Companion robot for personal interaction

• US 9,446,510 B2
• Filed: 12/31/2014
• Issued: 09/20/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: iRobot Corporation
• Original Assignee: iRobot Corporation
• Inventors: Vu, Clara, Cross, Matthew, Bickmore, Tim, Gruber, Amanda, Campbell, Tony L.
• Primary Examiner(s): MOYER, DALE S
• Application Number:
  US14/587,987
• Publication Number:
  US 20150224640A1
• Time in Patent Office: 629 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 11/008 Manipulators for service tasks
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 19/0091 Shock absorbers in general F16F
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 19/023 including video camera means
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 19/06 Safety devices
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 5/007 mounted on wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/0003 Home robots, i.e. small robots for domestic use
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1697 Vision controlled systems
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/021 specially adapted to land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0225 involving docking at a fixed facility, e.g. base station or loading bay parking aids B62D15/027
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0234 using optical markers or beacons optical beacons per se G01S1/70
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0242 using non-visible light signals, e.g. IR or UV signals
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0246 using a video camera in combination with image processing means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0251 extracting 3D information from a plurality of images taken from different locations, e.g. stereo vision stereoscopic image analysis H04N13/00; depth recovery from images G06T7/593
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0255 using acoustic signals, e.g. ultra-sonic singals sonar systems designed for anti-collision purposes G01S15/93
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/027 comprising intertial navigation means, e.g. azimuth detector inertial navigation G01C21/16; inertial navigation combined with non-inertial navigation instruments G01C21/165
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0272 comprising means for registering the travel distance, e.g. revolutions of wheels measuring distance traversed on the ground by vehicles, e.g. using odometers G01C22/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0274 using mapping information stored in a memory device navigation using map-matching G01C21/30
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 3/008 based on physical entities controlled by simulated intelligence so as to replicate intelligent life forms, e.g. based on robots replicating pets or humans in their appearance or behaviour
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/00 ICT specially adapted for therapies or health-improving plans, e.g. for handling prescriptions, for steering therapy or for monitoring patient compliance
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 : for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 : for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 70/40 : relating to drugs, e.g. their side effects or intended usage
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/01 : Mobile robot
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/46 : Sensing device
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/47 : Optical

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.

Claims

1. A human-interaction robot comprising:

a head support;

a head assembly connected to the head support by a movable joint, the head assembly comprising a display;

a teleconferencing unit comprising at least one camera positioned on the head assembly, the teleconferencing unit being configured to transmit and receive audio data and video data; and

a controller configured to;

cause the teleconferencing unit to transmit and receive the audio data and the video data and to display on the display of the head assembly a video corresponding to the video data;

control the display to display multiple facial animations; and

control the movable joint to move the display to different orientations;

wherein the controller is configured to receive a conferencing request using a wireless networking protocol, and cause the teleconferencing unit to transmit and receive the audio data and the video data using the wireless networking protocol and to display on the display of the head assembly the video in response to receiving a conference accept signal.

2. The human-interaction robot of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to cause a movable joint motion that corresponds to a facial animation displayed on the display during the movable joint motion.

3. The human-interaction robot of claim 2, wherein the movable joint motion causes a nodding of the head assembly.

4. The human-interaction robot of claim 2, wherein the movable joint motion causes a side-to-side turning of the head assembly.

5. The human-interaction robot of claim 1, wherein the display comprises a tablet computer configured to be removable from the robot.

6. The human-interaction robot of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to display multiple facial animations that include representations of eyes.

7. The human-interaction robot of claim 6, wherein the camera is spaced from a portion of the display corresponding to the representations of eyes.

8. The human-interaction robot of claim 1, wherein the camera is positioned proximate, and directed in a common direction as, the display.

9. The human-interaction robot of claim 1, wherein the display comprises a matrix panel electronically controllable to show different configurations of left and right eyes composed of matrix elements.

10. The human-interaction robot of claim 9, wherein the at least one camera comprises:

a left camera disposed proximate the left eye, the left eye being composed of matrix elements; and

a right camera disposed proximate the right eye, the right eye being composed of matrix elements.

11. The human-interaction robot of claim 1, further comprising:

a body, and

one or more wheels connected to the body and controllable by the controller to move the robot.

12. The human-interaction robot of claim 11, wherein at least one of the wheels and the head assembly is configured to be readily mounted and demounted from the body via compatible quick-mount and electrical contact point arrangements.

13. The human interaction robot of claim 11, wherein the one or more wheels includes two drive wheels, and wherein the robot further comprises a passive caster wheel.

14. The human-interaction robot of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to autonomously navigate the robot around an environment.

15. The human-interaction robot of claim 14, wherein the controller is configured to autonomously navigate the robot around the environment based on image data generated by the at least one camera.

16. The human-interaction robot of claim 1, further comprising a speaker carried by the head support.

17. The human-interaction robot of claim 1, further comprising a video coprocessor configured to process high-compression video to be displayed on the display.