WO2024166661A1 - Moving body - Google Patents

Abstract

The present technology pertains to a moving body capable of improving the expressive power of a moving body equipped with a part capable of bending and stretching. This autonomous moving body is equipped with: a first part; a second part provided with an elastic body which is connected to the first part and capable of bending and stretching; a bending/stretching mechanism which bends and stretches the second part by bending and stretching the elastic body by using a wire inserted into the second part in the direction in which the second part extends from the first part; and a rotary mechanism for rotating a second part around a rotational axis which is parallel to the direction in which the second part is connected to the first part. The present technology can be applied to a robotic pet, for example.

Description

Mobile

This technology relates to moving bodies, and in particular to moving bodies with parts such as tails that can bend and stretch.

　Conventionally, bending mechanisms suitable for the tails of pet-type robots have been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2003-117859 A

However, in the bending mechanism described in Patent Document 1, the core member and multiple support members may give the user a rough impression that differs from the tail of a real pet. As a result, the expressiveness of the pet robot may be reduced.

This technology was developed in light of these circumstances, and aims to improve the expressiveness of moving objects that have parts that can bend and stretch, such as the tails of pet-type robots.

A moving body according to one aspect of the present technology includes a first portion, a second portion connected to the first portion and having a bendable elastic body, a bending and straightening mechanism that bends and straightens the second portion by bending and straightening the elastic body using a wire inserted into the second portion in the direction in which the second portion extends from the first portion, and a rotation mechanism that rotates the second portion around a rotation axis parallel to the direction in which the second portion is connected to the first portion.

In one aspect of the present technology, the elastic body is bent and stretched using a wire inserted into the second portion in the direction in which the second portion extends from the first portion, thereby bending and stretching the second portion and rotating the second portion around an axis of rotation parallel to the direction in which the second portion connects to the first portion.

FIG. 1 is a left side view showing an example of the external configuration of an autonomous moving body to which the present technology is applied. 1 is a top view showing an example of the external configuration of an autonomous moving body to which the present technology is applied. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of the external configuration of an autonomous moving body to which the present technology is applied; 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a display and a sensor provided in an autonomous moving body to which the present technology is applied. 2 illustrates an example of the configuration of an actuator provided on an autonomous moving body to which the present technology is applied. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration example of a flexible active mechanism of an autonomous moving body. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration example of a flexible active mechanism of an autonomous moving body. 11A and 11B are diagrams illustrating examples of a method for expressing emotions of an autonomous moving body by a tail. 11A and 11B are diagrams illustrating examples of a method for expressing emotions of an autonomous moving body by a tail. 11A and 11B are diagrams illustrating examples of a method for expressing emotions of an autonomous moving body by a tail. 11A and 11B are diagrams illustrating examples of a method for expressing emotions of an autonomous moving body by a tail. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of a functional configuration of an autonomous moving body. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of a tail drive unit. 11A and 11B are diagrams for explaining an example of a method for estimating an external force. FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining an example of a method for detecting an obstacle. 11A to 11C are diagrams illustrating an example of a method for grasping an object by the tail. 11 is a flowchart for explaining a favorable interaction operation of an autonomous moving body. FIG. 13 is a diagram for explaining a favorable interaction operation of an autonomous moving body. 11 is a flowchart for explaining an adversarial interaction operation of an autonomous moving body. FIG. 13 is a diagram for explaining an adversarial interaction operation of an autonomous moving body. 11 is a flowchart for explaining a backward movement operation of the autonomous moving body. 11 is a flowchart for explaining an object grasping operation of an autonomous moving body. FIG. 13 is a diagram for explaining an object grasping operation of the autonomous moving body. FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic diagram of a modified example of the flexible active mechanism of the autonomous moving body. FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing a schematic diagram of a modified example of the flexible active mechanism of the autonomous moving body. FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a computer.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present technology will be described in the following order.
1. Embodiment 2. Modification 3. Others

<<1. Embodiment>>
An embodiment of the present technology will be described with reference to FIG. 1 to FIG.

<Hardware Configuration Example of the Autonomous Moving Body 11>
First, an example of the external configuration of an autonomous moving body 11 will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3. FIG.

FIG. 1 is a left side view of the autonomous mobile body 11. FIG. 2 is a top view of the autonomous mobile body 11. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the autonomous mobile body 11.

The autonomous mobile body 11 is a dog-type quadruped robot that has a head 21, a torso 22, four legs 23FL to 23HR, and a tail 24.

Hereinafter, when there is no need to distinguish between legs 23FL to 23HR, they will simply be referred to as legs 23.

FIG. 4 shows an example of the configuration of the display and sensors equipped on the autonomous moving body 11.

The autonomous moving body 11 is equipped with two displays, a display 51L and a display 51R, on the head 21. In the following, when there is no need to distinguish between the display 51L and the display 51R, they will simply be referred to as the display 51.

Each display 51 has the function of visually expressing the eye movements and emotions of the autonomous mobile body 11. For example, each display 51 can express the movements of the eyeballs, pupils, and eyelids according to emotions and actions, producing natural movements close to those of real animals such as dogs, and can express the line of sight and emotions of the autonomous mobile body 11 with high precision and flexibility. In addition, the user can intuitively grasp the state of the autonomous mobile body 11 from the eye movements displayed on the display 51.

The autonomous moving body 11 also includes various sensors. For example, the autonomous moving body 11 includes a microphone 52, a camera 53, a ToF (Time Of Flight) sensor 54, a human presence sensor 55, a distance measurement sensor 56, a touch sensor 57, an illuminance sensor 58, a sole button 59, and an inertial sensor 60.

The autonomous mobile body 11 has, for example, four microphones 52 on the head 21. Each microphone 52 collects surrounding sounds including, for example, the user's speech and surrounding environmental sounds. Furthermore, by having multiple microphones 52, it becomes possible to collect surrounding sounds with high sensitivity and to localize the sound source.

The autonomous mobile body 11 is equipped with two wide-angle cameras 53, for example, at the nose and waist, which capture images of the autonomous mobile body 11's surroundings. For example, the camera 53 located at the nose captures images within the autonomous mobile body 11's forward field of view (i.e., the dog's field of view). The camera 53 located at the waist captures images of the surroundings centered around the upper part of the autonomous mobile body 11. The autonomous mobile body 11 can extract feature points of the ceiling, for example, based on images captured by the camera 53 located at the waist, and achieve SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping).

The ToF sensor 54 is provided, for example, at the tip of the nose, and detects the distance to an object present in front of the head 21. The ToF sensor 54 enables the autonomous mobile body 11 to detect the distance to various objects with high accuracy, and can realize operations according to the relative position to targets including the user, obstacles, etc.

The human presence sensor 55 is placed, for example, on the chest and detects the location of the user or a pet kept by the user. By detecting an animal object in front of the autonomous mobile body 11 using the human presence sensor 55, the autonomous mobile body 11 can perform various actions toward the animal object, such as actions corresponding to emotions such as interest, fear, or surprise.

The distance measurement sensor 56 is placed, for example, on the chest and detects the condition of the floor surface in front of the autonomous mobile body 11. The distance measurement sensor 56 allows the autonomous mobile body 11 to accurately detect the distance to an object present on the floor surface in front of it, and to realize operations according to the relative position of the object.

The touch sensor 57 is arranged in areas where the user is likely to touch the autonomous moving body 11, such as the top of the head, under the chin, and on the back, and detects contact (touch) by the user. The touch sensor 57 is composed of, for example, a capacitive or pressure-sensitive touch sensor. The autonomous moving body 11 can detect contact actions by the user, such as touching, stroking, tapping, and pushing, using the touch sensor 57, and can perform an action according to the contact action. In addition, for example, the touch sensor 57 is arranged in a line or a plane on each part, making it possible to detect the position touched within each part.

The illuminance sensor 58 is disposed, for example, at the base of the tail 24 on the back of the head 21, and detects the illuminance of the space in which the autonomous mobile body 11 is located. The autonomous mobile body 11 can detect the surrounding brightness using the illuminance sensor 58 and perform an operation according to the brightness.

The sole buttons 59 are, for example, arranged on the areas of the four legs 23 that correspond to the paw pads, and detect whether the bottom surfaces of the legs 23 of the autonomous mobile body 11 are in contact with the floor. The sole buttons 59 enable the autonomous mobile body 11 to detect contact or non-contact with the floor surface, and can, for example, know when it has been picked up by a user.

The inertial sensor 60 is, for example, disposed in the head 21 and torso 22, respectively, and detects physical quantities such as the speed, acceleration, and rotation of the head 21 and torso 22. For example, the inertial sensor 60 is configured with a six-axis sensor that detects the acceleration and angular velocity of the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis. The autonomous mobile body 11 can detect the movement of the head 21 and torso 22 with high accuracy using the inertial sensor 60, and realize operation control according to the situation.

The configuration of the sensors equipped in the autonomous mobile body 11 can be flexibly changed depending on the specifications, operation, etc. For example, in addition to the above configuration, the autonomous mobile body 11 may further include various communication devices including a temperature sensor, a geomagnetic sensor, and a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) signal receiver.

Next, referring to FIG. 5, an example of the configuration of the joints of the autonomous mobile body 11 will be described. FIG. 5 shows an example of the configuration of an actuator 71 of the autonomous mobile body 11. In addition to the rotation points shown in FIG. 5, the autonomous mobile body 11 has a total of 22 degrees of rotational freedom, two each in the ears and tail 24, and one in the mouth.

For example, the autonomous mobile body 11 has three degrees of freedom in the head 21, which allows it to perform both nodding and tilting its head. In addition, the autonomous mobile body 11 can reproduce the swinging motion of its hips using the actuator 71 in its hips, allowing it to achieve natural and flexible movements that are closer to those of a real dog.

The autonomous mobile body 11 may achieve the above 22 degrees of rotational freedom by combining, for example, a single-axis actuator and a two-axis actuator. For example, single-axis actuators may be used in the elbows and knees of the legs 23, and two-axis actuators may be used in the shoulders and the bases of the thighs.

<Example of flexible active mechanism configuration>
Next, a configuration example of the flexible active mechanism of the autonomous moving body 11, which is a mechanism that flexibly and actively deforms by imitating a dog's tail, will be described with reference to Fig. 6 and Fig. 7. Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view that shows a flexible active mechanism. Fig. 7 is a perspective view that shows a flexible active mechanism. In Fig. 6, the diagonal line pattern is omitted in part of the cross section to make the drawing easier to understand.

The flexible active mechanism of the autonomous mobile body 11 includes a tail section 24 and a drive mechanism 101. The tail section 24 includes an elastic body 111, a cap 112, and a connection member 113. The drive mechanism 101 includes a connection member 113, a wire 121, a bearing 122, a roll axis actuator 123b, a pitch axis actuator 123a, a winding section 124, and a gear 125. The connection member 113 is a component of both the tail section 24 and the drive mechanism 101. The rotation axis 113B, the bearing 122, the pitch axis actuator 123a, the roll axis actuator 123b, the winding section 124, and the gear 125 of the connection member 113 are disposed within the body section 22.

Note that the bearing 122 is not shown in Figure 7.

The elastic body 111 has a long, thin shape that resembles a dog's tail. The elastic body 111 is made of a single elastic body that is flexible and can be bent (curved), and is made of a resin such as silicone or an elastomer that has a texture similar to that of a dog's tail. A spherical crown-shaped cap 112 is placed over the tip of the elastic body 111. The base of the elastic body 111 is attached to a spherical crown-shaped attachment portion 113A of the connection member 113.

A cylindrical rotating shaft 113B protrudes from the tip of the mounting portion 113A of the connecting member 113. A gear is formed at the tip of the rotating shaft 113B. The rotating shaft 113B is inserted into the body section 22 from the rear end of the body section 22, and is inserted into a bearing 122 inside the body section 22. This bearing 122 supports the tail section 24 so that it can rotate around the rotating shaft 113B (hereinafter referred to as the roll axis). The roll axis is a rotating axis that is parallel to the connection direction of the tail section 24 to the body section 22 (the direction in which the connecting member 113 is inserted into the body section 22).

A single wire 121 is inserted into the tail 24 in the direction in which the tail 24 extends from the body 22. The wire 121 is made of, for example, a metal such as a shape memory alloy, or resin. The tip of the wire 121 is connected to and fixed in the cap 112. The wire 121 extends in the longitudinal direction of the tail 24 (elastic body 111), passes through the connecting member 113, and is connected to the winding section 124 inside the body 22.

A winding section 124 is connected to the tip of the pitch axis actuator 123a. The pitch axis actuator 123a rotates the winding section 124 to wind and unwind the wire 121. As a result, the wire 121 is pulled and pushed out, and the elastic body 111 (tail section 24) is curved in the direction of arrow A1 (pitch axis direction). That is, when the wire 121 is wound and pulled, the elastic body 111 (tail section 24) is curved upward. On the other hand, when the wire 121 is unwound, the elastic body 111 (tail section 24) stretches. That is, when the tail section 24 is not rotating around the roll axis, it is possible for the wire 121 to bend and stretch in the vertical direction.

Furthermore, for example, the heightwise position of the tail 24 is controlled by controlling the amount of wire 121 wound up and down. The tail 24 swings up and down by winding and unwinding the wire 121. The speed at which the tail 24 swings up and down is controlled by controlling the speed at which the wire 121 is wound up and unwinded. The width at which the tail 24 swings up and down is controlled by controlling the amount at which the wire 121 is wound up and unwinded.

In this way, the wire 121, pitch axis actuator 123a, and winding section 124 constitute a bending and straightening mechanism that bends and straightens the tail section 24. The bending and straightening mechanism also includes a winding mechanism that winds and unwinds the wire 121.

A gear 125 is connected to the tip of the roll axis actuator 123b. The gear 125 is engaged with a gear at the tip of the rotating shaft 113B of the connecting member 113. When the roll axis actuator 123b rotates the gear 125, the connecting member 113 supported by the bearing 122 rotates around the roll axis. This causes the tail section 24 to rotate around the roll axis as shown by the arrow A2.

For example, the tail section 24 can swing left and right by rotating about the roll axis. The speed at which the tail section 24 swings left and right is controlled by controlling the rotation speed of the tail section 24 about the roll axis. The width at which the tail section 24 swings left and right is controlled by controlling the amount of rotation of the tail section 24 about the roll axis.

In addition, by controlling the rotational position of the tail 24, the direction in which the tail 24 is bent and stretched by the wire 121 changes.

In this way, the rotation shaft 113B, the bearing 122, the roll axis actuator 123b, and the gear 125 form a rotation mechanism that rotates the tail section 24 around the roll axis.

In the following, when there is no need to distinguish between the pitch axis actuator 123a and the roll axis actuator 123b, they will simply be referred to as actuator 123.

The above configuration of the autonomous mobile body 11 allows precise and flexible control of the movements of the joints, eyeballs, and tail 24, making it possible to reproduce movements and emotional expressions that are closer to those of real living creatures.

<Examples of how emotions are expressed by the tail 24>
Dogs express various emotions through tail movements, although there are some differences depending on the breed, size, etc. In other words, the dog's emotions are expressed in the movement of its tail. For example, the dog's emotions are expressed by the vertical position of the tail, the speed and strength of the tail wagging up and down or from side to side, etc.

For example, if a dog is happy, excited, or wary of others, the tail will be raised higher than normal. For example, if a dog is anxious, frightened, or wary of others, the tail will be lower than normal. For example, the speed and strength of tail wagging changes depending on the strength of the emotion.

In contrast, the autonomous mobile body 11 can bend, straighten, and rotate the tail 24, as described above. By controlling the movements of bending, straightening, and rotating the tail 24, the autonomous mobile body 11 can express emotions in the same way as a real dog.

Now, with reference to Figures 8 to 11, we will explain an example of how the tail 24 expresses the emotions of the autonomous mobile body 11.

For example, the autonomous mobile body 11 expresses a relaxed feeling by letting the tail 24 hang down as shown in FIG. 8A, and then swinging the tail 24 from side to side as shown in FIG. 8B and C.

For example, the autonomous mobile body 11 expresses excitement by swinging the tail 24 up and down as shown in A and B of FIG. 9, in other words, by repeatedly hanging the tail 24 down and rolling it up.

For example, as shown in A to C of FIG. 10, the autonomous mobile body 11 expresses high tension by curving the tail 24 upward as shown in A of FIG. 10, and then swinging the tail 24 from side to side as shown in B and C of FIG. 10.

For example, the autonomous mobile body 11 expresses a frightened emotion by rotating the tail 24 180 degrees as shown in A and B of FIG. 11, and then curling the tail 24 downward as shown in C of FIG. 11.

<Example of Functional Configuration of Autonomous Moving Body 11>
Next, an example of the functional configuration of the autonomous mobile body 11 will be described with reference to Fig. 12. The autonomous mobile body 11 includes an input unit 201, a communication unit 202, an information processing unit 203, a driving unit 204, an output unit 205, and a storage unit 206.

The input unit 201 includes various sensors as shown in FIG. 4 and has a function of collecting various sensor data related to the user and the surrounding conditions. The input unit 201 also includes input devices such as switches and buttons. The input unit 201 supplies the collected sensor data and input data input via the input devices to the information processing unit 203.

The communication unit 202 communicates with other autonomous mobile bodies 11, information processing terminals such as smartphones (not shown), and information processing servers (not shown), and transmits and receives various types of data. The communication unit 202 supplies the received data to the information processing unit 203, and obtains data to be transmitted from the information processing unit 203.

The communication method of the communication unit 202 is not particularly limited and can be flexibly changed according to the specifications and operation.

The information processing unit 203 includes, for example, a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), and performs various types of information processing and controls each part of the autonomous mobile body 11. The information processing unit 203 includes a recognition unit 221, a learning unit 222, an action planning unit 223, and an operation control unit 224.

The recognition unit 221 recognizes the situation in which the autonomous mobile body 11 is placed, based on the sensor data and input data supplied from the input unit 201, the received data supplied from the communication unit 202, and data (hereinafter referred to as external force estimation data) supplied from the drive unit 204 indicating the estimated results of the external force applied to the tail unit 24 from the outside. The situation in which the autonomous mobile body 11 is placed includes, for example, the situation of itself and its surroundings. The situation of itself includes, for example, the state and movement of the autonomous mobile body 11. The surrounding situation includes, for example, the state, movement, and instructions of people in the vicinity such as a user, the state and movement of surrounding living things such as pets, the state and movement of surrounding objects, time, place, and the surrounding environment. The surrounding objects include, for example, other autonomous mobile bodies.

In addition, in order to recognize the situation, the recognition unit 221 performs, for example, person identification, facial expression and gaze recognition, emotion recognition, object recognition, action recognition, spatial area recognition, color recognition, shape recognition, marker recognition, obstacle recognition, step recognition, brightness recognition, temperature recognition, voice recognition, word understanding, position estimation, posture estimation, etc.

Furthermore, the recognition unit 221 has a function of estimating and understanding the situation based on the various recognized information. At this time, the recognition unit 221 may make a comprehensive estimation of the situation using knowledge stored in advance.

The recognition unit 221 supplies data indicating the result of the recognition or estimation of the situation (hereinafter referred to as situation data) to the learning unit 222 and the action planning unit 223. In addition, the recognition unit 221 registers the situation data in the action history data stored in the memory unit 206.

The behavior history data is data that indicates the history of the behavior of the autonomous mobile body 11. The behavior history data includes, for example, items such as the date and time when the behavior started, the date and time when the behavior ended, the trigger for performing the behavior, the location where the behavior was instructed (if a location was instructed), the situation when the behavior was performed, and whether the behavior was completed (whether the behavior was performed to the end).

The learning unit 222 learns the situation, behavior, and the effect of the behavior on the environment based on the sensor data and input data supplied from the input unit 201, the received data supplied from the communication unit 202, the situation data supplied from the recognition unit 221, the data related to the behavior of the autonomous mobile body 11 supplied from the behavior planning unit 223, and the behavior history data stored in the memory unit 206. For example, the learning unit 222 performs pattern recognition learning and learns behavior patterns corresponding to the user's discipline.

For example, the learning unit 222 realizes the above learning by using a machine learning algorithm such as deep learning. Note that the learning algorithm adopted by the learning unit 222 is not limited to the above example, and can be designed as appropriate.

The learning unit 222 supplies data indicating the learning results (hereinafter referred to as learning result data) to the action planning unit 223 and stores the data in the memory unit 206.

The action planning unit 223 plans an action (e.g., behavior) to be performed by the autonomous mobile body 11 based on the recognized or estimated situation, the learning result data, and feedback data indicating the state of the autonomous mobile body 11 supplied from the operation control unit 224. The action planning unit 223 supplies data indicating the planned action (hereinafter referred to as action plan data) to the operation control unit 224. The action planning unit 223 also supplies data regarding the action of the autonomous mobile body 11 to the learning unit 222, and registers the data in the action history data stored in the memory unit 206.

The operation control unit 224 controls the operation of the autonomous mobile body 11 to execute the planned action by controlling the drive unit 204 and the output unit 205 based on the action plan data. For example, the operation control unit 224 controls the rotation of the actuators 71 and 123, the display of the display 51, and the audio output from the speaker based on the action plan. The operation control unit 224 supplies feedback data indicating the state of the autonomous mobile body 11 after the control of its operation to the action plan unit 223.

The drive unit 204 includes a joint drive unit 231 and a tail drive unit 232.

The joint driving unit 231 drives the actuators 71 provided in each joint based on the control of the motion control unit 224, thereby bending and extending the multiple joints of the autonomous mobile body 11.

The tail drive unit 232 drives the tail 24 of the autonomous mobile body 11 based on the control of the motion control unit 224. The tail drive unit 232 includes a bending and straightening drive unit 232a and a rotation drive unit 232b.

The bending and straightening drive unit 232a bends and straightens the tail section 24 by driving a bending and straightening mechanism including the pitch axis actuator 123a based on the control of the motion control unit 224. The bending and straightening drive unit 232a estimates the external force applied to the tail section 24 in the bending and straightening direction, and supplies external force estimation data indicating the estimated external force to the information processing unit 203.

The rotation drive unit 232b drives a rotation mechanism including the roll axis actuator 123b under the control of the motion control unit 224 to rotate the tail section 24 around the roll axis. The rotation drive unit 232b estimates the external force in the rotational direction applied to the tail section 24, and supplies external force estimation data indicating the estimated external force to the information processing unit 203.

In the following, when there is no need to distinguish between the bending and straightening drive unit 232a and the rotation drive unit 232b, they will be collectively referred to as the tail drive unit 232.

The output unit 205 includes, for example, a display 51, a speaker, a haptic device, etc., and outputs visual information, auditory information, tactile information, etc. based on the control of the operation control unit 224.

The storage unit 206 includes, for example, non-volatile memory and volatile memory, and stores various programs and data.

<Configuration example of tail drive unit 232>
FIG. 13 shows an example of the configuration of the tail drive unit 232 (the bending and straightening drive unit 232a and the rotation drive unit 232b).

The tail drive unit 232 includes a force controller 261, a position controller 262, an instruction value combiner 263, a driver 264, and a force estimator 265.

The force controller 261 obtains data indicating a target value of the force (hereinafter referred to as driving force) to be applied to the tail section 24 by the actuator 123 from the motion control section 224. The force controller 261 obtains data indicating an estimated value of an external force applied to the tail section 24 from the force estimator 265. The force controller 261 calculates a command value of the driving force to be applied to the tail section 24 based on the target value of the driving force and the estimated value of the external force. The force controller 261 supplies data indicating the command value of the driving force to be applied to the tail section 24 to the command value combiner 263.

For example, the force controller 261 of the bending and straightening drive unit 232a calculates an instruction value of the driving force in the bending and straightening direction for the tail 24 based on a target value of the driving force in the bending and straightening direction for the tail 24 and an estimated value of the external force in the bending and straightening direction. The force controller 261 of the bending and straightening drive unit 232a supplies data indicating the instruction value of the driving force in the bending and straightening direction for the tail 24 to the instruction value combiner 263.

For example, the force controller 261 of the rotational drive unit 232b calculates a command value for the driving force in the rotational direction of the tail section 24 based on a target value for the driving force in the rotational direction for the tail section 24 and an estimated value for the external force in the rotational direction. The force controller 261 of the rotational drive unit 232b supplies data indicating the command value for the driving force in the rotational direction for the tail section 24 to the command value combiner 263.

The position controller 262 obtains data indicating a target value of the position (or speed) at which the actuator 123 moves the tail section 24 from the motion control section 224. The position controller 262 obtains data indicating a detected value of the position (or speed) of the tail section 24 from the position sensor 251. The position controller 262 calculates an instruction value for the position (or speed) of the tail section 24 based on the target value and the detected value of the position (or speed) of the tail section 24. The force controller 261 supplies data indicating the instruction value for the position (or speed) of the tail section 24 to the instruction value combiner 263.

For example, the position controller 262 of the bending and straightening drive unit 232a calculates an instruction value for the position (or speed) in the bending and straightening direction of the tail section 24 based on a target value and a detected value of the position (or speed) in the bending and straightening direction of the tail section 24. The position controller 262 of the bending and straightening drive unit 232a supplies data indicating the instruction value for the position (or speed) in the bending and straightening direction of the tail section 24 to the instruction value combiner 263.

For example, the position controller 262 of the rotation drive unit 232b calculates an instruction value for the position (or speed) in the rotation direction of the tail section 24 based on a target value and a detected value of the position (or speed) in the rotation direction of the tail section 24. The position controller 262 of the rotation drive unit 232b supplies data indicating the instruction value for the position (or speed) in the rotation direction of the tail section 24 to the instruction value combiner 263.

The instruction value combiner 263 calculates target values for the amount of rotation and the rotation speed of the actuator 123 based on an instruction value for the driving force to be applied to the tail section 24 and an instruction value for the position (or speed) of the tail section 24. The instruction value combiner 263 calculates a current value for achieving the target values for the amount of rotation and the rotation speed of the actuator 123. The instruction value combiner 263 supplies data indicating a current instruction value indicating the calculated current value to the driver 264 and the force estimator 265.

For example, the instruction value combiner 263 of the bending and straightening drive unit 232a calculates target values for the rotation amount and rotation speed of the pitch axis actuator 123a based on an instruction value for the driving force in the bending and straightening direction of the tail section 24 and an instruction value for the position (or speed) in the bending and straightening direction of the tail section 24. The instruction value combiner 263 of the bending and straightening drive unit 232a calculates a current value for achieving the target values for the rotation amount and rotation speed of the pitch axis actuator 123a. The instruction value combiner 263 of the bending and straightening drive unit 232a supplies data indicating a current instruction value indicating the calculated current value to the driver 264 and the force estimator 265.

For example, the instruction value combiner 263 of the rotation drive unit 232b calculates target values for the rotation amount and rotation speed of the roll axis actuator 123b based on an instruction value for the driving force in the rotation direction of the tail section 24 and an instruction value for the position (or speed) in the rotation direction of the tail section 24. The instruction value combiner 263 of the rotation drive unit 232b calculates a current value for achieving the target values for the rotation amount and rotation speed of the roll axis actuator 123b. The instruction value combiner 263 of the rotation drive unit 232b supplies data indicating a current instruction value indicating the calculated current value to the driver 264 and the force estimator 265.

The driver 264 applies a current based on the current command value from the command value combiner 263 to the actuator 123. The driver 264 supplies data indicating the current response value of the actuator 123 to the force estimator 265.

For example, the driver 264 of the bending and straightening drive unit 232a applies a current based on the current command value from the command value combiner 263 to the pitch axis actuator 123a. The driver 264 of the bending and straightening drive unit 232a supplies data indicating the current response value of the pitch axis actuator 123a to the force estimator 265.

For example, the driver 264 of the rotation drive unit 232b applies a current based on the current command value from the command value combiner 263 to the roll axis actuator 123b. The driver 264 of the rotation drive unit 232b supplies data indicating the current response value of the roll axis actuator 123b to the force estimator 265.

The force estimator 265 acquires data indicating the detection result of the position (or speed) of the actuator 123 in the rotational direction from the position sensor 251. The force estimator 265 estimates the external force on the tail section 24 based on the current response value of the driver 264 (current value to the actuator 123) and the detection value of the position (or speed) of the actuator 123 in the rotational direction. For example, the force estimator 265 estimates the magnitude and direction of the external force on the tail section 24 based on the difference between the position (or speed) of the actuator 123 in the rotational direction assumed from the current response value of the driver 264 and the actually detected position (or speed) of the actuator 123 in the rotational direction. The force estimator 265 supplies external force estimation data indicating an estimate of the external force to the force controller 261 and the information processing section 203.

For example, the force estimator 265 of the bending and straightening drive unit 232a estimates the external force in the bending and straightening direction on the tail section 24 based on the current response value of the driver 264 (current value to the pitch axis actuator 123a) and the detected value of the position (or speed) in the rotational direction of the pitch axis actuator 123a. The force estimator 265 supplies external force estimation data indicating an estimated value of the external force in the bending and straightening direction to the force controller 261 and the information processing unit 203.

The force estimator 265 of the rotational drive unit 232b estimates the external force in the rotational direction on the tail section 24 based on the current response value of the driver 264 (current value to the roll axis actuator 123b) and the detected value of the position (or speed) in the rotational direction of the roll axis actuator 123b. The force estimator 265 supplies external force estimation data indicating an estimated value of the external force in the rotational direction to the force controller 261 and the information processing unit 203.

In addition, if the driving performance of the actuator 123 is good, the force estimator 265 can also estimate the external force on the tail 24 using the current command value to the driver 264 instead of the current response value of the driver 264.

The position sensor 251, for example, constitutes part of the input unit 201 in FIG. 12, and is provided for each of the pitch axis actuator 123a and the roll axis actuator 123b. The position sensor 251 detects the rotational position (or speed) of the pitch axis actuator 123a or the roll axis actuator 123b by detecting the physical amount of rotation of the pitch axis actuator 123a or the roll axis actuator 123b. The position sensor 251 supplies data indicating the detected value of the rotational position (or speed) of the pitch axis actuator 123a or the roll axis actuator 123b to the force estimator 265 and the information processing unit 203.

Now, with reference to FIG. 14, we will explain an example of a method for estimating an external force using the force estimator 265.

For example, as shown in FIG. 14, when the autonomous mobile body 11 holds the tail section 24 in an upwardly bent state, the current consumption of the pitch axis actuator 123a increases or decreases when an external force is applied to the tail section 24. For example, when a pulling force in the backward direction is applied to the tail section 24, the current consumption of the pitch axis actuator 123a required to hold the position of the tail section 24 increases. On the other hand, for example, when a pushing force in the forward direction is applied to the tail section 24, the current consumption of the pitch axis actuator 123a required to hold the position of the tail section 24 decreases.

In response to this, for example, the force estimator 265 of the bending and straightening drive unit 232a estimates the magnitude and direction of the external force in the bending and straightening direction on the tail section 24 based on the difference between the rotational position (or speed) of the pitch axis actuator 123a estimated from the current response value of the driver 264 and the actually detected rotational position (or speed) of the pitch axis actuator 123a.

The recognition unit 221 can also recognize obstacles behind the autonomous mobile body 11 based on the estimated magnitude and direction of the external force on the tail 24.

For example, when the autonomous mobile body 11 is backing up, as shown in FIG. 15, when the tail 24 comes into contact with the wall 301, an external force is applied from the wall 301 to the tail 24.

In response to this, for example, the force estimator 265 of the bending and straightening drive unit 232a or the rotation drive unit 232b estimates the magnitude and direction of the external force on the tail 24 by the wall 301 using the method described above. In addition, the recognition unit 221 recognizes that there is an obstacle behind the autonomous moving body 11 based on the estimation result of the magnitude and direction of the external force on the tail 24.

Furthermore, for example, the recognition unit 221 can search for obstacles behind the autonomous mobile body 11 based on the estimated magnitude and direction of the external force acting on the tail 24.

For example, the autonomous mobile body 11 rotates the tail section 24 alternately in both directions around the roll axis with the tail section 24 bent slightly upward, thereby backing up while swinging the tail section 24 from side to side. In this case, when the tail section 24 comes into contact with an obstacle, an external force is applied to the tail section 24 by the obstacle.

In response to this, for example, the force estimator 265 of the bending and straightening drive unit 232a or the rotation drive unit 232b estimates the magnitude and direction of the external force on the tail section 24 caused by the obstacle using the method described above. In addition, the recognition unit 221 recognizes that some kind of obstacle is present behind the autonomous moving body 11 based on the estimation result of the magnitude and direction of the external force on the tail section 24.

In addition, for example, the recognition unit 221 can determine whether or not the tail portion 24 has been able to grasp an object based on the estimated magnitude and direction of the external force acting on the tail portion 24.

For example, as shown in FIG. 16, when the autonomous mobile body 11 bends the tail 24 upward to grasp a bone-shaped toy 311, an external force is applied to the tail 24 by the toy 311.

In response to this, for example, the force estimator 265 of the bending and straightening drive unit 232a estimates the magnitude and direction of the external force applied to the tail section 24 by the toy 311 using the method described above. Furthermore, the recognition unit 221 determines whether or not the autonomous mobile body 11 has grasped the toy 311 with the tail section 24 based on the estimation result of the magnitude and direction of the external force applied to the tail section 24.

<Operation Example of the Autonomous Moving Body 11>
Next, an example of the operation of the autonomous moving body 11 will be described with reference to FIGS.

<Positive interaction behavior>
First, the favorable interaction operation of the autonomous moving body 11 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

This process is started, for example, when the behavior planning unit 223 sets the operation mode of the autonomous mobile body 11 to the friendly mode. The friendly mode is, for example, a mode that corresponds to a case where the autonomous mobile body 11 wants attention from a user, etc.

In step S1, the autonomous mobile body 11 executes a play bow. A play bow is, for example, a posture in which the autonomous mobile body 11 lowers its head 21 and raises its buttocks high, as shown in A of FIG. 18. For example, a play bow is performed when the autonomous mobile body 11 wants to play with the user.

Specifically, the operation control unit 224 controls the drive unit 204 and the output unit 205 based on the action plan data supplied from the action plan unit 223, thereby causing the autonomous mobile body 11 to perform a play bow.

In step S2, the recognition unit 221 determines whether or not the user has touched the tail 24. Specifically, the recognition unit 221 determines whether or not the user has touched the tail 24 by the method described above, based on the external force estimation data from the force estimator 265 of the tail drive unit 232. If it is determined that the user has not touched the tail 24, the process proceeds to step S3.

In step S3, the recognition unit 221 determines whether or not the user has come into contact with the body based on the sensor data and input data supplied from the input unit 201. In this case, the body refers to any part of the autonomous mobile body 11 other than the tail 24. If it is determined that the user has not come into contact with the body, the process proceeds to step S4.

In step S4, the action planning unit 223 determines whether or not to continue the favor mode based on the situation recognized or estimated by the recognition unit 221. If it is determined that the favor mode should be continued, the process returns to step S1.

Then, the processing of steps S1 to S4 is repeatedly executed until it is determined in step S2 that the user has come into contact with the tail 24, in step S3 that the user has come into contact with the body, or in step S4 that the favor mode is to be ended. As a result, the autonomous mobile body 11 continues playing bow.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S2 that the user has touched the tail 24, processing proceeds to step S5.

In step S5, the autonomous mobile body 11 plays with the object. Specifically, the motion control unit 224 controls the drive unit 204 and the output unit 205 based on the action plan data supplied from the action plan unit 223, thereby causing the autonomous mobile body 11 to perform a play action.

For example, the autonomous mobile body 11 expresses a playful motion by wrapping the tail 24 around the user's hand or the like with a slow, constant force. In this case, for example, the bending and straightening drive unit 232a drives the pitch axis actuator 123a to bend the tail 24, thereby wrapping the tail 24 around the user's hand or the like with a slow, constant force.

In step S6, the recognition unit 221 determines whether or not the user is touching the tail 24 by the same process as in step S2. If it is determined that the user is touching the tail 24, the process returns to step S5.

Then, in step S6, the processes of steps S5 and S6 are repeatedly executed until it is determined that the user's contact with the tail 24 has ended. This allows the autonomous moving body 11 to continue its playful action.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S6 that the user's contact with the tail 24 has ended, processing proceeds to step S7.

If it is determined in step S3 that the user has come into contact with the body, the process proceeds to step S7.

In step S7, the autonomous mobile body 11 expresses joy. Specifically, the motion control unit 224 controls the drive unit 204 and the output unit 205 based on the action plan data supplied from the action plan unit 223, thereby causing the autonomous mobile body 11 to perform an action that expresses joy.

For example, the autonomous mobile body 11 expresses joy by raising the tail 24 high and vigorously swinging it from side to side, as shown diagrammatically in FIG. 18B. In this case, for example, the bending and straightening drive unit 232a drives the pitch axis actuator 123a to lift the tail 24 by bending it significantly upward. The rotation drive unit 232b drives the roll axis actuator 123b to rotate the tail 24 alternately in both directions around the roll axis, causing the tail 24 to swing vigorously from side to side in a lifted state.

Then the positive interaction action ends.

On the other hand, in step S4, if the behavior planning unit 223 recognizes or estimates, for example, a situation in which a transition to a mode other than the favorable mode occurs, it determines to end the favorable mode, and the favorable interaction operation ends.

<Adversarial interaction behavior>
Next, the hostile interaction operation of the autonomous mobile body 11 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

This process is started, for example, when the behavior planning unit 223 sets the operation mode of the autonomous mobile body 11 to hostile mode. The hostile mode is, for example, a mode that corresponds to a case where the autonomous mobile body 11 does not want the user or the like to pay attention to it.

In step S51, the autonomous mobile body 11 takes an alert posture. Specifically, the operation control unit 224 controls the drive unit 204 and the output unit 205 based on the action plan data supplied from the action plan unit 223, thereby causing the autonomous mobile body 11 to take an alert posture.

For example, as shown in schematic diagram A of FIG. 20, the autonomous mobile body 11 lowers the tail 24 and swings it slowly from side to side. In this case, for example, the bending and straightening drive unit 232a drives the pitch axis actuator 123a to extend and lower the tail 24. The rotation drive unit 232b drives the roll axis actuator 123b to slowly rotate the tail 24 alternately in both directions around the roll axis, causing the tail 24 to swing slowly from side to side with the tail 24 lowered.

In step S52, similar to the process in step S2 of FIG. 17, it is determined whether or not the user has touched the tail 24. If it is determined that the user has not touched the tail 24, the process proceeds to step S53.

In step S53, similar to the process in step S3 of FIG. 17, it is determined whether or not the user has touched the body. If it is determined that the user has not touched the body, the process proceeds to step S54.

In step S54, the action planning unit 223 determines whether or not to continue the hostile mode based on the situation recognized or estimated by the recognition unit 221. If it is determined that the hostile mode should be continued, the process returns to step S51.

Then, the processing of steps S51 to S54 is repeatedly executed until it is determined in step S52 that the user has come into contact with the tail 24, in step S53 that the user has come into contact with the body, or in step S54 that the hostile mode has been terminated. As a result, the autonomous mobile body 11 continues its alert posture.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S52 that the user has touched the tail 24, processing proceeds to step S55.

In step S55, the autonomous mobile body 11 hides the tail 24. Specifically, the motion control unit 224 controls the drive unit 204 and the output unit 205 based on the action plan data supplied from the action plan unit 223, thereby causing the autonomous mobile body 11 to execute the action of hiding the tail 24, as shown diagrammatically in B of FIG. 20.

In this case, for example, the rotation drive unit 232b drives the roll axis actuator 123b to rotate the tail section 24 180 degrees around the roll axis. The bending and straightening drive unit 232a drives the pitch axis actuator 123a to bend the tail section 24 and hide it by inserting the tip of the tail section 24 between the rear legs (legs 23HL and 23HR).

Then the hostile interaction action ends.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S53 that the user has come into contact with the body, processing proceeds to step S56.

In step S56, the autonomous mobile body 11 runs away from the user and expresses anger with the tail 24. Specifically, the motion control unit 224 controls the drive unit 204 and the output unit 205 based on the action plan data supplied from the action planning unit 223, thereby causing the autonomous mobile body 11 to execute the action of running away from the user and expressing anger with the tail 24. For example, as shown diagrammatically in C of FIG. 20, the autonomous mobile body 11 raises the tail 24 high and assumes a forward-leaning posture.

In this case, for example, the bending and straightening drive unit 232a drives the pitch axis actuator 123a to bend the tail section 24, thereby lifting the tail section 24 high.

Then the hostile interaction action ends.

On the other hand, in step S54, if the behavior planning unit 223 recognizes or estimates a situation in which the mode will transition to a mode other than the hostile mode, it determines to end the hostile mode, and the hostile interaction operation ends.

<Reverse movement>
Next, the backward movement of the autonomous moving body 11 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

In step S101, the autonomous mobile body 11 moves backward while swinging the tail 24 horizontally. Specifically, the motion control unit 224 controls the drive unit 204 and the output unit 205 based on the action plan data supplied from the action plan unit 223, thereby causing the autonomous mobile body 11 to perform the action of moving backward while swinging the tail 24 horizontally.

In this case, for example, the bending and straightening drive unit 232a drives the pitch axis actuator 123a to bend the tail section 24, thereby lifting the tail section 24 in a substantially horizontal direction. The rotation drive unit 232b drives the roll axis actuator 123b to rotate the tail section 24 alternately in both directions around the roll axis, thereby swinging the tail section 24 from side to side while lifting it in a substantially horizontal direction.

In step S102, a determination is made as to whether or not the tail 24 has come into contact with anything, using a process similar to that of step S2 in FIG. 17. If it is determined that the tail 24 has not come into contact with anything, the process proceeds to step S103.

In step S103, the recognition unit 221 determines whether or not the destination has been reached based on the sensor data and input data supplied from the input unit 201. If it is determined that the destination has not been reached, the process returns to step S101.

Then, the processing of steps S101 to S103 is repeatedly executed until it is determined in step S102 that the tail section 24 has come into contact with something, or until it is determined in step S103 that the destination has been reached. As a result, the autonomous mobile body 11 continues to move backward while swinging the tail section 24 horizontally.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S102 that the tail 24 has come into contact with something, processing proceeds to step S104.

In step S104, the autonomous mobile body 11 swings its tail 24 to search for the location of an obstacle. Specifically, the motion control unit 224 controls the drive unit 204 and the output unit 205 based on the action plan data supplied from the action plan unit 223, thereby causing the autonomous mobile body 11 to perform an action of stopping and swinging its tail 24 to search for the location of an obstacle.

In this case, for example, the rotation drive unit 232b drives the roll axis actuator 123b to slowly rotate the tail section 24 alternately in both directions around the roll axis, so that the tail section 24 is lifted in a substantially horizontal direction and slowly swings from side to side as if searching for the location of an obstacle.

The recognition unit 221 detects the position of an obstacle based on the magnitude and direction of the external force on the tail 24, based on the external force estimation data from the tail drive unit 232. The recognition unit 221 supplies data indicating the detection result of the obstacle position to the action planning unit 223.

In step S105, the action planning unit 223 determines whether the obstacle can be avoided based on the detection result of the obstacle's position. If it is determined that the obstacle can be avoided, the process proceeds to step S106.

In step S106, the autonomous mobile body 11 changes its traveling direction to avoid the obstacle. Specifically, the operation control unit 224 controls the drive unit 204 and the output unit 205 based on the action plan data supplied from the action planning unit 223, thereby changing the traveling direction of the autonomous mobile body 11 to a direction in which the autonomous mobile body 11 can avoid the obstacle when the autonomous mobile body 11 retreats.

Then, the process returns to step S101, and the processes from step S101 onwards are executed.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S105 that the obstacle cannot be avoided, the process proceeds to step S107.

In step S107, the autonomous mobile body 11 stops retreating and transitions to a mode for viewing obstacles. Specifically, the operation control unit 224 stops retreating by controlling the drive unit 204 and the output unit 205 based on the action plan data supplied from the action planning unit 223. In addition, the action planning unit 223 changes the mode of the autonomous mobile body 11 to a mode for viewing obstacles.

Then the retreating motion ends.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S103 that the destination has been reached, the reverse operation ends.

<Object grasping action>
Next, the object grasping operation of the autonomous mobile body 11 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

Below, we will explain the operation when grasping object 351, which is a bone-shaped toy, as shown in Figures 23A to 23C.

In step S151, the autonomous mobile body 11 faces its rear end toward the object 351. Specifically, the motion control unit 224 controls the drive unit 204 and the output unit 205 based on the action plan data supplied from the action plan unit 223, and changes the orientation of the autonomous mobile body 11 so that its rear end faces the object 351.

In step S152, the autonomous mobile body 11 moves backward with the tail 24 held straight down. Specifically, the motion control unit 224 controls the drive unit 204 and the output unit 205 based on the action plan data supplied from the action plan unit 223, and moves the autonomous mobile body 11 backward with the tail 24 held straight down, as shown diagrammatically in FIG. 23A.

In step S153, the recognition unit 221 determines whether or not an object 351 has come into contact with the back of the tail 24, based on the magnitude and direction of the external force on the tail 24 indicated by the external force estimation data supplied from the tail drive unit 232. As shown diagrammatically in FIG. 23B, if it is determined that an object 351 has come into contact with the back of the tail 24, the process proceeds to step S154.

In step S154, the autonomous mobile body 11 bends the tail 24 in a direction to scoop up the object 351. Specifically, the motion control unit 224 controls the drive unit 204 and the output unit 205 based on the action plan data supplied from the action plan unit 223, and bends the tail 24 in a direction to scoop up the object 351, as shown diagrammatically in C of FIG. 23.

In this case, for example, the bending and straightening drive unit 232a drives the pitch axis actuator 123a to bend the tail section 24 upward, thereby bending the tail section 24 in a direction to scoop up the object 351.

In step S155, the recognition unit 221 determines whether or not the weight of the object 351 is acting on the tail 24, based on the magnitude and direction of the external force on the tail 24 indicated by the external force estimation data supplied from the tail drive unit 232. If it is determined that the weight of the object 351 is not acting on the tail 24, the process proceeds to step S156.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S153 that the object 351 is not in contact with the back side of the tail 24, the processes in steps S154 and S155 are skipped and the process proceeds to step S156.

In step S156, the recognition unit 221 determines whether or not the number of trials has been completed. If the number of trials of the action of scooping up an object with the tail 24 has not reached a predetermined number, the recognition unit 221 determines that the number of trials has not been completed, and the process proceeds to step S157.

In step S157, the autonomous mobile body 11 moves away from the object 351 and redirects its buttocks. Specifically, the motion control unit 224 controls the drive unit 204 and the output unit 205 based on the action plan data supplied from the action plan unit 223 to move the autonomous mobile body 11 away from the object 351 and redirect its buttocks toward the object 351 again.

Then, the process returns to step S152, and steps S152 to S157 are repeatedly executed until it is determined in step S155 that the weight of the object 351 is applied to the tail 24, or it is determined in step S156 that the number of trials has been completed. As a result, the action of scooping up the object 351 with the tail 24 is repeated until the object 351 is successfully grasped or the number of trials has been completed.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S155 that the weight of the object 351 is acting on the tail 24, the process proceeds to step S158.

In step S158, the recognition unit 221 determines that the object 351 has been successfully grasped.

The object grasping operation then ends.

On the other hand, in step S156, if the number of attempts to scoop up an object with the tail 24 reaches a predetermined number, the recognition unit 221 determines that the number of attempts has been completed, and the process proceeds to step S159.

In step S159, the recognition unit 221 determines that grasping of the object 351 has failed.

The object grasping operation then ends.

In this way, the expressiveness of the autonomous moving body 11 can be improved. In particular, the shape and movement of the tail 24 become more natural and dynamic, improving the expressiveness of the autonomous moving body 11 by the tail 24.

For example, by rotating the tail section 24 around the roll axis and bending and straightening the tail section 24 with the wire 121, it becomes possible to bend and straighten the tail section 24 in all directions perpendicular to the roll axis. Also, compared to a case where, for example, two wires are used to enable the tail section to bend and straighten up, down, left and right, the stability of the tail section 24 is improved. This increases the degree of freedom of movement of the tail section 24, enabling smooth, dynamic movement.

For example, the tail 24 is made by simply inserting a single wire 121 into the elastic body 111, so the soft feel of the elastic body 111 is maintained. In other words, a flexible, firm and supple tail 24 is realized. The base of the tail 24 can also be made thin. This allows the tail 24 to resemble a real dog's tail. As a result, for example, the user is given the urge to touch the tail 24, and a pleasant feel is provided when the user touches it.

Also, for example, if two wires were used as described above, the tail would always be moved with strong tension, which is expected to accelerate wear on the tail. On the other hand, by making the tail 24 rotatable around the roll axis, the tension on the wire 121 can be loosened as needed, improving the durability of the tail 24.

Furthermore, as described above, it becomes possible to estimate the magnitude and direction of the external force on the tail 24 and detect objects behind the autonomous mobile body 11 without providing any mechanical sensors. It also becomes possible to control the operation of the autonomous mobile body 11 in real time based on the results of the estimation of the external force and the results of the detection of the object.

<<2. Modified Examples>>
Below, a modification of the above-described embodiment of the present technology will be described.

<Modifications of the Flexible Active Mechanism>
Fig. 24 and Fig. 25 show schematic diagrams of modified flexible active mechanisms. Fig. 24 shows schematic diagrams of a cross section of the flexible active mechanism. Fig. 25A shows schematic diagrams of a perspective view of the flexible active mechanism. Fig. 25B shows schematic diagrams of a top view of a winding mechanism for a wire 121 of the flexible active mechanism. Note that in Fig. 24, the diagonal line pattern is omitted in part of the cross section to make the diagram easier to understand. Also, in Fig. 25A, the bearing 122 is omitted.

In addition, parts in the figure that correspond to those in Figures 6 and 7 are given the same reference numerals, and their explanation will be omitted as appropriate.

The flexible active mechanism of Figs. 24 and 25 is the same as the flexible active mechanism of Figs. 6 and 7 in that it includes a tail section 24, and differs in that it includes a drive mechanism 401 instead of the drive mechanism 101. Compared to the drive mechanism 101, the drive mechanism 401 is the same as the drive mechanism 101 in that it includes a wire 121, a bearing 122, a pitch axis actuator 123a, a roll axis actuator 123b, and a gear 125, but differs in that it includes a pinion 411 instead of the winding section 124, and a winding section 412 has been added. In other words, the drive mechanism 401 is different from the drive mechanism 101 in the configuration of the winding mechanism for the wire 121.

A pinion 411 is connected to the tip of the pitch axis actuator 123a. The pinion 411 is engaged with a winding section 412 consisting of a curved rack. One end of the wire 121 is connected to the end of the winding section 412 that is farther from the tail section 24.

The pitch axis actuator 123a can slide the winding section 412 in the direction indicated by the arrows in Figures 24 and 25 and in the opposite direction by rotating the pinion 411. As the winding section 412 slides, the wire 121 connected to the winding section 412 is wound or unwound. As a result, the wire 121 is pulled or pushed out, and the elastic body 111 (tail section 24) is deformed in the pitch axis direction, similar to the flexible active mechanism in Figures 6 and 7.

In the above explanation, an example has been shown in which the flexible active mechanism has only one wire, but it may have two or more wires. For example, in the flexible active mechanism of Figures 6 and 7, a set of wire and wire winding mechanism may be added so that the tail 24 can be bent and extended in a direction perpendicular to the arrow A1 (yaw direction).

<Modifications regarding sensing of tail section 24>
For example, a sensor for detecting force may be provided in the tail portion 24, and the recognition unit 221 may detect an external force acting on the tail portion 24 based on sensor data from the sensor.

For example, a sensor that detects the shape of the tail 24 may be provided, and the recognition unit 221 may detect the shape and deformation of the tail 24 based on the sensor data of the sensor.

For example, a touch sensor may be provided on the tail 24, and the recognition unit 221 may detect contact with the tail 24 based on sensor data from the touch sensor. This improves the detection accuracy of contact with the tail 24 that applies almost no external force, such as a gentle stroke, to the tail 24.

<Other Modifications>
The present technology can be applied to moving bodies such as pet-type robots to which a flexible active mechanism can be applied, in addition to the dog-type quadruped robot described above. For example, the present technology can be applied to animal-type robots other than dogs that have tails. For example, the present technology can be applied to animal-type robots that have parts other than tails that can be flexibly bent and stretched. Examples of such parts include ears and jaws.

Moreover, the moving body to which this technology can be applied may be, for example, a moving body in which only a part of the moving body moves, and not the entire moving body. For example, this technology can be applied to a moving body in which only the tail moves, with a flexible active mechanism provided as the tail on a cushion or the like.

<<3. Others>>
<Example of computer configuration>
The above-mentioned series of processes can be executed by hardware or software. When the series of processes is executed by software, the programs constituting the software are installed in a computer. Here, the computer includes a computer built into dedicated hardware, and a general-purpose personal computer, for example, capable of executing various functions by installing various programs.

FIG. 26 is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of a computer that executes the above-mentioned series of processes using a program.

In computer 1000, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 1001, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 1002, and a RAM (Random Access Memory) 1003 are interconnected by a bus 1004.

Further connected to the bus 1004 is an input/output interface 1005. Connected to the input/output interface 1005 are an input unit 1006, an output unit 1007, a storage unit 1008, a communication unit 1009, and a drive 1010.

The input unit 1006 includes an input switch, a button, a microphone, an image sensor, etc. The output unit 1007 includes a display, a speaker, etc. The storage unit 1008 includes a hard disk, a non-volatile memory, etc. The communication unit 1009 includes a network interface, etc. The drive 1010 drives removable media 1011 such as a magnetic disk, an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, or a semiconductor memory.

In the computer 1000 configured as above, the CPU 1001 loads a program recorded in the storage unit 1008, for example, into the RAM 1003 via the input/output interface 1005 and the bus 1004, and executes the program, thereby performing the above-mentioned series of processes.

The program executed by the computer 1000 (CPU 1001) can be provided by being recorded on a removable medium 1011 such as a package medium, for example. The program can also be provided via a wired or wireless transmission medium such as a local area network, the Internet, or digital satellite broadcasting.

In the computer 1000, the program can be installed in the storage unit 1008 via the input/output interface 1005 by inserting the removable medium 1011 into the drive 1010. The program can also be received by the communication unit 1009 via a wired or wireless transmission medium and installed in the storage unit 1008. Alternatively, the program can be pre-installed in the ROM 1002 or storage unit 1008.

The program executed by the computer may be a program in which processing is performed chronologically in the order described in this specification, or a program in which processing is performed in parallel or at the required timing, such as when called.

In addition, in this specification, a system refers to a collection of multiple components (devices, modules (parts), etc.), regardless of whether all the components are in the same housing. Therefore, multiple devices housed in separate housings and connected via a network, and a single device in which multiple modules are housed in a single housing, are both systems.

Furthermore, the embodiments of this technology are not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments, and various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of this technology.

For example, this technology can be configured as cloud computing, in which a single function is shared and processed collaboratively by multiple devices over a network.

In addition, each step described in the above flowchart can be executed by a single device, or can be shared and executed by multiple devices.

Furthermore, when one step includes multiple processes, the multiple processes included in that one step can be executed by one device, or can be shared and executed by multiple devices.

<Examples of configuration combinations>
The present technology can also be configured as follows.

(1)
A first portion; and
a second section connected to the first section and having a bendable elastic body;
a bending and straightening mechanism that bends and straightens the second portion by bending and straightening the elastic body using a wire that is inserted into the second portion in a direction in which the second portion extends from the first portion;
a rotation mechanism that rotates the second part about a rotation axis that is parallel to a connection direction of the second part to the first part.
(2)
A bending and straightening drive unit that drives the bending and straightening mechanism;
The moving body according to (1), further comprising: a rotation drive unit that drives the rotation mechanism.
(3)
The moving body described in (2), wherein the bending and straightening drive unit estimates an external force in the bending and straightening direction applied to the second part based on a current value to a first actuator provided in the bending and straightening mechanism and a position or speed in the rotational direction of the first actuator.
(4)
The moving body described in (3), wherein the rotational drive unit estimates an external force in a rotational direction applied to the second part based on a current value to a second actuator provided in the rotation mechanism and a position or speed of the second actuator in the rotational direction.
(5)
The moving body described in (4) further comprises a recognition unit that recognizes contact of an object with the second portion based on at least one of the estimation result of the external force in the bending and straightening direction and the estimation result of the external force in the rotational direction.
(6)
the moving body is an animal-type robot,
the first portion is a body portion,
the second portion is a tail;
The moving body according to (5) above, wherein the moving body swings the tail and retreats while searching for objects behind.
(7)
The second portion is capable of bending to grasp an object;
The moving body according to any one of (3) to (6), further comprising a recognition unit that determines whether the second portion is gripping the object based on an estimation result of the external force in the bending and straightening direction.
(8)
The moving body according to (2), wherein the rotation drive unit estimates an external force in a rotational direction applied to the second part based on a current value to an actuator provided in the rotation mechanism and a position of the actuator in the rotational direction.
(9)
the first portion is a body portion,
The moving body according to any one of (2) to (8), wherein the second portion is a tail.
(10)
The moving body according to (9), further comprising an action control unit that controls the bending and straightening drive unit and the rotation drive unit to express emotions of the moving body by bending and straightening and rotating the tail.
(11)
The moving body according to (9) or (10), wherein the bending/stretching mechanism and the rotation mechanism are disposed within the body portion.
(12)
The moving body described in any of (1) to (11), wherein the wire is connected within the second portion near the tip of the second portion, extends within the elastic body in the longitudinal direction of the elastic body, and is inserted into the first portion.
(13)
The movable body according to (12), wherein the bending and straightening mechanism bends and straightens the elastic body by pulling and pushing the wire.
(14)
The movable body according to (13), wherein the bending and straightening mechanism includes a winding mechanism that winds and unwinds the wire.
(15)
The moving body according to any one of (1) to (14), wherein the elastic body is bendable.

Note that the effects described in this specification are merely examples and are not limiting, and other effects may also be present.

11 Autonomous mobile body, 21 Head, 22 Body, 23FL to 23HR Legs, 24 Tail, 71 Actuator, 101 Drive mechanism, 111 Elastic body, 112 Cap, 113 Connection member, 113A Shaft, 121 Wire, 122 Bearing, 123a Pitch axis actuator, 123b Roll axis actuator, 124 Winding section, 125 Gear, 201 Input section, 203 Information processing section, 204 Drive section, 205 Output section, 221 Recognition section, 223 Action planning section, 224 Motion control section, 231 Joint drive section, 232 Tail drive section, 232a Bending and stretching drive section, 232b Rotation drive section, 261 Force controller, 262 Position controller, 263 Indication value synthesizer, 264 Driver, 265 Force estimator, 401 Drive mechanism, 411 Pinion, 412 Winding section

Claims (15)

A first portion; and
a second section connected to the first section and having a bendable elastic body;
a bending and straightening mechanism that bends and straightens the second portion by bending and straightening the elastic body using a wire that is inserted into the second portion in a direction in which the second portion extends from the first portion;
a rotation mechanism that rotates the second part about a rotation axis that is parallel to a connection direction of the second part to the first part. A bending and straightening drive unit that drives the bending and straightening mechanism;
The moving body according to claim 1 , further comprising: a rotation drive unit that drives the rotation mechanism. The movable body according to claim 2 , wherein the bending and straightening drive unit estimates an external force in a bending and straightening direction applied to the second part based on a current value to a first actuator provided in the bending and straightening mechanism and a position or speed in a rotational direction of the first actuator. The movable body according to claim 3 , wherein the rotation drive unit estimates an external force in a rotational direction applied to the second part based on a current value to a second actuator provided in the rotation mechanism and a position or a speed of the second actuator in the rotational direction. The moving body according to claim 4 , further comprising a recognition unit that recognizes contact of an object with the second portion based on at least one of the estimation result of the external force in the bending and straightening direction and the estimation result of the external force in the rotational direction. the moving body is an animal-type robot,
the first portion is a body portion,
the second portion is a tail;
The moving body according to claim 5 , wherein the moving body swings the tail and moves backward while searching for an object behind. The second portion is capable of bending to grasp an object;
The moving body according to claim 3 , further comprising a recognition unit that determines whether or not the second portion is gripping the object based on a result of the estimation of the external force in the bending and straightening direction. The moving body according to claim 2 , wherein the rotation drive unit estimates an external force in the rotation direction applied to the second part based on a current value to an actuator included in the rotation mechanism and a position of the actuator in the rotation direction. the first portion is a body portion,
The moving body according to claim 2 , wherein the second portion is a tail. The moving body according to claim 9 , further comprising: a motion control unit that controls the bending and straightening drive unit and the rotation drive unit to cause the moving body to express an emotion by bending and straightening and rotating the tail. The moving body according to claim 9 , wherein the bending and straightening mechanism and the rotation mechanism are disposed within the body portion. The movable body according to claim 1 , wherein the wire is connected within the second portion near a tip of the second portion, extends within the elastic body in a longitudinal direction of the elastic body, and is inserted into the first portion. The movable body according to claim 12 , wherein the bending and straightening mechanism bends and straightens the elastic body by pulling and pushing the wire. The movable body according to claim 13 , wherein the bending and straightening mechanism includes a winding mechanism that winds and unwinds the wire. The moving body according to claim 1 , wherein the elastic body is bendable.

Images