JP4554424B2 - Animal guidance system - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an animal guidance system that performs guidance control on animals by stimulating the vestibular sensation.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as described in Patent Document 1, a body guidance device using electrical stimulation to a vestibular sensation which is a receptor for balance sensation is known. This is a non-linguistic interface that induces natural behavior through the body control of the wearer by electrically stimulating the vestibular sensation, and is intended for human use.

  FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a conventional body guidance device. In the figure, reference numeral 201 denotes various sensors mounted on the user, and 202 denotes an electrical stimulation device that takes in information from the sensor 201 and outputs an electrical stimulation signal. The electrical stimulation device 202 includes a power source 203, a control device 204 that controls electric power from the power source 203 in accordance with information from the sensor 201, and a memory 205 in which information such as a map is stored in advance. In addition, an output signal from the control device 204 is supplied to the electrodes 206 and 207 disposed on the user's head so as to induce a condition-reflective operation under consciousness.

  The induction of walking by such electrical stimulation is as follows. Electrodes 206 and 207 are arranged and installed on the periphery of each mastoid on the left rear of the user's head and the right rear of the head, and about 0.1 to 10 mA is provided between the electrodes 206 and 207 by the electric stimulator 202. When a weak direct current is applied, a sense of acceleration can be generated in the vestibular sense of the user toward the anode side. By creating a sense of acceleration in the left-right direction in this way, it is possible to cause a tilt in the sense of vertical direction, which is the origin of the standing motion, and thus the user's standing posture is the intentional response of the person. Inclined to the anode side regardless. If this inclination is generated during walking, the user's walking direction is bent toward the anode side.

When the user is guided to the target point, the position information by the GPS signal and the position information of the destination stored in advance in the storage device of the electrical stimulation device 204 are compared and collated by a program in the control device of the electrical stimulation device 204. Thus, strength is applied to the electrical stimulation from the body guiding electrode 205 or 206.
JP 2004-254790 A

  Conventionally, when an animal is instructed in a moving direction or posture, an instructor has performed by gestures, hand gestures, or voices. However, it took training for the animals to understand the instructions of the instructor, which took a considerable amount of time. Moreover, even if training was performed, the instructions of the instructor were not always understood. However, the conventional technology is supposed to be applied to humans and does not induce animals.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide an electrical stimulation method and apparatus that can reliably guide an object that is difficult to communicate in a language without training. It is in.

The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-described problems. The present invention is directed to a subject having a vestibular organ and having difficulty in communicating with a language by an instructor from a remote location. An animal guidance system for guiding an object, wherein a wireless reception unit that receives a direction and speed indicated by the instructor acquired by an acceleration sensor, and a current corresponding to the direction and speed received by the wireless reception unit A combining unit that determines a command value and outputs it to a current change amount control unit, and a current change that outputs a steady target current amount controlled according to the current command value determined by the combining unit and a current change amount per unit time A volume control unit, an electrode that can be installed so that a current flows through a vestibular organ of a subject that is difficult to communicate by the language, and the amount of current flowing to the electrode is measured and controlled by the current change amount control unit Steady target current A constant current generating and control unit for controlling the amount of current flowing to the electrodes so as to achieve the current change amount per unit time, is an animal guidance system, characterized in that it comprises a.

In addition, the present invention provides an instruction device for an object having a vestibular organ that is difficult to communicate in a language by an instructor from a remote location to the animal guidance device attached to the object via a wireless controller. The animal guidance system for guiding the object, wherein the wireless controller includes an acceleration sensor for an instructioner to input an instruction, and an electric current according to a direction and a speed indicated by the instructioner obtained by the acceleration sensor. A wireless transmission unit that determines and transmits a command value, wherein the animal guidance device receives a current command value from the wireless transmission unit, and a current command value received by the wireless reception unit as a current A combining unit that outputs to the change amount control unit, a current target amount control unit that outputs a steady target current amount controlled according to the current command value determined by the combining unit and a current change amount per unit time, An electrode that can be installed so that a current flows through the vestibular organ of a subject that is difficult to communicate by language, and a current amount that flows to the electrode is measured, and the steady target current amount that is controlled by the current change amount control unit and the current An animal guidance system comprising: a constant current generation / control unit that controls an amount of current flowing to the electrode so as to achieve a current change amount per unit time.

In the present invention, the current change amount control unit includes a constant value output unit that outputs a constant voltage, and the current change amount at the stimulus input start time does not stimulate skin pain, and is the most current amount per unit time. A gain adjuster that outputs a voltage obtained by increasing or decreasing a voltage output from the constant output unit according to a predetermined amplification rate as a current change amount per unit time according to the amplification factor set to increase The current command value output from the combining unit is compared with the voltage output from the integrator, and if the voltage output from the integrator is smaller than the current command value output from the combining unit, a high level voltage is output. If not, a comparator that outputs a low level voltage, and when a high level voltage is input from the gain adjuster, the voltage output by the gain adjuster is input to the integrator, And a switch for controlling the voltage output from the gain adjuster not to be input to the integrator when a low level voltage is input from the comparator, and the integrator is controlled by the switch. 3. The animal guidance system according to claim 1, wherein a value obtained by integrating the voltage from the gain adjuster is output, and a voltage obtained by increasing or decreasing the output according to a predetermined amplification factor is set as the steady target current value. It is.

  According to the present invention, communication with an instructor can be performed by supplying a vestibular stimulation current to an object that has a vestibular organ and is difficult to communicate by language. This may be effective not only for guidance and training of police dogs and disaster rescue dogs, but also for training of livestock, racehorses, equestrians, circus, and the like.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

<First embodiment>
FIG. 1 shows an example of mounting an animal guidance system 300 on a dog according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The animal guidance system 300 includes an electrode 44 including electrodes 44 a and 44 b and an electrical stimulation device 80. As the electrodes 44a and 44b, conventional electrodes 206 and 207 shown in FIG. 4 are used. Moreover, the electrical stimulation apparatus 80 uses the conventional electrical stimulation apparatus 202 shown in FIG. As shown in the figure, the electrode 44a is placed behind the dog's left ear and the electrode 44b is placed behind the right ear. The electrode 44a and the electrode 44b are attached to a guide for mounting the electrode 44a and the electrode 44b behind the dog's ear. The electrical stimulation device 80 is attached to the dog's body with a belt or the like. Alternatively, the animal guidance system 300 or the electrical stimulation device 80 may be integrated with the dog collar.

  For example, when guiding a dog to a target point, a GPS (Global Positioning System) is attached to the dog, and the position information by the GPS signal and the storage device of the electric stimulation device 80 are stored in advance by a program in the control device of the electric stimulation device 80. The stored position information of the destination is compared and collated, and the strength is added to the electrical stimulation from the electrode 44.

  The animal guidance system 300 is used to instruct the direction of movement in training and on-site for dogs that require cooperation with humans, such as police dogs and disaster rescue dogs. Conventionally, training has been performed to act according to an instruction by repeatedly learning a correspondence relationship between an instruction by a human and a direction in which a dog should move by training with voice and gestures. However, human instructions and voices were not intuitive for dogs, and training was difficult. According to the present animal guidance system 300, the stimulus at the time of walking movement functions as a direction guidance for the dog to naturally move the foot there. It does not depend on sight or hearing, but it must be within the field of view of the dog by transmitting highly reproducible direction and intensity, and the dog must be within the hearing range of the caller's voice, The direction in which the dog should proceed can be instructed without being restricted by the positional relationship between the dog and the instructor. Thereby, the achievement level of training and the activity level in the field can be greatly improved. Then, you can read a map or guide a dog that cannot understand the target point in words to the destination.

  In addition, in the guidance based on the voice of the animal, in the method of giving an instruction using a voice transmitter or the like, the animal cannot recognize the intention of the instructor due to a change in voice quality or the like, and the guidance is difficult. However, according to the present embodiment, only the information on the amount of current needs to be transmitted to the electrical stimulation device 80, so that the intention of the instructor can be reliably transmitted to the animal, and wireless connection is possible. In addition, it does not require skill for animals.

FIG. 2 shows an example of mounting the wireless animal guidance system 400 on a dog. The animal guidance system 400 includes an electrode 44, an electrical stimulation device 85, and a wireless receiver device 90. The electrical stimulation device 85 may have a configuration similar to that of the electrical stimulation device 80, or may be configured by removing the memory 205 from the electrical stimulation device 202.
The instructor operates the wireless controller 500 to give an instruction to the animal guidance system 400 wirelessly. The wireless controller 500 includes input instruction input means for giving an instruction by an instructor, and wireless transmission means for transmitting an instruction input to the animal guidance system 400 by radio. As the input instruction input means, there is a manual controller such as a stick. In addition to a manual controller, the following may be used. For example, an acceleration sensor is attached to the body of the instructor, a walking stick held by the instructor, a portable device, or the like. When the instructor performs an operation for instructing a direction such as gesture or hand gesture, the acceleration sensor recognizes the direction and speed in which the motion has occurred. Then, the direction and speed in which the movement has occurred, or a current command value determined according to the direction and speed, is transmitted to the animal guidance system 400 by radio.

  In the past, information collection rescue robots have been used to find victims in disaster relief, but they are prone to being unusable due to remote roads and obstacles. Compared to this, disaster rescue dogs themselves avoid obstacles by running and adapting themselves, and the instructor is not limited to the manual wireless controller 500 but by information from an acceleration sensor attached to the instructor. Instructing the disaster rescue dog and guiding it to the destination without falling into an unusable state like an information-gathering rescue robot by only giving direction instructions using gestures, hand gestures, walking sticks, portable devices, etc. Is possible.

  It is desirable that the electrode 44 is attached to the skin in order to pass an electric current through the body of the dog. However, if the hair is deep, it can be solved by attaching the electrode together with a conductive gel. Alternatively, the electrode 44 may be a shape and material that can be easily adapted to a living body and can be embedded in an animal body by surgery or the like. By embedding the electrode 44 in the body, it is possible to prevent the electrode 44 from dropping off due to the dog's action.

  In addition, it is also possible to perform guidance using an animal guidance system 300 or 400 for an object whose communication by language is not difficult, for example, a human being. For example, by using the animal guidance systems 300 and 400 by the disaster rescuer, it is possible for the disaster rescuer to reach the disaster site by remote guidance without having to check the map by himself / herself.

The animal guidance system 400 described above may be configured as follows.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of the animal guidance system 400. The configuration illustrated in FIG. 3 is an example and is not limited to this configuration. The animal guidance system 400 includes a wireless receiver device 90, a current change amount control unit 20, and a constant current generation / control unit 40. The electrical stimulation device 85 is configured by a portion excluding the wireless receiver device 90 and the electrode 44 included in the constant current generation / control unit 40 from them.

  The wireless receiver device 90 receives a wireless instruction from the wireless controller 500, and obtains a current command value for instructing the current value of the stimulation target from the instruction received by the wireless receiver 91, and changes the current. And a combining unit 92 that outputs to the quantity control unit 20. For example, when the wireless receiving unit 91 receives the direction and speed of movement, the combining unit 92 determines a current command value corresponding to the direction and speed and outputs the current command value to the current change amount control unit 20. In addition, when the wireless reception unit 91 receives an instruction including a current command value, the wireless reception unit 91 extracts information on the current command value and outputs the information to the current change amount control unit 20.

  The constant value output unit 21 of the current change amount control unit 20 outputs a constant voltage. The gain adjuster 22 is provided with a variable resistor that adjusts the amplification factor, and outputs and increases or decreases the input voltage according to the amplification factor. Since this voltage is integrated by the integrator 24 and used as a value indicating the amount of current, the voltage output from the gain adjuster 22 and input to the integrator 24 becomes a value indicating the amount of current change per unit time. That is, the amount of current change can be controlled by adjusting the gain of the gain adjuster 22. The gain of the gain adjuster 22 is set so that the current change amount at the stimulus input start time does not stimulate skin pain and the current amount change per unit time is the largest.

  The comparator 26 compares the voltage output from the wireless receiver device 90 with the voltage output from the integrator 24, and outputs a high level or low level voltage. For example, when the voltage output from the integrator 24 is smaller than the voltage output from the wireless receiver device 90, the comparator 26 outputs a high level voltage, and otherwise outputs a low level voltage. The switch 23 closes the switch 23 when a high level voltage is input from the comparator 26 and inputs the output voltage of the gain adjuster 22 to the integrator 24. When the low level voltage is input, the switch 23 switches the switch 23. And the output voltage of the gain adjuster 22 is not input to the integrator 24. The integrator 24 integrates and outputs the voltage output from the gain adjuster 22. That is, the output voltage of the integrator 24 rises in proportion to time, and when it rises to a value equal to the current command value, the value is maintained thereafter.

  The gain adjuster 25 is provided with a variable resistor that adjusts the amplification factor, and outputs and increases or decreases the input voltage according to the amplification factor. The voltage obtained by increasing or decreasing the output voltage of the integrator 24 maintained at a value equal to the current command value according to the gain of the gain adjuster 25 is input to the constant current generation / control unit 40 as a value indicating the steady target current amount. . That is, the steady target current amount can be controlled by adjusting the gain of the gain adjuster 25.

  The current change amount control unit 20 controls the steady target current amount and the current change amount per unit time with the above-described configuration.

  The power supply 41 of the constant current generation / control unit 40 outputs a constant current. The current detector 42 detects the amount of current flowing from the power supply 41 to the current regulator 43 and outputs a voltage proportional to the detected current amount to the comparator 45. The comparator 45 compares the voltage output from the current detector 42 with the voltage output from the current change amount control unit 20 and outputs a high level or low level voltage. For example, when the voltage output from the current detector 42 is smaller than the voltage output from the current change amount control unit 20, a high level voltage is output, and otherwise, a low level voltage is output. The current regulator 43 increases the amount of current when a high level voltage is input from the comparator 45, and decreases the amount of current when a low level voltage is input. The electrode 44 includes an electrode 44a installed behind the left ear and an electrode 44b installed behind the right ear, and inputs the current output from the current regulator 43 to the dog. The constant current generation / control unit 40 measures the amount of current actually flowing and controls the current supply so as to achieve the amount of current corresponding to the voltage input from the current change amount control unit 20 with the above-described configuration. To do.

The constant current generation / control unit 40 measures the actual amount of current flowing with the above-described configuration, and achieves the steady target current amount and the current change amount input from the current change amount control unit 20. Control the supply.
With the above configuration, the amount of current input to the dog gradually increases and reaches the amount of current indicated by the current command value, so that the skin pain sensation is suppressed and the current becomes faster within the skin pain sensation suppression range. The amount of current indicated by the command value is reached.

<Second Embodiment>
In the second embodiment, the animal guidance system 300, 400 according to the first embodiment described above intentionally increases the current input by the electrode 44 for training or generates a high frequency from the electrode 44. It is used in combination with stimulating skin sensation by applying current. Unlike the current for induction, it gives the dog a reprimand.

  The above animal guidance systems 300 and 400 are misunderstood in real time without requiring much training as in the past, with only slight training for walking a moving animal according to guidance by the animal guidance systems 300 and 400. Therefore, it is possible to reliably instruct and guide the posture and direction remotely. Moreover, it may be effective not only for guidance and training of police dogs and disaster rescue dogs but also for training of livestock, racehorses, equestrians, circus, etc. The animal guidance systems 300 and 400 have a vestibular organ and provide vestibular stimulation currents to subjects who are difficult to communicate by language, for example, those who use different languages, those who cannot hear sound, vertebrates, etc. It is possible to communicate through the flow.

It is a figure which shows the example of mounting | wearing of the animal guidance system 300 by 1st embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the example of mounting | wearing of the animal guidance system 400 by the embodiment. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an animal guidance system 400. FIG. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the conventional body guidance apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 20 ... Current change amount control part 21 ... Constant value output part 22, 25 ... Gain adjuster 23 ... Switch 24 ... Integrator 26 ... Comparator 40 ... Constant current generation and control part 41, 203 ... Power supply 42 ... Current detector 43 ... Current regulator 44, 44a, 44b, 206, 207 ... Electrode 45 ... Comparator 80, 202 ... Electrical stimulation device 90 ... Wireless receiver device 91 ... Wireless receiver 92 ... Synthesizer 300, 400 ... Animal guidance system 201 ... Sensor 204 ... Control device 205 ... Memory 500 ... Wireless controller

Claims (3)

An animal guidance system that has a vestibular organ and that guides the subject by giving instructions from a remote location to a subject that is difficult to communicate by language ,
A wireless receiver that receives the direction and speed indicated by the instructor acquired by the acceleration sensor;
Determining a current command value according to the direction and speed received by the wireless reception unit, and outputting to the current change amount control unit;
A current change amount control unit that outputs a steady target current amount controlled according to the current command value determined by the combining unit and a current change amount per unit time; and
An electrode that can be placed so that current flows through the vestibular organ of the subject that is difficult to communicate in the language;
A constant amount is measured for measuring the amount of current flowing to the electrode and controlling the amount of current flowing to the electrode so as to achieve the steady target current amount controlled by the current change amount control unit and the current change amount per unit time. Current generation and control unit;
An animal guidance system comprising: An animal that has a vestibular organ and that guides the subject by instructing the animal guidance device attached to the subject from a remote location via a wireless controller to a subject that is difficult to communicate in a language A guidance system,
The wireless controller
An acceleration sensor for the instructor to input instructions;
A wireless transmission unit that determines and transmits a current command value according to the direction and speed indicated by the instructor acquired by the acceleration sensor;
With
The animal guidance device comprises:
A wireless receiver that receives a current command value from the wireless transmitter;
A combining unit that outputs a current command value received by the wireless receiving unit to a current change amount control unit;
A current change amount control unit that outputs a steady target current amount controlled according to the current command value determined by the combining unit and a current change amount per unit time; and
An electrode that can be placed so that current flows through the vestibular organ of the subject that is difficult to communicate in the language;
A constant amount is measured for measuring the amount of current flowing to the electrode and controlling the amount of current flowing to the electrode so as to achieve the steady target current amount controlled by the current variation control unit and the current variation amount per unit time. Current generation and control unit;
An animal guidance system comprising: The current change amount control unit includes:
A constant value output unit that outputs a constant voltage;
The voltage output from the constant output unit is determined according to the amplification factor set so that the current change amount at the stimulus input start time does not stimulate skin pain and the change in the current amount per unit time is the largest. A gain adjuster that outputs the voltage increased or decreased according to the amplification factor as a current change amount per unit time;
The current command value output from the combining unit is compared with the voltage output from the integrator, and if the voltage output from the integrator is smaller than the current command value output from the combining unit, a high level voltage is output. If not, a comparator that outputs a low level voltage,
When a high level voltage is input from the gain adjuster, the voltage output from the gain adjuster is input to the integrator, and when a low level voltage is input from the comparator, the gain adjuster A switch for controlling the output voltage not to be input to the integrator;
Have
The integrator outputs a value obtained by integrating the voltage from the gain adjuster controlled by the switch, and a voltage obtained by increasing or decreasing the output according to a predetermined amplification factor is set as the steady target current value. The animal guidance system according to claim 1 or 2.

Images