Remote Robot Audio Control Using Operator Concentration Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing technologies for remote robot operation provide operators with unnecessary factory noise, lowering their working efficiency.
Innovation Solution
An information processing device that acquires biological and robot information, uses learned models to judge work performance and concentration levels, and processes sound signals to provide an optimized sound space for improved operator efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If sound around the robot including factory noise is provided to the operator via the dummy head, then the operator can hear the environment around the robot, but the unnecessary noise lowers the operator's working efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts and separates useful sound components from the mixed factory noise environment. By analyzing the sound spectrum and identifying characteristic frequencies of relevant sounds (such as robot operation sounds, alarm sounds, or human voices), the system extracts only these useful components and presents them to the operator, while filtering out unnecessary background noise.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies different processing to different frequency components of the sound signal. Useful frequency ranges are enhanced and preserved with high fidelity, while harmful noise frequencies are attenuated or eliminated. This selective processing based on frequency characteristics allows the operator to hear relevant environmental information without being distracted by unnecessary noise.
2Reliability
If all sound signals from the robot environment are transmitted to the operator, then complete environmental awareness is achieved, but distraction from unnecessary sound increases and reduces work efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors the operator's state (such as attention level, stress level, or workload) and adjusts the sound signal processing in real-time based on this feedback. When the operator shows signs of fatigue or overload, the system automatically reduces noise levels or simplifies the sound mixture. When the operator is alert and performing well, the system maintains more comprehensive environmental sound transmission.
3Productivity
If noise cancellation is applied to remove all unwanted sounds, then working efficiency improves, but useful environmental information may also be lost
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts multiple parameters of the sound signal including volume levels, frequency response, spatial positioning, and temporal characteristics. By changing these parameters selectively for different sound sources, the system can enhance useful sounds while suppressing noise. For example, the system might increase the volume of alarm sounds, shift the frequency response to highlight human voices, or adjust the spatial positioning to create a focused soundscape.
Data Source
AI summary
An information processing device includes an acquisition unit that acquires biological information on an operator, robot information, information indicating a sound space region, a work judgment learned model, and a parameter determination learned model, a judgment unit that judges whether the operator is performing work via the robot or not by using the robot information and the work judgment learned model, an identification unit that identifies a concentration level of the operator by using at least one item of information out of the biological information and the robot information if the operator is performing work via the robot, a determination unit that determines a parameter by using the parameter determination learned model, and a control unit that performs signal processing on the sound signal based on the parameter and transmits a sound signal obtained by the signal processing to the output device.