JP2006035381A - Control equipment for mobile robot - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide control equipment for a mobile robot that can smoothly move without colliding with walking people in an environment where a non-specified number of people are moving. <P>SOLUTION: The control equipment for the robot (1) is equipped with environmental information-obtaining means, such as a video camera (3) and a microphone (4), as well as present location detection means (15) and map control means (7), designed to describe information about the location of passageways and fixed objects within its moving area, so that the robot can move in a self-controlled manner, while referring to the environmental information within its moving area. The moving route of the robot is altered to the rightward direction by issuing a signal (direction indicating right 16), when the robot is judged to be liable to collide with the confronting person, if it continues to move through the current route. The control equipment also confirms that the robot's adoption of such a collision-avoiding action has been surely conveyed to the confronting person. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a control device for a robot that moves autonomously while referring to information in the environment.

A cleaning robot that autonomously moves within a predetermined area is known (see Patent Document 1). This cleaning robot blinks a plurality of indicator lamps when moving, and changes its blinking pattern and lighting color to notify its surroundings to the surrounding people. Further, the distance to the obstacle is measured with an ultrasonic sensor or the like, and when it reaches a predetermined distance from the obstacle, it stops and changes its direction.
JP 7-46710 A

  However, this conventional control device is intended to allow the cleaning robot to travel on the floor in the building without any obstacles, and the surrounding humans look at the indicator lights to determine the operation status of the cleaning robot. Therefore, it is necessary to evacuate from the path of the cleaning robot. Therefore, it is not suitable for an environment where it is necessary to consider that surrounding humans overlook the indicator lamp or do not notice the meaning of the indicator lamp, that is, a robot that operates where an unspecified number of humans come and go.

  In order to solve such a problem and provide an apparatus for controlling a mobile robot that can move smoothly without colliding with a moving human even in an environment where an unspecified number of humans move, the claims of the present invention are provided. 1 includes environmental information acquisition means (video camera 3 and microphone 4), current position detection means (15), and map management means (7) describing information related to the arrangement of passages and fixed objects in the moving area. In the control device of the robot (1) that autonomously moves while referring to the environment information in the movement area, it takes the course as it is based on the positional relationship between the opponent recognized by the environment information acquisition means and itself. When it is determined that there is a high possibility of a collision with the opponent, a signal (direction indicator light 16) is issued to change the course to a predetermined side and confirm that the collision avoidance action has been transmitted to the opponent. It is characterized by It was as. Moreover, in addition to the said structure, Claim 2 of this invention shall stop and issue a signal, when it is estimated that the said collision avoidance action is not transmitted to the other party, Furthermore, it is characterized by the above-mentioned. No. 3 has a contact sensor (touch sensor 17), and speaks to express gratitude at the time of contact with the opponent.

  According to the present invention, even in an environment where a person unfamiliar with the environment enters and leaves, the robot checks the path of the opponent and moves while changing the path in a direction to avoid a collision. It can move smoothly without contact. In particular, if the opponent comes to you even though you have avoided it, stop and signal to prevent the contact by alerting the opponent. You can avoid buying misery.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a robot to which the present invention is applied. The robot 1 is provided with a speaker 2, a video camera 3, and a microphone 4. An image signal from the video camera 3 is input to the image processing unit 5, and an audio signal from the microphone 4 is input to the sound processing unit 6. An audio signal that is input and generated by an appropriate synthesized speech generation means is output from the speaker 2.

  The video camera 3 includes a monochrome or color image sensor, and pan (left-right direction) and tilt (up-down direction) operations are performed by a motor. The image output from the video camera 3 is digitized by a frame grabber, and a moving object is extracted from the difference between two frames continuously or at an arbitrary interval. Further, distance information to the target can be obtained by stereoscopic viewing from the images of the pair of left and right video cameras 3. Further, image processing for identifying the human face is performed by obtaining the contour of the person and the position of the moving body based on the optical flow from the image information.

  The sound processing unit 6 makes it easy to extract the target sound by removing background noise and reverberation components, and determines whether the sound is generated by a person from the rising part of the sound or is an impact sound in which some objects collide with each other. presume. Further, a process of specifying the sound source position based on the sound pressure difference between the pair of microphones 4 and the sound arrival time difference is performed.

  On the other hand, the robot 1 includes a map data management unit 7 for storing map data describing passages and fixed objects in the robot's range of action, and general information such as ID, name, gender, date of birth, and blood type. Personal data management unit 8 that stores personal data consisting of occupation information such as company name, affiliation, job title, telephone number, email address, terminal information, and face data for face recognition, and maps as appropriate Information from the robot support server 10 including a parameter data management unit 9 storing control parameters based on environmental data such as the type of illumination, brightness, average noise level, reverberation characteristics, floor hardness, etc. Is given.

  In the robot 1, the task setting unit 11 sets the travel route of the robot 1 based on the image, sound, map, environment, and individual information. Then, the task setting unit 11 defines the behavior mode of the robot 1 and issues a behavior command to be performed to the behavior control unit 12. The task setting unit 11 is directly input with the image processing signal from the image processing unit 5 and the audio signal from the sound processing unit 6, and refers to the map data from the map data management unit 7 while surrounding the robot 1. The presence / absence of an obstacle is checked, and an instruction to change the movement speed or movement route is issued to the action control unit 12 so as not to collide with an obstacle or a pedestrian that appears during movement.

  The task setting unit 11 is connected to a user terminal 13 including a personal computer having an input device such as a keyboard and a touch panel and a monitor such as a liquid crystal display. This is used as a user interface for remotely operating the robot 1 by an operator instructing the start / stop / origin return of the robot 1, and the image of the video camera 3, sound from the microphone 4, or control parameters. It is used to monitor the operation status of the robot itself, such as the setting status. Furthermore, the user can arbitrarily perform new / update registration of various information and control parameters.

  In the behavior control unit 12, an action instruction value set based on a predetermined operation command from the task setting unit 11 is given to an actuator or the like provided in the limb joint unit 14 to control the movement of the robot 1. In particular, the leg receives instructions of the stride and the number of steps (gait) and controls the leg joint based on the instructions.

  The current position detection unit 15 detects the direction change angle and the movement distance of the robot 1, and detects the latest from the detected value from the position correction device using the gyrocompass, the geomagnetic sensor, the gas rate sensor, or GPS. The self position is estimated, and the current position data is fed back to the task setting unit 11 via the map data management unit 7. In this way, the target point and the self position are compared, and the course is corrected.

  Further, the robot 1 is provided with a direction indicator lamp 16 at an appropriate position such as a shoulder so that it can notify surrounding people of which direction is changed when the course is changed. A touch sensor 17 is provided on the side of the shoulder or arm so as to detect contact with a human during walking or stopping.

  Next, contact avoidance control with a pedestrian according to the present invention will be described.

  If an opponent approaching from the front is recognized from the image information of the video camera 3 (step 1), the course is predicted and it is determined whether or not it is coincident with this course (step 2). If the courses of the two do not match, it is determined that there is no fear of collision and the course is maintained as it is (step 3). If it is determined that there is a possibility of collision, the distance to the opponent is measured (step) 4) If the opponent does not change the course while approaching a predetermined distance, it is determined whether there is a room for avoidance on the right side of itself (step 5). Alternatively, it is notified that the avoidance action is taken to the right side by speaking and the course is changed (step 6). At this time, by turning the head of the robot and directing the face in the direction of advance, it is possible to more strongly convey to the opponent that the robot has the will to change the course. Then, the movement of the opponent is confirmed (step 7), and if it is confirmed that the opponent is going straight ahead, it is determined that the concern about the collision has been eliminated by this course change, and the advance is continued (step 3). On the other hand, if it is determined in step 5 that there is no room to avoid on the right side, and if it is confirmed in step 7 that the opponent has changed the course in the same direction as this, then stop and signal (Step 8).

  At the time of stop waiting or when moving forward, the touch sensor 17 detects the presence or absence of contact with the opponent (step 9), and if contact is detected, for example, say "I am sorry" to express my gratitude (Step 10).

  As described above, the course is changed to the right to avoid a collision with the opponent, and after passing each other, it is good to return to the original course. Also, as a general rule, it is advisable to set a normal course leaving enough room to avoid the right wall. This allows the robot to take an avoidance action on the assumption that the human is not aware of the robot, so smooth movement avoiding contact with humans is possible even in an environment where an unspecified number of people unfamiliar with the robot enter and exit. It becomes possible. In the above embodiment, the course is changed to the right side in principle, but it is needless to say that this may be appropriately determined as a rule optimal for the environment.

It is a block diagram which shows schematic structure of this invention apparatus. It is a flowchart in connection with control of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Robot 7 Map data management part 11 Task setting part 12 Behavior control part 16 Direction indicator 17 Touch sensor

Claims (3)

Environment information acquisition means, current position detection means, and map management means describing information related to the arrangement of passages and fixed objects in the movement area, and autonomously move while referring to the environment information in the movement area A robot control device,
If it is determined that there is a high possibility of a collision with the opponent when taking the course as it is based on the positional relationship between the opponent recognized by the environment information acquisition means and the opponent, the path is moved to a predetermined side A control apparatus for a mobile robot, characterized in that the change is confirmed and the collision avoidance action is transmitted to the opponent.   2. The mobile robot control device according to claim 1, wherein when the collision avoidance action is predicted not to be transmitted to the opponent, the control apparatus stops and issues a signal.   The mobile robot control device according to claim 1, wherein the mobile robot control device has a contact sensor and expresses gratitude when speaking with an opponent.

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