also change the left-right rotation angle of the head 204 according to the remaining charge of the battery 252.

[0128] Furthermore, during non-charging breathing operations, the left and right rotation angles are arbitrary. However, it is desirable that there be a period of time between the reference position and the intermediate position during breathing when the entire bottom surface of the torso 206 is in contact with the mounting surface 101. During this time, the transmitting antenna 253 of the wireless charger and the receiving unit 251 of the robot 200 are in close proximity, so an induced magnetic flux is generated between the receiving antenna of the receiving unit 251 and the transmitting antenna 253 of the wireless charger, and the power control unit 250 can detect this induced magnetic flux and start charging the battery 252.

[0129] (modified version) It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications and applications are possible. For example, Embodiment 1 and Embodiment 2 may be combined. In this case, the robot 200 performs a breathing motion by moving its head 204 up and down while the entire bottom surface of the torso 206 is in contact with the power supply mounting surface 102 during charging. When the user lifts the robot from the power supply mounting surface 102 to end charging, the robot 200 performs an operation according to the remaining battery level at that time. When not charging, it performs a breathing motion such as lifting the connecting part 205 (or the rear end of the head 204 or the front end of the torso 206).

[0130] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the device control unit 100 is built into the robot 200, but the device control unit 100 does not have to be built into the robot 200. For example, in the modified example, the device control unit 100 may not be built into the robot 200 but may be configured as a separate device (e.g., a server). In this modified example, the robot 200 also has a communication unit 260, and the communication unit 130 and the communication unit 260 are configured to send and receive data to and from each other. The control unit 110 then acquires external stimuli detected by the external stimulus detection unit 210 via the communication unit 130 and the communication unit 260, and controls the movable part 220 and the audio output unit 230 via the communication unit 130 and the communication unit 260.

[0131] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the device control device 100 is a control device that controls the robot 200, but the device to be controlled is not limited to the robot 200. For example, a wristwatch could also be considered as a device to be controlled. For example, if a wristwatch capable of voice output and equipped with an accelerometer and a gyroscope is used as the device to be controlled, then external stimuli could be impacts applied to the wristwatch, as detected by the accelerometer and gyroscope. Then, in response to these external stimuli, the emotion change data 122 and emotion data 121 can be updated, and based on the emotion data 121 at the time the user puts on the wristwatch, the sound effect data set in the control content table 124 can be adjusted (modified) and output.

[0132] This allows for a watch that emits a sad sound effect when the user puts it on if it's handled roughly, and a joyful sound effect when the user puts it on if it's handled carefully. Furthermore, if emotion change data 122 is set during the first period (for example, 50 days), the way the user handles the watch during the first period will give it a personality (a pseudo-personality). In other words, even with the same model number, a watch that is handled carefully will be more likely to evoke joy, while one that is handled roughly will be more likely to evoke sadness.

[0133] Thus, the device control device 100 can be applied not only to robots but also to various other devices, and can give the devices to which it is applied a simulated sense of emotion and personality. Furthermore, by applying the device control device 100 to various devices, it can make the user feel as if they are raising the device in a simulated way.

[0134] In the embodiments described above, the operation program executed by the CPU of the control unit 110 was described as being stored in advance in the ROM of the storage unit 120. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the operation program for executing the various processes described above may be implemented in an existing general-purpose computer or the like, thereby functioning as a device equivalent to the control device 100 of the device according to the embodiments described above.

[0135] The method of providing such programs is optional. For example, they may be distributed by storing them on a computer-readable storage medium (flexible disk, CD (Compact Disc)-ROM, DVD (Digital Versatile Disc)-ROM, MO (Magneto-Optical Disc), memory card, USB memory, etc.), or they may be stored on network storage such as the internet and provided for download.

[0136] Furthermore, when the above-mentioned processing is performed through a division of labor between the OS (Operating System) and the application program, or through collaboration between the OS and the application program, only the application program may be stored on a recording medium or storage device. It is also possible to superimpose the program onto a carrier wave and distribute it over a network. For example, the above program may be posted on a bulletin board system (BBS) on a network and distributed over the network. This program can then be launched and executed under the control of the OS, just like other application programs, to perform the above-mentioned processing.

[0137] This invention allows for various embodiments and modifications without departing from the broad spirit and scope of the invention. Furthermore, the embodiments described above are for illustrative purposes only and do not limit the scope of the invention. In other words, the scope of the invention is indicated not by the embodiments, but by the claims. Various modifications made within the scope of the claims and the equivalent scope of the meaning of the invention are considered to be within the scope of this invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0138] 100...Control device for the device, 101...Mounting surface, 102...Power supply mounting surface, 110...Control unit, 120...Storage unit, 121...Emotion data, 122...Emotion change data, 123...Growth days data, 124...Control content table, 130, 260...Communication unit, 200...Robot, 201...Exterior, 202...Decorative parts, 203...Hair, 204, 204'...Head, 205...Connecting part, 206...Body part, 207...Housing, 208...Wire fastener, 208a...Slider, 210...External stimulus detection unit, 211...Touch sensor, 212...Accelerometer S, 213...microphone, 214...gyro sensor, 220...movable part, 221...twist motor, 222...up / down motor, 230...audio output unit, 231...speaker, 240...operation input unit, 250...power control unit, 251...power receiving unit, 252...battery, 253...transmitting antenna, 271, 271A, 271B, 276...convex part, 272...concave, 275, 275A, 275B...engaging plate, 300...emotion map, 301, 302, 303...frame, 310...origin, 311...X axis, 312...Y axis, BL...bus line

Claims

1. A robot having a biological appearance and equipped with a rechargeable battery, An outer casing formed in a bag shape, covering a first housing corresponding to the torso of the robot and a second housing corresponding to the head of the robot, When the robot is made to perform a simulated breathing motion, a control unit drives a predetermined movable part so that the second housing operates inside the outer casing relative to the first housing, Equipped with, The control unit drives the predetermined movable parts such that, when causing the robot to perform the simulated breathing motion, the operation of the second housing relative to the first housing inside the outer casing differs depending on whether the battery is being charged or not. A robot characterized by the following features.

2. The control unit drives the predetermined movable part such that, when causing the robot to perform the simulated breathing motion, the lifting of the first housing from the mounting surface on which the robot is placed, which occurs as a result of the simulated breathing motion, is suppressed more when the battery is charged than when the battery is not charged. The robot according to feature 1.

3. The exterior is formed in such a way that it can be made to sag. The robot according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it is the robot described in claim 1 or 2.

4. A robot having a biological appearance and equipped with a power receiving unit for wirelessly charging its battery, An outer casing formed in a bag shape, covering a first housing corresponding to the torso of the robot and a second housing corresponding to the head of the robot, When the robot is made to perform a simulated breathing motion, a control unit drives a predetermined movable part so that the second housing operates inside the outer casing relative to the first housing, Equipped with, The control unit drives the predetermined movable parts such that, when causing the robot to perform the simulated breathing motion, the operation of the second housing relative to the first housing inside the outer casing differs depending on whether the robot is positioned in a location where the battery can be wirelessly charged via the power receiving unit or not. A robot characterized by the following features.

5. A method of expression performed by a robot having a biological appearance and equipped with a rechargeable battery, The first housing, which corresponds to the torso of the robot, and the second housing, which corresponds to the head of the robot, are covered by an outer casing formed in the shape of a bag. When causing the robot to perform a simulated breathing motion, the control process includes driving a predetermined movable part so that the second housing operates inside the outer casing relative to the first housing, The control process drives the predetermined movable parts such that, when causing the robot to perform the simulated breathing motion, the operation of the second housing relative to the first housing inside the outer casing differs depending on whether the battery is being charged or not. A method of expression characterized by the following features.

6. A method of representation performed by a robot having a biological appearance and equipped with a power receiving unit for wirelessly charging a battery, The first housing, which corresponds to the torso of the robot, and the second housing, which corresponds to the head of the robot, are covered by an outer casing formed in the shape of a bag. When causing the robot to perform a simulated breathing motion, the control process includes driving a predetermined movable part so that the second housing operates inside the outer casing relative to the first housing, The control process drives the predetermined movable parts such that, when causing the robot to perform the simulated breathing motion, the operation of the second housing relative to the first housing inside the outer casing differs depending on whether the robot is positioned in a position where the battery can be charged via the power receiving unit or not. A method of expression characterized by the following features.

7. A robot having a biological appearance and equipped with a rechargeable battery, wherein the robot's computer is covered by a bag-shaped outer casing, and the first housing corresponding to the robot's torso and the second housing corresponding to the robot's head are located within the robot's computer. When the robot is made to perform a simulated breathing motion, the second housing functions as a control means for driving a predetermined movable part so that the second housing operates inside the outer casing relative to the first housing. The control means drives the predetermined movable part such that, when causing the robot to perform the simulated breathing motion, the operation of the second housing relative to the first housing inside the outer casing differs depending on whether the battery is being charged or not. A program characterized by the following features.

8. A robot having a biological appearance and equipped with a power receiving unit for wirelessly charging a battery, wherein a first housing corresponding to the torso of the robot and a second housing corresponding to the head of the robot contain a robot computer covered by a bag-shaped outer casing, When the robot is made to perform a simulated breathing motion, the second housing functions as a control means for driving a predetermined movable part so that the second housing operates inside the outer casing relative to the first housing. The control means drives the predetermined movable part such that, when causing the robot to perform the simulated breathing motion, the operation of the second housing relative to the first housing inside the outer casing differs depending on whether the robot is positioned in a location where the battery can be wirelessly charged via the power receiving unit or not. A program characterized by the following features.

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