Remote Operation Avatars for Predictable Robot Interaction
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional robots, such as the delivery robot described in Patent Literature 1, lack the ability to provide smooth communication and diverse actions, leading to unease in individuals near the robot due to unpredictable movements and limited nonverbal interaction capabilities.
Innovation Solution
An avatar system comprising a communication avatar and a manipulation avatar, capable of performing tasks via remote control, which includes a control device to generate and transmit control information, allowing for both verbal and nonverbal communication and flexible operation modes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the robot is remotely controlled to perform diverse actions, then the robot's versatility is improved, but the predictability of robot actions deteriorates, causing unease in people near the robot
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the robot system into two distinct avatars: a communication avatar for social interaction and a manipulation avatar for task execution. This segmentation allows the communication avatar to provide predictable, friendly interactions while the manipulation avatar performs diverse tasks, resolving the contradiction between versatility and predictability.
Solution Approach 2:
The communication avatar acts as an intermediary between the operator and people near the robot. It translates the operator's intentions into socially appropriate actions and expressions, mediating the interaction to maintain predictability and comfort while enabling diverse manipulation tasks through the manipulation avatar.
2Device complexity
If the robot presents only a monitor image for communication, then the device complexity is reduced, but the nonverbal communication functionality is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The communication avatar creates a virtual copy of the operator's physical presence, including facial expressions, gestures, and body language. This copying of nonverbal cues enables rich communication without requiring complex physical robotic bodies, maintaining simplicity while enhancing communication capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The communication avatar utilizes visual cues including color changes and facial expression variations to convey emotional state and communicative intent. These visual variations provide rich nonverbal information through a relatively simple display system, enhancing communication without proportionally increasing complexity.
3Ease of operation
If the delivery robot acts autonomously, then the ease of operation is improved, but the adaptability to diverse tasks deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically switches between autonomous mode (for the delivery robot) and remote control mode (for the manipulation avatar). This dynamic operation allows the system to maintain ease of autonomous delivery while enabling diverse task execution through operator-controlled manipulation when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The communication avatar serves multiple functions: it provides autonomous delivery operations, enables remote manipulation control, facilitates communication with people near the robot, and displays operational status. This multi-functionality allows a single system to maintain ease of operation while achieving task diversity through different functional modes.
Data Source
AI summary
An augmented avatar of a remote machine operation system according to the present disclosure is an augmented avatar capable of performing a task via remote control, and includes a communication avatar having a body schema and a manipulation avatar capable of performing the task via the remote control.