WO2022168689A1

WO2022168689A1 - Neck-hanging device and remote work assisting system

Info

Publication number: WO2022168689A1
Application number: PCT/JP2022/002803
Authority: WO
Inventors: 真人藤野; 雄一郎竹崎
Original assignee: ＦａｉｒｙＤｅｖｉｃｅｓ株式会社
Priority date: 2021-02-04
Filing date: 2022-01-26
Publication date: 2022-08-11
Also published as: JP2022119684A; JP7023022B1

Abstract

[Problem] To provide a compact terminal for workers that is usable in a remote work assisting system. [Solution] A neck-hanging device 100 worn on the neckline of a user, comprising: a first arm part 10 and a second arm 20 arrangeable at positions across the neckline; imaging units 41, 51 capable of photographing the front side of the user and provided on the first and second arm parts 10, 20; and light projection units 42, 52 capable of irradiating light to the inside of the photographing range of the imaging units 41, 51 and provided on the first and second arm parts. The light projection part 42 of the first arm part 10 is capable of irradiating light to the inside of the photographing range of the imaging unit 51 of the second arm part 20, and the light projection part 52 of the second arm part 20 is capable of irradiating light to the inside of the photographing range of the imaging part 41 of the first arm part 10.

Description

Neck hanging device and remote work support system

The present invention relates to a neck-mounted device and a remote work support system using it.

Conventionally, there has been known a remote work support system comprising a worker terminal having a camera, a laser pointer, etc., and a supporter terminal connected to this terminal via the Internet (Patent Document 1). In this system, when a worker terminal transmits an image captured by a camera to a supporter terminal, the image is displayed on the supporter terminal. Further, when a supporter such as an operator designates a part of the image with a mouse pointer or the like on the supporter terminal while viewing the image, the designation information is transmitted to the worker terminal via the Internet. Then, the operator terminal controls the irradiation direction and angle of the laser pointer based on this designation information. As a result, even when the supporter is in a remote location from the work site, the support information can be transmitted to the worker at the site via a laser pointer or the like provided in the worker terminal.

In addition, in the remote work support system as described above, it has also been proposed to miniaturize the worker terminal and make it a device (wearable device) that the worker can wear (Patent Document 2).

JP-A-2000-125024 Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-219847

By the way, the small portable terminal disclosed in Patent Document 2 is used by being worn on the user's shoulder, but it is about half the size of the user's head, and there is still room for miniaturization. In particular, this small portable terminal has a laser light source and a camera that are integrated and fixed. Therefore, in this terminal, in order to be able to irradiate the laser light from the laser light source within the angle of view range of the camera, a relatively large turntable is used to control the irradiation direction of the laser light. This is an obstacle to miniaturization of terminals. In addition, if the turntable becomes large, it becomes necessary to mount a large battery to supply power to it, which is also one of the factors that hinder the miniaturization of terminals.

Therefore, the main object of the present invention is to further miniaturize a worker terminal that can be used in a remote work support system.

A first aspect of the present invention relates to a neck-mounted device that is worn around the user's neck. The neck-hung type device has a first arm and a second arm that can be arranged at positions across the neck. Both the first arm and the second arm are provided with imaging units (such as cameras) capable of photographing the front side of the user. Further, both the first arm and the second arm are provided with light projection units (laser light source, projector, etc.) capable of irradiating light within the imaging range of the imaging unit. The neck-mounted device according to the present invention can use the light emitted from the light projecting section to indicate (point) a specific location, and the light can be used to point figures, letters, numbers, symbols, or images. It is also possible to project message information containing on the object. In this way, by providing the imaging section and the light projecting section on the arms of the neck-mounted device, it is possible to further miniaturize the operator's terminal that can be used in the remote work support system. As a result, the portability of the worker terminal can be improved.

In another embodiment, in the neck-mounted device according to the present invention, the imaging section is provided on at least one of the first arm and the second arm, and the light projecting section is provided on the first arm and the second arm. It may be provided in at least the other of the parts. In this way, by providing the imaging section and the light projecting section on separate arms, the terminal can be further miniaturized. Specifically, for example, when an imaging unit is provided on the first arm and a light projecting unit is provided on the second arm, there is a certain distance between the image capturing unit and the light projecting unit, and the optical axis of the two is aligned. A certain angle difference can be added. Therefore, when irradiating the imaging range of the imaging unit with light from the light projecting unit, it is possible to reduce the driving amount of the driving unit (such as an actuator) that controls the irradiation direction of the light from the light projecting unit. If the drive amount is reduced, the configuration of the drive unit itself can be made smaller. Furthermore, if the drive unit can be made smaller, the battery that powers it can also be made smaller. As a result, the entire device can be made compact. Note that it is also possible to provide the imaging section on either one of the first arm and the second arm, and provide the light projecting section on both the first arm and the second arm. It is also possible to provide the imaging units on both the first arm and the second arm and provide the light projecting unit on either the first arm or the second arm.

In the neck-mounted device according to the present invention, it is preferable that the imaging section and the light projecting section are provided on both the first arm section and the second arm section, respectively. In this way, by providing the imaging units on both arms, the front side of the user can be photographed widely by the two imaging units. In particular, the horizontal shooting range (horizontal angle of view) is widened. Similarly, by providing the imaging units on both arms, the light from the light projecting units can be emitted over a wide range. In addition, by installing the light projecting units at two or more locations, for example, while pointing to a specific location with the light from one light projecting unit, the other light projecting unit can output character information, graphic information, and the like. Therefore, the amount of information given to the user can be greatly improved. In addition, when it is attempted to simultaneously display an indication point (pointing) at a specific location and character information by a single light projecting unit, it is necessary to irradiate light over a wide range from the light projecting unit. There is a concern that the illuminance of the indication point may decrease. In this regard, by using two or more light-projecting units to separately display the indication point and the character information, etc., the illuminance of the indication point can be maintained strong, and at the same time, the character information, etc. can be displayed effectively. Become.

In the neck-mounted device according to the present invention, it is preferable that the light projecting section of the first arm be configured to be able to irradiate light within the photographing range of the imaging section of the second arm. Moreover, it is preferable that the light projecting section of the second arm is configured to be able to irradiate light within the photographing range of the imaging section of the first arm. In this way, light is emitted from the light projecting section of the first arm within the imaging range of the second imaging section, and light is emitted from the light projecting section of the second arm within the imaging range of the first imaging section. By arranging each light projecting unit and each imaging unit as described above, the configuration of the drive unit for controlling the irradiation direction of the light projecting unit can be reduced in size. Specifically, for example, the light projecting unit of the first arm irradiates the second arm with light within the shooting range of the image capturing unit, so that a certain distance can be secured between the image capturing unit and the light projecting unit. , and a certain angular difference can be given to the optical axes of both. Therefore, when irradiating the imaging range of the imaging unit with light from the light projecting unit, it is possible to reduce the driving amount of the driving unit (such as an actuator) that controls the irradiation direction of the light from the light projecting unit. If the drive amount is reduced, the configuration of the drive unit itself can be made smaller. Furthermore, if the drive unit can be made smaller, the battery that powers it can also be made smaller.

In the neck-mounted device according to the present invention, in a plan view, the photographing directions of the imaging units of the first arm and the second arm are inclined outward, and the light projection units of the first arm and the second arm It is preferable that the direction of light projection of is inclined inward. Note that "outward" means that the imaging direction of the imaging unit of the first arm faces the direction opposite to the direction in which the second arm exists, and similarly, the imaging direction of the imaging unit of the second arm. points in the direction opposite to the direction in which the first arm lies. In addition, "inward" means that the light projecting direction of the light projecting part of the first arm faces the direction in which the second arm exists, and similarly, the light projecting direction of the light projecting part of the second arm is It means facing the direction in which the first arm exists. In this way, by setting the shooting direction of the imaging unit of each arm to face outward, when the images shot by the two imaging units are integrated, the horizontal angle of view of the integrated image can be widened. can. In addition, by setting the light projecting direction of the light projecting part of each arm to face inward, it becomes easier for the light projecting part of one arm to irradiate light within the imaging range of the imaging part of the other arm. Furthermore, by setting the imaging direction of the imaging unit and the light projection direction of the light projecting unit to be opposite, the light from the light projecting unit arranged on the same arm is less likely to enter the imaging unit. As a result, a phenomenon such as so-called blown-out highlights is less likely to occur in the image acquired by the imaging unit.

The neck-mounted device according to the present invention may further include a control section that controls the light projecting section, and one or more sound collecting sections provided on the first arm or the second arm. In this case, the control unit can control the light projecting unit based on the information about the sound acquired by the sound collecting unit so that the direction in which the sound is emitted is indicated by light. This allows the user to visually understand the direction from which the sound is generated.

A second aspect of the present invention relates to a remote work support system using the neck-hanging device according to the first aspect. A remote work support system according to the present invention is configured by connecting a neck-mounted device worn around the neck of a user and a supporter device operated by a supporter to each other via an information communication line. It is The neck-hung type device includes a first arm and a second arm that can be arranged at positions sandwiching the user's neck, and an imaging device provided on the first arm and the second arm that can photograph the front side of the user. a light projecting unit provided on the first arm and the second arm and capable of irradiating light within an imaging range of the imaging unit; and a control unit for controlling the light projecting unit. The light projecting section of the first arm is configured to be able to irradiate light within an imaging range of the image capturing section of the second arm, and the light projecting section of the second arm captures the image of the first arm. It is configured to be able to irradiate light within the photographing range of the part. The supporter device includes a display unit capable of displaying a photographed image acquired by the imaging unit of the neck-worn device, and an operation unit capable of inputting designation of coordinates on the display screen of the display unit. The supporter device transmits coordinate information in the captured image to the worker terminal when coordinates in the captured image displayed on the display screen are designated by the operation unit. The control unit of the neck-mounted device controls the irradiation direction of the light emitted from the light projecting unit based on this coordinate information. As a result, support information can be transmitted from a remote location from the supporter terminal to the neck-mounted device (worker terminal).

According to the present invention, it is possible to further reduce the size of terminals for workers that can be used in the remote work support system.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of a neck-mounted device. FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the mounted state of the neck-mounted device, and schematically shows the imaging range of each imaging section and the light projection possible range of each light projection section. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the neck-mounted device. FIG. 4 shows an example of a remote work support system. FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing an example of processing of a worker terminal and a supporter terminal included in the remote work support system.

Embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described below, and includes appropriate modifications within the scope obvious to those skilled in the art from the following embodiments.

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a neck-mounted device 100 according to the present invention. Moreover, FIG. 2 schematically shows a state in which the wearer wears the neck-mounted device 100 . 3 is a block diagram showing the components of the neck-worn device 100. As shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 1 , the housing that constitutes neck-mounted device 100 includes left arm 10 , right arm 20 , and main body 30 . The left arm portion 10 and the right arm portion 20 extend forward from the left end and the right end of the main body portion 30, respectively, and the neck-hanging type device 100 has a substantially U-shaped structure as a whole when viewed from above. ing. When wearing the neck-mounted device 100, as shown in FIG. 2, the body portion 30 is brought into contact with the back of the wearer's neck, and the left arm portion 10 and the right arm portion 20 are moved from the side of the wearer's neck to the chest side. Hang the entire device around your neck so that it hangs down toward you. As shown in FIG. 3, various electronic components are stored in the housing of the neck-mounted device 100 .

In this embodiment, the left arm 10 and the right arm 20 are provided with imaging units (cameras) 41 and 51, respectively. Specifically, a first imaging unit 41 is provided at the tip of the left arm 10, and a second imaging unit 51 is provided at the tip of the right arm 20. These

imaging units

41, 51 are used to capture images of the wearer. You can shoot still images and moving images of the front side. The images acquired by the

imaging units

41 and 51 are transmitted to the control unit 60 in the main unit 30, and after being subjected to predetermined processing, are stored as image data. The photographing ranges of the first imaging section 41 and the second imaging section 51 partially overlap. Therefore, the control unit 60 obtains the image captured by the first imaging unit 41 and the image captured by the second imaging unit 51, and then integrates these two captured images to process them into one image. be able to.

In addition, the left arm portion 10 and the right arm portion 20 are further provided with light projecting

portions

42 and 52, respectively. Specifically, a first light projecting section 42 is provided at the tip of the left arm 10 , and a second light projecting section 52 is provided at the tip of the right arm 20 . Each of the

light projection units

42 and 52 is configured to irradiate light within the imaging range of the

imaging units

41 and 51 . Examples of the

light projection units

42 and 52 are known laser light sources and projectors. For example, the

light projecting units

42 and 52 can indicate a specific location on the wearer's front side by laser light emitted from the laser light source. Further, by scanning (for example, Lissajous scanning) laser light emitted from a laser light source, letters and figures can be expressed by the laser light. Also, as the

light projection units

42 and 52, a known micro-projector may be employed to project image light toward the front side of the wearer. Further, each of the

light projection units

42 and 52 is configured to be able to independently change the irradiation direction of light by driving units (actuators) 43 and 53 (see FIG. 3) provided inside the housing. ing.

FIG. 2 shows the positional relationship of the

image capturing units

41 and 51 and the

light projecting units

42 and 52 on the

arms

10 and 20, the imaging range of the

image capturing units

41 and 51 and the projection of the

light projecting units

42 and 52. It shows the relationship of the light possible range. In FIG. 2, for the sake of convenience, the photographing ranges of the

imaging units

41 and 51 are indicated by fan-shaped dashed lines. Of course it is widespread. Moreover, in FIG. 2, the light projectable range of each light projecting

part

42 and 52 is shown with the dashed-dotted line. The light projectable range means that light is emitted from each of the

light projecting units

42 and 52 by changing the irradiation direction of the light (laser light, etc.) of each of the

light projecting units

42 and 52 by the driving

units

43 and 53 described above. means the maximum possible range. In FIG. 2, the optical axis (main axis) of the first imaging section 41 is denoted by L1, and the central axis of the first light projecting section 42 is denoted by L2. The optical axis L1 of the first imaging section 41 is an axis of symmetry passing through the center of the lens that constitutes this imaging section, and extends along the center of the imaging range. Further, the central axis L2 of the first light projecting section 42 is a line extending along the center of the light projectable range of this light projecting section, and mainly corresponds to the light emitted from the initial position of this light projecting section. is doing. Although not shown, the second imaging section 51 and the second light projecting section 52 also have an optical axis and a central axis. Furthermore, in FIG. 2, a planar object arranged at a position 1 m away from the tip of the neck-hanging device 100 on the wearer's front side is denoted by symbol O. As shown in FIG.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, first, the distal end portions of the left arm portion 10 and the right arm portion 20 include outward surfaces 11 and 21 and

inward surfaces

12 and 22, respectively. The outward surfaces 11 and 21 are surfaces facing the outside of the neck-mounted device 100 . For example, when normal lines (perpendicular to the surfaces) are drawn from the outward surfaces 11 and 21 of the left and

right arms

10 and 20 in plan view, the normal lines do not intersect. Inward facing surfaces 12 , 22 , on the other hand, are surfaces facing the inside of the neck device 100 . For example, when normal lines (perpendicular to the surfaces) are drawn from the

inward surfaces

12 and 22 of the left and

right arms

10 and 20 in plan view, the normal lines intersect on the wearer's front side. Become.

The

imaging units

41 and 51 are arranged on the

outward surfaces

11 and 21 of the distal ends of the

arms

10 and 20, respectively. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 2, the optical axes L1 of the

imaging units

41 and 51 are inclined outward from the neck-mounted device 100 . As a result, the imaging directions of the

imaging units

41 and 51 are tilted outward. However, as shown in FIG. 2, the angle of view in the horizontal direction of each of the

imaging units

41 and 51 is designed to be super wide, so the imaging ranges of the two

imaging units

41 and 51 are at least partially Duplicate. Specifically, the imaging ranges of the

imaging units

41 and 51 overlap in the front portion of the wearer. For example, the horizontal angle of view of each of the

imaging units

41 and 51 may be 90 to 180 degrees, preferably 100 degrees or more, 110 degrees or more, or 120 degrees or more. The inclination of the optical axis L1 of each

imaging unit

41, 51 is not particularly limited. preferably.

On the other hand, the respective

light projecting sections

42, 52 are arranged on the

inward surfaces

12, 22 of the distal end portions of the

respective arm sections

10, 20, respectively. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 2, the central axis L2 of each of the

light projection units

42 and 52 is inclined outward from the neck-mounted device 100. As shown in FIG. As a result, the light projecting directions of the

light projecting units

42 and 52 are inclined outward. Further, the light projecting direction of each of the

light projecting units

42 and 52 can be adjusted in left-right angle (yaw angle) and vertical angle (pitch angle) by the driving

units

43 and 53. When the possible light range) is increased, the structures of the

drive units

43 and 53 are correspondingly increased. Therefore, from the viewpoint of miniaturization of the driving

units

43 and 53, it is preferable that the adjustment range of the angle of the light projecting direction of the

light projecting units

43 and 52 is 10 degrees to 90 degrees for both the horizontal angle and the vertical angle. 15 to 80 degrees, or 20 to 60 degrees is particularly preferred. Furthermore, the adjustment width of this angle can be 45 degrees or less. Further, as shown in FIG. 2, since the light projecting directions of the

light projecting units

42 and 52 are inclined inward, the light projecting directions (central axes) of the

light projecting units

42 and 52 are aligned with the wearer's body. will intersect in front of Although the inclination of the central axis L2 of each of the

light projection units

42 and 52 is not particularly limited, for example, the inclination θ2 of the central axis L2 with respect to the line of sight of the wearer extending straight toward the front is 5 to 45 degrees or 10 to 30 degrees. It is preferable to measure However, as shown in FIG. 2, when it is assumed that the object O is located at a distance of 1 m from the wearer's front side, the light projectable range of each of the

light projecting units

42 and 52 on the surface of the object O is Preferably, they overlap at least partially. In this way, the postable ranges of the

light projecting units

42 and 52 and the respective

light projecting units

42 and 52 are arranged so that the light projectable ranges of the

light projecting units

42 and 52 overlap on the surface of the object O which is 1 m away from the wearer. The inclination θ2 of the central axis L2 of 42, 52 may be adjusted. As a result, at least the object O can be irradiated with light without gaps by the two

light projection units

42 and 52 .

As described above, the shooting ranges of the

imaging units

41 and 51 are tilted outward, while the postable ranges of the

light projection units

42 and 52 are tilted inward. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 2 , the first light projecting section 42 provided on the left arm 10 can irradiate light onto the photographing range of the second imaging section 51 provided on the right arm 20 . The first light projecting section 42 may also be capable of irradiating light to the imaging range of the first imaging section 41 provided on the left arm 10 as well. 2 The main function is to irradiate the imaging range of the imaging unit 51 with light. Similarly, the second light projecting section 52 provided on the right arm 20 can irradiate the imaging range of the first imaging section 41 provided on the left arm 10 with light. Similarly, the second light projecting section 52 may be capable of irradiating light to the imaging range of the second imaging section 51 provided on the right arm 20 , but the first imaging section provided on the left arm 10 may emit light. Its main function is to irradiate the imaging range of 41 with light. Thus, in the present embodiment, the light projecting section provided on one arm is configured to mainly irradiate light to the imaging range of the imaging section provided on the other arm. .

As in the present embodiment, outward surfaces 11 and 21 and

inward surfaces

12 and 22 are formed at the distal end portions of the left arm portion 10 and the right arm portion 20, respectively. By providing the

light projecting units

42 and 52 on the

surfaces

12 and 22, the light emitted from the

light projecting units

42 and 52 is less likely to enter the

imaging units

41 and 51 directly. As a result, a phenomenon called overexposure is less likely to occur in the captured images of the

imaging units

41 and 51 . However, although illustration is omitted, in another embodiment, the outward surfaces 11 and 21 and the

inward surfaces

12 and 22 are not formed at the distal end portions of the

respective arm portions

10 and 20, and the

imaging portions

41 and 51 and the light projecting portion 42 are formed. , 52 on the same plane. Even in this case, the

imaging units

41 and 51 and the

light projecting units

42 and 52 are arranged so that the optical axes L1 of the

image capturing units

41 and 51 are tilted outward and the central axes L1 of the

light projecting units

42 and 52 are tilted inward. is preferably installed.

As shown in FIG. 1 and the like, illumination units 44 and 54 (flashlights) can be further installed at the tip of each

arm

10 and 20 separately from the

light projection units

42 and 52 . As described above, the main function of the

light projecting units

42 and 52 is to present information to the wearer, such as indicating specific locations and displaying characters, figures, etc., by light. The

units

44 and 54 are installed simply for the purpose of brightly illuminating the imaging range of the

imaging units

41 and 51 . In this embodiment, the first illumination unit 44 of the left arm 10 is configured to mainly illuminate the imaging range of the second imaging unit 51 of the right arm 20, and the second illumination unit 54 of the right arm 20 , the imaging range of the first imaging unit 41 of the left arm 10 is preferably illuminated. For this reason, the

lighting units

44 and 54 are preferably installed on the

inward surfaces

12 and 22 of the distal ends of the

arms

10 and 20, respectively, like the

light projecting units

42 and 52 described above. In addition, by installing in this way, it is possible to prevent the illumination light emitted from the

lighting units

44 and 54 from directly entering the

imaging units

41 and 51 .

As shown in FIG. 1 and the like, the left arm 10 and the right arm 20 are provided with one or more sound collectors (microphones) 45 and 55, respectively. The

sound collectors

45 and 55 are arranged mainly for the purpose of acquiring the voices of the wearer and the interlocutor. In the example shown in FIG. 1 , the left arm 10 is provided with three first sound collectors 45 , and the right arm 20 is also provided with three second sound collectors 55 . As an optional element, the left arm 10 and the right arm 20 may additionally be provided with one or more sound collectors. Furthermore, although illustration is omitted, it is also possible to provide a sound collecting section as an optional additional element in the body section 30 located between the left arm section 10 and the right arm section 20 . The sound signals acquired by these

sound collectors

45 and 55 are transmitted to the controller 60 (see FIG. 3) provided in the main body 30 and subjected to predetermined analysis processing.

The control unit 60 may also analyze the sound signals acquired from the

sound collectors

45 and 55 and identify the position of the source of the sound and the direction in which the source exists with respect to the neck-worn device 100. good. In this case, the control unit 60 can control the

light projecting units

42 and 52 so as to indicate the direction in which the sound is emitted. For example, the control unit 60 emits light from the

light projecting units

42 and 52 to project the shape of an arrow onto an object, and visually communicates the source of the sound to the wearer according to the direction of the arrow. good. In addition, the control unit 60 actually emits light from the

light projecting units

42 and 52 toward the source of the sound, and illuminates the source with the light so that the wearer can visually recognize the source of the sound. It is also possible to transmit

The left arm portion 10 and the right arm portion 20 described above can be arranged at positions sandwiching the neck. The left arm portion 10 and the right arm portion 20 are connected by a main body portion 30 provided at a position that contacts the back of the wearer's neck. Electronic parts (control system circuits) such as a processor and a battery are installed in the main body 30 . As shown in FIG. 1, the housing that constitutes the main body 30 has a substantially flat shape, and can accommodate a planar (plate-shaped) circuit board and a battery. The body portion 30 also has a hanging portion 31 that extends downward from the left arm portion 10 and the right arm portion 20 . By providing the main body portion 30 with the hanging portion 31, a space for installing the control system circuit is secured. In addition, control system circuits are centrally mounted on the body portion 30 . This control system circuit includes a battery and a circuit board on which various electronic components such as a processor driven by power supply from the battery are mounted. Therefore, when the total weight of the neck-mounted device 100 is 100%, the weight of the main body 30 accounts for 40 to 80% or 50% to 70%. By arranging such a heavy main body part 30 on the back of the wearer's neck, the stability during wearing is improved. In addition, by arranging the heavy body portion 30 at a position close to the trunk of the wearer, the burden imposed on the wearer by the weight of the entire device can be reduced.

Also, a proximity sensor 63 is provided inside the main body 30 (on the wearer's side). The proximity sensor 63 is for detecting the approach of an object, and when the neck-hanging type device 100 is worn around the wearer's neck, the proximity sensor 63 detects the approach of the neck. Therefore, when the proximity sensor 63 detects the proximity of an object, the

imaging units

41 and 51, the

light projecting units

42 and 52, the

lighting units

44 and 54, the sound collecting units 45, When the devices such as 55 are turned on (driving state) and the proximity sensor 63 is not detecting the proximity of an object, these devices can be turned off (sleep state) or cannot be activated. As a result, power consumption of the battery can be efficiently suppressed. In addition, when the proximity sensor 63 is in a state where the proximity sensor 63 is not detecting the proximity of an object, by making it impossible to activate the

imaging units

41 and 51 and the

sound collecting units

45 and 55, intentional or unintentional It can also be expected to have the effect of preventing data from being recorded in the As the proximity sensor 63, a known one can be used. A window should be provided.

A sound emitting part 64 (speaker) is provided on the outside of the body part 30 (opposite side of the wearer). The sound emitting portion 64 is preferably arranged to output sound toward the outside of the main body portion 30 . In this embodiment, the left arm 10 and the right arm 20 are provided with the

sound collectors

45 and 55, respectively. The physical distance between the unit 64 and the

sound collecting units

45 and 55 can be maximized. That is, in a state where the voices of the wearer and the interlocutor are being collected by the

sound collectors

45 and 55, when some sound is output from the sound emitting unit 64, the voice of the wearer or the like is recorded. A sound (self-output sound) from the unit 64 may be mixed. If the self-output sound is included in the recorded sound, it interferes with speech recognition, so it is necessary to remove the self-output sound by echo cancellation processing or the like. However, in reality, it is difficult to completely eliminate the self-output sound due to the influence of housing vibration and the like even if echo cancellation processing is performed. Therefore, in order to minimize the volume of the self-output sound that is mixed with the wearer's voice, the sound emitting unit 64 is provided at a position corresponding to the back of the wearer's neck as described above, and the sound collecting unit 45, Physical distance from 55 is preferred.

As a structural feature of the neck-mounted device 100, the left arm 10 and the right arm 20 have

flexible parts

13 and 23 near the joints with the main body 30, as shown in FIG.

Flexible portions

13 and 23 are made of a flexible material such as rubber or silicone. Therefore, when the neck-mounted device 100 is worn, the left arm portion 10 and the right arm portion 20 can be easily fitted around the wearer's neck and shoulders. Wires connecting the electronic devices mounted on the

arms

10 and 20 and the control unit 60 provided on the main body 30 are also inserted through the

flexible portions

13 and 23 .

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the neck-worn device 100. FIG. As shown in FIG. 3, the neck-mounted device 100 includes first and

second imaging units

41 and 51, first and second

light projecting units

42 and 52, first and

second driving units

43 and 53, 1 and

second lighting units

44 and 54, first and second

sound collecting units

45 and 55, operation unit 46, control unit 60, storage unit 61, communication unit 62, proximity sensor 63, sound emitting unit 64, and battery 70 have In this embodiment, the left arm portion 10 is provided with a first imaging portion 41, a first light projecting portion 42, a first driving portion 43, a first lighting portion 44, a first sound collecting portion 45, and an operating portion 46. ing. A second imaging section 51 , a second light projecting section 52 , a second driving section 53 , a second lighting section 54 and a second sound collecting section 55 are arranged on the right arm section 20 . Furthermore, a control unit 60 , a storage unit 61 , a communication unit 62 , a proximity sensor 63 , a sound emitting unit 64 and a battery 70 are arranged in the main unit 30 . In addition to the functional configuration shown in FIG. 3, the neck-mounted device 100 is equipped with sensors such as a gyro sensor, an acceleration sensor, a geomagnetic sensor, a GPS sensor, and the like in general portable information terminals. Module equipment can be mounted as appropriate.

The

imaging units

41 and 51 acquire image data of still images or moving images. A general digital camera may be adopted as the

imaging units

41 and 51 . The

imaging units

41 and 51 include, for example, a photographing lens, a mechanical shutter, a shutter driver, a photoelectric conversion element such as a CCD image sensor unit, a digital signal processor (DSP) that reads the amount of charge from the photoelectric conversion element and generates image data, and an IC. Consists of memory. The

imaging units

41 and 51 also include an autofocus sensor (AF sensor) for measuring the distance from the photographic lens to the subject, and a mechanism for adjusting the focal length of the photographic lens according to the distance detected by the AF sensor. is preferably provided. The type of AF sensor is not particularly limited, but a known passive sensor such as a phase difference sensor or a contrast sensor may be used. Also, as the AF sensor, an active sensor that directs infrared rays or ultrasonic waves toward a subject and receives the reflected light or reflected waves thereof may be used. The image data acquired by the

imaging units

41 and 51 are supplied to the control unit 60 and stored in the storage unit 61, where predetermined image analysis processing and image processing processing are performed. Alternatively, the image data is transmitted to another device via the Internet via communication unit 62 . In this embodiment, as described above, the front side of the wearer is photographed by the two

imaging units

41 and 51 . Since the two captured images acquired by the

imaging units

41 and 51 are partially overlapped, the control unit 60 preferably performs processing to integrate these images.

The

light projecting units

42 and 52 present information to the wearer by emitting light. Known laser light sources and projectors can be used as the

light projection units

42 and 52, but here, an image display unit equipped with a laser light source will be described as an example. The image display unit includes, for example, a laser light source that emits laser light, an optical fiber one end of which is connected to the laser light source, and an optical scanning section arranged on the other end side of the optical fiber. As for the configuration of the image display unit, for example, the disclosure in JP-A-2019-133102 can be referred to.

The laser light source emits laser light of each color of R (red), G (green), and B (blue), and includes three monochromatic laser diode chips that emit these three colors of laser light. Light emitted from the laser light source is controlled by the controller 60 based on image data. That is, the control unit 60 converts image data corresponding to a plurality of pixels representing an image to be displayed into an image signal by a predetermined method. Controls the modulation of light.

One end of an optical fiber is connected to the output end of the laser light source, and each color laser light modulated according to the image signal is transmitted through the optical fiber. The other end of the optical fiber is open as a free end, and each color laser beam propagated through the optical fiber is emitted from the tip. As this optical fiber, a single optical fiber having a single core for guiding laser beams of three colors is used, or three optical fibers having a single core for guiding laser beams of respective colors are bundled. A bundle fiber may be used, or a multi-core fiber having three cores for guiding laser light of each color may be used.

The optical scanning unit is composed of, for example, a holding member that cantilevers the optical fiber and a cylindrical piezoelectric element connected to the holding member and provided on the tip side of the optical fiber. An optical fiber is arranged at the center of a cylindrical piezoelectric element, and the cylindrical piezoelectric element is vibrated to flexure and vibrate the optical fiber. Specifically, the cylindrical piezoelectric element has electrodes divided into four, and a voltage with a phase difference of π/2 is applied to each of these adjacent electrodes based on a drive signal output from the control unit 60 to form a cylindrical shape. The end face of the piezoelectric element on the open end side is circularly vibrated. Then, the control unit 60 controls the amplitude at a predetermined cycle, so that the optical scanning unit causes the laser light emitted from the tip of the optical fiber to two-dimensionally scan, for example, in a spiral shape. In this case, the display screen becomes circular or elliptical. Note that the mode of scanning the laser light in two-dimensional directions is not limited to this. For example, Lissajous scanning may be performed by adjusting the application timing of the voltage applied to each electrode of the cylindrical piezoelectric element. In this case, the display screen corresponds to a substantially rectangular shape. In this way, by manipulating the laser beam emitted from the optical fiber, it is possible to draw figures, characters, numbers, symbols, or images with some degree of freedom.

The

drive units

43 and 53 have a mechanism for varying the irradiation direction of the light from the

light projection units

42 and 52 . For example, the

drive units

43 and 53 include a mechanism for turning the direction of the emission ends of the

light projection units

42 and 52 left and right, and a mechanism for turning the direction of the emission ends of the

light projection units

42 and 52 up and down. mechanism. A known turntable or the like may be adopted as these rotating mechanisms. Further, as the

drive units

43 and 53, those including mirrors for reflecting the light from the

light projection units

42 and 53 and an adjustment mechanism for adjusting the direction of the mirrors can be employed. The driving

units

43 and 53 drive these rotating mechanisms or adjusting mechanisms based on control signals from the control unit 60 to control the irradiation direction of light from the

light projecting units

42 and 52 .

The

illumination units

44 and 54 are lights for illuminating the shooting range of the

imaging units

41 and 51 . Light-emitting elements such as known LEDs, laser light sources, or diffused laser light sources can be employed as the

illumination units

44 and 54 . For example, since it is desirable that the

illumination units

44 and 54 can emit white light, the

illumination units

44 and 54 may be of a type that obtains white light by combining a blue LED and its complementary color, yellow phosphor, or of a type that obtains white light by combining red, blue, and green. A full-color type that obtains white light by combining LEDs can be used. The

illumination units

44 and 54 may be turned off when the brightness sensor (not shown) detects sufficient brightness of ambient light, and may be turned on when the brightness sensor does not detect sufficient brightness. good.

As the

sound collectors

45 and 55, known microphones such as dynamic microphones, condenser microphones, and MEMS (Micro-Electrical-Mechanical Systems) microphones may be adopted. The

sound collectors

45 and 55 convert sounds into electric signals, amplify the electric signals with an amplifier circuit, convert them into digital information with an A/D converter circuit, and output the digital information to the control unit 60 . In this embodiment, the

sound collectors

45 and 55 can acquire not only the voice of the wearer, but also the voices of one or more interlocutors existing around the wearer. For this reason, it is preferable to employ omnidirectional (omnidirectional) microphones as the

sound collectors

45 and 55 so that sounds generated around the wearer can be widely collected.

The operation unit 46 accepts an operation input by the wearer. A known switch circuit, touch panel, or the like can be employed as the operation unit 46 . The operation unit 46 is, for example, an operation for instructing start or stop of voice input, an operation for instructing start or stop of shooting, an operation for instructing to turn on or off the power of the device, an operation for instructing to increase or decrease the volume of the speaker, In addition, it accepts operations necessary for realizing functions of the neck-mounted device 100 . Information input via the operation unit 46 is transmitted to the control unit 60 .

The control unit 60 performs arithmetic processing to control other elements included in the neck-mounted device 100 . As the control unit 60, a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) can be used. The control unit 60 basically reads a program stored in the storage unit 61 and executes predetermined arithmetic processing according to this program. In addition, the control unit 60 can appropriately write and read the calculation result according to the program to and from the storage unit 61 .

The storage unit 61 is an element for storing information used for arithmetic processing and the like in the control unit 60 and the calculation results thereof. Specifically, the storage unit 61 stores a program that causes the neck-worn device 100 to exhibit the functions unique to the present invention. When this program is activated by an instruction from the user, the control unit 60 executes processing according to the program. The storage function of the storage unit 61 can be realized by non-volatile memories such as HDD and SDD, for example. In addition, the storage unit 61 may have a function as a memory for writing or reading the intermediate progress of arithmetic processing by the control unit 60 or the like. A memory function of the storage unit 61 can be realized by a volatile memory such as a RAM or a DRAM. Further, the storage unit 61 may store ID information unique to the user who owns it. In addition, the storage unit 61 may store an IP address, which is identification information of the neck-worn device 100 on the network.

The communication unit 62 is an element for wirelessly communicating with another device on the cloud (specifically, a supporter terminal described later) or another neck-mounted device. The communication unit 62 uses known mobile communication such as 3G (W-CDMA), 4G (LTE/LTE-Advanced), and 5G to communicate with a supporter terminal or another neck-mounted device via the Internet. A standard or a communication module for wireless communication by a wireless LAN system such as Wi-Fi (registered trademark) may be adopted. Also, the communication unit 62 can employ a communication module for close proximity wireless communication such as Bluetooth (registered trademark) or NFC in order to directly communicate with another neck-mounted device.

The proximity sensor 63 is mainly used to detect the proximity of the neck-worn device 100 (particularly the main body 30) and the wearer. As the proximity sensor 63, a known sensor such as an optical sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, a magnetic sensor, a capacitance sensor, or a temperature sensing sensor can be used as described above. The proximity sensor 63 is arranged inside the main body 30 and detects when the wearer's neck comes within a predetermined range. When the proximity sensor 63 detects that the neck of the wearer is approaching, the

imaging units

41 and 51, the

light projection units

42 and 52, the

illumination units

44 and 54, and/or the

sound collection units

45 and 55 are activated. can be done.

The sound emitting unit 64 is an acoustic device that converts electrical signals into physical vibrations (that is, sound). An example of the sound emitting part 64 is a general speaker that transmits sound to the wearer by air vibration. In this case, as described above, the sound emitting portion 64 is provided on the outer side of the body portion 30 (on the side opposite to the wearer), and the direction away from the back of the wearer's neck (rear in the horizontal direction) or the direction along the back of the neck (vertical direction) It is preferably configured to emit sound in an upward direction. Further, the sound emitting unit 64 may be a bone conduction speaker that transmits sound to the wearer by vibrating the bones of the wearer. In this case, the sound emitting part 64 may be provided inside the main body part 30 (on the side of the wearer) so that the bone conduction speaker contacts the bone on the back of the wearer's neck (cervical vertebrae).

The battery 70 is a battery that supplies power to various electronic components included in the neck-mounted device 100 . A rechargeable storage battery is used as the battery 70 . The battery 70 may be a known battery such as a lithium ion battery, a lithium polymer battery, an alkaline storage battery, a nickel-cadmium battery, a nickel-metal hydride battery, or a lead storage battery.

Next, with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5, an example of application of the neck-mounted device 100 according to the present invention will be described. As shown in these figures, the neck-mounted device 100 can be used as a worker terminal that constitutes a remote work support system. The remote work support system includes a worker terminal 100 (a neck-mounted device) and a supporter terminal 200 which are connected to each other via the Internet. The worker terminal 100 is worn by a worker who works on site. As the operator terminal 100, the above-described neck-hanging device according to the present invention is used. On the other hand, the supporter terminal 200 is a terminal operated by a supporter (operator, etc.) who provides support information to workers on site. As a result, the supporter can send work instructions and the like from a remote location to the worker at the site. A general PC can be used as the supporter terminal 200 . Specifically, the supporter terminal 200 includes a control device 210 including a processor and a communication module, a display device 220 such as a display, and an input device 230 such as a mouse and keyboard.

FIG. 5 shows an example of the processing flow of the worker terminal 100 and the supporter terminal 200. As shown in FIG. 5, first, the

imaging units

41 and 51 of the worker terminal 100 acquire a photographed image of the front side of the worker (wearer) (step S1). Since the

imaging units

41 and 51 are mounted on the left and

right arms

10 and 20 of the worker terminal 100, respectively, these two

imaging units

41 and 51 capture images over a wide range in the horizontal direction. can be obtained. Next, the worker terminal 100 processes the captured images acquired by the two imaging units 41 and 51 (step S2). In the processing here, processing for integrating two captured images into one image is mainly performed. In addition, the processing may be correction of distortion caused by a lens, correction of contrast, brightness, sharpness, and color tone of each photographed image. After that, the operator terminal 100 transmits the processed image to the supporter terminal 200 via the Internet (step S3). In the example shown in FIG. 5, the image processing is performed on the worker terminal 100 side, but this image processing may be performed on the supporter terminal 200 side. In this case, the worker terminal 100 transmits the captured images acquired by the

respective imaging units

41 and 51 to the supporter terminal 200 without being processed. The supporter terminal 200 performs the processing described above on the captured image received from the worker terminal 100 .

Subsequently, the supporter terminal 200 displays the processed image received from the worker terminal 100 on the display (step S4). In addition, when the worker terminal 100 acquires the moving image by the

imaging units

41 and 51 , the moving image is also displayed on the display of the worker terminal 100 . Next, the supporter terminal 200 determines whether support information for the worker has been input via the input device 230 such as a mouse or keyboard (step S5). An example of assistance information is the designation of coordinates for a displayed image on a display. For example, as shown in FIG. 4, it is possible to designate predetermined coordinates with a mouse pointer with respect to the displayed image. Another example of assistance information is the input of messages (letters, numbers, symbols, graphics, etc.) to the operator. For example, as shown in FIG. 4, information such as characters can be input using a keyboard or the like. When such various types of support information are input, the supporter terminal 200 transmits this support information to the worker terminal 100 (step S6). On the other hand, if this support information is not input, steps S1 to S4 are repeated.

Subsequently, the worker terminal 100 outputs the support information received from the supporter terminal 200 by controlling the

light projecting units

42, 52 and the driving units 43, 53 (step S7). Specifically, the control unit 60 of the worker terminal 100 generates control signals for the

light projection units

42 and 52 and the driving

units

43 and 53 based on the support information received from the supporter terminal 200 . The control signals for the

light projecting units

42 and 52 contain information for reproducing the message to the operator. In addition, the control signals for the

drive units

43 and 53 include information for controlling the light irradiation direction of the

light projection units

42 and 52 . The control unit 60 of the operator terminal 100 provides these control signals to the

light projecting units

42 and 52 and the driving

units

43 and 53, for example, as shown in FIG. It emits (laser light) or projects a specific message on an object or the like within the shooting range. Further, as shown in FIG. 4, light beams having different information can be emitted from the

light projection portions

42, 52 of the left and

right arm portions

10, 20, respectively. For example, in the example shown in FIG. 4, laser light is emitted from the first light projecting section 42 of the left arm 10 to indicate a specific location within the imaging range. Further, the second light projecting portion 52 of the right arm portion 20 reproduces specific character information by scanning laser light. By providing two or more

light projection units

42 and 52 in this way, it is possible to output two or more pieces of information at the same time. As a result, the support information input by the supporter to the supporter terminal 200 can be transmitted to the worker through the

light projection units

42 and 52 of the worker terminal 100 emitting light.

Also, the worker terminal 100 and the supporter terminal 200 may each have a call function. The worker terminal 100 acquires the voice of the worker from the

sound collectors

45 and 55 and transmits it to the supporter terminal 200 , and outputs the voice of the supporter from the sound emitting unit 64 . The supporter terminal 200 uses, for example, a headset (not shown) to acquire the voice of the supporter, transmit it to the worker terminal 100, and output the voice of the worker from the headset. As a result, visual support using the light emitted from the

light projecting units

42 and 52 and auditory support through conversation between the supporter and the worker can be provided at the same time.

As described above, in the specification of the present application, the embodiments of the present invention have been described with reference to the drawings in order to express the content of the present invention. However, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and includes modifications and improvements that are obvious to those skilled in the art based on the matters described in this specification.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10... Left arm part 11... Outward surface 12... Inward surface 13... Flexible part 20... Right arm part 21... Outward surface 22... Inward surface 23... Flexible part 30... Main body part 31... Hanging part 41... First imaging part 42... First Light projecting part 43... First driving part 44... First lighting part 45... First sound collecting part 46... Operation part 51... Second imaging part 52... Second light projecting part 53... Second driving part 54... Second lighting Part 55... Second sound collecting part 60... Control part 61... Storage part 62... Communication part 63... Proximity sensor 64... Sound emitting part 70... Battery 100... Neck hanging type device (worker terminal)
200... Supporter terminal 210... Control device 220... Display device 230... Input device

Claims

A neck-mounted device worn around the neck of a user,
a first arm and a second arm that can be arranged at positions sandwiching the neck;
an imaging unit provided on the first arm and the second arm, capable of imaging the front side of the user;
A light projecting unit provided in the first arm and the second arm and capable of irradiating light within an imaging range of the imaging unit,
The light projecting unit of the first arm can irradiate light within an imaging range of the imaging unit of the second arm,
The neck hanging type device, wherein the light projecting section of the second arm can irradiate light within an imaging range of the imaging section of the first arm.
2. The neck-hanging device according to claim 1, wherein the neck-hanging device is connected to a supporter device in a remote support system that remotely supports the work of a worker on site so as to be able to communicate with each other.
In plan view, photographing directions of the imaging units of the first arm and the second arm are inclined outward,
2. The neck-mounted device according to claim 1, wherein the light projection directions of the light projection portions of the first arm portion and the second arm portion are inclined inward in plan view.
a control unit that controls the light projecting unit;
Further comprising one or more sound collectors provided on the first arm or the second arm,
2. The neck-mounted device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit controls the light projecting unit based on the information about the sound acquired by the sound collecting unit so as to indicate the direction in which the sound is emitted. .
A remote work support system in which a neck-mounted device worn around the neck of a user and a supporter device operated by a supporter are interconnected via an information communication line,
The neck-hanging device includes:
a first arm and a second arm that can be arranged at positions sandwiching the neck;
an imaging unit provided on the first arm and the second arm, capable of imaging the front side of the user;
a light projecting unit provided on the first arm and the second arm and capable of irradiating light within an imaging range of the imaging unit;
A control unit that controls the light projecting unit,
The light projecting unit of the first arm can irradiate light within an imaging range of the imaging unit of the second arm,
The light projecting section of the second arm can irradiate light within an imaging range of the imaging section of the first arm,
The supporter device is
a display unit capable of displaying an image captured by the imaging unit of the neck-mounted device;
an operation unit capable of inputting designation of coordinates on the display screen of the display unit,
When coordinates in the photographed image displayed on the display screen are designated by the operation unit, the supporter device transmits coordinate information in the photographed image to the neck-hanging device,
A remote work support system, wherein a control unit of the neck-mounted device controls an irradiation direction of light emitted from the light projecting unit based on the coordinate information.