Companion robot for personal interaction

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9446510-B2
Application number	US-201414587987-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 31, 2014
Priority date	Sep 30, 2005
Publication date	Sep 20, 2016
Grant date	Sep 20, 2016

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.

First claim

What is claimed is:

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.

Assignees

• Irobot Corp

Inventors

• Vu Clara
• Cross Matthew
• Bickmore Tim
• Gruber Amanda
• Campbell Tony L

Classifications

• G06N3/008

  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 title

• B25J19/06

  Safety devices · CPC title

• B25J9/1697

  Vision controlled systems · CPC title

• G16H40/67

  for remote operation · CPC title

• B25J19/023

  including video camera means · CPC title