JPS6229196B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a method of operating a manipulator.

Remotely controlled manipulators are usually used when performing dangerous or unsanitary work such as inside a nuclear reactor. This type of manipulator is generally
The work environment and the cockpit are separated by a shielded room and a shielded window, and a work manipulator is installed in the work environment.
The operating manipulator is disposed in the cockpit, and the operator operates the operating manipulator to perform work using the work manipulator that follows the movement of the operating manipulator. In this case, the state of the work target and the arm of the work manipulator in the work area such as inside the reactor is detected using a visual sensor such as a television camera, and this is displayed on a television in the cockpit and presented to the operator. ,Also,
The sense of touch and pressure when the work manipulator grasps an object, or the position sense of the position of the work manipulator's arm, is fed back to the control manipulator in the cockpit.
Alternatively, an exoskeleton-like case is placed on the operator's arm, and feedback is provided to the operator's arm.

However, in such conventional control methods, the movement of the arm of the displacing work manipulator is observed from a fixed position using a television camera, etc., so the information received by the operator through his eyes and the information received from the arm are different. They are not organically related, and even if information is received visually, the status of the work manipulator on the work target side, which is received from the TV screen, must be constantly compared with the status of the control manipulator on the cockpit side. For these reasons, compared to working directly with a work manipulator on the work target side, the work efficiency is significantly lowered and the operator becomes more fatigued.

This invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and it provides a sense of realism to the operator and creates the illusion that the operator is present in the work environment. It is an object of the present invention to provide a method of operating a manipulator that can increase work efficiency to the same level as working directly on an object.

Corresponding to this purpose, the method of operating a manipulator with a sensory information presentation function of the present invention includes disposing a sensory information detector in a work environment where a work manipulator that operates according to an operator's command is located,
providing information based on the information detected by the sensory information detector to a sensory organ of an operator located in a cockpit outside the work environment by a sensory presentation device that follows the movements of the operator; and a driving device that controls the position and orientation of the sensory information detector based on the output of the operator detection device that measures the position and orientation of the operator in real time, and the physical operator detection device. The position and attitude of the sensory information detector in terms of three-dimensional coordinates at an arbitrary fixed position are made to follow the position and attitude of the operator in terms of three-dimensional coordinates on the cockpit side corresponding to the three-dimensional coordinates, and the sense The information detector is at least a visual information detector that detects visual information of the work environment, an auditory information detector that detects auditory information of the work environment, and a force detector that detects a force acting on the work manipulator, The sensory presentation device includes at least a visual presentation device, an auditory presentation device, and a skin stimulation device, and the visual presentation device uses visual information detected by the visual information detector in a state where visual information around the operator is blocked. The auditory presentation device provides the operator with visual information based on the auditory information detected by the auditory information detector while blocking auditory information around the operator. and converts information based on information detected by the force detector into skin stimulation by the skin stimulation device and provides it to the operator.

The details of this invention will be explained below with reference to the drawings showing one embodiment.

FIG. 1 illustrates the principle of the invention. That is, in the manipulator operating method of this invention,
A dummy 2 is placed in a work environment 1 where actual work A is performed, while an operator 4 is placed in a cockpit 3 outside the work environment 1.
is located. Dummy 2 is the work manipulator 5
and a sensory information detector 6. The work manipulator 5 is a dummy 2 for performing the actual work 7.
It is an effect device. The sensory information detector 6 detects sensory information such as visual conditions within the work environment 1, sounds within the work environment 1, or contact pressure and feel between the work manipulator 5 and the work object. Environmental information is not provided to the operator 4 in the cockpit 3, but only information in the working environment 1 detected by the sensory information detector 6 and processed by the processing device 30 is provided. is given to the sensory organs 10 such as the eyes, ears, and skin of the operator 4. On the other hand, the movement of the dummy 2, that is, the movement of the work manipulator 5 and the sensory information detector 6, that is, the position and posture with respect to three-dimensional coordinates at an arbitrary fixed position, is the movement of the operator's body and limbs 20, that is, the three-dimensional The position and orientation of the three-dimensional coordinates on the cockpit side corresponding to the original coordinates are made to follow. By doing this,
The operator has the illusion of being present in the work environment, and can obtain the same effect as if the operator were to work directly.

FIG. 2 shows a configuration embodying the principle of the invention described above. That is, a dummy 2 is placed in a working environment 1, and an operator 4 is located in a cockpit 3 outside the working environment 1. The dummy 2 is supported by a fixed body 8 via a drive device 7, and is displaced in three orthogonal directions x, y, and z by the operation of the drive device 7, and is rotated by a rotation angle indicated by θ. The direction can be changed by

The dummy 2 includes television cameras 9a and 9b that function as sensory information detectors 6, a microphone 11a,
11b are arranged at positions corresponding to human eyes and ears, and a working manipulator 5 is provided. The working manipulator 5 is equipped with force sensing detectors 12a and 12b such as strain gauges.

On the other hand, the cockpit 3 side is provided with a sensation presentation device 13, an operator detection device 14, and an operator arm detection device 15.

The sensory presentation device 13 includes a three-dimensional television display 16, a headphone or an in-ear speaker 17,
A skin stimulation device 18 is provided.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the three-dimensional television display 16 includes a left-eye display 19 and a right-eye display 21, each made of a television, provided in a case 22. The three-dimensional display 16 is used so as to cover the eyes of the operator 4. At this time, the left eye display 19 faces the left eye of the operator 4, and the right eye display 21 faces the operator's 4 right eye. The image information input from both eyes of the operator are combined in the center 40 of the operator to perceive a three-dimensional image. Left eye day spray 1
The image projected on the right eye display 21 is the image taken by the television camera 9a that is converted by the processing device 30, and the image projected on the right eye display 21 is the image taken by the television camera 9b that is processed. This is an image converted by the device 30. The case 22 covers the eyes of the operator 4 and blocks information from the environment in the cockpit.

The headphone 17 provides information about audible sounds in the work environment 1 to the operator's auditory sense organs (ears) while blocking information from the environment. The sound emitted from the right ear speaker 24a is the sound information in the work environment 1 detected by the microphone 11a converted into sound by the processing device 30, and the sound emitted from the right ear speaker 24b is detected by the microphone 11b. The sound information in the work environment 1 is converted into sound by the processing device 30. The skin stimulation device 18 is used by being attached to the skin of the operator 4, such as the arm, and includes an electrical skin stimulation device 25 and a skin vibration stimulation device 2.
It is equipped with 6. The skin electrical stimulation device 25 outputs a current according to the input and passes it through the skin of the operator to stimulate the skin and make the operator feel the force acting on the work manipulator 5. Reference numeral 26 outputs vibrations according to the input and applies them to the operator's skin, allowing the operator to sense the force acting on the work manipulator 5, and each uses a force sensing sensor such as a strain gauge attached to the work manipulator 5. Information in the work environment 1 detected by the devices 12a and 12b is processed by the processing device 30, and the information is input.

The operator detection device 14 includes television cameras 27a, 2
7b and a cell spot, the position and direction of the operator 4 are measured, and the information is transmitted to the drive device 7 via the processing device 30. The drive device 7 drives the dummy 2, that is, the television camera 9, by its input signal.
The positions and orientations of microphones a, 9b and microphones 11a and 11b are determined following the operator 4.

The operator arm detection device 15 includes a goniometer 28 that measures the movement of the operator's 4 arm and transmits the information to the manipulator drive device 29 via the processing device 30. Based on the input signal, the position and orientation of the working manipulator 5 are determined to follow the operating manipulator 5.

In such a configuration, the movements of the operator 4 are
Using operator detection devices 14 such as television cameras 27a and 27b or cell spots, and operator arm detection devices 15 such as goniometers 28, the movement of the operator 4 is measured in real time without restriction, and the measured operation is measured. Dummy 2 moves according to the movement of the person, and
As the dummy 2 moves, external conditions such as external images (images and sound images) and tactile sensations are fed back to the operator 4 by a three-dimensional television display 16, a headphone 17, and a skin stimulation device 18. The operator 4 is blocked from environmental information within the cockpit 3 and receives only sensory information within the work environment 1, and moreover, this sensory information changes according to his or her movements. This gives the operator the illusion that he or she exists in the work environment, and can improve work efficiency that is almost equivalent to when the operator is working directly.

In particular, the force acting on the slave manipulator,
By transmitting the force acting on the slave manipulator to the operator as a skin sensation, rather than directly transmitting it to the master manipulator as a force, danger and fatigue to the operator can be avoided. In other words, if the force acting on the slave manipulator is directly transmitted to the master manipulator, for example, if the slave manipulator receives a large force due to an accident, that large force will be transferred to the master manipulator. This is transmitted directly to the operator through the controller, which is extremely dangerous for the operator.

Furthermore, depending on the type of work, it may be necessary for the slave manipulator to exert a large force, and in such a case, the operator may have to exert such a large force, resulting in significant fatigue of the operator.

The present invention can avoid such danger and fatigue for the operator.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing the principle of the invention, Fig. 2 is an explanatory drawing showing a manipulator control device, Fig. 3 is an explanatory drawing showing a three-dimensional television display, and Fig. 4 is an explanatory drawing showing a headphone. . 1... Working environment, 2... Dummy, 4... Operator, 5... Working manipulator, 6... Sensory information detector, 9a, 9b... Television camera, 11
a, 11b... Microphone, 16... Three-dimensional television display, 17... Headphone, 3
0...Processing device.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A sensory information detector is provided in a work environment in which a work manipulator that operates according to an operator's command is located, and information based on the information detected by the sensory information detector is used to control operations outside the work environment. An operator detection device that provides a sensory organ of an operator located in a room with a sensory presentation device that follows the movements of the operator, and that measures the position and posture of the operator in real time; A drive device that controls the position and orientation of the sensory information detector based on the output of the operator detection device is used to determine the position and orientation of the operator with respect to three-dimensional coordinates at an arbitrary fixed position of the sensory information detector. The sensory information detector is configured to follow the position and orientation regarding the three-dimensional coordinates of the cockpit corresponding to the three-dimensional coordinates, and the sensory information detector includes at least a visual information detector that detects visual information of the working environment, and a visual information detector that detects visual information of the working environment. an auditory information detector that detects auditory information; and a force detector that detects a force acting on the work manipulator; the sensory presentation device includes at least a visual presentation device, an auditory presentation device, and a skin stimulation device; The device provides the operator with visual information based on the visual information detected by the visual information detector in a state where the visual information around the operator is blocked, and the auditory presentation device provides the operator with visual information based on the visual information detected by the visual information detector. providing the operator with auditory information based on the auditory information detected by the auditory information detector in a state where the information is blocked; and providing information based on the information detected by the force detector with the skin stimulation device. A method of operating a manipulator having a sensory information presentation function, characterized in that the manipulator is configured to convert it into skin stimulation and give it to an operator.