Self-balancing robot having a shaft-mounted head
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A robot comprising:
- a base, supported on wheels, and including a retractable tail that retracts into the base and that, when extended, can form a tripod with the wheels on which the robot can stably rest, the tail being pivotally attached to the base;
a control system configured to maintain balance of the robot on the wheels; and
a head joined to the base by a shaft extending therebetween.
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Abstract
Mobile self-balancing robots for telepresence are provided. The robots comprise a base, a head, and a shaft therebetween. The shaft can be telescoping to allow the head to be extended above the base to about the height of a normal sized person, or can be retracted to make the robot more compact for easier storage and transportation. The head includes components for telepresence such as cameras, a speaker, a microphone, a laser pointer, and a display screen, as well as protection from impacts and falls. The base provides locomotion and balance, and a narrow shaft between the head and base minimizes the robot'"'"'s weight and reduces the likelihood of collisions with protrusions like table edges.
182 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A robot comprising:
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a base, supported on wheels, and including a retractable tail that retracts into the base and that, when extended, can form a tripod with the wheels on which the robot can stably rest, the tail being pivotally attached to the base; a control system configured to maintain balance of the robot on the wheels; and a head joined to the base by a shaft extending therebetween. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A robot comprising:
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a base supported on wheels and including a retractable stabilizer that can retract into the base, where the robot can stably rest on the wheels and the stabilizer when the stabilizer is extended; a control system configured to maintain balance of the robot on the wheels; and a head joined to the base by a shaft extending therebetween, the head including a camera. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method comprising:
transitioning a robot from a non-balancing state to a balancing state, the robot including a base having two wheels and a retractable stabilizer, the two wheels defining a common axis of rotation; the non-balancing state characterized by the base being supported on the two wheels and the stabilizer, the balancing state characterized by the base being supported on only the two wheels, and wherein transitioning the robot from the non-balancing state to the balancing state includes using the stabilizer to rotate the base around the axis of rotation. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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16. A method comprising:
transitioning a robot from a balancing state to a non-balancing state, the robot including a base having two wheels and a retractable stabilizer, the two wheels defining a common axis of rotation; the non-balancing state characterized by the base being supported on the two wheels and the stabilizer, the balancing state characterized by the base being supported on only the two wheels, and wherein transitioning the robot from the balancing state to the non-balancing state includes measuring a wind strength and extending the stabilizer.
Specification