KR20140128086A - Variable structure wheel-chair robot for guidance of disabled person - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a variable structure wheel-chair robot which ensures safe movement of a patient who cannot move freely or a disabled person. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a variable structure wheel-chair robot for guiding a disabled person, which interlocks with a navigation system in order to rapidly and safely guide a user to a desired destination, can recognize and determines traffic signals, and can deal with various situations that can occur in the road. The variable structure wheel-chair robot comprises: a head unit which can recognize 3D images such as a moving vehicle, a person, a moving object, can recognize voice, includes a voice recognition unit in order to perform simple communication with a person through a smartphone, and can rotate in four directions; an apparatus unit which is combined with the lower part of the head unit, displays multiple contents that can be selected by a user, can output images or voice recognized by the head unit, and can senses obstacles; an actuating unit which is combined with the lower part of the apparatus unit, can avoid the obstacles, can prevent collisions or falling of the obstacles, includes a charger, and actuates the head unit, the apparatus unit, and an arm support; and a control unit which is embedded on the back surface of the apparatus unit, and integrally controls the head unit, the apparatus unit, the arm support, and the actuating unit.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a wheelchair robot,

The present invention relates to a wheelchair robot of a variable structure type that ensures smooth and safe movement of a patient or a handicapped who is inconvenienced by movement. The robot is interlocked with a navigation system so as to promptly and safely guide a passenger to a desired destination, And to provide wheelchair robots capable of coping with various situations that may occur on the road.

In Korea, there are many places where the land area is narrow and the roads and roads are not arranged efficiently and systematically. Therefore, many people with disabilities have to walk or use wheelchairs, causing many inconveniences and a high risk of safety accidents.

In order to solve this inconvenience, recently, a voice signal device for the visually impaired is installed, and a technique for transmitting a warning sound and a message when entering a safety standby place is disclosed in Korean Patent Publication No. B1-1125781 (3012.03.27.), Which is provided with a four-color warning light which is illuminated at different positions, and which is shaped into a color that is visible to the naked eye.

However, in the case of the above-described conventional pedestrian traffic lights, there is a problem that only a warning sound and a message are generated when a traffic light is illuminated in red and a safety standby area is entered.

The prior art described above is provided with a signal lamp provided at one side of an entrance waiting line of a crosswalk, and having a light emitting portion and a camera; A robot equipped with a light receiving unit provided at a position facing the same line so as to receive a signal of the light emitting unit and a blocking means for blocking entry of people and vehicles, This is an intelligent robot that has the functions of autonomous movement and information exchange using navigation for the purpose of safe guidance such as the visually impaired, the low vision, the legged person or the temporary disabled person for a certain period due to an accident. In addition, the robot is able to prevent the safety accident by preventing the robot from entering the roadway by lowering the breaker due to the mutual information sympathy using the smartphone of the wheelchair robot having variable structure in the disabled person. In addition, Structure The wheelchair robot has a display (eg LED or LCD screen) To enable video images to be broadcasted on the Internet or wibro based on wired or wireless, real-time information is available to ordinary people waiting for real-time outdoor advertisements and signals using robots This makes it possible to improve the quality and reliability of the product and to provide a good image to consumers.

However, the above-mentioned prior art is composed of a stationary type, and is a simple symbol such as a poor communication ability with a pedestrian.

On the other hand, autonomous mobile intelligent robot technology has been developed and used. These autonomous mobile intelligent robots measure the distance traveled by each wheel using a laser scanner mounted on the wheel during travel, And the present position is designed to be calculated from the initial position, its function is extremely limited, and the real obstacle recognition rate is low, so that the realization of the autonomous movement is extremely limited in the room.

Such a conventional autonomous mobile intelligent robot typically has the following problems.

First, in the case of a narrow space, the robot can not pass.

Second, if the ground has a groove or a jaw, it can not pass.

Third, there are many limitations in guidance because there is no simple dialogue function with people.

Fourth, there is no accurate analysis and decryption of road and environmental information

Fifth, there is no information transmission and reception function through autonomous situation judgment.

Sixth, autonomous migration and active adaptation of external environment are too limited.

Sixth, there is no autonomous navigation function.

Therefore, a highly autonomous and intelligent guidance robot system that solves these problems will be required.

KR 101125781 B1 3012.03.27.

Accordingly, the present invention researched and developed the present invention in order to solve all the problems of a conventional electric wheelchair. The present invention recognizes and reads a traffic signal of a road and an indispensable vehicle to ensure safe driving, interlocks with navigation, The present invention has been accomplished on the basis of the technical object of the present invention, which provides a variable-structure wheelchair robot of the present invention capable of changing the width and height of a wheelchair through information gathered by a camera and an obstacle detection sensor when passing through a narrow space .

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an intelligent robot system of a variable structure, comprising: a head for displaying contents of map, distance information and position information that can be selected by a user; A mechanism for the disabled person to sit comfortably; A sensor unit capable of detecting an obstacle; A bracket provided on both sides of the mechanism; A drive unit which is coupled to a lower portion of the mechanical unit to avoid an obstacle and can prevent an obstacle from crashing and falling and to move the head unit, the mechanical unit and the pallet zone so that the charging position can be autonomously sensed and charged; And a voice recognition and voice command control unit built in the rear of the mechanism unit and capable of performing a simple conversation with people around by the recognition of the road and the distance environment information and the voice recognition of the close range, And a control unit for integrally controlling the driving unit.

The head unit includes a camera installed at an upper portion thereof for recognizing a long distance image, a camera recognition button for recognizing a short distance image installed on the lower side of the camera, a speaker having a built-in voice recognition unit, And a microphone having a function.

The sensing unit may include a sensor unit coupled to a lower portion of the head unit, a touch screen disposed at a front center of the sensor unit and displaying a plurality of selectable contents on a screen, An audio output terminal formed on a rear surface of the sensor unit for outputting audio information input through the head unit and an audio output terminal provided on the touch screen for detecting an obstacle by an ultrasonic wave, Sensor to be configured.

The driving unit includes a pair of main driving wheels provided on both sides, an auxiliary wheel provided at a lower portion to balance the auxiliary wheel, a laser sensor formed on the upper side for sensing an obstacle, an ultrasonic sensor Respectively.

The present invention allows a patient or a handicapped person with an uncomfortable condition to safely reach a desired destination while being in a wheelchair.

In particular, it is possible to avoid obstacles even when the space is narrow or there is a puddle or a jaw on the rough surface, or the wheelchair frame can be varied to enable safe and smooth running, and a traffic accident can be prevented / If you enter only the desired destination in conjunction with navigation, you can reach it safely and quickly.

In addition, it is possible to inform the passengers according to the situation by inputting and analyzing the sound of the attention, and it is also possible to share information with the surrounding people through the conversation function.

And it is equipped with the function and intelligence that can substitute actual person, so that even under complicated road conditions, autonomous repetition learning function enables the disabled person to be guided to the same level as the person, Can be realized.

1 is a front view showing an embodiment of a wheelchair robot according to the present invention;
Fig. 2 is a rear view of Fig. 1
Fig. 3 is a side view of Fig.
Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of the head used in the present invention

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments of a wheelchair interactive robot according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, a detailed description of known configurations and functions that may unnecessarily obscure the gist of the present invention will be omitted.

FIG. 1 is a front view showing an embodiment of a variable-capacity wheelchair robot according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a rear view of FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is a side view of FIG. 1, And an enlarged view of the head, respectively.

The wheelchair robot 1 according to the present invention includes a head 20, a mechanism 30, a bracket 40, a driver 50, a controller 60, And a main frame 80. The main frame 80 is provided with a driving unit 50 on the ground like a general robot and a mechanism part 30 is coupled to an upper part of the driving part 50. A sensor part The head portion 20 and the bracket 40 are respectively coupled to both sides of the mechanism portion 30 and the mechanism portion 30, 30 have a built-in control unit 60 therein.

The head 20 includes a touch screen 32, a main camera 21, a camera recognition button 22, a speaker 23, a microphone 24, and a video output terminal 25.

The touch screen 32 is positioned on the front of the head unit 20 and can be operated by touching with a hand.

The camera 21 is installed at the upper part of the head 20 and has a resolution of HD quality image of at least 100 million pixels for recognizing a long distance image. The recognized image is wirelessly installed inside the mechanism unit 30 To the control unit 60 which has been set up.

The camera recognition button 22 is installed at a central upper portion of the both-side camera 21 that shapes the eyes of the robot. The camera 21 recognizes a near vision image when creating an indoor map, Not only the map data can be scaled and created, but also the recognized image can be transmitted / received wirelessly to the control unit 60. [

The speaker 23, which is shaped like the ear of the robot, is provided on both sides of the camera recognition button 22 to provide a voice message or the like for incorporating a voice recognizing unit and informing of an accident risk and a transit warning can do.

The microphone 24, which shapes the mouth of the robot, is provided below the camera recognition button 22 to provide functionality to communicate with a person. That is, it is possible to recognize the surrounding noise and sound through the microphone (24) in response to an unexpected situation that may occur in the road or in the destination, to provide a warning or guidance appropriate to the situation, analyze the inputted person's voice signal, A dialogue function capable of transmitting the message is added. Of course, such conversation contents and voice are wirelessly transmitted / received to / from the control unit 60. [

The image output terminal 25 is installed on both sides of the microphone 24 and outputs the recognized image information through the camera 21 or the camera recognition button 22 and outputs the recognized image information to the intelligent robot It is possible to provide a function of giving various expressions to the mouth of the system.

The head unit 20 is coupled to the upper portion of the robot 30 so as to be rotatable in the left and right direction so as to receive video and audio signals from various angles and further includes a camera 21 and a camera recognition button 22 Is adjustable so as not to be obstructed by a user who is seated in the safety chair 37.

Next, the mechanism unit 30 will be described.

1 and 2, the mechanism unit 30 is rotatably coupled to a lower portion of the head unit 20 and includes a sensor unit 31, a video output terminal 25, an audio output terminal 34, And an obstacle detection sensor (35).

The sensor unit 31 is arranged in a basic frame of the mechanism unit 30 and a control unit 60 to be described later is incorporated in the mechanism unit 30. [

A touch screen 32 of the cornice 20 may be provided on the upper center of the front surface of the sensor unit 31.

The touch screen 32 may have an LCD screen and a plurality of selectable contents are displayed on the screen.

Accordingly, the user can check and perform a desired content through a touch of a human hand or an object on the position of the content displayed on the screen without using a keyboard or a mouse. Preferably, a 7 "color TFT LCD (800 * 480) LCD monitor.

The audio output terminal 34 is a terminal formed on the rear surface of the sensor unit 31 and outputting information inputted through the microphone 24.

A main power button 36 for controlling the power of the head 20 may be provided on the touch screen 32 and a camera recognition button 22 may be located below the touch screen 32. Also, a port 38 may be provided on the rear side of the sensor unit 31, and an image output terminal 25 and an audio output terminal 34 may be provided.

A forward button 2, a backward button 3, and a leftward button (not shown) for controlling the movement and the variation of the wheelchair robot 1 are formed on the bracelet 40 formed to be symmetrical to the right and left sides of the safety chair 37, 4, the right turn button 5, the speed control button 6, the width control button 7, the vertical height adjustment button 8, and the power on / off button 9, So that they can be easily controlled.

The shoulder portion 42 is fixedly coupled to the upper left and right sides of the mechanism portion 30 fixed to the rear side of the safety chair 37 and the obstacle detection sensor 35 is installed on the entire surface of the shoulder portion 42. The obstacle detection sensor 35 can detect an obstacle in front by transmitting and receiving an ultrasonic wave and transmitting the ultrasonic wave to the controller 60 so that an obstacle can be avoided.

The forward button 2, the backward button 3, the leftward button 4 and the rightward button 5 are collectively arranged in one pallet 40 with intuitively arranged buttons related to the direct driving of the wheelchair.

The power on / off button 9 disposed on the other side brace 40 is a button for turning on / off the power related to driving the variable structure wheelchair robot. The width control button 7 and the up / The left and right sides of the main frame 80 of the variable-geometry wheelchair robot can control the coaxial shaft 41 and the upper and lower coaxial axes 43, thereby providing a function that can pass without fail even when the width is narrow or there is an obstacle on the floor.

That is, when the width is narrow, the width of the main frame 80 can be narrowed by pressing the width adjusting button 7 to operate the coaxial shaft 41. If there is an obstacle or a water pool on the ground, The upper and lower coaxial shafts 43 are operated through the control button 8 to increase the height of the main frame 80, thereby enhancing the driving stability and comfort.

The width and height of the wheelchair robot 1 may be manually adjusted by the user as described above but may be automatically performed by the laser scanner 53 and the ultrasonic sensor 54 of the driving unit 50 .

The movement of the wheelchair robot 1 is carried out by a driving unit 50 constituted by a driving wheel 51 installed on the left and right front sides and an auxiliary wheel 52 provided below the main frame 80.

The auxiliary wheel 52 is provided to maintain the balance of the robot. As shown in the figure, the auxiliary wheel 52 is provided to the driving unit 50, It is preferable that two of them are provided on the lower surface at regular intervals for stable support.

The auxiliary wheel 52 may be selectively installed at the front of the driving unit 50 or at the rear of the driving unit 50.

The bumper (45) can be configured to absorb the shock when the wheelchair robot collides with an obstacle or a pedestrian so that the safety of the pedestrian and the user can be secured in front of the cover surrounding the upper portion of the driving wheel have.

The laser scanner 53 and the ultrasonic sensor 54 installed on the lower side of the main frame 80 are sensors for detecting and avoiding obstacles and performing autonomous movement. The laser scanner 53 uses an infrared The ultrasonic sensor 54 recognizes and avoids an obstacle on the road surface which will interfere with the progress of the wheelchair robot 1 by transmitting / receiving ultrasonic waves.

Next, the control unit 60 will be described.

2, the control unit 60 includes a main controller, a microprocessor, and the like, which integrally controls the head 20, the mechanism 30, the bracelet 40, Control board, host PC, unmanned autonomous transmission / reception device, etc., and instructs all situation recognition, obstacle avoidance, and autonomous movement.

The control method is PC based (S / W) control, so it has various obstacle avoidance control and intelligent control function that can control the position / speed, so that the application range and work object are flexible.

The image recognition (S / W and H / W) for recognizing an image photographed by the camera 21 and the camera recognition button 22 provided on the head 20 is performed by the interface of the main controller of the controller 60 And is built in the host PC.

The main controller is a PC-based open type control structure for servos of the joints and motors of the wheelchair robot 1, and is composed of a C ++ control S / W and a DSP-based controller (H / W). The RS232C and RS485 autonomous It is possible to transmit and receive communication.

Therefore, the movement of the wheelchair robot 1 may be controlled by controlling the main controller of the controller 60 that controls the servomotors installed in the wheelchair robot 1 using the touch screen 32 or the remote controller.

It is to be understood that the detailed description of the present invention has been provided for specific embodiments, but it is to be understood that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention should not be limited to the embodiments described, but should be determined by the equivalents as well as the following claims.

1: (Variable structure in disabled person) Wheelchair robot 2: Forward button
3: Reverse button 4: Left button
5: Right button 6: Speed button
7: Width adjustment button 8: Up and down height adjustment button
9: Power on / off button
20: head 21: camera
22: camera recognition button 23: speaker
24: microphone 25: video output terminal
30: Mechanism part 31: Sensor part
32: Touch screen 34: Audio output terminal
35: Obstacle detection sensor 36: Main power button
37: Safety Chair 38: Port
40: soldering zone 41: left and right coaxial
42: shoulder portion 43: Shanghai coaxial
45: bumper 50:
51: driving wheel 52: auxiliary wheel
53: Laser scanner 54: Ultrasonic sensor
60: control unit 80: main frame

Claims (6)

A variable-structure wheelchair robot (1) according to claim 1, wherein:
A main frame 80 having a variable structure in which the width and height of the robot are autonomously adjusted according to the environment of the moving space;
A head unit 20 having a built-in voice recognition unit for recognizing the near-end voice and performing a simple conversation with a user and installed on the main frame 80 with the touch screen mounted;
A plurality of contents that can be selected by the user are displayed on the head unit 20 and are connected to a lower portion of the head unit 20. A mechanical unit capable of outputting an image or voice recognized by the head unit 20 and detecting an obstacle 30);
A pair of legs 40 provided on both sides of the mechanism part 30;
The head portion 20, the mechanism portion 30, and the like can be connected to the lower portion of the mechanism portion 30 so as to avoid the obstacle, to prevent the collision and the fall of the obstacle, , A driving unit (50) for moving the pallet (40);
And a control unit (60) built in a rear surface of the mechanism unit (30) and integrally controlling the head unit (20), the mechanism unit (30) Contents Variable structure wheelchair robot.
The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the head part (20) is rotated 360 degrees and connected to the upper part of the mechanism part (30) so that the height of the head part (20) can be adjusted.
The method according to claim 1 or 2,
The head unit 20 includes a camera 21 for recognizing a long distance image,
A camera recognition button 22 for recognizing a short distance image provided on the upper side of the camera 21,
A speaker 23 incorporating a voice recognition unit,
A microphone 24 installed below the camera 21 and having an interactive function,
And a video output terminal (25) provided on both sides of the microphone (24) and capable of outputting image information obtained from the head (20).
The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the mechanical unit (30) includes an audio output terminal (34) for outputting audio information input through the head unit (20).
The method according to claim 1 or 4,
And an obstacle detection sensor (35) positioned at the front of the shoulder portion (42) coupled to the left and right sides of the mechanism unit (30) and detecting obstacles by ultrasonic waves.
The method according to claim 1,
The driving unit 50 includes a pair of main driving wheels 51,
An auxiliary wheel 52 provided at the lower portion to maintain balance,
And a bumper (45) formed on a front surface of the main body (80) and configured to prevent a collision, the laser scanner (53) being installed on the lower front side of the main frame (80) Variable structure wheelchair robot.

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