WO2006030531A1

WO2006030531A1 - Imitated animal device having reaction continuation means

Info

Publication number: WO2006030531A1
Application number: PCT/JP2004/014040
Authority: WO
Inventors: Takanori Shibata; Kotarou Hayashi; Hidekazu Shimada
Original assignee: National Institute Of Advanced Industrial Science And Technology; Microjenics, Inc.
Priority date: 2004-09-17
Filing date: 2004-09-17
Publication date: 2006-03-23

Abstract

An imitated animal device includes: perception means (1) using a computer for detecting a stimulus which an imitated animal receives as an external parameter and generating an event; stimulated feeling formation means (2) for expressing the imitated feeling as an internal parameter according to the detection state of the external parameter; and operation execution means (5) for deciding the reaction operation corresponding to a combination of the external parameter and the internal parameter and realizing the reaction operation into a movement of a predetermined portion upon reception of the event. The imitated animal device further includes reaction continuation means (6) used under the condition that the perception means (1) detects an external parameter judged to be a start of a predetermined static continuation action, for causing the operation execution means (5) to continue the reaction operation decided according to the combination of the detected external parameter and the internal parameter present upon the detection until detecting an external parameter judged to be end of the static continuation action. Thus, even for the static continuation action, reaction similar to the animal is expressed continuously until the stimulus is terminated.

Description

Description Simulated biological device with reaction continuation technology

The present invention relates to a simulated biological apparatus provided with a reaction continuation means that causes various operations to be performed under computer control, and particularly relates to optimization of sensitivity and response to externally applied stimuli. Background art

Today, various types of simulated biological devices have been devised that allow multiple movements to be generated by computer control. Among them, there are also techniques for generating new movement patterns by simulated biological devices themselves and technologies that simulate the reflex motion of living organisms. For example, it is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-0 1-6 3 6 3 1 or Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-3 4 5 7 7. However, the conventional simulated biological device generates an action pattern corresponding to the type of stimulus for momentary user actions such as “blowing” and “striking”, and is determined for each action. The ability to take communication with the user by returning the given action will cause significant irritation only at the start and end of the action, such as “hold” or “add a baby bottle” In the period from the start to the end, the user's static and continuous user interaction (hereinafter referred to as “static continuation act”) The response of the simulated biological device to the response to the starting stimulus was only performed for a certain period of time in response to the stimulus at the start, even though the user continuously applied intangible stimuli such as love. Is in the situation. In such a situation, the communication between the simulated biological device and the user still remains at the level of dynamic action exchange. The present invention has been proposed in view of the above circumstances, and provides a simulated biological apparatus that continuously develops a reaction close to a living organism even when the static continuation action is completed. It is an object. Disclosure of the invention

The present invention relates to a simulated biological apparatus that causes a plurality of operations to be expressed by control by a computer, each of which detects a stimulus received by the simulated biological apparatus as an external parameter and generates an event, and the detection status of the external / parameter Determines reaction behavior for simulated emotion formation means that expresses simulated emotion as an internal parameter and a combination of the external parameter and the internal parameter, and realizes the reaction motion as a motion of a predetermined part in response to the event In the simulated biological apparatus comprising: the perceiving means detects the external parameter that is determined to be the start of the predetermined static continuation action. Determined according to the combination of external parameters and internal parameters at the time of detection The reaction operation, Ru consists providing the reaction continuation means for continuing until the detecting external parameters that are determined to be terminated in the static continuous action.

The continuation mode of the reaction operation at the time of the static continuation action may be continuous, or through a relatively short time blank that does not make the user think that the static continuation action has been canceled. If there is, it may be intermittent. Further, as a method of continuing the reaction action at the time of the static continuation action, an update event that further causes the reaction action to be expressed by the action execution means is detected as an external parameter that is determined to be the start of the static continuation action. After that, an update event in which reaction continuation means is generated periodically until an external parameter determined to be the end of the static continuation action is detected, or the reaction action is further expressed by the action execution means. It may take the form of providing either one of the reaction continuation means for stopping the occurrence of the occurrence of the occurrence of the static continuation action when the allowable time for the static continuation has elapsed, or the form of providing both. It should be noted that “continue” means that an external parameter that is determined to be the end of the static continuing action is detected or the end condition of the static continuing action that the allowable time for the static continuing action has passed is not satisfied. Depending on the detection of other external parameters, this means that this static continuation action is continued without being canceled. However, the reaction action for the static continuation action may be updated by detecting the external parameter in the meantime. According to the simulated biological apparatus of the present invention, the simulated biological apparatus responds to the static continuity action as well as expressing the action pattern corresponding to the type of stimulus and the detection history detected as needed according to the external parameter and the internal parameter. A continuous biological response is simulated for intangible stimuli (external parameters are not detected) such as affection continuously given by the user. You can build a communication. Brief Description of Drawings

FIG. 1 is a principal functional block diagram showing an example of a simulated biological apparatus according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is an overall functional block diagram showing an example of a simulated biological apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing an example of motion formation processing in the simulated biological apparatus according to the present invention. BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

An embodiment of a simulated biological apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

This example is a simulated biological apparatus that develops a plurality of operations under the control of a computer system, that is, a so-called robot system. The simulated biological apparatus includes a plurality of sensors 7 and a plurality of actuators 1 as shown in FIG. 9 and a computer comprising a switch, a memory, and a CPU for controlling the sensor 7 9 and the income of the housing having a predetermined outer shape and a movable structure.

As functional modules formed by these, the perceptual means 1 for generating an event (reaction event) for detecting the stimulus received by the simulated biological device as an external parameter and expressing the reaction action, and the external parameter by the stimulus are: An action determining means for automatically generating an event (autonomous event) for generating an autonomous action even if it is not detected, and selecting an event that is positively expressed from either the reaction event or the autonomous event. And internal parameters for expressing simulated emotions according to the detection status of the external parameters included in the reaction event. Allocation of multiple motion patterns corresponding to the combination of simulated emotion formation means 2 guided on the memory and external parameters and internal parameters (including those included in autonomous events; the same applies hereinafter) included in the reaction event A combination of external parameters and internal parameters included in the response event database 3 in response to the response event or autonomous event (hereinafter referred to as an event). An action execution means 5 for determining the action pattern of the reaction action or the autonomous action for the action, and embodying the action pattern of the reaction action or the autonomous action in the movement of a predetermined part in response to the event, and time information This is a simulated biological device having a timer 18 for output (see Fig. 2).

The sensory means 1 includes a sensor 7 that detects sound, light, infrared, heat, acceleration, or pressure built in the simulated biological device, and performs an arithmetic process on the output of the sensor 7 and includes external parameters. A sensor processing unit 8 that outputs a reaction event, and the simulated emotion forming means 2 uses an external parameter obtained from the perceptive means 1 to derive one emotion parameter of the internal parameter, In order to change the reaction holding time, the number of repetitions, the amount of movement (amplitude), the steady position, and the movement speed (hereinafter collectively referred to as movement elements) from the calculated emotion parameters. It is composed of an operation propagation amount calculation unit 10 for deriving an operation propagation parameter as a parameter (see FIGS. 2 and 3).

The emotion parameter is a combination of numerical data composed of a pleasant and unpleasant parameter Kkh and an exciting and calming parameter Kkt. When the simulated emotion forming means 2 detects external parameters of various reaction events, the pleasant Z unpleasant parameter Kkh The numerical value of excitement and calmness parameter Kkt is appropriately increased and decreased (see, for example, Table 1). Based on the increase and decrease of those emotion parameters, as shown in Table 2, “joy”, “anger”, “sorrow”, “easy”, As a result of being recognized as one of the five simulated emotion zones consisting of "neutral" and being expressed as a response action by the action execution means 5, the feeling of the simulated biological apparatus is expressed in a simulated manner, and The simulated emotion changes under certain conditions every time it receives a stimulus.

That is, from the simulated emotion forming means 2, based on the above emotion parameters, for example, as shown in Table 2, when Kkh≥ 70 and Kkt≥70, "joy", Kkh≤-70, and Kkt "Anger" if ≥70, Kkh≤-70, and "sorrow" if Kkt≤-70, "easy" if kh≥70 and kt≤-70, and- If 70 <Kkh <70 or -70 <Kkt <70, the simulated emotion is positioned as "neutral". Each time a reaction event is detected, depending on the simulated emotion zone, for example, as shown in Table 3, motion propagation parameters (repetition number increase / decrease parameter, steady position parameter, motion hold time increase / decrease parameter, speed parameter, or amplitude increase / decrease) Parameter etc.) is output and given to the following action execution means 5. table 1

Table 2

Simulated emotion

Pleasant / uncomfortable parameter Kkh Excited Z Calm parameter Kkt straight Kk ≥70 AND kt≥ 70

Angry Kk ≤-70 AND Kkt≥ 70

Sorrow Kk ≤-70 AND Kkt≤— 70

Easy Kkh≥70 AND Kkt≤-70

New 卜 ral 70 Kkh 70 OR -70 <Kkt 70

Table 3

The action determining means 4 is an autonomous action that generates the autonomous event including an internal parameter (autonomous parameter) relating to an autonomous action that is spontaneously generated even when no external parameter is detected without any externally detectable stimulus. In response to the generation unit 1 1, the reaction event that expresses the reaction action output from the sensory means 1, and the autonomous event, analyzes them and derives them based on the priority order based on the following event priority information set in advance. The acceptance / rejection decision unit 12 outputs either the reaction event or the autonomous event (see Fig. 2).

The event includes event classification information for distinguishing the autonomous event from the reaction event, and event priority information indicating the priority order of various events. Further, in the case of the reaction event, the external parameter is used as the external parameter. Identify the sensor or sensors that detected the stimulus (acceleration sensor, pressure sensor, etc.). Event classification information and event intensity information that represents the amount of stimulus detected by the sensor or sensors. I have. Depending on these external parameters, for example, When the vent classification information indicates a pressure-sensitive sensor, the stimulus category such as “stroke”, “hit”, or “strongly press” can be specified according to the amount of the stimulus. In the case of the above-mentioned autonomous event, the autonomous parameter is included as the event classification information.

The operation executing means 5 selects various operation patterns corresponding to external parameters and autonomous parameters included in various events by referring to the database 3 upon receiving the events and various types of actuators 19 including motors and speakers. An operation selection unit 13 and a control amount calculation unit 14 for deriving a control parameter of the operation element relating to the operation pattern selected by the operation selection unit 13 based on the operation propagation parameter given from the simulated emotion forming means 2 And an actuator controller 15 that adjusts control signals such as drive energy to the various actuators 19 in response to the control parameters (see FIG. 1).

In the simulated biological apparatus, the motion selection unit 13 further detects that the perceptual means 1 detects an external parameter that is determined to be the start of the predetermined static continuation operation. Depending on the combination of the external parameters and the internal parameters at the time of detection (emotion parameters, motion propagation parameters, etc.), the movements extracted from Database 3 are subsequently satisfied with certain input or temporal conditions. Until this time, the reaction continuation means 6 is provided to be expressed by the operation execution means 5 regardless of whether or not the external parameter is detected during that time.

The reaction continuation means 6 in this example is provided in the operation execution means 5 and comprises an operation pattern holding unit 16 and an internal event generation unit 17. The action pattern holding unit 16 receives an event (start event) that the static continuation action is determined to start from the action determining means 4, and the external parameter and emotion parameter included in the start event. (Hereinafter referred to as external parameters, etc.) The operation pattern determined by the operation selection unit 1 3 is latched in the operation pattern holding unit 16 and the timer 1 is generated by the internal event generation unit 1 7. Time is measured based on the time information at which 8 occurs, and an update event having the same information structure as the start event is generated every predetermined time.

The actuator control unit 15 uses the update event as a trigger for action expression. The control signal for expressing the operation pattern latched by the operation pattern holding unit 16 is sent to the actuator 19 as many times as possible as long as the static continuation action that triggered the occurrence of the start event continues. Send it out.

At this time, although the response action by the actor 19 is an action pattern assigned to the static continuation action, the simulated emotion forming means 2 is caused by the stimulus given during that time. In response to a reaction event other than a static continuation action, the emotion parameter is changed each time, and the output of the motion propagation parameter is further changed as described above according to the change of the emotion parameter. As a result, the control signal output from the actuator controller 15 to the actuator 19 also changes, and the operation element of the reaction operation for the continuation of the static change also changes.

Example

Here, the simulated biological device is a seal-type robot with a prone posture in a steady state, and the process in the reaction continuation means 6 is static continuation of “holding” by the acceleration sensor of the perception means 1. An example will be described in which an external parameter that is determined to be the start of an action is detected and the operation pattern shown in Table 4 is performed accordingly.

In this example, the accelerometer is used to calculate the AC acceleration (dynamic instantaneous acceleration that occurs during start-up and braking) and DC acceleration (static stable acceleration such as gravity) in two or three axes using analog voltage. It is detected by the output of. The output in each axis direction is AZD converted by the sensor processing unit 8 and subjected to arithmetic processing to derive acceleration data in each axis direction. At the same time, the angle data is derived by performing an operation to synthesize the DC acceleration in each axis direction, and these data are output as external parameters.

For example, the acceleration sensor detects DC acceleration (hereinafter referred to as horizontal static acceleration) in the horizontal direction (the direction connecting the head and tail of the seal pot), and the vertical direction.

This is a combination with the one that detects DC acceleration (hereinafter referred to as vertical static acceleration) in the direction connecting the back and abdomen of the seal robot, and adds acceleration in the head direction and back direction respectively. If the acceleration in the tail and abdominal directions is negative, it can be determined that the horizontal static acceleration is "0" and the vertical static acceleration is negative in the steady state posture, and the calculation is based on those DC accelerations. As a result, when the seal's body is tilted within 40 degrees with respect to the horizontal plane, it consists of handstand and horizontal return, and supine and horizontal return so that it can be estimated that it is held Posture change judgment 'Processing is done.

In addition, by detecting AC acceleration in the horizontal and vertical directions (hereinafter referred to as horizontal and vertical dynamic acceleration) by the same accelerometer, lifting and hugging according to the value, judgment of vibration and shaking ■ Processing The event corresponding to each event is output.

A combination of such judgment results also outputs a start event that recognizes the start of the “holding” action, which is one of the static continuation actions, for example, the start of “holding”. For the stimulus “lifting” as an element, based on the direction and magnitude of the AC acceleration and the DC acceleration, the event classification information indicating that the reaction action is performed, and the acceleration or accelerations in which the acceleration due to the lifting is detected. The sensor processing unit 8 outputs event classification information for specifying a sensor and event intensity information indicating the detected amount of the single or plural acceleration sensors as external parameters.

Then, the AC acceleration generated by the action of “lifting” is sufficiently larger than the AC acceleration detected in the mounted state, and sufficiently higher than the AC acceleration generated when it is moved roughly. A small upward AC acceleration (hereinafter referred to as a lifting acceleration) is given, and an AC acceleration (hereinafter referred to as a hugging acceleration) that is sufficiently smaller than the lifting acceleration continues for a certain period of time. Meet the requirements It can also be a judgment requirement. However, AC acceleration may be zero when the person who is holding is almost still.

In addition, with regard to “holding” as the end element of “holding”, the AC acceleration generated by the act is sufficiently larger than the hugging acceleration and is higher than the AC acceleration generated when it is moved wildly. A sufficiently small downward AC acceleration (hereinafter referred to as hugging acceleration) is given first, followed by AC acceleration detected in a mounting state sufficiently smaller than the hugging acceleration for a certain period of time. It can also be a judgment requirement to satisfy the above condition.

When the start event of the static continuation action called “pick up” is output from the sensory means 1 through the above processing, the operation pattern of Table 4 is converted into the operation pattern holding unit based on the external parameters and the like. 1 In addition to being executed by latching to 6, the external parameter included in the start event is the same as the case where an event such as “striking” or “striking” is output by a stimulus other than the above-mentioned static succession. Is input to the simulated emotion forming means 2, and as described above, the emotion parameter and the action spreading parameter transmitted to the action executing means 5 are updated, and the action selection unit 1 3 that receives the updated emotion parameter. Is reflected in the selection and determination of the operation pattern that is triggered by the detection of the update event or reaction event later. Control amount by an amount calculating unit 1 4, i.e., is reflected in the individual the operating element included in the operation pattern.

In this example, after the start event of the static continuity action is detected, the occurrence interval of the update event measured based on the time information of the timer 18 is 5 seconds. If a strong stimulus, such as tapping, touching a heel, or a strong sound, is detected during the action, the measurement is reset each time.

Also in this case, external parameters included in the response event response to the stimulus are input to the simulated emotion forming means 2, and the emotion parameters and action spreading parameters sent to the action executing means 5 are updated, The action selection unit 13 that has received the updated emotion parameter is reflected in the selection of the action pattern that is triggered by the subsequent detection of the update event or reaction event, and receives the action propagation parameter. It is reflected in the control amount by the control amount calculation unit 14. And After executing the action pattern for the stimulus, time measurement is newly started, and the update event generation process for the static continuation action is continued.

Further, in the example, after the start event of the static continuing action is detected, the timer

The permissible time of the static continuation action measured based on the time information of 18 is set to 10 minutes, and when the 10 minutes have elapsed, the time measurement by the internal event generator 17 is stopped. At the same time, the generation of the update event is stopped, and the state of waiting for the reaction event or autonomous event is entered. Even if the allowable time has not elapsed, if the stimulus determined to be “holding” is detected during the continuation of the static continuing action, it is recognized as an end event of the static continuing action, and the allowable time In the same manner as in the above, the occurrence of the update event is stopped, and then the reaction event or autonomous event waiting state is entered. Industrial applicability

If the reaction continuation means, which is a feature of the simulated biological apparatus according to the present invention, is adopted, the ecology of the simulated organism can be expressed in more detail, and communication that goes beyond simple stimulation poles becomes possible.

Claims

The scope of the claims

1. A simulated biological apparatus that develops a plurality of actions under control of a computer, each of which senses received by the simulated biological apparatus are detected as external parameters and an event is generated, and a detection status of the external parameters The simulated emotion forming means (2) for expressing the simulated emotion as an internal parameter by means of (2) and determining the reaction behavior for the combination of the external parameter and the internal parameter, and receiving the event to convert the reaction behavior to a motion of a predetermined part An operation execution means (5) to be embodied,

On the condition that the perceptive means (1) has detected an external parameter that is determined to be the start of a predetermined static continuation action, the operation executing means (5) is provided with the detected external parameter and the internal parameter at the time of detection. The simulation is characterized in that reaction continuation means (6) is provided for continuing the reaction action determined according to the combination with the parameter until the external parameter determined to be the end of the static continuation action is detected. Biological equipment.

2. An update event that further develops the reaction action by the action execution means (5) is judged to be the end of the static continuation action after detecting an external parameter that is judged to be the start of the static continuation action. 2. The simulated biological apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising reaction continuation means (6) for periodically generating the external parameter until it is detected.

3. A reaction continuation means (6) is provided that stops the generation of an update event that causes the reaction action to be further expressed by the action execution means (5) when an allowable time of the static continuation action has elapsed. The simulated biological apparatus according to any one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that it is characterized in that

4. A simulated biological device that develops multiple actions under computer control, and a perceptual means (1) that generates an event by detecting each stimulus received from the environment where the simulated biological device is placed as an external parameter; Simulated emotion forming means for expressing simulated emotion as an internal parameter according to the detection status of the external parameter

(2) and the response to the combination of external parameters and internal parameters In the simulated biological apparatus having the action execution means (5) for determining the action and realizing the reaction action to the movement of the predetermined part in response to the event,

An update event that further causes the reaction action to be expressed by the action execution means (5) is detected as an external parameter for which the perceptive means (1) is determined to start a predetermined static continuation action, and thereafter the static continuation is performed. A simulated biological apparatus provided with a reaction continuation means (6) that is periodically generated until an allowable time for an action elapses.