Synchronized gesture and speech production for humanoid robots using random numbers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9431027-B2
Application number	US-201213352182-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 17, 2012
Priority date	Jan 26, 2011
Publication date	Aug 30, 2016
Grant date	Aug 30, 2016

Abstract

A system or method for generating gestures in a robot during generation of a speech output by the robot by analyzing a speech text and selecting appropriate gestures from a plurality of candidate gestures. The speech text is analyzed and tagged with information relevant to generating of the gestures. Based on the speech text, the tagged information and other relevant information, a gesture identifier is selected. A gesture template corresponding to the gesture identifier is retrieved and then processed by adding relevant parameter to generate a gesture descriptor representing a gesture to be taken by the robot. A gesture motion is planned based on the gesture descriptor and analysis of timing associated with the speech, wherein the amplitude, frequency or speed of the selected gesture is modified based on random numbers of specific range depending on the status of the robot. Actuator signals for controlling the actuators such as arms and hands are generated based on the planned gesture motion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented method of generating a gesture in a robot, comprising:
receiving a text of a speech including one or more speech elements;
analyzing, by a processor, the speech text by a plurality of pattern modules to identify a plurality of candidate gestures associated with same speech elements in the speech, each of the plurality of pattern modules configured to apply a different set of rules to the speech elements to identify one or more corresponding candidate gestures to be made by the robot during generation of a voice output corresponding to the speech text;
selecting a gesture from the plurality of candidate gestures identified by the plurality of pattern modules;
generating the selected gesture by controlling actuators in the robot;
modifying at least one of amplitude, frequency and speed of the selected gesture based on a random number, wherein the random number is configured to take different ranges of values based on a status of the robot; and
generating the voice output by synthesizing the speech text, the voice output synchronized with the gesture generated by the robot.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising tagging information on the speech text by analyzing the speech text, wherein the plurality of candidate gestures are identified by further analyzing the tagged information.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the tagged information indicates types of words of the speech elements.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising planning the selected gesture by adding a preparatory motion before making a motion corresponding to the selected gesture.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the preparatory motion moves an effector from an end position of a prior gesture or a starting gesture to an initial position of the selected gesture.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
analyzing timing of the speech elements in the voice output; and
adjusting the selected gesture or the synthesized voice output to synchronize timing of the selected gesture and the timing of the speech elements in the voice output.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving an expressivity parameter representing a degree of expressivity to be expressed by the robot; and
selecting the gesture based further on the expressivity parameter.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of pattern modules comprise a first pattern module configured to apply a first set of rules to detect emblems, a second pattern module configured to apply a second set of rules to detect iconics, a third pattern module configured to apply a third set of rules to detect metaphorics, a fourth pattern module configured to apply a fourth set of rules to detect deictics, and a fifth pattern module configured to apply a fifth set of rules to detect beats.

9. A robot configured to generate a gesture, comprising:
a gesture generator configured to:
receive a text of a speech including one or more speech elements;
analyze the speech text by a plurality of pattern modules to identify a plurality of candidate gestures associated with same speech elements in the speech, each of the plurality of pattern modules configured to apply a different set of rules to the speech elements to identify one or more corresponding candidate gestures to be made by the robot during generation of a voice output corresponding to the speech text; and
select a gesture from the plurality of candidate gestures identified by the plurality of pattern modules;

a motion generator configured to generate control signals based on the selected gesture and to modify at least one of amplitude, frequency and speed of the selected gesture based on a random number, wherein the random number is configured to take different ranges of values based on a status of the robot;
at least one actuator configured to cause relative movements on parts of the robot according to the control signals; and
a voice synthesizer configured to generate the voice output by synthesizing the speech text, the voice output synchronized with the gesture generated by the robot.

10. The robot of claim 9 , wherein the gesture generator is further configured to tag information on the speech text by analyzing the speech text, wherein the plurality of candidate gestures are identified by further analyzing the tagged information.

11. The robot of claim 10 , wherein the tagged information indicates types of words of the speech elements.

12. The robot of claim 9 , wherein the motion generator is further configured to analyze timing of the speech elements in the voice output and adjust the selected gesture to synchronize timing of the selected gesture and the timing of the speech elements in the voice output.

13. The robot of claim 9 , wherein the gesture generator is further configured to:
receive an expressivity parameter representing a degree of expressivity to be expressed by the robot; and
select the gesture based further on the expressivity parameter.

14. The robot of claim 9 , wherein the motion generator is further configured to plan the selected gesture by adding a preparatory motion before making a motion corresponding to the selected gesture.

15. The robot of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of pattern modules comprise a first pattern module configured to apply a first set of rules to detect emblems, a second pattern module configured to apply a second set of rules to detect iconics, a third pattern module configured to apply a third set of rules to detect metaphorics, a fourth pattern module configured to apply a fourth set of rules to detect deictics, and a fifth pattern module configured to apply a fifth set of rules to detect beats.

16. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium for recognizing verbal commands, the computer readable storage medium structured to store instructions, when executed, cause a processor to:
receive a text of a speech including one or more speech elements;
analyze the speech text by a plurality of pattern modules to identify a plurality of candidate gestures associated with same speech elements in the speech, each of the plurality of pattern modules configured to apply a different set of rules to the speech elements identify one or more corresponding candidate gestures to be made by a robot during generation of a voice output corresponding to the speech text;
select a gesture from the plurality of candidate gestures identified by the plurality of pattern modules;
generate the selected gesture by controlling actuators in the robot;
modify at least one of amplitude, frequency and speed of the selected gesture based on a random number, wherein the random number is configured to take different ranges of values based on a status of the robot; and
generate the voice output by synthesizing the speech text, the voice output synchronized with the gesture generated by the robot.

Assignees

• Ng-Thow-Hing Victor
• Luo Pengcheng
• Honda Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Ng-Thow-Hing Victor
• Luo Pengcheng

Classifications

• G10L13/08

  Text analysis or generation of parameters for speech synthesis out of text, e.g. grapheme to phoneme translation, prosody generation or stress or intonation determination · CPC title

• G10L21/10 Primary

  Transforming into visible information · CPC title

• G10L15/265

  Physics · mapped topic

• G10L13/043

  Physics · mapped topic

• G10L13/00

  Speech synthesis; Text to speech systems · CPC title