Companion robot for personal interaction
First Claim
1. A method performed by a robot for maintaining proximity between a person and the robot, the method comprising:
- initializing a presence score indicative of proximity of the person;
detecting the person within a detection range of the robot, and in response, improving the presence score;
detecting that the person is not within the detection range of the robot and decaying the presence score to progressively worsen as a function of time;
determining that the presence score, as decayed, has decayed to a first threshold presence score, wherein the first threshold presence score is selected so that at least some time passes before the presence score decays to the first threshold presence score; and
then,in response to determining that the presence score has decayed to the first threshold presence score, initiating a searching routine to locate the person, thereby tending to keep the robot in a same room as the person, but without close following.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A mobile robot guest for interacting with a human resident performs a room-traversing search procedure prior to interacting with the resident, and may verbally query whether the resident being sought is present. Upon finding the resident, the mobile robot may facilitate a teleconferencing session with a remote third party, or interact with the resident in a number of ways. For example, the robot may carry on a dialogue with the resident, reinforce compliance with medication or other schedules, etc. In addition, the robot incorporates safety features for preventing collisions with the resident; and the robot may audibly announce and/or visibly indicate its presence in order to avoid becoming a dangerous obstacle. Furthermore, the mobile robot behaves in accordance with an integral privacy policy, such that any sensor recording or transmission must be approved by the resident.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. A method performed by a robot for maintaining proximity between a person and the robot, the method comprising:
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initializing a presence score indicative of proximity of the person; detecting the person within a detection range of the robot, and in response, improving the presence score; detecting that the person is not within the detection range of the robot and decaying the presence score to progressively worsen as a function of time; determining that the presence score, as decayed, has decayed to a first threshold presence score, wherein the first threshold presence score is selected so that at least some time passes before the presence score decays to the first threshold presence score; and
then,in response to determining that the presence score has decayed to the first threshold presence score, initiating a searching routine to locate the person, thereby tending to keep the robot in a same room as the person, but without close following. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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Specification