Social behavior rules for a medical telepresence robot

• US 9,174,342 B2
• Filed: 11/21/2014
• Issued: 11/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: iRobot Corporation, Jonata Sub Two, Inc. (Teladoc Health, Inc.), Teladoc Health, Inc.
• Original Assignee: iRobot Corporation, Touch Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Pinter, Marco, Lai, Fuji, Sanchez, Daniel Steven, Ballantyne, James, Roe, David Bjorn, Wang, Yulun, Jordan, Charles S., Taka, Orjeta, Wong, Cheuk Wah
• Primary Examiner(s): Sample, Jonathan L
• Application Number:
  US14/550,743
• Publication Number:
  US 20150088310A1
• Time in Patent Office: 347 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1676 Avoiding collision or forbidden zones
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0088 characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours using knowledge based models G06N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/22 Social work or social welfare, e.g. community support activities or counselling services
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/01 Mobile robot
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/47 Optical
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/49 Protective device

Abstract

Devices, systems, and methods for social behavior of a telepresence robot are disclosed herein. A telepresence robot may include a drive system, a control system, an object detection system, and a social behaviors component. The drive system is configured to move the telepresence robot. The control system is configured to control the drive system to drive the telepresence robot around a work area. The object detection system is configured to detect a human in proximity to the telepresence robot. The social behaviors component is configured to provide instructions to the control system to cause the telepresence robot to operate according to a first set of rules when a presence of one or more humans is not detected and operate according to a second set of rules when the presence of one or more humans is detected.

Claims

1. A telepresence robot comprising:

a drive system configured to move the telepresence robot;

a control system configured to control the drive system to drive the telepresence robot around a work area;

a status determination system configured to determine a current status for one or both of the telepresence robot and a human; and

a social path component configured to provide instructions to the control system to cause the telepresence robot to maintain a socially acceptable distance from humans, the socially acceptable distance based on the current status,

wherein the status determination system is configured to determine that the current status of the robot comprises a presence of the human,

wherein the social path component maintains a socially acceptable distance from the human by avoiding a lockout zone surrounding the human,

wherein the status determination system comprises a human classification component configured to determine a classification of a human, and

wherein the social path component determines the lockout zone based on the classification of the human.

2. The telepresence robot of claim 1, wherein the social path component is configured to timeout after a predetermined time period of being unable to drive the telepresence robot around the work area and maintain a socially acceptable distance from humans.

3. The telepresence robot of claim 2, wherein the social path component is configured to stop attempting to drive during timeout and automatically end the timeout after a predetermined time period.

4. The telepresence robot of claim 1, wherein the socially acceptable distance from humans is a larger distance when in a semi-autonomous mode than when in an autonomous mode.

5. The telepresence robot of claim 1, wherein the social path component maintains a socially acceptable distance from the human by maintaining a minimum distance from the human.

6. The telepresence robot of claim 1, wherein the current status further comprises the human involved in a conversation with one or more humans, and wherein the social path component is configured to maintain a socially acceptable distance by avoiding a conversation zone between the human and the one or more humans, the conversation zone comprising a continuous region between the human and the one or more humans such that the telepresence robot cannot pass between the human and the one or more humans without passing through the conversation zone.

7. The telepresence robot of claim 6, wherein the status determination system is configured to determine that the human and the one or more humans are involved in a conversation based on proximity between the human and the one or more humans.

8. The telepresence robot of claim 6, wherein the status determination system is configured to determine that the human and the one or more humans are involved in a conversation based on an orientation of the human and the one or more humans in relation to each other.

9. The telepresence robot of claim 1, wherein the social path component causes the telepresence robot to move out of the way of the human.

15. The telepresence robot of claim 1, wherein the social path component is further configured to cause the telepresence robot to indicate a direction of intended travel to nearby humans.

16. The telepresence robot of claim 15, wherein the telepresence robot indicates the direction of intended travel using an indicator light.

17. The telepresence robot of claim 15, wherein the telepresence robot further comprises a gesture component and wherein the telepresence robot comprises one or more body portions, wherein the gesture component is configured to provide instructions to the control system to cause the one or more body portions to perform a gesture to indicate the intended direction of travel.

18. The telepresence robot of claim 17, wherein the gesture comprises turning an upper portion of the telepresence robot in the intended direction of travel.

19. The telepresence robot of claim 18, wherein the upper portion comprises a display screen.

20. The telepresence robot of claim 17, wherein the gesture component is configured to cause the gesture to be performed prior to moving in the intended direction.

21. The telepresence robot of claim 1, wherein the current status comprises a delayed navigation status, wherein the status determination system is configured to determine that the current status comprises a delayed navigation status based on a determination that a path is blocked by one or more individuals and objects for at least a delay time period.

22. The telepresence robot of claim 21, wherein the social path component is configured to cause the telepresence robot to follow a first set of rules during the delay time period and follow a second set of rules following the delay time period.

23. The telepresence robot of claim 22, wherein the first set of rules prohibit entering a first lockout zone of an object and wherein the second set of rules prohibit entering a second lockout zone of the object, wherein the first lockout zone is larger than the second lockout zone.

10. A telepresence robot comprising,

a drive system configured to move the telepresence robot;

a control system configured to control the drive system to drive the telepresence robot around a work area;

a status determination system configured to determine a current status for one or both of the telepresence robot and a human; and

a social path component configured to provide instructions to the control system to cause the telepresence robot to maintain a socially acceptable distance from humans, the socially acceptable distance based on the current status,

wherein the status determination system is configured to identify an intersection,

wherein the social path component is configured to determine a path at the intersection comprising a reduced speed.

11. The telepresence robot of claim 10, wherein the social path component is further configured to determine an entry angle through the intersection to increase visibility to any approaching humans.

12. The telepresence robot of claim 10, wherein the social path component is further configured to determine whether a crossing human will reach the intersection within a threshold time of the telepresence robot and wherein the social path component is configured to modify a path of the telepresence robot to avoid a lockout zone for the human.

13. A telepresence robot comprising,

a drive system configured to move the telepresence robot;

a control system configured to control the drive system to drive the telepresence robot around a work area;

a status determination system configured to determine a current status for one or both of the telepresence robot and a human; and

a social path component configured to provide instructions to the control system to cause the telepresence robot to maintain a socially acceptable distance from humans, the socially acceptable distance based on the current status,

wherein the status determination system is configured to identify a doorway,

wherein the social path component is configured to determine a path at the doorway comprising a reduced speed.

14. The telepresence robot of claim 13, wherein the social path component is further configured to determine an entry angle through the doorway to increase visibility to any approaching humans.