JP3165824B2 - Information sharing apparatus, information presentation method thereof, and recording medium - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an information sharing apparatus in which when a robot such as a manipulator and a human perform cooperative work, the robot monitors the cooperator and informs the cooperator of the monitoring status.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in controlling a robot using vision or the like, a visual state of the robot is displayed on a console of a computer remote from a work environment in order to check how the visual processing is progressing. I was letting it.

[0003]

However, when a robot and a human perform a cooperative operation, the robot (hereinafter, referred to as a human)
The co-worker cannot see the console of the computer during the co-working, so that the behavior of the robot is difficult to understand, and there is a problem that the user is uneasy about the robot.

[0004] It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an information sharing device that can give a cooperative worker a sense of security.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, there is provided an information sharing apparatus for controlling a robot and performing work between the robot and a cooperating worker. Position detection means for detecting the position of the work part of the body of the cooperative worker in a work environment, and projection means for projecting a predetermined image pattern onto the detected position are provided.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information presenting method for an information sharing apparatus for controlling a robot and performing a work between the robot and a cooperating worker. Is detected, and a predetermined image pattern is projected on the detected position.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a recording medium recording a program to be installed in an information sharing device for controlling a robot and performing a task between the robot and a co-worker. A position detecting step of detecting a position of a work part of the body of the cooperating worker; and a projecting step of projecting a predetermined image pattern onto the detected position.

[0008]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0009] When a person hands over a grasped object, the person looks at each other's hands and objects with each other and works on the assumption that the person is seen. It is considered that the delivery of the object can be performed smoothly. In this way, it can be said that performing a task on the premise that one's behavior is seen by the other party in the cooperative task is a condition for a smooth cooperative task.

The inventor of the present application pays attention to this point, and when the co-worker performs an arbitrary work in the same environment as the robot, the information sharing device that controls the robot correctly monitors the co-worker. An information sharing device that can present to a collaborator was developed.

FIG. 1 shows a system configuration of the information sharing apparatus. In FIG. 1, the information sharing apparatus includes a manipulator 7 used as a robot, a video projector 8 for projecting an image, a monitoring camera 9, and a personal computer 1 for controlling the above devices. An image for projection is output from the video board 2 of the personal computer 1 to the video projector 8.

With respect to the image processing board 3 of the personal computer 1, a monitoring camera 9, for example, C
An image taken by a CD video camera is sent. Further, a control signal for instructing the manipulator 7 to perform an operation includes an I / O signal such as the RS232C
Output from the / O port.

In this embodiment, an example will be described in which a cooperator 5 receives a work object from a manipulator 7 on a desk (work environment) 6.

In the computer, a manipulator 7 and a geometric model (a rendering image of a specific shape) of a work object are configured. Rendered image by geometric model, image of specific pattern indicating that personal computer recognizes hands of co-workers,
For example, a white rectangular image is projected from the video projector 8 mounted on the ceiling toward the desk 6 and the hands of the co-workers. The size, the apparent color, and the horizontal (XY) coordinate position of the geometric model are set to be the same as those of the real robot (the handed portion of the manipulator 7).
In such a system configuration, the personal computer 1 controls the manipulator 7 according to a built-in control program, and hands over the work object to the cooperating worker 5. The personal computer 1 recognizes the hand of the cooperator who has been put into the work environment via the monitoring camera 9 and detects the position of the hand. Based on the detected position, the personal computer 1 projects a white rectangular image of the projected image of the video projector 8 onto the hands of the cooperating worker. This allows the collaborator to see the white rectangular image projected from the video projector 8 and feel as if his or her hand is being recognized by the information sharing device. You can tell that it is working properly.

When the cooperative worker stops his hand at a certain position for a certain period of time, the personal computer 1 determines the position of the still hand as the handing position of the work object and the manipulator 7.
Before the manipulator moves, the model image of
The personal computer 1 controls so as to approach the rectangular image. The manipulator 7 operates following the movement locus of the simulation-like image, and transfers the work object to and from the cooperator.

FIG. 2 shows an outline of a control program for performing the above control. The control program of FIG. 2 is described in a program language executable by the CPU of the personal computer 1, and is stored and stored in a recording medium in the personal computer, for example, a hard disk storage device. The control program may be installed in the personal computer 1 via a recording medium such as a CDROM.

FIG. 2 shows a program portion according to the present invention in the control program. 2. Conventionally known program portions are omitted in FIG. Prior to the operation of the manipulator, a program for controlling the personal computer 1 so that the model image of the manipulator 7 approaches the rectangular image is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. 9-246832 filed prior to the present application. The publication is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 11-85.
237).

When the power is turned on, the processing program shown in FIG. 2 is read from the hard disk storage device, loaded into the system memory in the personal computer 1, and executed by the CPU.

The CPU inputs a captured image from the monitoring camera 9 via the image processing board 3 and stores it in the system memory (step S10). The CPU recognizes the image and the position of the hand of the cooperator in the stored captured image.

In the present embodiment, the area of the hand and the position of the hand on the screen are detected by detecting the pixel position in the photographed image having the flesh color data (step S2).
0). The detected hand position in the shooting screen is temporarily stored in the system memory. In this embodiment, a plurality of sets of hand position data obtained within a continuous period of time are stored.

The CPU compares the position data of the hand for a certain period of time with the position data of the hand obtained at the present time. (NO determination in S30). If a match cannot be determined (YES in step S30), the hand is moving, so the procedure proceeds from step S30 to step S50, where the model image for the manipulator 7 and the white rectangular image are synthesized. Create a projection image (step S5)
0).

The position of the white rectangular image on the projection screen is
It is easily obtained by multiplying a predetermined conversion rate from the position of the hand detected in step S20. The position of the model image of the manipulator 7 can also be obtained by conversion from the position (horizontal coordinates) of the manipulator 7.

Since the synthesized projection image is sent to the video projector 8 via the video board 2, the white rectangular image projected from the video projector 8 is projected on the hands of the cooperator (step S60). .

On the other hand, if the determination in step S30 is NO (the hand is stationary), the process proceeds to step S30.
The position of the hand on the photographing screen detected in step 20 is converted to the position of the hand in the real space, and set as the transfer position of the manipulator 7 (step S7). Thereafter, the CPU sequentially changes the model position of the manipulator 7 to be synthesized in step S50 and causes the projected model image to precede the movement of the manipulator 7 while repeatedly executing the processing procedure of FIG.

As described above, when the CPU of the personal computer 1 executes the processing program of FIG. 2, a white rectangular image is projected onto the hands of the cooperating worker even if the hands move. In addition, the cooperator can confirm that the information sharing device (the personal computer 1 and the manipulator 7) is operating normally, and can have a sense of security as if it were seen by the manipulator 7.

The following embodiment can be carried out in addition to the above embodiment.

1) In the above-described embodiment, the manipulator is described as an example of the robot, but the present invention can be applied to other known robots.

2) In the above embodiment, the personal computer 1 and the manipulator 7, the monitoring camera 9, and the video projector 8 are connected by a wired signal cable. However, data communication is performed wirelessly between these devices. You may do so.

3) In the above-described embodiment, the white rectangular image is projected on the hands of the cooperating worker. However, the white rectangular image may be projected on the working part of the body such as the foot of the cooperating worker according to the work content. Of course.

4) The shape and color of the image pattern projected to the cooperating worker are not limited to those in the above-described embodiment, but may be appropriately determined according to the application.

[0031]

As described above, according to the present invention, a predetermined image is projected onto a working part of the body of a cooperator while following the movement of the working part.
The cooperating worker can have a psychological feeling that he / she is being watched, and can confirm that the device is operating normally, so that he / she can cooperate with the robot with confidence.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a system configuration according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating processing executed by a CPU of the personal computer 1;

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 personal computer 2 video board 3 image processing board 4 I / O port 5 cooperator 6 desk 7 manipulator 8 video projector 9 monitoring camera

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. An information sharing device for controlling a robot and performing a work between the robot and a cooperating worker, comprising: a position detecting means for detecting a position of a work part of a body of the cooperating worker in a working environment; An information sharing device comprising: a projection unit configured to project a predetermined image pattern onto the detected position. 2. An information presenting method for an information sharing apparatus for controlling a robot and performing a work between the robot and a cooperating worker, wherein a position of a body working part of the cooperating worker in a work environment is detected. An information presentation method for an information sharing device, comprising projecting a predetermined image pattern onto the detected position. 3. A recording medium recording a program to be installed in an information sharing device for controlling a robot and performing a work between the robot and a cooperator, the program comprising: A recording medium, comprising: a position detecting step of detecting a position of a work part of a body; and a projecting step of projecting a predetermined image pattern onto the detected position.