JP5361058B2 - Robot remote control system and work robot used therefor - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a robot remote control system that performs an environment where it is difficult for humans to work directly, such as in the deep sea or outer space, or when delicate work such as treatment of explosives is required or care for an elderly person, etc. The present invention relates to a working robot used for this.

Conventionally, as this type of robot remote control system, there is a configuration described in Patent Document 1 under the name of “robot control method”.
The robot control method described in Patent Document 1 is configured to control a first robot using a control device, and the first robot acquires a work image indicating a work situation and acquires the first robot. Transmitting to the control device, a step in which the second robot acquires a monitoring image for monitoring the first robot and transmits the monitoring image to the first control device, and the control device includes the first control device. A step of displaying the work image transmitted from one robot and the monitoring image transmitted from the second robot.

JP 2004-291186 A

However, since the robot control method described in Patent Document 1 is composed of a plurality of robots, the cost is high, and a driver for manipulating each of the robots is required. If you try to steer with one pilot, those maneuvers become complicated.
Further, depending on the size of the second robot, there is a possibility that positioning for obtaining an image of a necessary work situation cannot be performed.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a robot remote control system capable of performing operations with only one work robot while autonomously acquiring images necessary for work by remote control and a work robot used therefor. .

A robot remote control system according to the present invention for solving the above problems includes a distance measuring unit for acquiring distance measurement data of a work object, one or more work arms for performing work on the work object, One or two or more image acquisition arms provided with an imaging unit for acquiring an image of the work object, and a work robot provided with an arm driving unit for driving each arm;
Connected to the work robot via a communication line, generates a display unit for displaying an image of the work object, and operation information for remotely manipulating the work robot, and transmits the operation information to the work robot. And a remote control device.
In the present invention, the steering information includes the direction, distance, and imaging direction of the work object based on the distance measurement data acquired by the distance measuring unit, and the direction, distance, and imaging direction of the work object are controlled. Based on the information instructions, arm angle calculation means for calculating the angle to be taken by the joint of the image acquisition arm, and the image acquisition arm according to the calculated angle of the joint of the image acquisition arm The work robot is provided with an arm autonomous moving means for autonomously moving the robot.

A work robot according to the present invention for solving the above-described problem is used in a robot remote control system that is connected to a remote control device via a communication line and is remotely controlled by control information generated and transmitted by the remote control device. Is.
In the present invention, a distance measuring unit for obtaining distance measurement data of a work object, one or more work arms for performing work on the work object, and imaging for obtaining an image of the work object One or two or more image acquisition arms to which the unit is attached and an arm drive unit for driving each arm, and the operation information is based on distance measurement data acquired by the distance measurement unit Arm angle that includes the direction, distance, and imaging direction of the object, and calculates the angle that the joint part of the image acquisition arm should take based on an instruction using the direction, distance, and imaging direction of the work object as steering information Computation means, and arm autonomous movement means for autonomously moving the image acquisition arm by the arm drive unit according to the calculated angle of the joint part of the image acquisition arm.

ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, a required operation | work can be performed only with one work robot, acquiring the image required for the operation | work by remote control autonomously.
Since the image acquisition arm can be moved to a position where the work object can be imaged autonomously, the operation of the arm itself can be omitted, and the work time can be shortened.

It is explanatory drawing which shows the whole structure of the robot remote control system which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the external appearance structure of the working robot which concerns on one Embodiment which makes a part of robot remote control system same as the above. It is a control flowchart of a robot remote control system same as the above.

  EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION Below, the form for implementing this invention is demonstrated with reference to drawings. FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an overall configuration of a robot remote control system according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 relates to an embodiment forming a part of the robot remote control system according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the external appearance structure of a working robot.

A robot remote control system A according to an embodiment of the present invention has a configuration in which a working robot B and a remote control device C are connected via a communication line.
The “communication line” is wireless in this embodiment, but may be wired.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the work robot B according to an embodiment includes base arms of a work arm 12 and image acquisition arms 13 and 14 on an arm support portion 11 protruding from the upper surface of the robot body 10. The parts 12 b ′, 13 b ′, and 14 b ′ are connected and supported so as to be freely rotatable, and the distance measuring unit 20 is shifted and disposed on the upper surface of the robot body 10 in the vicinity of the front part. ing.
In the present embodiment, a configuration in which the base end portions 12b ′, 13b ′, and 14b ′ of the working arm 12 and the image acquisition arms 13 and 14 are connected to and supported by the common arm support portion 11 is illustrated. However, the respective arms may be connected to and supported by individual arm support portions.

  The robot body 10 is provided with a pair of crawlers 15 and 15 (one is not shown) on both sides of the robot body 10, and is driven by the traveling mechanism unit 16 in accordance with control information transmitted from a remote control device C to be described in detail later. It has come to be. In addition, it can replace with a crawler and a wheel etc. can also be employ | adopted.

  The working arm 12 shown in the present embodiment has a uniaxial structure in which a joint portion 12c is provided between an open end portion side arm portion 12a and a base end portion side arm portion 12b, and the joint portion 12c includes A servo motor M is provided.

Various effectors 17 corresponding to the work target T are replaceably disposed at the open end of the open end side arm portion 12a.
In the present embodiment, for simplicity of explanation, the working arm 12 is shown as having a single-axis structure, but it is of course possible to employ a structure with two or more axes as required. 1 shows a servo motor M... And a servo driver SD in the case of a three-axis structure.
Further, an arm drive unit 12d for driving one or more work arms 12 that perform work on the work target T is constituted by a servo motor M ... and a servo driver SD.

  The image acquisition arm 13 (14) shown in the present embodiment is for acquiring an image of the work target T, and is an open end side arm portion 13a (14a) and a base end side arm portion 13b (14b). ) With a joint portion 13c (14c), and a servo motor M is disposed in the joint portion 13c (14c).

A camera 18 as an imaging unit for imaging the work target T is disposed at the open end of the open end side arm unit 13a (14a).
The camera 18 has a function of automatically zooming in and out according to the distance between the effector 17 and the work target T.

  In the present embodiment, in order to simplify the description, the image acquisition arm 13 (14) is shown as having a single axis structure. FIG. 1 shows a servo motor M when the three-axis structure is used and a servo driver SD.

Further, an arm drive unit 13d (14d) for driving one or more image acquisition arms 13 (14) for acquiring an image of the work target T is constituted by a servo motor M ... and a servo driver SD. ing.
In the present embodiment, an example in which the image acquisition arms 13 and 14 are arranged has been described, but one or three or more may be arranged as necessary.

The distance measuring unit 20 includes a laser range finder 21 for acquiring distance measurement data of the work target T and a camera 22 for photographing the work target T, and a turning unit 23. (See FIG. 2).
The “ranging data” includes the following orientation data of the ranging unit 20 and distance data to the work target T.
The distance measuring unit 20 may not be a laser range finder as long as it can measure the distance to the object with a required accuracy.

  The turning unit 23 includes servo motors M and M and servo drivers SD and SD for driving the servo motors M and M, and the direction of the distance measuring unit 20 with respect to the work target T is controlled by remote control to be described later. It can be changed by a turning instruction command transmitted from the device C.

Each servo driver SD, the turning unit 23, and the traveling mechanism unit 16 described above are connected to an output port of a control unit 30 including a CPU (Central Processing Unit), an interface circuit, and the like, and the distance measuring unit 20 and the cameras 18, 18 are connected. Is connected to the input port.
In addition, a communication device 31 for transmitting and receiving various information to and from the remote control device C is connected to the control unit 30 via a communication port.

The control unit 30 performs the following functions by executing a required program.
A function of autonomously moving the image acquisition arms 13 and 14 by the arm driving units 13d and 14d so that the camera 18 can image the work target T based on the distance measurement data acquired by the distance measuring unit 20. This function is referred to as “arm autonomous moving means 30a”.

Specifically, an angle to be taken by each joint portion of the image acquisition arms 13 and 14 is calculated from an instruction of the direction and distance of the work target T. Specifically, it is as follows.
The direction (angle) and position to be taken by the camera 18 are determined by the instruction of the imaging direction.
The direction and position to be taken by the camera 18 is equal to the direction and position of the tip portions of the image acquisition arms 13 and 14.
The angle to be taken by each joint of the image acquisition arms 13 and 14 is determined by solving the inverse kinematics problem using the direction and position of the tip of the image acquisition arms 13 and 14 as input.
For example, when the image acquisition arms 13 and 14 are 6-axis arms, the inverse kinematic solution of the 6-axis arms is generally known.

By using this, by designating the position and orientation of the tip of the image acquisition arms 13 and 14, it is possible to calculate angles to be taken for all six axes.
In this embodiment, when the work robot travels, the arm autonomous moving means moves the image acquisition arms 13 and 14 so that the cameras 18 and 18 are directed in the traveling direction. This makes it possible to travel while referring to the images captured by the cameras 18 and 18, so there is no need to provide a camera or the like for traveling.

  The remote control device C includes a control unit 40 including a CPU (Central Processing Unit), an interface circuit, and the like, and a communication device 41 for transmitting and receiving various types of information to and from the work robot B.

  The control unit 40 includes a display unit for displaying an image of the work target T transmitted from the work robot B having the above-described configuration, and a control unit for generating control information for the work robot B (both illustrated). Not).

  The “steering information” includes a traveling instruction command for the traveling mechanism unit 16, a turning instruction command for the turning unit 23, a driving instruction command for the servo driver SD of each arm, and the like.

  Next, a control flowchart will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 is a control flowchart of the robot remote control system. In FIG. 3, the left side shows the remote control device, and the right side shows the processing in the work robot.

<Processing on remote control device C>
Step 1 (abbreviated as “Sa1” in the figure. The same applies hereinafter): The work target T imaged by the camera 22 of the distance measuring unit 20 is positioned at the center of the image displayed on the display unit. A turning instruction command is sent to the distance measuring unit 20.

  Step 2: It is visually determined whether or not the work target T is located at the center of the image displayed on the display unit. Send to robot B.

Step 3: Instruct the imaging direction. For example, it is instructed that it is from above the work target T or from the side.
Step 4: With reference to the image of the work target T displayed on the display unit, a steering command for the work arm 12 is sent to the work robot B.

<Processing on work robot B>
Step 1 (abbreviated as “Sb1” in the figure. The same applies hereinafter): The image acquired by the distance measuring unit 20 is transmitted toward the remote control device C.

Step 2: The drive information of the servo driver SD of the distance measuring unit 20 corresponding to the turning instruction command transmitted from the remote control device C is output, and the direction (attitude) of the distance measuring unit 20 is changed.
Step 3: The direction of the work target T is acquired from the direction of the camera 22 of the distance measuring unit 20, and the distance to the work target T is measured by the laser range finder 21.

Step 4: By instructing the direction, distance and imaging direction of the work target T, the angles to be taken by the joints of the image acquisition sensor arms 13 and 14 are calculated by the above-described calculation.
Further, a drive signal is output to the servo driver SD of each arm so that each joint portion of the image acquisition arms 13 and 14 has a desired angle.
Further, the position of the effector 17 is calculated from the angles of the joints of the work arm 12 and the zoom rate of the camera 18 is controlled according to the distance between the effector 17 and the work object T (zoom when the distance is close). )
That is, the camera image is zoomed to make it easier to operate the effector 17.

Step 5: The acquired image is transmitted to the remote control device C.
Step 6: Drive information is output to the servo driver SD of the working arm 12 in response to the steering command for the working arm 12 transmitted from the remote control device C.

According to the embodiment of the present invention described above, the following effects can be obtained.
-Since the arm for image acquisition can be moved autonomously to a position where the work object can be imaged, the operation of the arm itself can be omitted and the work time can be shortened.
When the imaging unit is a camera, a better image can be obtained without performing steering by automatically zooming in and out according to the distance between the work object and the effector.
-Since only one work robot is required, it is low cost and easy to control.
-Since the image acquisition arm can be made small, it is easy to acquire the image of the work object from an arbitrary direction.
The imaging unit can be used together as a sensor for supporting traveling when the work robot moves to the site before entering the work, and is efficient.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and the following modifications can be made.
In the above-described embodiment, the example in which the distance measuring unit is disposed on the upper surface of the robot body has been described as an example. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and it is only necessary to know the relative position of the work object by the distance measuring unit. For example, another arm (ranging arm) may be provided, and the distance measuring unit may be disposed on the arm.

12 Working Arms 13 and 14 Image Acquisition Arms 13d and 14d Arm Drive Unit 16 Traveling Mechanism Unit 18 Imaging Unit (Camera)
20 Distance measuring unit 21 Laser range finder 23 Turning unit 30a Arm autonomous moving means B Work robot C Remote control device T Work object

Claims (7)

A distance measuring unit for obtaining distance measurement data of the work object, one or more work arms for performing work on the work object, and an image pickup unit for obtaining an image of the work object are provided. A work robot provided with one or two or more image acquisition arms and an arm driving unit for driving each arm;
Connected to the work robot via a communication line, generates a display unit for displaying an image of the work object, and operation information for remotely manipulating the work robot, and transmits the operation information to the work robot. A robot remote control system having a remote control device,
The operation information includes the direction, distance, and imaging direction of the work object based on the distance measurement data acquired by the distance measurement unit,
Arm angle calculation means for calculating an angle to be taken by the joint portion of the image acquisition arm based on the instruction with the direction, distance and imaging direction of the work object as steering information;
A robot remote control system characterized in that an arm autonomous moving means for autonomously moving the image acquisition arm by an arm drive unit according to the calculated angle of the joint of the image acquisition arm is provided in the work robot. A turning part is provided to change the direction of the distance measuring part.
2. The robot remote control system according to claim 1, wherein the distance measurement data includes direction data of the distance measurement unit and distance data to the work object.   3. The robot remote control system according to claim 1, wherein the distance measuring unit includes a camera for acquiring an image of the work object and a laser range finder. 4. At the open end of the work arm, an effector corresponding to the work object is exchangeably disposed,
The robot remote control system according to claim 3, wherein the camera has a function of automatically zooming in and out according to a distance between the effector and the work object. The working robot is provided with a traveling mechanism for traveling,
The robot remote control system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the operation information transmitted from the remote control device to the work robot includes a travel instruction command for the travel mechanism unit.   6. The robot remote control system according to claim 5, wherein when the work robot is traveling, the arm autonomous moving means moves the image acquisition arm so that the imaging unit is oriented in the traveling direction. A work robot used in a robot remote control system connected to a remote control device via a communication line and remotely controlled by control information generated and transmitted by the remote control device,
A distance measurement unit for acquiring distance measurement data of a work object, one or more work arms for performing work on the work object, and an imaging unit for acquiring an image of the work object Alternatively, two or more image acquisition arms and an arm driving unit for driving each of the arms are provided.
The operation information includes the direction, distance, and imaging direction of the work object based on the distance measurement data acquired by the distance measurement unit,
Arm angle calculation means for calculating an angle to be taken by the joint portion of the image acquisition arm based on the instruction with the direction, distance and imaging direction of the work object as steering information;
A work robot used for a robot remote control system, comprising: an arm autonomous moving means for autonomously moving the image acquisition arm by an arm driving unit according to the calculated angle of the joint of the image acquisition arm.

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