JP2003170374A - Remote control device for robot - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a remote control device for a robot 2 having an excellent portability by reducing the size of the structure thereof. <P>SOLUTION: A tape-like longitudinally movable member 8 including glass fibers is mounted on an operator 3 along the lower limbs thereof. The longitudinally movable member 8 leads out signals for indicating the position or posture thereof in longitudinal direction where a bending or a twisting occurs. A control means 16 generates control signals for the remote control of the robot 2 corresponding to the position and posture in the longitudinal direction in response to an output from the longitudinally movable member 8. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a device for remotely controlling a robot.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A remote control device for a robot is required in order to perform a work using the robot in a dangerous place such as a construction site for demolishing a building. A typical prior art is disclosed in JP-A-10-291184. In this prior art, an operator sits on a seat, detects the angular displacement of the movable leg due to the operation of the thigh and the lower leg of the operator's lower limb by the movable leg composed of an angularly displaceable link mechanism connected to the seat, Further, a configuration is disclosed in which a foot support mechanism is attached to the end of the movable leg, the operation state of the operator's foot is detected, and the operation command is given to the biped robot by the operation of the operator's lower limb. Another prior art is Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 11-10567, which discloses a configuration in which a foot of an operator seated on a seat rotates a sphere to instruct a robot to perform an operation.

Each of these prior arts has a problem that the mechanical structure is large, the device is difficult to move, and the portability is poor. Therefore, for example, it is difficult to transport the building to a site for dismantling a building for quick work.

Further, in these prior arts, when the size and shape of the lower limb of the operator do not match the size and shape of the lower limb member of the bipedal walking robot, the foot support mechanism is operated by the foot and It is difficult to give a motion command to a legged robot.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a robot remote control device which can be downsized and can be easily transported.

Another object of the present invention is to enable an operator to smoothly remotely operate a bipedal robot.
A remote control device and method for a foot-walking robot.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is a flexible, elongate, longitudinally moveable device mounted on an operator for deriving a signal indicative of a longitudinal position or orientation with bending or twisting. A remote control device for a robot, comprising: a member; and control means for deriving a control signal for remote control of the robot in response to an output of the longitudinally movable member.

According to the present invention, the longitudinal movable member is, for example, in the form of a tape or a line and is formed in an elongated shape, has flexibility, and has a signal indicating a longitudinal position or posture in which bending or twisting occurs. Derive. Such a longitudinally movable member can be realized by using a glass fiber, for example. The posture includes an angle about the longitudinal axis.

Thus, the signal representing the position or posture output from the longitudinal movable member attached to the human body of the operator is
It is given to the control means and converted into a control signal to remotely operate the robot. With this, it is possible to derive a signal representing the position or posture in the longitudinal direction of the longitudinal movable member in accordance with the angle of the thigh, the lower leg and / or the foot of the operator, for example. Further, a longitudinally movable member is provided on the foot, and thereby a signal representing the position and posture due to the angular displacement between the lower leg and the foot, the heel portion, the sole, etc. is derived. With this, the complicated motion of the robot can be remotely controlled.

Further, according to the present invention, the structure including such a longitudinally movable member and the control means can be miniaturized, easily transported, and excellent in portability. Therefore, it is possible to easily place the robot in a dangerous place such as a site for dismantling a building and allow the operator to attach the longitudinal movable member at a safe place to remotely operate the robot.

The present invention further includes a pedal which is operated by an operator to operate the pedal, and pedal detection means which is provided on the pedal and derives a signal representing the operation of the pedal. The control means outputs the pedal detection means. In response to deriving a control signal for remote control of the robot.

According to the present invention, when the operator depresses the pedal, a signal representing the depressing operation is derived from the pedal detecting means and given to the control means.
Therefore, the control means generates a control signal for remote operation of the robot in response to the pedaling operation of the pedal detected by the pedal detecting means. In this way, the complex operation of the robot can be remotely controlled by the operator's stepping operation. In this configuration, the longitudinal movable member does not have to be provided on the foot, and the distal end portion of the longitudinal movable member may be provided on the lower leg.

Further, the present invention is characterized by including a television camera for picking up an image of the robot, and display means for displaying an image of the robot in response to an output of the television camera.

According to the present invention, a remotely operated robot is imaged by a television camera, and the imaged image is
It can be seen by the display means. Therefore, the operation state of the robot operated by the operator can be grasped by looking at the display means. It is desirable that the display means is arranged at a place near the operator so that the operator can see the image of the robot displayed by the display means.

In this way, it becomes possible for the operator to accurately and remotely control the operating state of the robot.

The present invention is also characterized in that the robot is a bipedal robot. According to the invention, the robot may be a bipedal robot and the operator
Operate remotely in a safe place away from the legged robot 2
The legged robot can be made to work and can be made to work. Therefore, the robot work in a dangerous place can be remotely controlled.

According to the present invention, there is also provided a longitudinally movable member which is flexible and elongated, and which is attached to a lower limb of an operator and derives a signal representing a longitudinal position or posture in which bending or twisting has occurred, A pedal operated by an operator, a pedal detection unit provided on the pedal for deriving a signal indicating the operation of the pedal, a first mode for operating the longitudinal movable member, and a second mode for operating the pedal. In response to the outputs of the mode changeover switch for switching the longitudinally movable member, the pedal detecting means, and the mode changeover switch, the robot is based on the output of the longitudinally movable member when the mode changeover switch is set to the first mode. A control signal for remote control of the robot, and when the second mode is set, control for remote control of the robot based on the output of the pedal detection means. A remote control apparatus for a robot, characterized by deriving a degree.

The present invention further comprises a television camera for picking up an image of the robot, and a display means for displaying an image of the robot in response to the output of the television camera, at least when the mode changeover switch is set to the first mode. It is characterized by including.

Further, according to the present invention, the steps of preparing the remote control device for the robot described above, setting the mode changeover switch to the first mode, and operating the longitudinal movable member to move the foot member of the robot to a desired position. Moving and bringing the operator's position to the pedal; setting the mode changeover switch to the second mode;
And a step of operating the robot by depressing a pedal by an operator.

According to the invention, the operation in the first mode in which the operator moves and angularly displaces the thighs and / or the lower thighs of the lower limbs and the operation in the second mode in which the operator depresses the pedal with his foot are operated. , Separate by operating the mode switch. In this way, the step in which the operator operates the longitudinal movable member to move the foot member of the robot to the desired position on the pedal, and the pedal depression amount of the operator is detected, and the foot of the robot is detected based on the detected output. By separating the operation into the step of performing the operation of the member, accurate pedal operation becomes possible even when the dimensions and shape of the foot member of the robot and the foot of the operator do not match.

[0021]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a simplified overall configuration of an embodiment of the present invention. Remote control device 1
Controls the robot 2 remotely. The operator 3 sits on a horizontal seat portion 6 connected to the backrest portion 5 of the seat 4, and moves a longitudinal movable member 8 provided along the lower leg 7 thereof. The longitudinal movable member 8 has flexibility, is formed in an elongated shape, and is, for example, a tape shape, and is attached to the thigh 40, the lower leg 41, and the foot 42 of the lower leg 7 by the attachment pieces 9 to 12 such as a belt. The longitudinal movable member 8 is also attached to the seat 4 at a fixed position by the attachment piece 13. This allows the operator 3
When the lower limb 7 moves, the position and posture of the portion of the lower limb 7 to which the attachment pieces 9 to 12, for example, are attached are derived from the bending and twisting signals of the longitudinal movable member 8.

The two-legged walking robot 2 has a robot body 3
1, two lower limb members 32 and 33 are provided. The lower leg member 32 includes a thigh member 34, a lower leg member 35, and a foot 36.
Are connected by a hip joint 37, a knee joint 38, and an ankle joint 39, and this is the same for the other lower limb member 33.

FIG. 2 is a simplified perspective view showing the longitudinal movable member 8. The base end portion 58 of the movable member 8 is connected to the detection calculation circuit 14. In the detection calculation circuit 14, the detection calculation circuit 14 outputs a signal indicating the position and orientation of the movable member 8 in the longitudinal direction in the orthogonal three-dimensional coordinate system of the movable member 8 in the longitudinal direction Z, the vertical direction X, and the horizontal direction Y. It can be calculated and obtained.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration in the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. A signal representing the position and orientation in the longitudinal direction where the bending and twisting of the longitudinal movable member 8 is detected and calculated by the detection calculation circuit 14 is given to the control signal generation circuit 15. The detection arithmetic circuit 14 and the control signal generation circuit 15 form a control circuit 16. Control signal generation circuit 15
Responds to the output of the detection calculation circuit 14 to derive a control signal for remote control of the robot 2 and apply it to the robot control circuit 18. The robot control circuit 18 includes a processing circuit 21 realized by a microcomputer, and a drive source 22 that individually drives each of the plurality of axes of the robot 2 by the output from the processing circuit 21.

FIG. 4 is a simplified plan view for explaining the principle of deriving a signal representing the position and orientation in the longitudinal direction of the longitudinal movable member 8. The longitudinal movable member 8 has a plurality of cut portions formed at equal intervals in the longitudinal direction of the optical fiber. The positions of the cut portions are
In FIG. 4, reference numerals 1, 2, ..., I ,. i and n are natural numbers. Positions 1, 2, ..., Of FIG.
i, ..., n may be collectively denoted by i.

The amount of light passing through each position i of the cut portion changes depending on the bending and twisting of the cut portion of the optical fiber. Therefore, the notched optical fiber is inserted into the tape, the amount of light passing through each location is measured by the detection arithmetic circuit 14, and each value of bending and twisting at that location is calculated and calculated. By computing
The shape of the longitudinal movable member 8 is measured. In a configuration in which n cuts 1, 2, ..., I, ..., N are made at equal intervals in an optical fiber, the space is set to 1, and the k-th cut is bent at θ and twisted at φ. _Where the angles T _ti and T _bi are

[0027]

[Equation 1] Then,

[0028]

[Equation 2]

The matrix representing the direction of the k-th cut position is

[Equation 3] Is.

The control circuit 16 is realized by, for example, a microcomputer, and can perform the operations of the above equations 1 to 4. The longitudinal movable member 8 can be configured by inserting one or a plurality of optical fibers into a flexible bag-shaped flat tape that can be twisted and deformed, and is lightweight, thin, and can be miniaturized. Is. Therefore, with the longitudinal movable member 8 attached to the lower limb 7, the position and angle of the knee 23 and the ankle 24 with respect to the waist portion 25 can be calculated and measured by the detection calculation circuit 14. As a result, the control signal generation circuit 15 causes the robot control circuit 18 to
A control signal representing a command value for driving each axis for is calculated and derived. Furthermore, the longitudinal movable member 8 is provided on the crotch 2 of the operator 3.
6, extending to the knee 23, the ankle 24 and the toe 27, the longitudinal movable member 8 is attached. Detection arithmetic circuit 14
Measures the position and posture of the thigh 40, the lower leg 41, and the leg 42 where bending and twisting occur, and depending on the state,
The control signals of the command values of the plurality of axes for the robot 2 are calculated and obtained.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart for explaining the operation of the control circuit 16. Moving from step a1 to step a2, the detection calculation circuit 14 performs a calculation calculation of bending and twisting of the longitudinal movable member 8. In step a3, a control signal for each axis of the robot 2 is calculated and generated based on the above-described bending and twisting detection calculation result. Thus, in step a4, a series of operations ends.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a simplified overall configuration of another embodiment of the present invention. The embodiment of FIG. 6 is
Similar to the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 5 described above, corresponding parts are designated by the same reference numerals. It should be noted that in this embodiment, the longitudinal movable member 8 is attached to the heel portion 24 by the attachment piece 10.
Attached in the vicinity, the longitudinal movable member 8 is attached along the lower leg 41 of the lower leg 7. The foot 42 is mounted on the step 45 of the pedal 44. The step 45 is a base 46
Is provided so as to be angularly displaceable by a hinge 47 having a horizontal axis, and a spring 48 upwardly applies a spring force to the free end of the step 45. Pedal detection means 51 is provided to detect the amount of angular displacement of the footstep 45, and thus the amount of depression by the foot 42. FIG. 3 above also
The electrical configuration in the embodiment of FIG. 6 is also shown. The output of the pedal detecting means 51 is given to the control signal generating circuit 15. The mode changeover switch 56 is configured to be manually operated by the operator 3, and its output is given to the control signal generation circuit 15. The mode selector switch 56 is a first mode in which the operator 3 moves and angularly displaces the thigh 40 and / or the lower leg 41 of the lower limb 7, and the operator 3 operates the foot 4
The second mode in which the pedal 44 is depressed by 2 to operate,
It works to switch.

A television camera 52 is provided to image the robot 2. A signal representing the image of the robot 2 captured by the television camera 52 is given to the display means 53. The display means 53 is arranged near the operator 3 in a place where the operator 3 can see, for example, in the front of the operator 3 in this embodiment. The image of the robot 2 displayed by the display means 53 can be observed by the operator 3.

FIG. 7 is a flow chart for explaining the operation of control circuit 16 (see FIG. 3 described above) in the embodiment shown in FIG. By shifting from step b1 to step b2 and the operator 3 operates the mode changeover switch 56, the first mode in which the detection by the longitudinal movable member 8 is performed is first set. The operator 3 moves the foot member 36 of the robot 2 to a desired position of the pedal 54 provided in the device to be operated by the robot 2 while watching the image of the robot 2 displayed by the display means 53, and at the same time, moves the foot. The member 36 has a desired posture.
At that time, the position of the foot 42 of the operator 3 is detected by the longitudinal movable member 8, and the displacement thereof controls the position and posture of the lower limb member 32 of the robot 2 in step b3. That is, in this step b3, the operator 3 displaces the longitudinal movable member 8 by operating the lower limb 7 to move the foot member 36 of the robot 2 to the above-mentioned desired position and set the desired posture. At this time, the operator 3 can accurately guide the foot member 36 of the robot 2 to a desired position by operating the longitudinal movable member 8 while referring to the image of the robot 2 displayed on the display means 53. In the first mode, even if the pedal 44 is operated, the output of the pedal detecting means 51 is not used in the control signal generating circuit 15. The operator 3 operates the foot 42 above the pedal 44 or on the platform 45.

In step b4, the foot member 3 of the robot 2 is
When the movement of 6 is completed, the mode changeover switch 56 is operated to shift to the second mode in which the pedal 44 is operated.

At step b5, in the second mode,
The operator 3 starts the operation of stepping on the step 45 of the pedal 44 with the sole of the foot. In step b6, the control signal generating circuit 15 of the control circuit 16 responds to the output of the pedal detecting means 51 corresponding to the stepping amount of the stepping board 45, and causes the lower limb member 32 of the robot 2 to perform a preset operation. The control operation can be performed as described above, and various other work operations can be performed. In the second mode, the control signal generating circuit 15 is operated by operating the longitudinal movable member 8.
Is not performed. Thus, in step b7, a series of operations ends. Thus, the parts of the lower limbs 7 other than the legs 42,
That is, the lower part 41 and further the thigh 40 are provided with the longitudinally movable member 8 to perform the moving operation in the first mode, and the second mode operation in which the pedal 44 is depressed by the foot 42 are operated by the mode changeover switch 56. Switch and separate. By separating the operation in the first mode and the operation in the second mode in this manner, accurate pedal operation can be performed even when the foot member 36 of the robot 2 and the foot of the operator 3 do not match in size and shape. Will be possible. In this way, the operator 3 can perform complicated operations of the robot 2.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the configuration of another embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment is similar to the above-described embodiment, and corresponding parts are designated by the same reference numerals. Particularly, in this embodiment, the longitudinal movable member 8 is attached to the lower leg 7 of the operator 3 over the thigh 40 and the lower leg 41 by using the attachment pieces 11 and 12. With such a configuration as well, it is possible to perform remote operation including operation of the walking motion of the bipedal walking robot 2.

In the above-described embodiment, the description has been given in relation to the lower leg 7 of the operator 3 and the lower leg member 32 of the robot 2, but in the present invention, the other lower leg of the operator 3 is used. And the other lower limb member 33 of the robot 2, the same operation as described above is performed. The robot 2 may be a bipedal walking robot as described above, but may be a robot having another configuration.

[0039]

According to the present invention, it is possible to realize a remote control device for a robot that includes a longitudinally movable member that is attached to an operator, and can therefore be downsized. Therefore, for example, it becomes easy to perform work using a robot in a dangerous place,
Enables quick work.

Further, according to the present invention, by detecting the stepping operation of the pedal and generating the control signal of the robot, it is possible to accurately detect the movement of the foot and perform the accurate remote control of the robot.

Further, according to the present invention, the operating state of the remotely operated robot is accurately grasped by the operator viewing the operating state of the robot on the image of the display means, and thereby the robot is operated accurately. Can be made to work.

The present invention is carried out in relation to a bipedal robot, which ensures the safety of the operator in a dangerous place.

The mode changeover switch is set to the first mode, the operation using the longitudinal movable member is performed, and the operation using the pedal is performed in the second mode. Thus, the operator's limbs and feet and the robot limb member are operated. Even if the dimension and shape of the robot are different from those of the foot member, the robot can be accurately operated.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a simplified overall configuration of an embodiment of the present invention.

2 is a simplified perspective view showing the longitudinal movable member 8. FIG.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration in the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 4 is a simplified plan view for explaining a principle for deriving a signal representing a position and a posture in a longitudinal direction of the longitudinal movable member 8.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the control circuit 16.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a simplified overall configuration of another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a control circuit 1 according to the embodiment shown in FIG.
6 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of No. 6 (see FIG. 3 described above).

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a simplified overall configuration of another embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Remote control device 2 robots 3 operator 8 Longitudinal movable member 14 Detection operation circuit 15 Control signal generation circuit 16 Control circuit 18 Robot control circuit 21 Processing circuit 22 Drive source 44 pedals 51 Pedal detection means 52 TV camera 53 display means 56 Mode selector switch

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    (72) Inventor Shigekazu Shikada             1-1 Kawasaki-cho, Akashi-shi, Hyogo Kawasaki Heavy Industries             Akashi Factory Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Masami Kobayashi             118 Futatsuka, Noda City, Chiba Prefecture Kawasaki Heavy Industries             Noda Factory Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Hitoshi Hasunuma             118 Futatsuka, Noda City, Chiba Prefecture Kawasaki Heavy Industries             Noda Factory Co., Ltd. F term (reference) 3C007 JT10 JU12 KT01 KT06 KT17

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. An elongate movable member that is flexible and elongated, is attached to an operator, and derives a signal representing a longitudinal position or posture in which bending or twisting has occurred, and an output of the elongate movable member. And a control means for deriving a control signal for remote control of the robot in response to the above. 2. The pedal further includes a pedal operated by an operator and pedal detecting means provided on the pedal for deriving a signal indicating the pedal operation, wherein the control means is responsive to an output of the pedal detecting means. 2. The remote control device for a robot according to claim 1, further comprising: deriving a control signal for remote control of the robot. 3. A remote control device for a robot according to claim 1, further comprising a television camera for picking up an image of the robot and a display means for displaying an image of the robot in response to an output of the television camera. . 4. The remote control device for a robot according to claim 1, wherein the robot is a bipedal robot. 5. A longitudinally movable member which is flexible and elongated, and which is attached to the lower limbs of an operator and derives a signal indicating a longitudinal position or posture in which bending or twisting has occurred, and an operator. A pedal that is operated by stepping, a pedal detection means that is provided on the pedal and that derives a signal representing the stepping operation, and a mode that switches between a first mode in which the longitudinal movable member operates and a second mode in which the pedal operates. In response to the outputs of the changeover switch, the longitudinal movable member, the pedal detecting means, and the mode changeover switch, when the mode changeover switch is set to the first mode, the robot is remotely controlled based on the output of the longitudinal movable member. And a control signal for remote control of the robot based on the output of the pedal detecting means when the second mode is set. Remote control apparatus for a robot according to claim Rukoto. 6. A television camera for picking up an image of the robot, and a display means for displaying an image of the robot in response to an output from the television camera when at least the mode changeover switch is set to the first mode. A remote control device for a robot according to claim 5. 7. A step of preparing a remote control device for a robot according to claim 5, a step of setting a mode changeover switch to a first mode, and a step of operating a longitudinal movable member to set a position of a foot member of the robot at a desired position. A robot characterized by including the steps of moving the operator's position to the pedal and moving the robot to the pedal, setting the mode selector switch to the second mode, and operating the robot by depressing the pedal by the operator. Remote control method.