JP7458263B2 - self-propelled robot - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a self-propelled robot, and is suitable for application to, for example, a self-propelled robot that travels on a floor autonomously or in response to an external operation in an airport or commercial facility.

In recent years, autonomous mobile vehicles have been introduced within airports, with the aim of providing high-quality services based on the premise of safety, security, and convenience for airport users, as well as creating a healthier work environment for airport employees. The number of cases in which mobile robots are introduced is increasing.

In particular, at airports, which have vast facility areas, automatic cleaning robots with autonomous navigation capabilities have been introduced to ensure stable cleaning quality. Many automatic cleaning robots have been proposed that are equipped with SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping) technology, which estimates the robot's own position relative to the external environment and creates an environmental map at the same time (see Patent Document 1).

An autonomous robot using this SLAM technology can estimate its own position with high accuracy,
By dynamically generating an environmental map that represents the 3D positions of objects in the real world,
The robot is designed to determine its own path of movement and move autonomously within the environment.

Such autonomous robots have been proposed that are capable of not only cleaning floors within facilities but also spraying disinfectant onto walls and floors within the facilities. For example, as shown in Patent Document 2, based on the detection result of the object to be processed by a chemical sensor and the image recognition result of the object, the object is moved to the object and is erased by spraying hypochlorous acid. A mobile autonomous robot that is capable of odor removal and disinfection has been proposed.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2014-10797 JP 2017-169613 Publication

By the way, in the mobile autonomous robot according to Patent Document 2, a concentration map that associates the detection location of the substance to be treated (chemical substance) with the spray concentration of hypochlorous acid is stored, and based on the information of the concentration map, It is designed to move autonomously.

However, this mobile autonomous robot only autonomously moves to the location where the substance to be treated (chemical substance) detected by the chemical sensor exists and sprays hypochlorous acid. There has been no analysis of the causal relationship with the cause of occurrence.

For this reason, the mobile autonomous robot according to Patent Document 2 has the problem that it is difficult to perform optimal functions such as estimating in advance the location where the substance to be treated is likely to be generated and taking preventive measures. .

The present invention has been made in consideration of the above points, and aims to propose a self-propelled robot that is capable of functioning at an optimal location of a pest control device connected to the robot body.

In order to solve this problem, the present invention provides a self-propelled robot that travels on a floor autonomously or in response to an external operation. an environment imaging unit that captures images of the running environment of the robot body; an object detection unit that detects dirt on the floor surface in the running environment based on images captured by the environment imaging unit; and an object detection unit that estimates the robot's own position relative to the running environment. At the same time, the environmental map creation section that creates a two-dimensional or three-dimensional environmental map including the floor surface, and the environmental map created by the environmental map creation section, calculate the distribution state of dirt on the floor surface detected by the target detection section. Analyzes the current state of floor dirt stored in the status storage unit and the status storage unit for each date and time of detection by the target detection unit, and estimates the degree of gathering of people on the floor based on the analysis results. Based on the estimation results from the change estimating section, the pest control device consisting of an ultraviolet irradiation device that is connectably connected to the upper stage of the robot body and can change the direction and level of ultraviolet irradiation, and the change estimating section, A travel control unit that sets a point on an environmental map at which a pest control device is to carry out pest control work to eliminate the harmful effects of bacteria on the human body , and controls a travel drive unit to move to the point; When the pest control device is connected to the robot body, it is controlled by the travel control unit to carry out the pest control work , and at the same time, it sets the range of ultraviolet rays to be irradiated based on the dirt on the floor. The irradiation direction and irradiation level of ultraviolet rays were adjusted on the premise of ensuring human safety for all people .

As a result, the self-propelled robot analyzes the dirt distribution state on the floor for each detection date and time, and based on the degree of change obtained, sets and moves the point where the pest control device performs its function. By controlling the pest control device to perform its function at the relevant point, the pest control device connected to the robot body can function at the optimal point, thereby increasing the possibility of human-to-human infection. It becomes possible to reduce the negative effects of bacteria as much as possible, and it also becomes possible to perform sterilization and sterilization using ultraviolet irradiation at a set point under optimal conditions .

In addition, in the present invention , in a self-propelled robot that travels on a floor autonomously or in response to an external operation, a travel drive section that drives the robot body to travel in a desired direction on the floor surface at a desired speed; An environment imaging unit that captures an image of the environment; an object detection unit that detects dirt on the floor in the driving environment based on images captured by the environment imaging unit; an environmental map creation unit that creates a two-dimensional or three-dimensional environmental map, and a state storage unit that sequentially stores the distribution state of floor dirt detected by the object detection unit in the environmental map created by the environmental map creation unit; and a change estimation unit that analyzes the current state of dirt on the floor stored in the state storage unit for each date and time of detection by the target detection unit, and estimates the degree of gathering of people on the floor based on the analysis results. A pest control device consists of an ultraviolet irradiation device that is installed on the bottom of the robot body so that the irradiation area is exposed, and can vary the level of ultraviolet irradiation. It is equipped with a travel control unit that sets a point on the map where the pest control device will carry out pest control work to eliminate the harmful effects of bacteria on the human body, and controls the travel drive unit to move to that point. The anti-bacterial device is controlled by the travel control unit to carry out anti-bacterial work when connected to the robot body, and irradiates the floor with ultraviolet rays while traveling, including when moving to a location.

As a result, the self-propelled robot analyzes the dirt distribution state on the floor for each detection date and time, and based on the degree of change obtained, sets and moves the point where the pest control device performs its function. By controlling the pest control device to perform its function at the relevant point, the pest control device connected to the robot body can function at the optimal point, thereby increasing the possibility of human-to-human infection. It becomes possible to reduce the adverse effects of bacteria as much as possible, and it also becomes possible to perform sterilization and sterilization by ultraviolet irradiation in optimal conditions at a set point and when traveling to that point .

Furthermore, the present invention includes a human involvement frequency detection unit that detects the frequency at which all or part of a person is involved within a predetermined detection range based on floor dirt at a point set on the environmental map, When the frequency of human involvement detected by the human involvement frequency detection unit is equal to or higher than a predetermined threshold, the travel control unit causes the pest control device to carry out pest control work on dirt on the floor surface at the location. .

As a result, when the self-propelled robot has a relatively high frequency of involvement of all or part of humans at a set point, it is possible to use a pest control device to carry out pest control work on dirt on the floor. , it becomes possible to focus on optimized tasks that deeply involve human involvement among the pest control tasks.

Furthermore, in the present invention, a power supply unit is provided that is built into the robot body and supplies power to the travel drive unit, and the pest control device receives power from the power supply unit when connected to the robot body. As a result, in a self-propelled robot, power is supplied from the robot body even if there is no power generation means inside the pest control device, and the pest control device itself can be made lighter accordingly.

Furthermore, in the present invention, the pest control device further includes a chemical liquid spraying device that is connectably connected to the upper stage of the robot body and is capable of varying the spray direction and spray amount of the disinfectant chemical solution, and the chemical liquid spraying device At each point, the spray area of the chemical solution is set based on the dirt on the floor surface, and the spray direction and amount of the chemical solution are adjusted on the premise of ensuring human safety for all people. did .

As a result, the self-propelled robot can perform disinfection and sterilization by spraying a chemical solution in an optimal condition at a set point.

According to the present invention, it is possible to realize a self-propelled robot that can function at an optimal location of a pest control device connected to the robot body.

1 is a perspective view showing the external configuration of a self-propelled robot according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the external configuration of a self-propelled robot according to an embodiment of the invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a control system of the self-propelled robot. FIG. 3 is a plan view for explaining an environmental map and detection results of a specific target. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the external configuration of a self-propelled robot to which an ultraviolet irradiation device is connected. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the external configuration of a self-propelled robot to which a chemical liquid spraying device is connected; FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the external configuration of a self-propelled robot to which a product replenishment device is connected. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the external configuration of a self-propelled robot to which an ultraviolet irradiation device is connected.

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

(1) Configuration of self-propelled robot according to this embodiment FIGS. 1 and 2 show a self-propelled robot 1 according to this embodiment. The self-propelled robot 1 is a two-wheel drive type four-wheeled mobile body that can travel along its own travel route autonomously or in response to external operation.

As shown in FIG. 2, the self-propelled robot 1 has a robot body (drive frame) 2 that has a generally cubic shape as a whole, and is a two-wheel drive type four-wheeled robot that can move autonomously or in response to external operations. It is a moving object.

At the bottom of the robot body 2, a pair of left and right drive wheels 3A and 3B are provided on the front side, and a pair of drive wheels 3A and 3B are provided on the rear side, which are rotatable in the running direction or in a direction crossing the running direction according to the running of the self-propelled robot. It is equipped with a pair of left and right omni wheels 4A and 4B.

The left and right drive wheels 3A, 3B are rotated independently by drive motors 33A, 33B (see FIG. 3), respectively, and are moved forward and backward by the forward rotation or backward rotation of the drive wheels 3A, 3B. The vehicle travels to the right or left while moving forward by giving a difference to the forward rotational speed of the vehicle. Further, by rotating the drive wheels 3A and 3B in opposite directions, the self-propelled robot 1 spins, that is, changes direction at that position.

As shown in FIG. 1, the robot main body 2 has an approximately U-shaped three-dimensional shape whose cross section is a plane consisting of the forward direction and the vertical direction, and the front center position of the cutting space 2S forming the approximately U-shape. A laser range sensor 10 that detects obstacles in the diagonally forward direction and in the left and right directions is provided so as to bridge the upper and lower parts.

The front of the upper section of the robot body 2 is also equipped with an RGB-D sensor 11 capable of three-dimensional scanning and a 3D distance image sensor 12. Specifically, the laser range sensor 10 shines light onto an object (obstacle) as seen from its installation position, receives the reflected light, and calculates the distance. By measuring the distance at regular angular intervals, it is possible to obtain fan-shaped distance information on a flat surface within a range of up to 30 m and an angle of 240 degrees.

In addition to the RGB color camera function, the RGB-D sensor 11 has a depth sensor that can measure the distance to an object (obstacle) as seen from the camera, and can perform a three-dimensional scan of the object. . This depth sensor consists of an infrared sensor that photographs an object while projecting a single pattern of structured light onto the object, and uses the parameters to calculate the depth of each point on the image through triangulation.

For example, if Kinect (a trademark of Microsoft Corporation) is used as the RGB-D sensor 11, it is possible to capture images with a horizontal field of view of 57 degrees, a vertical field of view of 43 degrees, and a sensor range of 1.2 m to 3.5 m, and RGB images with a resolution of 640 x 480 pixels and depth images with a resolution of 320 x 240 pixels can be acquired at 30 frames per second, both.

The RGB-D sensor 11 was installed in the center of the upper part of the robot body 2 because a vertical field of view cannot be secured at a height almost close to the floor. It is necessary to secure the height.

The 3D distance image sensor 12 calculates distance information to the target object in pixel units by emitting LED pulses, measuring the arrival time of reflected light from the target object in pixel units, and superimposing the acquired image information at the same time. do. This 3D distance image sensor 12 has a higher precision detection ability than the above-mentioned RGB-D sensor 11 and has a wider viewing angle than the laser range sensor 10, so it is necessary as a supplementary sensor for outdoor use. For example, when Pixel Soleil (trade name of Nippon Signal Co., Ltd.) is applied as a 3D distance image sensor, the horizontal field of view is 72 degrees, the vertical field of view is 72 degrees, and the sensor range is 0.3 [m] to 4.0 [m]. Is possible.

The self-propelled robot 2 uses a laser range sensor 10, an RGB-D sensor 11, and a 3D distance image sensor 12 to estimate its own position relative to the external environment and simultaneously create an environment map using SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping). ) has been made to realize the technology.

The self-propelled robot 1 using this SLAM technology estimates its own position with high precision and dynamically generates an environmental map that expresses the three-dimensional position of objects existing in real space. It is possible to autonomously move within the environment by specifying the movement route of the robot.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 2, the self-propelled robot 1 has a cleaning system 20 built into the robot body 2 that can perform vacuum cleaning. In this cleaning system 20, a cleaning brush unit 21 is attached to the bottom front side of the lower part of the robot body 2, and a dust box 22 and a fan driving motor (not shown) are built in the upper part of the robot body 2. There is.

A filter is attached to the dust suction port (not shown) of the dust box 22, and is configured to separate only the dust, etc. from the air containing dust, etc. sucked from the cleaning brush unit in accordance with the rotation of the fan driven by the motor. There is. Air sucked in by the fan through this filter is exhausted from an exhaust port provided on the back of the robot body.

In the cleaning brush unit 21, a nozzle part 23 is attached to the lower part of the robot body 2 along the front edge of the bottom surface, and a roll brush 24 is attached to the self-propelled robot 1 so as to be exposed from the opening of the nozzle part 23. It is supported by a shaft so that it can rotate freely as it travels.

A scraper 25 in the shape of a spatula, which is horizontally elongated with respect to the direction of movement, is attached to the rear stage of the opening of the nozzle part 23 so as to be pressed against the roll brush 24, and is used to scrape off dirt such as dust attached to the roll brush 24. being done.

In this way, in the cleaning system 20, suction force is generated by the rotation of the fan in response to the drive of the motor, and is transmitted via the dust box 22 and the ventilation pipe to the nozzle portion 23 of the cleaning brush unit 21. In the cleaning brush unit 21, while the roll brush 24 rotates as the self-propelled robot 1 moves, air containing dust and the like is guided from the opening of the nozzle portion 23 through the ventilation pipe to the dust box 22, where only the dust and the like accumulates in the dust box 22, and the air is then directed to the rear of the fan and discharged from the exhaust port, thereby performing vacuum cleaning.

A bumper 26 is provided on the front surface of the lower part of the robot body 2 to cover the front surface, and when a pressing force of a predetermined level or more is applied to the bumper 26, contact with an obstacle is detected. A contact sensor (not shown) is provided inside the bumper 26. When contact with an obstacle is detected by the contact sensor, the self-propelled robot 1 is controlled to enter an emergency stop state.

As shown in FIG. 1, LED indicators 27A to 27D are provided at the four corners of the upper part of the robot body 2, respectively. Each LED indicator 27A to 27D lights up in a predetermined color to indicate various states of the self-propelled robot 1 (control status for each mode, remaining battery level, sensor detection status, warning of malfunctions or troubles during running, etc.). It is designed to be presented using patterns. Although not shown, the robot body 2 is equipped with a speaker 28 (FIG. 3) for audioly presenting various states of the self-propelled robot 1 described above.

A relatively large-capacity drive battery 29 made of a secondary battery or capacitor is built into the rear of the robot body 2, and is used not only as a drive source for the self-propelled robot 1, but also as a power source when the function exerting device 100 is connected via the external terminal 29A. This drive battery 29 is configured as a cartridge type that can be freely inserted and removed.

As will be described later, in the self-propelled robot 1, a function performance device 100 configured to perform a predetermined function based on a specific target is connectably connected to the upper stage of the robot body 2.

(2) Internal circuit configuration of self-propelled robot FIG. 3 shows the internal circuit configuration of self-propelled robot 1. In the self-propelled robot 1 that travels on the floor autonomously or in response to an external operation, an overall control unit (travel control unit) 30 that controls the entire robot 2 is mainly configured with a microcomputer.

Under the control of the general control unit 30, the travel drive unit 31 moves the robot body 2 in a desired direction on the floor by controlling the left and right motor drivers 32A, 32B to control the rotation of the drive motors 33A, 33B. Drive at speed.

The environmental map creation unit 34 collects driving route information from a target driving route storage unit 35 that stores preset driving route information and detection signals from the laser range sensor 10, RGB-D sensor 11, and 3D distance image sensor 12. Based on this, it estimates its own position in relation to the driving environment, and at the same time creates a two-dimensional or three-dimensional environmental map that includes the floor surface. Determine the presence or absence of obstacles.

In fact, the self-propelled robot 1 uses the above-mentioned SLAM technology to automatically create an environmental map of the target area within the facility where humans can walk. Specifically, the self-propelled robot 1 creates an environmental map that represents the entire desired target area by setting local maps on a two-dimensional grid as areas that represent the movement environment, based on distance information and angle information from the target object obtained from the laser range sensor 10 and 3D distance image sensor 12.

At the same time, based on the rotation angle read from the encoder (not shown) corresponding to the pair of drive wheels of the self-propelled robot 1, the distance traveled by the self-propelled robot 1 is calculated, and the next location map and the current location map are created. The aircraft's position is estimated by matching it with the environmental map created by the aircraft and the distance traveled by the aircraft. An environmental map M1 actually representing the entire target area is shown in FIG. 4(A).

In addition, in the self-propelled robot 1, the running environment of the robot body 2 is imaged by the imaging camera (environment detection unit) 36, and the object detection unit 37 detects a specific target in the running environment based on the captured image by the imaging camera 36. Detect. FIG. 4(B) shows a state in which a specific target S1 in the driving environment is displayed superimposed on the environmental map M1 shown in FIG. 4(A) described above.

The overall control unit 30 sequentially stores the current state of the specific target detected by the target detection unit 37 in the state storage unit 38 in the environmental map created by the environmental map creation unit 34. Subsequently, the change estimation unit 39 analyzes the current state of the specific target stored in the state storage unit 38 for each date and time of detection by the target detection unit 37, and estimates the degree of change in the specific target based on the analysis result.

Based on the estimation results by the change estimation unit 39, the overall control unit 30 sets a point on the environmental map where the function of the function performing device 100 will be performed, and controls the traveling drive unit 31 to move to that point.

In the self-propelled robot 1, when the function performing device 100 is connected to the upper stage of the robot body 2, the function performing device 100 is controlled by the overall control unit (travel control unit) 30 to perform its function.

As a result, in the self-propelled robot 1, a location for the function performing device 100 to perform its function is set and moved based on the degree of change obtained by analyzing the current state of a specific target for each detection date and time, and the function performing device 100 is controlled to perform its function at that location, so that the function performing device 100 connected to the robot main body 2 can perform its function at an optimal location.

In addition, in the self-propelled robot 1, the drive battery (power supply unit) 29 for supplying power to the traveling drive unit 31 is built in the robot body as described above, and the function demonstration device 100 is connected to the robot body 2. It is possible to receive power supply from the drive battery 29 when connected to the drive battery 29. As a result, in the self-propelled robot 1, power is supplied from the robot body 2 even if there is no power generation means inside the function demonstration device 100, so that the weight of the function demonstration device 100 itself can be reduced accordingly. Can be done.

(3) When the function exhibiting device is a pest control device If the function exhibiting device 100 connected to the self-propelled robot 1 is a pest control device (not shown) for eliminating the harmful effects of bacteria on the human body, The anti-bacterial equipment performs anti-bacterial work based on dirt on the floor.

In the internal configuration diagram of the self-propelled robot 1 in FIG. 3 described above, the object detection unit 37 detects dirt on the floor surface in the running environment based on the image captured by the imaging camera 36. The state storage unit 38 sequentially stores the current distribution state of floor dirt detected by the object detection unit 37 in the environmental map created by the environmental map creation unit 34. The change estimation unit 39 analyzes the distribution state of dirt on the floor stored in the state storage unit 38 for each date and time of detection by the object detection unit 37, and estimates the degree of gathering of people on the floor based on the analysis result. do.

In this manner, in the self-propelled robot 1, by applying a pest control device as the function display device 100, it is possible to reduce the adverse effects of bacteria that are likely to be transmitted from person to person as much as possible.

(3-1) When the pest control device is an ultraviolet irradiation device When the pest control device that is the functional device 100 is an ultraviolet irradiation device 110 that can change the irradiation direction and irradiation level of ultraviolet rays, the ultraviolet irradiation device 110 At each point, the range to be irradiated with ultraviolet rays is set based on the dirt on the floor surface, and the direction and level of irradiation of ultraviolet rays are adjusted on the premise of ensuring human safety for all people.

As a result, in the self-propelled robot 1, it becomes possible to perform disinfection and sterilization by ultraviolet irradiation in an optimal state using the ultraviolet irradiation device 110 at a set point.

As shown in FIG. 5, the ultraviolet irradiation device 110 has an excimer lamp 111 capable of emitting ultraviolet rays having a wavelength range of 200 [nm] to 230 [nm]. Ultraviolet rays in this wavelength range are considered safe even when irradiated onto the human body because they are absorbed by the stratum corneum of the skin and do not penetrate into the basal layer of the skin. The light source of ultraviolet light in this wavelength band is composed of an excimer lamp 111 using KrCl or KrBr as a luminescent gas, and a bandpass filter that allows only the light in the above wavelength band to pass.

The excimer lamp 111 is equipped with a discharge vessel having a double-tube structure in which a discharge space in which a discharge gas is sealed inside a coaxial inner and outer tube is formed, and a dielectric material is interposed between the discharge gas and at least one of the inner and outer electrodes for inducing a discharge in the discharge gas.

In particular, recently, it has become possible to maintain safety by directly irradiating human skin with ultraviolet rays with a wavelength of 222 [nm] at an irradiation dose of 500 [mJ/cm2], while still maintaining the inherent sterilization and virus inactivation abilities of ultraviolet rays. It has been announced that it is possible to maintain

In this self-propelled robot 1, when the ultraviolet irradiation device 110 is connected to the upper stage of the robot body 2, the ultraviolet irradiation device 111 has a range for irradiating ultraviolet rays set by the overall control unit (travel control unit) 30. At the same time, the irradiation direction and irradiation level of the ultraviolet rays are controlled to be adjusted. Furthermore, in the self-propelled robot 1, the ultraviolet irradiation device 111 can receive power from the power supply unit 29 when connected to the robot body 2.

(3-2) When the pest control device is a chemical spray device When the pest control device that is the functional device 100 is a chemical solution spray device 120 that can vary the spray direction and spray amount of a disinfectant chemical solution, the chemical solution spray The device 120 sets the area to spray the chemical solution based on the dirt on the floor at a point, and adjusts the spray direction and amount of the chemical on the premise of ensuring human safety for all people. do.

As a result, in the self-propelled robot 1, it becomes possible to perform sterilization and sterilization by spraying a chemical solution in an optimal state using the chemical spray device 120 at a set point.

As shown in FIG. 6, the chemical liquid spraying device 120 includes a tank 121 that stores a chemical liquid such as a hypochlorous acid aqueous solution that has a sterilizing effect, and a nozzle part that sprays the chemical liquid supplied from the tank 121 from a spray port. 122, and a rotation mechanism system 123 that rotates the nozzle portion 122 in a desired three-dimensional direction. For example, an electric sprayer "Vectra-Jet7505" (trade name) manufactured by Fogmaster in the United States may be used.

When the chemical spraying device 120 is connected to the upper part of the robot body 2 in this self-propelled robot 1, the chemical spraying device 120 is controlled by the general control unit (travel control unit) 30 to set the range for spraying the chemical liquid and to adjust the spray direction and amount of the chemical liquid. In addition, in the self-propelled robot 1, the chemical spraying device 120 can receive power from the power supply unit 29 when connected to the robot body 2.

(4) When the function display device is a product replenishment device When the function display device 100 connected to the self-propelled robot 1 is the product replenishment device 130, the product replenishment device 130 displays the product as a function display based on the product display shelf. Carry out replenishment work.

In the internal configuration diagram of the self-propelled robot 1 shown in FIG. 3 described above, the object detection unit 37 detects a product display shelf in the traveling environment based on an image captured by the imaging camera 36. The state storage unit 38 sequentially stores the current display states of the product display shelves detected by the object detection unit 37 in the environmental map created by the environmental map creation unit 34. The change estimating unit 39 analyzes the display state of the product display shelf stored in the state storage unit 38 for each date and time of detection by the object detection unit 37, and estimates the degree of product shortage based on the analysis result.

Here, as shown in FIG. 7, the product replenishment device 130 has a function of monitoring all products displayed on the product display shelves in the store, and a function of extracting missing products from the storage area and placing them at designated positions on the product display shelves. It also has a refill function. Specifically, in order to replenish products, an articulated robot 131 that can grip products in the same way as a human arm is fixed to a support frame 132. Furthermore, an imaging camera 133 having the same configuration as the imaging camera 36 of the self-propelled robot 1 is configured to be able to move up and down in the vertical direction along the height direction of the support frame 132. It can be used complementary.

In this self-propelled robot 1, when the product replenishment device 130 is connected to the upper stage of the robot main body 2, the product replenishment device 130 uses the general control unit (travel control unit) 30 to detect the shortage of products on the product display shelf. It becomes possible to eliminate the problem. Furthermore, in the self-propelled robot 1, the product replenishment device 130 can receive power from the power supply unit 29 when connected to the robot body 2.

(5) Other Embodiments The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and other forms that are conceivable within the scope of the technical idea of the present invention are also included in the scope of the present invention as long as they do not impair the characteristics of the present invention.

In the above embodiment, the case where a harmful bacteria control device (ultraviolet ray irradiation device 110 and chemical solution spray device 120) and a product replenishment device 130 are applied as the function performing device 100 has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this and may be broadly applied to devices capable of performing various functions that can be mounted on a self-propelled robot 1. It is desirable to be able to contribute to the provision of services that are particularly related to humans, such as ensuring human safety and promoting human convenience in places where humans are present within a facility.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, in the internal circuit diagram of the self-propelled robot 1, the overall control unit 30 determines a point on the environmental map at which the function of the function demonstration device 100 is to be exerted, based on the estimation result by the change estimation unit 39. The case has been described in which the travel drive unit 31 is controlled to set and move to the relevant point, and the function demonstration device 100 connected to the robot body 2 is controlled to exhibit the function. The present invention is not limited to this, and the overall control section 30 may execute the function of the change estimation section 39.

Similarly, the overall control unit 30 may execute the functions of the environmental map creation unit 34, and may also execute the functions of a human involvement frequency detection unit, which will be described later.

In the above-described embodiment, the self-propelled robot 1 is a person who detects the frequency with which all or part of a human being is involved within a predetermined detection range based on a specific target at a point set on the environmental map. A participation frequency detection unit (not shown) may be provided.

When the function demonstration device 100 is a pest control device (ultraviolet irradiation device 110 or chemical liquid spray device 120), the human involvement frequency detection unit detects a predetermined level based on floor dirt at a point set on the environmental map. Detects the frequency of people coming and going and the frequency of touching handrails, etc. within the detection range.

Further, when the function demonstration device 100 is the product replenishment device 130, the human involvement frequency detection unit detects that a person picks up the product within a predetermined detection range based on the product display shelf at a point set on the environmental map. Detect the frequency taken.

If the frequency of involvement detected by the human involvement frequency detection unit is equal to or higher than a predetermined threshold, the overall control unit (driving control unit) 30 causes the function display device 100 to perform a predetermined function for a specific target at the location. . As a result, in the self-propelled robot 1, if the frequency of involvement of all or part of humans at a set point is relatively high, the self-propelled robot 1 causes the function display device 100 to perform a predetermined function for a specific target. Among the functions, it is possible to focus on and utilize optimized functions that are deeply related to human involvement.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the self-propelled robot 1 is equipped with an information communication unit that wirelessly communicates with an external management server (not shown), and under the control of the general control unit 30, various information about the self-propelled robot 1 itself and various information necessary for the function performance device 100 to perform its functions may be transmitted and stored in the management server.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, a case has been described in which an ultraviolet irradiation device 110 as shown in FIG. First, the ultraviolet irradiation device 140 may be provided at the bottom of the robot body 2.

That is, as shown in FIG. 8, an ultraviolet irradiation device may be installed inside the bottom of the robot body 2, and ultraviolet rays may be irradiated onto the floor surface while adjusting the irradiation level. This ultraviolet irradiation device has an excimer lamp 150 capable of irradiating ultraviolet rays with a wavelength band of 200 nm or more and 230 nm or less.

This excimer lamp 150 is different from the double cylindrical excimer lamp 111 like the ultraviolet ray irradiation device 110 shown in FIG. That is, the excimer lamp 150 includes a discharge vessel in which a rectangular discharge space filled with discharge gas is formed, and a reflective film is formed on all inner surfaces of the discharge vessel other than the ultraviolet radiation surface.

External electrodes for inducing a discharge in the discharge gas are formed on both sides of the discharge vessel, sandwiching the discharge vessel, with a dielectric material interposed between them. The external electrodes formed on the ultraviolet radiation surface of the discharge vessel are formed in a slice or lattice shape, and the external electrodes formed on the flat surface opposite the ultraviolet radiation surface are formed so as to cover the entire flat surface.

As a result, the self-propelled robot 1 uses the ultraviolet irradiation device 140 installed inside the robot body 2 so that the excimer lamp 150 is exposed on the bottom surface of the robot body 2 while self-propelled. It becomes possible to do this. In particular, in this ultraviolet irradiation device 140, by exposing the bottom of the robot body 2 facing the floor surface, the effect of irradiation on the human body is very small, so the irradiation level of ultraviolet rays can be adjusted to a relatively high level. It becomes possible. In other words, in addition to the excimer lamp 150 with a wavelength band of 200 [nm] or more and 230 [nm] or less, ultraviolet lamps with a necessary wavelength band may be provided depending on the level of ultraviolet irradiation depending on the bacterial contamination state of the floor surface. You may also do so.

In this self-propelled robot 1, the ultraviolet irradiation device 140 is installed on the bottom of the robot body 2, so that the integrated control unit ( The traveling control section) 30 may control both at the same time.

1... Self-propelled robot, 2... Robot body, 2S... Cutting space, 3A, 3B... Drive wheel, 4A, 4B... Omni wheel, 10... Laser range sensor, 11... RGB-D sensor, 12... 3D distance image sensor , 20... Cleaning system, 21... Cleaning brush unit, 22... Dust box, 23... Nozzle section, 24... Roll brush, 25... Scraper, 26... Bumper, 27A to 27D... LED indicator, 28... Speaker, 29... Drive battery (power supply unit), 29A...external terminal, 30...integrated control unit (travel control unit), 31...travel drive unit, 32A, 32B...motor driver, 33A, 33B...drive motor, 34...environment map creation unit, 35... Target travel route storage section, 36... Imaging camera (environment detection section), 37... Target detection section, 38... State storage section, 39... Change estimation section, 100... Function demonstration device, 110, 140... Ultraviolet irradiation device, 120... Chemical spray device, 130...product replenishment device.

Claims (5)

A self-propelled robot that travels on a floor surface autonomously or in response to external control,
a travel drive unit that drives the robot body to travel in a desired direction on the floor surface at a desired speed;
An environment imaging unit that images an environment in which the robot body is traveling;
an object detection unit that detects dirt on the floor surface in the traveling environment based on an image captured by the environment imaging unit;
an environmental map creation unit that estimates a position of the vehicle relative to the driving environment and creates a planar or three-dimensional environmental map including the floor surface;
a state storage unit that sequentially stores a distribution state of dirt on the floor surface detected by the object detection unit in the environmental map created by the environmental map creation unit;
a change estimation unit that analyzes the current state of dirt on the floor surface stored by the state storage unit for each detection date and time by the object detection unit, and estimates a degree of crowding of people on the floor surface based on the analysis result;
a harmful bacteria control device including an ultraviolet ray irradiation device that is freely connectable to the upper part of the robot body and is capable of varying the direction and level of ultraviolet ray irradiation;
and a travel control unit that sets a point on the environmental map where the harmful bacteria control device will carry out a harmful bacteria control work to eliminate the adverse effects of bacteria on the human body based on the estimation result by the change estimation unit, and controls the travel drive unit to move to the point, wherein the harmful bacteria control device , while being controlled by the travel control unit to carry out the harmful bacteria control work when connected to the robot body, sets a range for irradiating the ultraviolet rays based on dirt on the floor surface at the point, and adjusts the irradiation direction and irradiation level of the ultraviolet rays on the premise of ensuring human body safety for all people.
A self-propelled robot characterized by A self-propelled robot that travels on a floor surface autonomously or in response to external control,
a travel drive unit that drives the robot body to travel in a desired direction on the floor surface at a desired speed;
an environment imaging unit that captures an image of the running environment of the robot main body;
an object detection unit that detects dirt on the floor surface in the traveling environment based on an image captured by the environment imaging unit;
an environmental map creation unit that estimates its own position with respect to the driving environment and simultaneously creates a two-dimensional or three-dimensional environmental map including the floor surface;
a state storage unit that sequentially stores the distribution state of dirt on the floor surface detected by the object detection unit in the environmental map created by the environmental map creation unit;
a change estimation unit that analyzes the current state of dirt on the floor surface stored by the state storage unit for each detection date and time by the object detection unit, and estimates a degree of people gathering on the floor surface based on the analysis result;
a pest control device comprising an ultraviolet irradiation device that is installed in the bottom of the robot body so that the irradiation area is exposed from the bottom and is capable of varying the irradiation level of the ultraviolet rays;
Based on the estimation result by the change estimating unit, a point is set in the environmental map at which the pest control device is to carry out pest control work to eliminate the harmful effects of bacteria on the human body, and the method is configured to move to the point. a travel control section that controls the travel drive section;
The pest control device is controlled by the travel control unit to carry out pest control work when connected to the robot main body, and is configured to control the pest control device against the floor surface during travel including movement to the point. irradiate the ultraviolet rays with
A self-propelled robot characterized by: a human involvement frequency detection unit that detects a frequency of involvement of a whole or part of a human within a predetermined detection range based on dirt on the floor surface at the point set on the environmental map,
The self-propelled robot according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, when the frequency of human involvement detected by the human involvement frequency detection unit is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value, the driving control unit causes the pest control device to perform pest control work on dirt on the floor surface at the location. a power supply unit built into the robot body for supplying power to the travel drive unit;
The self-propelled robot according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the pest control device receives power from the power supply section when connected to the robot main body. The pest control device further includes a chemical liquid spraying device that is connectably connected to the upper stage of the robot main body and is capable of varying the spray direction and spray amount of a disinfectant chemical liquid,
The chemical liquid spraying device sets the range to spray the chemical liquid at the point based on the dirt on the floor surface, and sprays the chemical liquid on the premise of ensuring human safety for all people. The self-propelled robot according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the direction and the amount of spray are adjusted.

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