KR20140025814A - Apparatus for human-robot interaction service - Google Patents

Abstract

Service robot developers and application programmers have produced a service application in a manner of directly controlling hardware, and this causes limitations on the reusability of the service application and the expandability of a service robot market as wells as the overall change in the service application whenever the hardware is changed. According to an embodiment of the present invention, provided is an apparatus for a human-robot interaction service, which can be reused without wasting resources, such as time, money, and manpower, by integrating various sensors and hardware (actuators) in a service robot and maintaining compatibility such that service application developers can develop an application in unified standards. Furthermore, the present invention provides an apparatus for a human-robot interaction service, which can promote the reusability of components and improve the efficiency of service application and component development by proposing a unified interface between the components of a service robot technique and the application program, for the service robot market. [Reference numerals] (210) HRI engine 1; (212) Face recognition unit; (214) Wheel control unit; (220) HRI engine 2; (222) RFID tag detection unit; (224) Leg control unit; (AA) Service application 1; (BB) Service application 1'; (CC) Compatibility

Description

Human-robot interaction service device {APPARATUS FOR HUMAN-ROBOT INTERACTION SERVICE}

The present invention relates to the hardware and human-robot interaction service technology of the service robot, and in particular, abstracts (captures common features) the hardware and human-robot interaction functions of the service robot so as to be common between the service robot and the application service. The present invention relates to a human-robot interactive service device that defines an interface and is suitable for presenting an interactive service framework applicable to a service application.

Typically, service robot developers and application programmers have produced service applications in a manner that directly controls hardware as shown in FIG.

This means that whenever the hardware changes (for example, robot 1 or robot 2), the service application must be changed as a whole, and there are many restrictions in terms of service application reuse and scalability of the service robot market. It was born.

Korean Laid-Open Patent 2011-0015314, Image-based Feedback Method in Human Robot Interaction and Robot with Such Function, 2011.02.15 Korean Patent Registration No. 0642432, Proactive User Interface, October 27, 2006

Therefore, in the embodiment of the present invention, by integrating various sensors and hardware (actuator) in the service robot, and maintaining the compatibility so that service application developers can develop applications in a uniform standard, resources such as time, money, personnel The present invention seeks to provide a human-robot interaction service device that can be reused without waste.

In addition, in the embodiment of the present invention, a uniform interface between the components of the service robot technology and the application program for the service robot market (Reception service, Guide service, Home security service, Childcare robot service, Elder person daily watching service) By providing a human-robot interaction service device that can enhance the reusability of components and increase the efficiency of service application and component development.

In the human-robot interaction service device according to an embodiment of the present invention, at least one service application that is compatible with each other, an event (s) subscription / cancellation message or an event (s) notification. ) A common feature between the human-robot interaction engine and the at least one service application and the human-robot interaction engine that communicates with the service application via at least one of a message or a query message or a command message. It may include a human-robot interaction service framework for providing a common interface between the at least one service application and the service robot.

According to the present invention, it is possible to define an interface between a service application and a Human Robot Interaction (HRI) engine and to define a common message for all HRI engines. In the framework for HRI, service applications can communicate with the HRI engine through Event (s) subscription / cancellation, Events (s) notification, queries and commands. Can be.

The HRI engine can integrate several functional components and provide their functional modules with service applications through a standardized interface. It can use sensors to manage and collect information around the robotic environment and around humans, and provide the collected data needed by the application.

HRI components in the HRI engine provide robot control functions, and application services can control the robot through the interface of the HRI engine. By separating the HRI components into the HRI engine and providing a standard for the components, you can not only increase the reuse of the components, but also improve the efficiency of service applications and component development.

1 is an exemplary diagram of conventional service application programming;
FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an HRI service apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, and an exemplary diagram of an HRI service application program applicable to another robot platform using the same service application program.
3 is a conceptual diagram of an HRI service framework according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Advantages and features of the present invention and methods for achieving them will be apparent with reference to the embodiments described below in detail with the accompanying drawings. The present invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. To fully disclose the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art, and the invention is only defined by the scope of the claims. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout.

In the following description of the present invention, a detailed description of known functions and configurations incorporated herein will be omitted when it may make the subject matter of the present invention rather unclear. The following terms are defined in consideration of the functions in the embodiments of the present invention, which may vary depending on the intention of the user, the intention or the custom of the operator. Therefore, the definition should be based on the contents throughout this specification.

Each block of the accompanying block diagrams and combinations of steps of the flowchart may be performed by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions may be loaded into a processor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus so that the instructions, which may be executed by a processor of a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, And means for performing the functions described in each step are created. These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer usable or computer readable memory capable of directing a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to implement the functionality in a particular manner so that the computer usable or computer readable memory It is also possible for the instructions stored in the block diagram to produce a manufacturing item containing instruction means for performing the functions described in each block or flowchart of the block diagram. Computer program instructions may also be stored on a computer or other programmable data processing equipment so that a series of operating steps may be performed on a computer or other programmable data processing equipment to create a computer- It is also possible that the instructions that perform the processing equipment provide the steps for executing the functions described in each block of the block diagram and at each step of the flowchart.

Also, each block or each step may represent a module, segment, or portion of code that includes one or more executable instructions for executing the specified logical function (s). It should also be noted that in some alternative embodiments, the functions mentioned in the blocks or steps may occur out of order. For example, two blocks or steps shown in succession may in fact be performed substantially concurrently, or the blocks or steps may sometimes be performed in reverse order according to the corresponding function.

Prior to the description of the embodiments, the present invention seeks to define the interface between the service application and the HRI engine, and to define common messages for all HRI engines. There will be.

In the HRI framework of the present invention, the service application uses the HRI through an Event (s) subscription / cancellation message, an Event (s) notification message, a Query and Command message, and the like. Communicate with the engine.

HRI engines can integrate multiple functional components and provide their functional modules with service applications through a standardized interface. It can use sensors to manage and collect information around the robotic environment and around humans, and provide the collected data needed by the application.

Components within the HRI engine provide robot control functions, and application services can control the robot through the interface of the HRI engine. By separating the HRI components into the engine and providing a standard to the components, you can improve the reuse of the components as well as improve the service application and the development efficiency of the components.

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

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an HRI service apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. The service application 10, the HRI service interface 100, the first HRI engine 210, the second HRI engine 220, and The first robot 20, the second robot 22, and the like may be included.

As shown in FIG. 2, the HRI service apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention integrates hardware of various sensors and actuators in the service robot and abstracts (common features) for efficiency of traditional service robot application development. I would like to propose a framework.

Specifically, the service applications 10 of the HRI service apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention are compatible with each other, the HRI service interface 100 is the service application 10 and the first HRI engine 210 and the second HRI engine. It may serve to connect the 220 with each other.

The first HRI engine 210 serves to control the functions of the first robot 20, for example a traveling robot, and the second HRI engine 220 is a second robot 22, for example a walking robot. It can play a role in controlling functions.

The first HRI engine 210 may include a face recognition unit 212, a wheel control unit 214, and the second HRI engine 220 may include an RFID tag detection unit 222 and a leg control unit 224. It may include.

In an embodiment of the present invention, in addition to the HRI service interface 100 between the service application 10 and the HRI engines 210 and 220 described above, a common message for the HRI engines 210 and 220. ), And the data structure for each interface.

In the HRI service framework, a common message for each interface type suitable for all HRI engines 210 and 220 may be defined as follows.

Event notifications ( Event notification )

Person detected

Person identified

Common action completed

Query( Query )

Person ID

Position of person / robot

Status of HRI Engine

Command ( Command )

Start / stop person detection

Start / stop identification

The HRI service framework provides a common interface between service robots 20 and 22 and service applications 10 by abstracting (capturing common characteristics) the hardware and human robot interaction functions of the service robot. can do.

As shown in FIG. 3, in the embodiment of the present invention, an HRI service framework may be defined.

The HRI service framework according to an embodiment of the present invention may include an HRI service interface 100 and may provide an abstract (common) functional module applicable to a service application. Such an abstract module unit is called an HRI component, and the HRI component may be composed of logical functional units that constitute an HRI service scenario.

Such HRI components may be implemented through physical devices such as sensors or actuators attached to the robot. One unit that binds the HRI components is called the HRI engine.

HRI service framework can provide the following four interfaces as shown in FIG.

System Interface: Interface for managing a connection state between the service application 10 and the HRI engine 210, 220

Command Interface: An interface that allows commands to be sent from the service application 10 to the HRI engines 210 and 220.

Query Interface: An interface that enables a query from the service application 10 to the HRI engine 210, 220.

Event Interface: An interface that allows the service application 10 to receive state change information of the HRI engines 210 and 220.

Here, data exchange between the service application 10 and the HRI engine 210, 220 may be implemented through an interface called messages.

As described above, according to the embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to define the interface between the service application and the HRI engine and to define common messages for all the HRI engines. Implemented to communicate with HRI engine through (Event (s) subscription / cancellation), Event (s) notification, Query and Command.

The HRI engine can integrate several functional components and provide their functional modules with service applications through a standardized interface. It can use sensors to manage and collect information around the robotic environment and around humans, and provide the collected data needed by the application.

HRI components in the HRI engine provide robot control functions, and application services can control the robot through the interface of the HRI engine. By separating the HRI components into the HRI engine and providing a standard for the components, you can not only increase the reuse of the components, but also improve the efficiency of service applications and component development.

10: service application
100: HRI service interface
210: first HRI engine
220: second HRI engine
20: first robot
22: second robot

Claims (1)

In the human-robot interaction service apparatus,
At least one service application that is interoperable,
Human-communicating with the service application via at least one of an Event (s) subscription / cancellation message, an Event (s) notification message or a Query message or a Command message. Robot interaction engine,
A human-robot interaction service framework for identifying common features between the at least one service application and the human-robot interaction engine to provide a common interface between the at least one service application and a service robot;
Human-robot interaction service device.

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