JP2006289565A - Robot operation device and robot - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a robot operation device for enabling a robot to instantly perform operation desired by an operator, even if a large number of sensors are not equipped in the robot, by sending out thinking and feeling of the operator to the robot as it is, and also to provide the robot. <P>SOLUTION: The operator A puts a brain cap 1 on a head part. The brain cap 1 has a first sensor 2 for measuring an electric field generated in response to brain activity and a second sensor 3 for detecting a state of a brain bloodstream. A brain activity analyzing part 12 in the robot 10 analyzes brain activity of the operator A on the basis of a signal for indicating an intracranial electric field provided by the first sensor 2 and a signal for indicating a state of the brain bloodstream provided by the second sensor 3, and the robot 10 performs operation in response to its analytical result. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an apparatus for operating a robot, and a robot.

  In the early days of robot development, industrial robots that worked on behalf of humans in factories were the focus, but in recent years, robots are becoming more involved in the lives of ordinary citizens. In particular, the rescue robot that rescues injured people from the rubble of a collapsed building in the event of an earthquake or other disaster is a new memory. In addition, research on nursing care robots that assist movement of persons with physical disabilities is also in progress. In the future, the role of robots in daily life will continue to increase.

By the way, research on human brain activity linked to robot development is progressing, and the measurement accuracy of weak electric field (electroencephalogram) and weak magnetic field (magnetomagnetic wave) generated from the brain is high. An algorithm for estimating the position of the current source in the brain with high accuracy has also been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
International Publication No. 03/057035 Pamphlet

  In general, a robot is equipped with a plurality of types of sensors, and controls its own behavior based on detection results of the plurality of types of sensors. Taking a rescue robot at the time of an earthquake as an example, when a rescue robot detects a human-like object, it determines whether the object is really a human being, and if it determines that it is a human being, it proceeds to that location. Remove the rubble and rescue the injured or inform the rescue team. If there is an obstacle up to the injured person's place, the rescue robot will act on its own thinking how to deal with the obstacle.

  In such a system, since a large amount of accurate information is required to make a determination, a large number of high-precision sensors must be installed in the robot, which increases the cost. In addition, there is a problem that the robot makes an erroneous determination different from the determination desired by a human.

  As described above, instead of the robot itself judging, there is also a system in which a human makes a judgment and sends a control signal to the robot according to the judgment result to remotely control the operation of the robot. There is a problem that the operation start of the robot is delayed.

  The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and by transmitting information representing the brain activity of the operator to the robot as it is, the operator can perform the operation even if the robot is not equipped with a large number of sensors. It is an object of the present invention to provide a robot operation device that can cause a robot to instantaneously perform an operation that is desired.

  Another object of the present invention is to provide a robot that can instantly do what the operator thinks.

  According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a robot operation device including: an acquisition unit that non-invasively acquires information representing a brain activity of an operator; and a unit that outputs information acquired by the acquisition unit to the robot. It is characterized by providing.

  In the present invention, non-invasively acquired information representing the brain activity of the operator is output to the robot. Therefore, the robot instantaneously performs an action according to the will or intention of the operator. For example, the robot immediately proceeds in the direction in which the operator is paying attention. It is not necessary to incorporate a large number of sensors in the robot, and the operator does not send control signals for commands to the robot, so the robot can instantly perform appropriate actions according to the situation with a simple configuration. Wake up.

  In the robot operation device of the present invention, the information representing the brain activity is information representing at least the motor activity, parietal lobe, premotor cortex, capture motor cortex, and cerebellar brain activity of the operator.

  In the present invention, information representing at least the motor area, parietal lobe, premotor area, capture motor area, and cerebellar brain activity of the operator acquired non-invasively is output to the robot. Therefore, the robot instantaneously performs an action that the operator wants to perform. For example, when an operator wants to lift an object, the robot immediately performs an operation of lifting the object.

  The robot operation device according to the present invention is the robot operation device according to any one of the above devices, wherein the acquisition unit measures a first sensor that is attached to the operator and measures an electric field generated by the brain, and a blood flow state in the brain. And a second sensor.

  A signal indicating an electric field generated by the brain, which is one index representing brain activity, has a characteristic of being superior in temporal resolution but inferior in spatial resolution. On the other hand, a signal indicating a blood flow state in the brain, which is one index representing brain activity, has a characteristic of being superior in spatial resolution but inferior in time resolution. Therefore, by combining these signals, it is possible to detect the accurate brain activity of the operator by taking advantage of the advantages of each signal.

  The robot according to the present invention includes: an input unit that inputs information representing the brain activity of the operator; and a unit that determines an operation based on the information input by the input unit. It is characterized by providing.

  The robot operated by the operator inputs information representing the brain activity of the operator and determines its own motion based on the input information. Therefore, the robot instantaneously performs an action according to the will or intention of the operator.

  In the present invention, information representing the brain activity of the operator is acquired non-invasively, and the acquired information is output to the robot, so that the robot can instantly respond to what the operator desires or feels. I can act. Since the robot itself does not make a determination, it is not necessary to equip a large number of sensors to obtain information for determination, and the cost can be reduced. In addition, more accurate determination results can be obtained than when the robot makes the determination.

  In the present invention, at least the motor area of the operator, the parietal lobe, the premotor area, the capture motor area, the information indicating the brain activity of the cerebellum is acquired non-invasively, and the acquired information is output to the robot. The robot can instantaneously perform the action that the operator wants to perform. Since the robot itself does not determine the operation, it is not necessary to equip a large number of sensors to obtain information for determining the operation, and the cost can be reduced. Further, it is possible to cause the robot to perform an appropriate operation as compared with the case where the robot determines.

  In the present invention, a combination of a signal indicating an electric field generated by a brain excellent in temporal resolution of brain activity and a signal indicating a blood flow state in the brain excellent in spatial resolution of brain activity is used to reduce brain activity. Since the measurement is performed invasively, the state of the brain activity of the operator can be accurately grasped.

  In the present invention, it is possible to provide a robot that can immediately do what the operator wants to do as it is.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be specifically described with reference to the drawings showing embodiments thereof. Note that the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments.

(First embodiment)
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a brain cap used as an acquisition means for non-invasively acquiring information representing brain activity used in the present invention. The brain cap 1 has a plurality of (for example, several tens to several hundreds) two types of first sensors 2 and second sensors 3 on a cloth base body 4 having a hat shape so as to cover a human head. ). The first sensor 2 and the second sensor 3 are arranged at an equal pitch (for example, at intervals of several millimeters).

  Specifically, the first sensor 2 is an electroencephalogram (EEG) having electrodes, and detects a weak electric field (electroencephalogram) caused by a current generated by a nerve cell in the brain in response to an external stimulus. To do. Each first sensor 2 measures and outputs the change over time of the electric field accompanying brain activity at each site where it is installed. The first sensor 2 has excellent time resolution and can measure in units of several milliseconds.

  Specifically, the second sensor 3 is a near-infrared light sensor (NIRS) which emits infrared light having a relatively short wavelength and reflects the reflected light of the infrared light. The receiving light receiving element is configured as a set, and the state of cerebral blood flow is detected based on the amount of light emitted from the light emitting element in the brain. Each second sensor 3 measures and outputs cerebral blood flow at each site where it is installed. Since the second sensor 3 is not affected by other regions such as a magnetic field and an electric field, it has excellent spatial resolution and can be measured in units of several millimeters.

  The first sensor 2 and the second sensor 3 can acquire accurate information on brain activity even in a small configuration, and can be easily attached to the brain cap 1 as described above, and have a large configuration. Do not need.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of the robot operating device and the robot according to the present invention. In the following, a robot (rescue robot) 10 that saves lives in an area where a disaster such as an earthquake has occurred will be described as an example.

  The operator A of the robot 10 covers the brain cap 1 shown in FIG. A communication device 21 that performs wireless data communication with the robot 10 is connected to the brain cap 1, and signals detected by the first sensor 2 and the second sensor 3 of the brain cap 1 are transmitted by the communication device 21 to the robot 10. To be sent to. Further, a monitor device 22 is connected to the communication device 21, and an image acquired by the robot 10 is displayed on the monitor device 22.

  The robot 10 includes a communication unit 11 that wirelessly communicates data with the communication device 21 of the operator A, the signals of the operator A based on signals detected by the first sensor 2 and the second sensor 3 of the brain cap 1. A brain activity analysis unit 12 that analyzes brain activity, an image acquisition unit 13 that acquires surrounding images, and a CPU 14 that controls the operation of each piece of hardware are provided.

  Signals detected by the first sensor 2 and the second sensor 3 are transmitted to the robot 10 via the communication device 21. These signals representing the brain activity of the operator A are received by the communication unit 11 and input to the brain activity analysis unit 12. The brain activity analysis unit 32 analyzes the brain activity of the operator A based on the data indicating the brain electric field and the data indicating the state of cerebral blood flow. Then, the robot 10 operates according to the analysis result.

  On the other hand, the captured image data of the surrounding situation obtained by the image acquisition unit 13 is transmitted to the operator A side via the communication unit 11. The transmitted image data is received by the communication device 21 and input to the monitor device 22. The monitor device 22 displays an image corresponding to the image data and presents it to the operator A.

  With such a configuration, the operator A feels anxious or thinks about what to do while viewing the image sent from the robot 10. At this time, since predetermined brain activity is caused in a specific part (at least motor area, parietal lobe, premotor area, capture motor area, cerebellum) according to the contents, the first sensor 2 and the second sensor 3 A specific signal is detected. The detected signal is sent to the robot 10, and the operation of the robot 10 based on the signal is performed.

  For example, when an image in which a human-like object is present under the rubble is displayed on the monitor device 22, the operator A pays attention to the direction and wants to check whether the person is close to the object. Based on the detection signals of the first sensor 2 and the second sensor 3 in the part of the brain related to the spatial information processing, the robot 10 approaches a human-like object to a place where the operator A can confirm whether the object is a human. When the user wants to check the image, the human-like object acquired by the image acquisition unit 13 is enlarged and displayed on the monitor device 22, and the operator A performs the reliable confirmation work. Considering that the operator A must help the object by judging that the object is human, and considering the best way to rescue, the first sensor 2 and the second sensor in the brain part related to the decision-making process Based on the detection signal 3, the robot 10 helps the person according to the rescue method that the operator A considers best. On the other hand, when the operator A confirms the human-like object displayed on the monitor device 22 and determines that the person is not a human being, and intends to search for another human being, he / she pays attention to another location. The acquisition unit 13 captures an image in that direction and displays it on the monitor device 22.

  When there is an obstacle on the way to the injured person buried in the rubble, the operator A confirms the image of the obstacle on the monitor device 22 and measures the obstacle (in the counterclockwise direction). Decide whether to detour, detour around the right, whether to get over obstacles, go straight, or remove obstacles by hand). The robot 10 behaves instantaneously as determined by the operator A based on information on the brain activity associated with this determination (detection signals from the first sensor 2 and the second sensor 3).

  As described above, the robot 10 operates instantaneously in accordance with the judgment of the operator A who wears the brain cap 1. Compared to the case where the robot 10 is equipped with many types of sensors and makes the robot 10 make a judgment, the robot 10 can make an accurate judgment, and the robot 10 requires less hardware such as a sensor and is low in cost. Can be realized. Compared with the case where the operator A makes a determination once and transmits a control signal for moving the robot 10 to match the determination, the determination of the operator A is transmitted to the robot 10 as it is. Therefore, the robot 10 can be quickly operated. Furthermore, multiple types of information determined by the operator A in the brain can be transmitted to the robot 10 in parallel, and in this respect as well, the robot 10 can be quickly actuated as compared with the case where control signals are serially transmitted. .

  In the above-described example, the case of the rescue robot has been described. However, this is only an example, and it can be applied to all robots such as a care robot that cares for the operation of a physically handicapped person and a pet robot that gives a feeling of healing to humans. Of course, the present invention is applicable.

It is a figure which shows the brain cap used by this invention. It is a figure which shows the structure of the robot operating device and robot of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Brain cap 2 1st sensor 3 2nd sensor 10 Robot 11 Communication part 12 Brain activity analysis part 13 Image acquisition part 14 CPU
21 Communication device 22 Monitor device A Operator

Claims (4)

  An apparatus for operating a robot, comprising: an acquisition means for non-invasively acquiring information representing brain activity of an operator; and a means for outputting the information acquired by the acquisition means to the robot apparatus.   The robot operation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information representing the brain activity is information representing at least the motor activity, parietal lobe, pre-motor cortex, capture motor cortex, and cerebellar brain activity of the operator.   The said acquisition means has the 1st sensor with which the said operator is mounted | worn which measures the electric field which a brain generate | occur | produces, and the 2nd sensor which measures the blood-flow state in a brain, It is characterized by the above-mentioned. The robot operating device according to 2. A robot operated by an operator includes input means for inputting information representing the brain activity of the operator, and means for determining an action based on the information input by the input means. robot.

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