JP2007319187A - Motion assisting device and control method for the same - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a motion assisting device which has excellent maneuverability and is used easily, and also to provide a control method for the same. <P>SOLUTION: The motion assisting device 100 is used for assisting motion of a user 200. The motion assisting device comprises light sources for illuminating the eyeball of the user 200, a visual axis measuring device 10 having a photodetector for detecting light from the light sources reflected by the eyeballs, and a motion assisting mechanism 30 for assisting the motion of the user 200 on the basis of the measurement result of the visual axis measuring device 10. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a motion assist device and a control method thereof, and more particularly to a motion assist device having a line-of-sight measurement device.

  In recent years, a power assist device for assisting a user's operation has been developed. The power assist device usually has a motor that assists the user's muscle strength and a control circuit that controls the motor. For example, the motor is driven by detecting the myoelectric potential of the user (see Patent Document 1). Such an electrode for detecting myoelectric potential needs to be attached to the user.

  In addition, an electric function auxiliary device that detects and controls the electrooculogram of the user has been proposed (see Patent Document 2). In this operation assisting device, a spectacle-type electrooculogram measuring device is worn by a user in order to detect electrooculogram. Then, the gaze point is extracted based on the change in the myoelectric potential due to the user's eye movement. Based on this gazing point, the operation assistance is controlled.

JP-A-7-163607 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-254876

  However, in the apparatus of Patent Document 2, a plurality of electrode sensors must be brought into contact with the face in order to detect the user's electrooculogram. Furthermore, in order to make the electrode sensor and the background more closely adhere, it is necessary to apply a conductive gel or the like. Therefore, there is a problem that the user feels uncomfortable. Furthermore, there is a problem that the potential changes due to sweating on the skin surface, resulting in malfunction.

  The present invention has been made to solve such a problem, and an object thereof is to provide a highly convenient operation assisting device and a control method thereof.

  An operation assisting device according to a first aspect of the present invention is an operation assisting device that assists a user's operation, and includes a light source that irradiates light to a user's eyeball, and a light source that is reflected by the eyeball. A line-of-sight measurement device having a light detector for detecting light, and an operation assisting mechanism for assisting a user's operation based on a measurement result of the line-of-sight measurement device. Thereby, the convenience can be improved.

  The motion assisting device according to the second aspect of the present invention is the motion assisting device described above, wherein the line-of-sight measuring device measures the direction of the user's line of sight, and the motion assisting mechanism is measured. Operation assistance is performed in the direction of the line of sight. Thereby, operability can be improved.

  A motion assist device according to a third aspect of the present invention is the above-described motion assist device, wherein the line-of-sight measurement device measures a gaze point from the direction of the gaze of both eyes, and the motion assist mechanism includes the gaze point. The operation target position is set based on the above, and feedback control is performed so as to follow the operation target position. Thereby, operativity can be improved more.

  A motion assisting device according to a fourth aspect of the present invention is the above-described motion assisting device, further comprising a link mechanism that connects the line-of-sight measurement device and the motion assisting mechanism, and according to the state of the link mechanism. The movement target position is set by recognizing the relative position between the line-of-sight measurement device and the movement assist mechanism. Thereby, it can operate correctly.

  A motion assisting device according to a fifth aspect of the present invention is the motion assisting device described above, and when the gazing point is out of a movable range of the motion assisting mechanism, the motion target position is set to be movable. Set within the range. Thereby, it can operate more correctly.

  A motion assist device according to a sixth aspect of the present invention is the motion assist device described above, wherein the line-of-sight measurement device and the motion assist mechanism can be worn by a user. Thereby, the convenience can be improved.

  A motion assist device according to a seventh aspect of the present invention is the motion assist device described above, wherein the motion assist device is a power assist robot that assists the user's muscle strength. Thereby, the convenience can be improved more.

  A control method for an operation assisting device according to an eighth aspect of the present invention is a method for controlling an operation assisting device that assists a user's operation, and includes irradiating light from a light source to the user's eyeball and the eyeball. And detecting the light from the light source reflected in step (b) to measure the line of sight, and assisting the user's action based on the line-of-sight measurement result. Thereby, the convenience can be improved.

  A control method for a motion assist device according to a ninth aspect of the present invention is the control method for the motion assist device described above, and assists the motion based on the direction of the line of sight measured in the step of measuring the line of sight. The direction to do is determined. Thereby, operability can be improved.

  A control method for an operation assisting device according to a tenth aspect of the present invention is the control method for the operation assisting device described above, wherein the user's note is based on a result of the gaze measurement performed on both eyes. The method further includes a step of measuring a viewpoint and a step of setting an operation target position based on the gazing point, and feedback control of assisting the user's operation is performed with respect to the operation target position. Thereby, the operability can be further improved.

  The control method for the motion assist device according to the eleventh aspect of the present invention is the control method for the motion assist device described above, and when the gazing point is outside the movable range of the motion assist mechanism that assists the motion, The movement target position is set within a movable range of the movement assist mechanism. Thereby, it can control correctly.

  A control method for a motion assist device according to a twelfth aspect of the present invention is the control method for the motion assist device described above, wherein the gaze point is recognized by recognizing a relative position between the motion assist mechanism and the line-of-sight measurement device. Is to measure. Thereby, it can control more correctly.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the operation assistance apparatus with high convenience and its control method can be provided.

Embodiment 1 of the Invention
A moving body according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. It is a side view which shows typically the structure at the time of mounting | wearing of the operation assistance apparatus concerning this Embodiment. That is, FIG. 1 shows a state in which the user 200 wears the motion assisting device 100.

  The operation assisting device 100 includes a line-of-sight measurement device 10, a link mechanism 20, and an operation assisting mechanism 30. The motion assisting mechanism 30 includes a mounting part 31, a driving part 32, a grounding part 33, a drive control part 34, and a link 35. The line-of-sight measurement device 10 and the operation assisting mechanism 30 are connected by a link mechanism 20. Further, the line-of-sight measurement device 10 and the operation assisting mechanism 30 are connected by wiring or the like. The link mechanism 20 is provided with a joint 21. By providing the link mechanism 20 with a certain degree of freedom, the relative position between the line-of-sight measurement device 10 and the movement assist mechanism 30 can be changed. Therefore, even when the user 200 changes, the motion assisting device 100 can be easily attached. Specifically, the user 200 wraps the tape-shaped or belt-shaped mounting portion 31 around the thigh, the shin, and the waist while carrying the operation assisting mechanism 30 on the back. Thereby, the operation assisting mechanism 30 is mounted. Then, the user 200 wears the hat-shaped line-of-sight measurement device 10. As a result, the line-of-sight measurement device 10 is attached to the head of the user 200. As a result, the user 200 can wear the motion assisting device 100. Then, the operation of the user 200 is assisted in a state where the operation assist mechanism 30 and the line-of-sight measurement device 10 are mounted.

  The line-of-sight measurement device 10 measures the line of sight of the user 200. The line-of-sight measurement device 10 measures the line of sight from the movement of the eyeball. Then, the line-of-sight measurement device 10 outputs the measurement result to the motion assist mechanism 30. Based on the line of sight measured by the line-of-sight measurement device 10, the movement assist mechanism 30 assists the operation of the user 200. That is, the line-of-sight measurement device 10 functions as an input interface of the motion assist mechanism 30. As the line-of-sight measurement device 10, for example, an eye mark recorder EMR8B manufactured by Nack Image Technology can be used. The line-of-sight measurement device 10 will be described later.

  The operation assisting mechanism 30 is provided with a plurality of drive units 32 having, for example, a motor, an encoder, a gear, and the like. The drive unit 32 is disposed in the vicinity of the user 200 such as the knee, waist, and back. The operation assisting mechanism 30 is provided with a link 35 that couples the plurality of driving units 32. Further, the operation assisting mechanism 30 is provided with a drive control unit 34 having a battery and a control circuit. The drive control unit 34 drives a motor provided in the drive unit 32 by a signal from the line-of-sight measurement device 10. Thereby, link 35 rotates and it can assist operation of user 200. That is, based on the measurement result of the line-of-sight measurement device 10, the drive control unit 34 rotates a predetermined motor by a predetermined angle. Thereby, torque is given to the link 35 and the posture of the user 200 changes. Therefore, the user 200 can be in a desired posture or the user 200 can perform a desired work in a state where the muscle strength of the user 200 is assisted. Therefore, the motion assist mechanism 30 can assist the operation according to the measurement result of the line-of-sight measurement device 10.

  Further, the operation assisting mechanism 30 is provided with a grounding portion 33. The grounding portion 33 is disposed on the back side of the foot. Therefore, the user 200 is on the grounding portion 33 when wearing. The drive control unit 34 controls the drive unit 32 in order to cancel the weight of the motion assist mechanism 30. Thereby, the weight of the operation assisting mechanism 30 can be released to the ground surface via the grounding portion 33. The user 200 can use the motion assisting device 100 without feeling the weight of the motion assisting mechanism 30. Therefore, convenience can be improved. Part or all of the grounding portion 33 is formed of an elastic body such as rubber, for example.

  Next, the configuration of the line-of-sight measurement device 10 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 is a front view showing a configuration of an example of the line-of-sight measurement device 10. FIG. 2 shows the line-of-sight measurement device 10 that is not worn by the user 200. The line-of-sight measurement device 10 includes a hat 11, an arm 12, an illumination unit 13, a camera 14, and a measurement processing unit 15. The line-of-sight measurement device 10 is provided with a cap 11 so that it can be worn. That is, when the user 200 wears the cap 11, the line-of-sight measurement device 10 is attached to the user 200. The line-of-sight measurement apparatus 10 measures the line of sight using a pupil-corneal reflection method as disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-143094. This makes it possible to accurately measure the line of sight even when the camera shakes or vibrates.

  A box-shaped measurement processing unit 15 is provided on the front side of the cap 11. For example, the measurement processing unit 15 is disposed on the heel of the hat 11. An arm 12 is provided on the side of the measurement processing unit 15. The arm 12 extends from the top of the cap 11 to the lower front side. An illumination means 13 is attached to the tip of the arm 12. Therefore, the illumination unit 13 is disposed on the front side of the user 200.

  The illumination means 13 includes an illumination light source 13a such as an infrared LED, for example. The illumination light source 13a emits near-infrared light that is invisible light as illumination light. The illumination light is emitted toward the user 200 and enters the user's 200 eyeball. The illumination light source 13a illuminates the user's eyeball with a minute spot. The illumination light from the illumination light source 13a illuminates the cornea (black eyes). Then, the cornea serves as a concave mirror, and an image (corneal reflection image) of the illumination light source 13a can be formed. The illumination light from the illumination light source 13a is reflected in the direction of the illumination means 13 on the surface of the cornea. The illumination means 13 is provided with a mirror 13b that reflects the reflected light reflected by the cornea surface in the direction of the camera 14. The light from the illumination light source 13a is refracted by a lens or the like. For example, the light from the illumination light source 13a is collected by a lens. Thereby, since it becomes a minute spot shape, only the cornea can be illuminated. Note that the position of light from the illumination light source 13a on the cornea changes depending on the movement of the eye.

  The camera 14 is, for example, a two-dimensional infrared CCD camera. Therefore, a plurality of detection pixels are arranged in a matrix on the light receiving surface of the camera 14. The light receiving surface of the camera 14 is provided on the vertically lower side. And the reflected light from the mirror 13b provided in the illumination means 13 is received. That is, the camera 14 receives light from the illumination light source 13a reflected by the eyes via the mirror 13b. An image of the pupil of the user 200 and a cornea reflection image (first Purkinje image) of the illumination light source 13a are formed on the light receiving surface of the camera 14. The camera 14 can be a CCD camera or a two-dimensional photodetector such as a photodiode array or a CMOS sensor.

  The measurement processing unit 15 measures the line of sight based on the signal from the camera 14. The measurement processing unit 15 stores an arithmetic processing circuit that performs measurement processing, and a battery that supplies power to the arithmetic processing circuit, the camera 14, and the illumination light source 13a. The measurement processing unit 15 measures the line of sight by the pupil-corneal reflection method. Specifically, when the direction of the line of sight changes, the distance between the center of the pupil image and the corneal reflection image changes. That is, the position of the pupil center and the position of the cornea reflection image are changed by eye movement. As a result, when the relative position of the pixel at the center of the pupil and the pixel of the corneal reflection image changes on the light receiving surface of the camera 14, it can be seen that the angle of the line of sight has changed. Therefore, the direction of the line of sight can be calculated according to the distance between the pupil center and the cornea reflection image. Thus, the direction of the line of sight can be measured by detecting the light emitted from the illumination light source 13a and reflected by the eye with the camera 14. Thereby, the input of the command gesture mentioned later and a gaze point can be measured.

  Furthermore, the arm 12, the illumination means 13, and the camera 14 are provided for both the left and right eyes, respectively. That is, the direction of the line of sight of the left eye is measured by the left arm 12, the illumination unit 13, and the camera 14 as viewed from the user 200, and the direction of the line of sight of the right eye is measured by the right arm 12, the illumination unit 13, and the camera 14. Measure. Thereby, the direction of the line of sight of both eyes can be measured. Further, the distance between the eyes of both eyes may be measured based on the positions of the two cameras 14.

  The measurement processing unit 15 measures the gaze point from the direction of the line of sight of both eyes. This will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining gaze point measurement. Here, 211 is the left eyeball, 212 is the right eyeball, 213 is the left cornea, and 214 is the right cornea. Here, α in FIG. 3 indicates an angle formed by the directions of the eyes of both eyes, that is, a convergence angle. Therefore, the intersection of the lines of sight of both eyes becomes the gazing point P. The gazing point P can be measured by the convergence angle and the distance between the eyes of both eyes. Specifically, the gazing point P is the coordinate of the intersection of the straight line extending in the direction of the left eye line from the coordinates of the left eyeball 211 and the straight line extending in the direction of the right eye line from the coordinates of the right eyeball 212. . Thus, the measurement processing unit 15 calculates the coordinates of the gazing point P from the direction of the line of sight of both eyes.

  The measurement processing unit 15 is realized by, for example, a computer mounted on the line-of-sight measurement device 10. The computer includes, for example, a central processing unit (CPU), an auxiliary storage device such as a ROM, a RAM, and a hard disk, a storage medium driving device into which a portable storage medium such as a CD-ROM is inserted, an input unit, and an output unit. Yes. In a storage medium such as a ROM, an auxiliary storage device, or a portable storage medium, an application program can be recorded by giving instructions to the CPU in cooperation with the operating system, and executed by being loaded into the RAM. . This application program includes a specific computer program for realizing the gaze measurement and the gaze point measurement according to the present invention. The processing by the measurement processing unit 15 is executed when the central processing unit develops the application program on the RAM, reads out the data stored in the auxiliary storage device and performs processing according to the application program, and stores it. The

  The line-of-sight measurement device 10 measures the three-dimensional coordinates of the gazing point P at predetermined time intervals. The measurement processing unit 15 sequentially stores the measured three-dimensional coordinates of the gazing point P. In this case, the line-of-sight measurement device 10 calculates and stores three-dimensional coordinates in an orthogonal coordinate system with the center of both eyes as the origin, for example. In order to measure the three-dimensional coordinates more accurately, the direction of the line of sight may be calibrated by gazing at a specific point when the line-of-sight measurement apparatus 10 is mounted. The coordinates of the gazing point P are measured at about 30 Hz, for example. The line-of-sight measurement device 10 outputs the coordinates of the gazing point P to the movement assist mechanism 30 as a measurement signal. In addition, when blinking, an image of the pupil is not taken, so the direction of the line of sight cannot be measured. Therefore, the line-of-sight measurement device 10 outputs a measurement signal indicating that the gazing point P cannot be measured. Further, in the above-described line-of-sight measurement apparatus 10, for example, the position 50 cm ahead can be suppressed to an error of ± 10 cm.

  In addition, although said visual line measuring apparatus 10 used the pupil-corneal reflection method, it is not restricted to this. For example, the sclera reflection method using the difference in reflectance between the cornea (black eye) and the sclera (white eye) (the robust tracking method), the cornea reflection method using the difference in the center of curvature of the cornea and the center of rotation of the eyeball, It is also possible to use a double Purkinje method that utilizes a change in the amount of movement between the first Purkinje image (image of the front surface of the cornea) and the fourth Purkinje image (image of the back surface of the crystalline lens). That is, the line-of-sight measurement device 10 having a light source that irradiates light to the eyeball and a photodetector that detects light from the light source reflected by the eyeball can be applied to the present invention. Then, the line of sight is measured based on the eye movement. This eliminates the need to apply conductive gel or contact the electrode sensor. Thus, in this embodiment, it is only necessary to cover the cap 11 of the line-of-sight measurement device 10. Therefore, the discomfort at the time of wearing can be eliminated and the feeling of use can be improved. Furthermore, it is possible to prevent measurement errors due to sweating. Therefore, the line of sight can be accurately measured, and the motion assist mechanism 30 can be reliably controlled.

  Next, the configuration of the motion assist mechanism 30 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a partial configuration of the motion assist mechanism 30. Note that FIG. 4 shows only a portion to be worn on the right foot. As shown in FIG. 3, the movement assist mechanism 30 is provided with mounting portions 31 on the thigh, shin, and waist. The mounting portion 31 has a tape shape or a belt shape. The operation assisting mechanism 30 is mounted by winding the tape of the mounting unit 31 around the user 200. Further, the waist mounting portion 31 is provided with a drive control portion 34. The drive control unit 34 is provided with a battery, a control circuit, and the like.

  The drive control unit 34 is realized by, for example, a computer mounted on the operation assist mechanism 30. The computer includes, for example, a central processing unit (CPU), an auxiliary storage device such as a ROM, a RAM, and a hard disk, a storage medium driving device into which a portable storage medium such as a CD-ROM is inserted, an input unit, and an output unit. Yes. In a storage medium such as a ROM, an auxiliary storage device, or a portable storage medium, an application program can be recorded by giving instructions to the CPU in cooperation with the operating system, and executed by being loaded into the RAM. . This application program includes a specific computer program for realizing the drive control according to the present invention. The processing by the drive control unit 34 is executed by the central processing unit expanding the application program on the RAM, reading out the data stored in the auxiliary storage device and performing the processing according to the application program, and storing it. The

  The link 35 is provided along the foot. The links 35 are provided on the left foot side and the outside of the right foot, respectively. The link 35 is rotatably connected in the vicinity of the knee. The rotation axis of the link 35 is substantially coincident with the knee. A drive unit 32 is disposed near the knee of the user 200. The link 35 is a portion where the drive unit 32 is provided and is rotatably connected. The drive unit 32 includes a drive mechanism having a motor 36 and gears, a cover for covering them, and the like. Torque from the motor 36 is applied to the link 35 via a gear. Therefore, when the motor 36 rotates, the link 35 rotates and the relative angle of the link 35 changes. Therefore, power can be transmitted to the user's 200 foot, and the angle of the joint can be changed. Thereby, the user 200 can be in a desired posture or the user 200 can perform a desired work in a state where the muscle strength of the user 200 is assisted.

  Further, the operation assisting mechanism 30 is provided with a grounding portion 33. The grounding unit 33 is connected to the link 35. The grounding portion 33 is disposed on the back side of the foot. Therefore, the user 200 is on the grounding portion 33 when wearing. The drive control unit 34 controls the drive unit 32 in order to cancel the weight of the motion assist mechanism 30. That is, the weight of the operation assisting mechanism 30 escapes to the ground surface through the grounding portion 33. Thereby, the user 200 can use the motion assisting device 100 without feeling the weight of the motion assisting mechanism 30. Therefore, convenience can be improved. Part or all of the grounding portion 33 is formed of an elastic body such as rubber, for example. Specifically, Inastomer (registered trademark) manufactured by Inaba Rubber Co., Ltd. can be used. The grounding portion 33 may be fixed to the foot, and the grounding portion 33 may be a shoe shape.

  The drive control unit 34 first determines whether or not a recognition start trigger has been input. In the state where the recognition start trigger is not input, the above self-weight cancel control is continued. When the user 200 inputs a recognition start trigger, the drive control unit 34 controls the motion assist mechanism 30 according to the measurement result of the line-of-sight measurement device 10 together with its own weight cancellation control. The drive control unit 34 stores the measurement result of the line-of-sight measurement device 10 and the operation assistance control in association with each other. Therefore, when the user 200 performs a predetermined gesture with his / her eyes, the motion assist mechanism 30 performs motion assist according to the gesture. Here, the operation of the eyes of the user 200 is set as a command gesture, and the control of the drive control unit 34 according to the command gesture is set as a motion assist control.

  The command gesture to be set includes holding a specific line of sight, continuous blinking, and the like. Specifically, the command gesture includes holding an upward line of sight, holding a right line of sight, holding a left line of sight, holding a downward line of sight, and continuous blinking. Alternatively, the blinking of each eye may be detected to distinguish the blinking of both eyes, the blinking of the right eye, and the blinking of the left eye. Of course, other gestures may be used. Such a line-of-sight measurement device 10 measures changes in the line of sight caused by a command gesture. The coordinates of the gazing point P are input from the line-of-sight measurement device 10 to the drive control unit 34. For example, if the line of sight is held in a certain direction, the coordinates of the gazing point P are within a certain range. At the moment of blinking, a measurement signal indicating that the gazing point P could not be measured is input from the line-of-sight measurement device 10 to the drive control unit 34.

  Here, the drive control unit 34 determines whether or not the measurement result corresponds to a preset command gesture. For example, it is determined whether or not the coordinates of the gazing point P are within a certain range for a certain period of time. When the coordinates of the gazing point P are within a certain range for a certain period of time, it is determined that the line of sight is held in a specific direction. As a result, it is determined that a command gesture for holding the line of sight in a certain direction has been performed. The certain range and time may be set in the drive control unit 34 in advance. For example, a downward coordinate range, an upward coordinate range, a right coordinate range, and a left coordinate range are set in advance, respectively. Further, when the amount of change in the coordinates of the gazing point P is equal to or less than the threshold value within a certain time, it may be determined that the certain direction is maintained.

  Further, if a measurement signal indicating that the gazing point P cannot be measured within a predetermined time is input a predetermined number of times or more, it is determined that blinking has been performed continuously. At this time, the determination may be made for both eyes. Thereby, it can be determined whether or not both eyes blink, right eyes blink, and left eyes blink. In this way, the drive control unit 34 determines whether or not the obtained measurement result is a result corresponding to the command gesture. Then, a command gesture corresponding to the measurement result is extracted.

  When it is determined that any one of the above command gestures has been performed, the drive control unit 34 performs motion assist control corresponding to the command gesture. Examples of the motion assist control to be set include control such as lifting operation, carrying operation, walking in a predetermined direction, going up stairs, going down stairs, and the like. Of course, other controls may be used. The command gesture and the motion assist control are stored in a storage device provided in the drive control unit 34. The command gesture and the motion assist control are stored in a one-to-one correspondence. Accordingly, motion assist control according to the command gesture is performed. Of course, when the measurement result does not correspond to any command gesture, the drive control unit 34 stands by without performing the operation assist control.

  As described above, the drive control unit 34 performs the operation assisting control according to the measurement result of the line-of-sight measurement device 10. If a plurality of command gestures and motion assist controls are set in advance, the convenience can be further improved. That is, a plurality of command gestures and motion assist controls may be classified and stored. In addition, it is preferable to use an instruction gesture that is not normally performed. Thereby, it is possible to prevent the user 200 from performing an instruction gesture by mistake. For example, it is preferable to use an instruction gesture to hold an upward line of sight or to continue blinking.

  In this way, when the user 200 wants to receive desired motion assistance, first, a command gesture is performed with the eyes. Since the line-of-sight measurement device 10 measures the line of sight, a measurement signal corresponding to the command gesture is input to the drive control unit 34. The drive control unit 34 determines whether or not the measurement result by the line-of-sight measurement device 10 corresponds to a command gesture. Here, the command gesture and the motion assist control are stored in the drive control unit 34 in association with each other. The drive control unit 34 performs operation assistance corresponding to the command gesture. For example, if it is determined that the first command gesture has been performed, the first motion assist control is performed. And the drive part 32 drives and the operation assistance based on 1st operation assistance control is performed.

  It is preferable that the direction of the motion assist control coincides with the direction of the line of sight. As a result, the motion assist mechanism 30 is driven in the direction of the measured line of sight. Specifically, the direction of the motion assist control is made to coincide with the direction of the gazing point P. Thereby, operation | movement is assisted in the direction according to the direction of eyes | visual_axis. That is, power assist is performed in a direction corresponding to the direction of the line of sight. For example, when the upper direction is watched, the lifting operation is set. Further, the carrying operation may be controlled so that the object is carried in the direction seen. In this setting, the operation assisting direction and the direction of the line of sight coincide, so that the user can easily operate. Therefore, operability can be improved.

  Processing in the drive control unit 34 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a control method of the motion assisting device 100 according to the present embodiment. First, the power of the motion assist device 100 is turned on and the motion assist mechanism 30 is servo-ON. At this time, the power of the visual line measuring device 10 is turned on. When the servo is turned on, the dead weight canceling control is performed (step S101). Thereby, the drive control part 34 performs dead weight cancellation control. As a result, the weight of the motion assist mechanism 30 is canceled. For example, the drive control unit 34 performs impedance control and releases its own weight from the grounding unit 33. Accordingly, the weight of the motion assist mechanism 30 is supported by the motion assist mechanism 30 itself. Thereby, the own weight of the operation assisting mechanism 30 is extracted. Therefore, the user 200 can easily handle it, and the operability can be improved. Also, the subsequent steps are executed in a state where the dead weight is canceled.

  Next, it is determined whether there is a recognition start trigger (step S102). The recognition start trigger includes, for example, holding a specific line of sight or a gesture by blinking. For example, it is determined that a recognition start trigger has been input by blinking twice (double-clicking). When the recognition start trigger is not input, the self-weight cancel control in step S101 is still being executed.

  When the recognition start trigger is input, the drive control unit 34 performs a line-of-sight command process (step S103). That is, it is determined whether or not the measurement result of the line-of-sight measurement device 10 corresponds to a command gesture. Here, command gestures 1 to N for performing normal operation assistance, a normal return command gesture for returning to a state where a recognition start trigger is not input, and a stop command gesture for turning off the servo are set. That is, the drive control unit 34 stores a total of (N + 2) instruction gestures. The determination of the command gesture is performed based on the change in the coordinates of the gazing point P, the frequency at which the result that the line of sight cannot be measured, or the like.

  When it is determined that the command gesture 1 has been input, the motion assist control 1 corresponding to the command gesture 1 is executed (step S104). Then, the process returns to step S103, and the line-of-sight command process is performed again. When it is determined that the command gesture N is input, the motion assist control N corresponding to the command gesture N is executed (step S105). Then, the process returns to step S103, and the line-of-sight command process is performed again. Thereby, it will be in the state which waits for the next command gesture. On the other hand, if it is determined that the normal return instruction gesture has been input, the process returns to step S101. That is, the recognition start trigger is reset, and the normal state is restored. In step S102, it is determined again whether a recognition start trigger has been input. If it is determined that a stop command gesture has been input, the servo is turned off and the drive of the drive unit 32 is stopped. Thereby, operation | movement of the operation assistance mechanism 30 stops, and operation assistance is complete | finished.

  If a sufficient number of command gestures cannot be set by the line-of-sight direction or blinking, a menu item may be displayed on the display from the drive assist device side. In this case, you may make it input YES or NO by a gaze direction or blink. Moreover, a microphone may be attached to the motion assist device 100 and motion assist control may be performed by a voice command. In this case, the drive control unit 34 is provided with a voice command processing unit to perform voice processing on the user's voice. Then, it is determined which operation assistance control should be performed. Thus, various input interfaces can be used in combination with the line-of-sight measurement device 10.

  Further, the control executed by the command gesture is not limited to driving the drive unit 32. For example, when a specific measurement result is obtained, a motor or an actuator may be locked, or parameters such as assist force and speed may be changed. In addition, a command gesture for urgently stopping the operation assistance control being executed may be set. Thereby, when the reaction of the motion assist mechanism 30 is different from the intention of the user, the motion assist control can be stopped immediately. Therefore, unnecessary operations can be prevented and operability can be improved. Thereby, the convenience can be improved.

  Thus, the convenience can be improved by using the line-of-sight measurement device 10 as an input interface of the motion assist mechanism 30. That is, it is not necessary to apply a conductive gel for contacting electrodes and the like, and the operation can be assisted only by wearing the cap 11. Therefore, a user's discomfort can be reduced and the convenience can be improved. Furthermore, since an error does not occur in measurement due to sweating, the operation can be reliably assisted.

  Furthermore, an encoder value of a joint provided in the link mechanism 20 that connects the line-of-sight measurement device 10 and the motion assist mechanism 30 may be read. Then, the relative position between the motion assist mechanism 30 and the line-of-sight measurement device 10 is calculated by kinematics using this encoder value. Then, the direction of the line of sight is measured in consideration of the recognized relative position. Thereby, the direction of the line of sight of the user 200 and the coordinates of the gazing point P can be accurately measured.

  Moreover, the movement assistance apparatus 100 concerning this Embodiment is not restricted to the type with which a user wears. That is, the non-wearing type motion assisting device 100 may be used. Furthermore, when the user is a driver of an automobile, for example, the headlamp of the automobile may be directed in the direction measured by the line-of-sight measurement device 10. Thereby, a utilization range can be expanded.

  Further, when the operation assisting mechanism 30 is of a type that is worn on the user 200, it can be easily connected to the visual line measuring device 10. Furthermore, the motion assist mechanism 30 may be a power assist robot that assists the user's muscle strength. Thus, a power assist device that can be easily controlled can be provided. Thereby, for example, care for an elderly person can be performed easily.

Embodiment 2 of the Invention
In the present embodiment, the three-dimensional coordinates of the gazing point are obtained by the line-of-sight measurement device as in the first embodiment. Furthermore, in this embodiment, feedback control is performed on the operation target position based on the three-dimensional coordinates of the gazing point. That is, the operation target position is set based on the measured gazing point. Then, the motion assist mechanism is feedback-controlled by a position error between the current position and the motion target position. Therefore, the movement assist mechanism is controlled so as to follow the gazing point. That is, the motion assist mechanism operates following the point of sight.

  The motion assisting device according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 6 is a side view schematically showing the configuration of the motion assisting device according to the present embodiment. The motion assist mechanism 30 of the motion assist device 100 according to the present embodiment is an assist arm that assists the muscular strength of the arm of the user 200. As in the embodiment, the motion assist mechanism 30 is provided with a drive control unit 34, a drive unit 32, a mounting unit 31, a link 35, and the like. Since these are the same configurations as those of the first embodiment, detailed description thereof is omitted. Also, the line-of-sight measurement device 10 has the same configuration as that of the first embodiment, and thus description thereof is omitted. That is, the line-of-sight measurement device 10 includes an illumination light source that emits illumination light to the user's eyeball, and a camera that detects light from the illumination light source reflected by the eye.

  The operation assisting mechanism 30 and the line-of-sight measurement device 10 are connected by a link mechanism 20. Here, a joint 21 is provided in the link mechanism that connects the line-of-sight measurement device 10 and the motion assist mechanism 30. The link mechanism 20 is a passive link mechanism and is driven by the muscular strength of the user 200. Therefore, the position and orientation of the head can be changed. Furthermore, the relative position between the line-of-sight measurement device 10 and the motion assist mechanism 30 can be obtained from the encoder value of the joint 21. The coordinates of the gazing point are measured in consideration of this relative position. Therefore, it is possible to accurately recognize the position of the tip end position of the assist arm and the point of gaze. Further, the posture of the user 200's head may be recognized. Then, the coordinates of the gazing point may be measured in consideration of the position and orientation of the head. As described above, the link mechanism 20 can unify the coordinate system between the line-of-sight measurement device 10 and the motion assist mechanism 30. That is, the gazing point measured by the line-of-sight measurement device 10 and the tip position of the assist arm are represented in the same reference coordinate system. Note that the reference coordinate system is fixed to the user 200.

  Here, the operation assisting mechanism 30 is an assist arm that assists the muscle strength of the arm of the user 200. Therefore, the motion assist mechanism 30 is mounted around the upper body of the user 200. The drive unit 32 of the motion assist mechanism 30 is disposed in the vicinity of the elbow, shoulder, and the like. The distal end of the movement assist mechanism 30 is disposed around the wrist of the user 200. Accordingly, the user 200 can lift and carry an object or a person while being power-assisted.

  Here, as an example of operation assistance, an operation in which the user 200 lifts the cared person 300 from the bed 400 and carries the cared person 300 to a predetermined position will be described. In addition, since the basic process of the movement assistance mechanism 30 is the same as that of Embodiment 1, description is abbreviate | omitted about the content which overlaps with Embodiment 1. FIG. The control according to the present embodiment is processed in the same flow as that shown in FIG. 5, for example. Here, it is assumed that the command gesture 1 is a start command gesture for starting the follow-up operation. Therefore, when the command gesture-1 that is the start command gesture is input, the drive control unit 34 performs drive control with the gazing point as the motion target position.

  When the start command gesture is executed, the motion assisting device 100 performs drive control toward the direction of the user's gazing point. Specifically, the line-of-sight measurement device 10 calculates the coordinates of the gazing point as in the first embodiment. Then, an operation target position is set based on the gazing point P. Drive control is performed so that the tip of the motion assisting device 30 approaches the coordinates of the motion target position. As a result, the assist arm operates toward the operation target position. The user's 200 hand is assisted toward the direction of the point of sight. The tip of the motion assisting device 30 moves following a gazing point that is updated as needed. For example, the drive unit 32 of the motion assist mechanism 30 is feedback-controlled by the position error between the current position and the motion target position and the speed error.

  In the present embodiment, when a predetermined command gesture is input, the drive control unit 34 moves the tip of the movement assist mechanism 30 toward the target movement position. Thereby, it is possible to prevent the operation assisting mechanism 30 from always operating. That is, it is inconvenient if the assist arm always moves in the direction that the user is facing. Therefore, the motion assist control is started only when the start command gesture is recognized. For example, a gesture that gazes at a certain direction for a certain time or longer is set as a command gesture. In addition, it is desirable to set the gaze position as a place where the line of sight is not directed daily. For example, it is preferable to place the setting place upward. As a result, it is possible to prevent the error movement as compared with the case where the setting place is placed at hand. Alternatively, the start command gesture may be an operation that closes the eyes more than a certain amount or an operation that repeats blinking several times. Furthermore, when ending the follow-up operation, an end command gesture is executed. As the end command gesture, the same gesture as the start command gesture can be used.

  Here, the movement assist mechanism 30 that assists the movement of the arm will be described. If it is going to follow the hand posture of the user 200 correctly, it is considered that a degree of freedom of 7 or more is necessary. However, because of the redundancy, new constraints must be introduced to solve inverse kinematics and inverse dynamics. Here, in order to simplify the description, it is assumed that the motion assist mechanism 30 is an assist arm 50 having 3 degrees of freedom and 1 degree of freedom as shown in FIG. FIG. 7A is a top view schematically showing the user 200 wearing the operation assisting mechanism 30. FIG. FIG. 7B is a diagram showing each axis of the assist arm 50. In FIG. 7, only the right arm portion is shown for clarity of explanation. Further, the line-of-sight measurement device 10 and the link mechanism 20 are not shown.

  Here, 201 is the user's 200 head, 202 is the shoulder, 203 is the upper arm, 204 is the elbow, 205 is the forearm, 206 is the wrist, and 207 is the hand. In the vicinity of the shoulder 202, a first shaft 51 and a second shaft 52 of the assist arm 50 are arranged. A third shaft 53 is disposed in the vicinity of the elbow 204. The fourth shaft 54 is disposed in the vicinity of the forearm 205. Further, the tip 206 of the assist arm 50 is attached to the wrist 206. As described above, the joint of the assist arm 50 is arranged on each of the first shaft 51 to the fourth shaft 54. The assist arm 50 can assist the muscular strength of the upper arm 203 and the forearm 205.

  The rotation angle of the first shaft 51, the second shaft 52, and the third shaft 53 can be changed by a motor or the like (not shown in FIG. 7) of the drive unit 32. The fourth shaft 54 is a free joint for fixing the assist arm 50 to the wrist 206. With the fourth shaft 54, the user 200 can freely rotate the roll shaft of the wrist 206. Each shaft is rotatably connected by a link 35. Here, if the position of the tip 55 of the assist arm 50 is determined, the rotation angles of the first shaft 51, the second shaft 52, and the third shaft 53 can be obtained by inverse kinematics.

Here, the operation target position _XG is expressed by Equation 1.

The motion target position _XG is a three-dimensional coordinate derived from the convergence angle of corneal reflection in the visual line measurement device 10. Note that the reference coordinate system is fixed to the user 200. Here, the target joint angle q _G can be derived by the following formula 2.

In Equation 2, q _G1 , q _G2 , and q _G3 are joint angles of the first axis to the third axis. L () represents a forward kinematic equation for converting from the joint angle to the tip position of the hand. In Formula 2, the joint angle is calculated from the tip position of the hand by using the inverse function of L (). That is, L ⁻¹ () represents an inverse kinematic equation. Accordingly, q _G can be calculated by multiplying L− ¹ , which is an inverse matrix of L, from Equation 1 from the left. Note that even if the fourth axis rotates, the coordinates of the tip position of the assist arm 50 do not change, so it is not included in the equation. When performing feedback control, the torque τ to be output to the joint can be calculated by Equation 3.

  In Equation 3, K is a feedback gain due to a position error, and D is a feedback gain due to a speed error. Q indicates the current joint angle. The current joint angle q can be calculated, for example, by reading the encoder value of each axis. When appropriate values are set for the feedback gains K and D, the torque applied to the joint can be calculated. As described above, the PD control enables easy and stable control.

  Note that since the gazing point P can move in an instant, if the movement target position based on the gazing point P is simply followed, the assist arm 50 may be driven at a very high speed. In this case, the user 200 may be at risk. Therefore, in order to avoid danger to the user 200, the feedback gains K and D may be reduced. Furthermore, when the gazing point P moves at a speed equal to or higher than the threshold value, safety can be ensured by failing. Accordingly, when the gazing point P moves at a speed equal to or higher than the threshold value, the driving may be performed without changing the torque τ. Furthermore, a speed limiter or a torque limiter may be provided on each axis to ensure safety.

  As described above, the operation of the assist arm 50 is feedback-controlled based on the operation target position. Therefore, the tip end position of the assist arm 50 moves following the operation target position. That is, the tip position of the assist arm 50 is controlled to approach the operation target position. At this time, the assist arm 50 is feedback-controlled based on the position error and the speed error. Therefore, the user 200 can lift the cared person 300 and carry it easily. For example, the care receiver 300 can be easily lifted by gazing at the air above the care receiver 300. The care recipient can be easily carried to the bed 400 by gazing at the top of the bed 400 with the care receiver 300 lifted. Thus, the convenience can be improved by using the visual line measuring device 10 as an input interface of the motion assisting device 30. The motion assisting device 30 is not limited to an assist arm, and may be a power assist robot that assists the user's muscle strength.

  A control method of the motion assisting device 30 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a control method of the motion assisting device 30 according to the present embodiment. FIG. 8 shows details of step S in FIG. The other steps in FIG. 5 are the same as those described in the first embodiment, and thus description thereof is omitted.

  First, when a start command gesture is input, as shown in step S104 of FIG. 5, when the start command gesture is recognized, the current tip position of the assist arm 50 is calculated (step S201). The tip position of the assist arm 50 can be calculated from the angle of each axis. Specifically, the coordinates of the tip portion 55 are calculated based on the value of an encoder provided in the motor. Next, the line-of-sight measurement device 10 measures the coordinates of the gazing point P (step S202). The three-dimensional coordinates of the gazing point P are calculated based on the distance between the eyes and the convergence angle.

Next, an operation target is calculated based on the measured coordinates of the gazing point P (step S203). Here, the operation target position is set based on the gazing point P. Further calculates the desired joint coordinates q _G for operating the target position. First, based on the gazing point P, the coordinates of the target motion position are calculated. For example, the coordinates of the tip position of the assist arm 50 and the coordinates of the operation target position are calibrated according to the state of the link mechanism 20. That is, the rotation angle of the joint 21 is taken into consideration for the coordinates of the operation target position. Therefore, the coordinates of the operation target position and the coordinates of the tip position of the assist arm 50 are shown in the reference coordinate system. Note that the target motion position may be a coordinate different from that of the gazing point P. For example, when there are the left arm and the right arm assist arm 50, the respective coordinates may be separated from the coordinates of the gazing point P by a certain distance from side to side. Then, as shown in Equation 3, by solving the inverse kinematics equations, it is possible to calculate the target joint angle q _G. Thereby, the tip positions of the left and right assist arms 50 can be shifted.

Then, to determine the torque τ that gives the target joint angle _{q G} in each joint (Step S204). Here, as shown in Formula 3, the torque τ is calculated from the appropriate feedback gains K and D. And the motor of each axis | shaft is driven so that torque (tau) may be given (step S205). Thereby, the tip position of the assist arm approaches the operation target position. Further, it is determined whether or not an end command gesture has been input (step S206). If it is determined that the end instruction gesture has not been input, the processing from step S201 is repeated again. Thereby, feedback control is performed so that the tip position of the assist arm 50 moves following the operation target position. If it is determined that an end command gesture has been input, the tracking control is stopped. Then, as shown in step S103 of FIG. 5, the next command gesture is awaited. In this manner, the follow-up operation for performing feedback control is repeated until an end command gesture is input.

  By controlling as described above, the care receiver 300 can be carried in the direction of the line of sight. Thus, it can be carried so as to follow the operation target position. Accordingly, the motion assist mechanism 30 is driven based on the gazing point P. Therefore, it is possible to move in the direction of the line of sight, and the user 200 can easily operate. Therefore, the operability can be further improved and the convenience can be enhanced. Of course, as shown in the first embodiment, it may be used in combination with the movement assist mechanism 30 for the foot. Further, the dead weight canceling control shown in the first embodiment may be performed.

Embodiment 3 of the Invention
In the present embodiment, the operation target position is obtained based on the gazing point P, as in the second embodiment. The operation of the assist arm 50 is feedback-controlled based on the operation target position. However, in Embodiment 2, since the external force is not measured, the force applied to the user 200 cannot be controlled. Therefore, a large force may be applied to the user 200. In the present embodiment, impedance control is used as an example of control in consideration of the force applied to the user 200. Below, the control method of the operation assistance apparatus 100 concerning this Embodiment is demonstrated. Note that the basic configuration of the motion assisting device 100 is the same as that described above, and a description thereof will be omitted.

The operation target position _XG and the tip position X of the assist arm 50 are expressed as Equations 4 and 5, respectively.

Here, the motion target position _XG is a three-dimensional coordinate derived from the convergence angle of corneal reflection by the visual line measurement device 10. The tip position X of the assist arm 50 is a three-dimensional coordinate calculated from the rotation angle of each axis of the assist arm 50. That is, the tip position X of the assist arm 50 also takes into account the state of the link mechanism 20 provided on each axis.

  Here, when the external force (force applied to the user 200) of the tip end portion 55 of the assist arm 50 is F, the equation shown in Equation 6 is obtained.

F is a three-dimensional translational force vector. In Equation 6, the coefficient matrix of each term on the right side indicates the target impedance, and Md, Bd, and Kd are the target mass, target viscosity, and target elasticity, respectively. From Equation 6, the acceleration of the target position X _G is given by the following equation 7.

  In Equation 7, J is a Jacobian (Jacobi matrix). When the acceleration vector of the joint space derived from Equation 7 is substituted into Equation 8 below, the torque τ to be output to each joint can be obtained.

  Equation 8 is an equation of motion derived by the Newton Euler method. Here, M () is a mass matrix, v () is a vector indicating linear terms such as centrifugal force and Coriolis force, and G () is a mass vector. By outputting the torque τ calculated by Expression 8, assist arm control having a target impedance can be realized. A conceptual diagram of the above impedance control is shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 9, the tip 55 of the assist arm 50 and the operation target position are connected by a spring mass damper system. In the meantime, the user's arm is sandwiched. Therefore, impedance control is performed by the spring 61 and the damper 62. The force applied to the user 200 can be reduced. Therefore, safety can be improved.

  Here, since the gazing point P is determined in an instant, if the movement target position based on the gazing point P is simply followed, the assist arm 50 may be driven at a very high speed. In this case, in order to avoid danger to the user 200, the target impedance control target mass Md and the target viscosity Bd are increased according to the distance between the operation target position and the assist arm tip position, and the target elasticity is increased. It is preferable to lower Kd. Thereby, it can prevent that the front-end | tip part 55 of the assist arm 50 becomes high speed. Furthermore, when the gazing point P moves at a speed equal to or higher than the threshold value, safety can be ensured by failing. For example, when the gazing point P moves at a speed equal to or higher than the threshold value, it may be driven with the torque τ as it is. Furthermore, a speed limiter or a torque limiter may be provided on each axis to ensure safety.

In addition, since the movable range of the assist arm 50 is narrower than the range of the gazing point P, the inverse kinematics cannot be solved when the gazing point P is moved out of the movable range. That is, since the inverse matrix of Jacobian J cannot be derived, the torque τ cannot be calculated. In this case, the operation target position is set close to the direction of the user 200. For example, as shown in FIG. 10, it is possible to the surface of the space representing the movable range of the assist arms 50, a centering operation target position near the intersection of the gazing point line that runs on P X _G of the eyes. In FIG. 10, the surface of the space representing the movable range of the assist arm 50 is indicated by a dotted line. That is, the boundary 70 indicating the movable range of the assist arm is indicated by a dotted line.

  The setting of the target operation position will be described with reference to FIGS. 11 and 12. FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing a control method according to the present embodiment. Note that FIG. 11 shows step S203 shown in FIG. 8 in detail, and the other steps are the same as those in the second embodiment, and thus description thereof is omitted. FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating a process for determining the operation target position.

  First, the gazing point P is measured by the line-of-sight measurement device 10 shown in step S202 of FIG. Next, it is determined whether or not the coordinates of the gazing point P are outside the driving range of the assist arm 50 (step S301). Specifically, it is determined whether or not the inverse matrix of Jacobian J expressed by Equation 7 can be obtained. Alternatively, it may be determined whether or not the gazing point P is included in a preset movable range.

For example, when the gaze point P ₁ as shown in FIG. 12 is outside the movable range, the tip of the assist arm 50 does not reach the fixation point P _1. In this case, the coordinate of the gazing point P ₁ is changed after returning from the gazing point P ₁ by a certain distance. Here, the changes P ₂ points coordinates has been changed. Changes P ₂ are on the straight line connecting the center O of the eyes and the gaze point P _1. That is, a certain distance from the fixation point P ₁ Changes P _2, a position close to the center O of the eyes. Then, the process returns to step S301, determines whether or not the changes P ₂ is outside the movable range of the assist arm. Here, also changes P ₂ as shown in FIG. 12, since the outside of the movable range, the flow returns to step S302. That is, the inverse motion equation cannot be solved even at the change point P2. For coordinate changes P ₂ is an outer boundary 70, and changes the coordinates back further predetermined distance. Here, the changes P ₃ points coordinates has been changed. Similarly to the change point P ₂ , the change point P ₃ is on a straight line connecting the center O of both eyes and the gazing point P ₁ . Thus, the gazing point P ₁ and changes P ₂ and changes P ₃ are arranged at equal intervals on the same straight line.

Changes P _3, there is no out of the movable range, a position distal end 55 of the assist arm 50 arrives. Therefore, the operation target position is set on the basis of changes P _3. That is, since the changes P ₃ is located inside the boundary 70, it is possible to obtain the inverse matrix of the Jacobian J. Therefore, to determine the torque τ as the operation target position changes P _3. Thereby, even when it is outside the movable range, the assist arm can be feedback-controlled. Of course, when the change point P3 is out of the movable range, the operation target position is determined by repeatedly approaching by a certain distance.

  Thus, the operation target position is changed depending on whether or not the gazing point is within the movable range of the assist arm 50. Thereby, even when the watch point P is located far away, feedback control can be performed so as to approach the watch point. Note that the reference point for bringing the gazing point closer is not limited to the center of both eyes. Any change point may be used as long as it can approach the user 200.

Other embodiments.
In the above-described embodiment, the operation assisting device 100 has been described as a type worn by the user 200, but is not limited thereto. That is, it is good also as an operation assistance apparatus which performs a predetermined | prescribed operation | movement in the state which the user 200 does not wear | wear. Further, any two or more of Embodiments 1 to 3 may be used in combination. For example, the self-weight cancellation shown in the first embodiment may be performed on the assist arm of the second or third embodiment.

It is a side view which shows typically the structure of the operation assistance apparatus concerning Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a front view which shows typically the structure of the gaze measurement apparatus used for the operation assistance apparatus concerning Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a figure for demonstrating the measurement of the gaze point by a gaze measuring device. It is a perspective view which shows typically the structure of the operation assistance mechanism used for the operation assistance apparatus concerning Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the control method of the operation assistance apparatus concerning Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a side view which shows typically the structure of the operation assistance apparatus concerning Embodiment 2 of this invention. It is a top view which shows typically the structure of the operation assistance mechanism of the operation assistance apparatus concerning Embodiment 2 of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the control method of the operation assistance apparatus concerning Embodiment 2 of this invention. It is a conceptual diagram which shows the impedance control of the operation assistance apparatus concerning Embodiment 3 of this invention. It is a figure which shows typically the relationship between the movable range of the operation assistance apparatus concerning Embodiment 3 of this invention, and a gaze point. It is a flowchart which shows the control method of the operation assistance apparatus concerning Embodiment 3 of this invention. It is a figure explaining a process in order to determine a motion target position in Embodiment 3 of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Eye-gaze measuring device, 11 Hat, 12 Arm, 13 Illumination means, 13a Illumination light source,
13b mirror, 14 camera, 15 measurement control unit, 20 link mechanism,
21 joints, 30 motion assist mechanisms, 31 mounting parts, 32 driving parts, 33 grounding parts,
34 drive control unit, 35 link, 36 motor 50 assist arm, 51 first axis, 52 second axis, 53 third axis, 54 fourth axis,
55 tip, 61 spring, 62 damper, 70 boundary 100 motion assist device, 200 user, 201 head, 202 shoulder, 203 upper arm,
204 elbow, 205 forearm, 206 wrist, 207 hand, 201 left eyeball,
202 right eyeball, 203 left cornea, 204 right cornea,
300 caregivers, 400 beds

Claims (12)

An operation assisting device for assisting a user's operation,
A line-of-sight measuring device comprising: a light source that irradiates light to a user's eyeball; and a photodetector that detects light from the light source reflected by the eyeball;
An operation assisting device comprising an operation assisting mechanism for assisting a user's operation based on a measurement result obtained by the line-of-sight measurement device. The line-of-sight measurement device measures the direction of the user's line of sight,
The motion assisting device according to claim 1, wherein the motion assisting mechanism assists the motion toward the measured line of sight. The line-of-sight measurement device measures a gazing point from the direction of the line of sight of both eyes,
The motion assist device according to claim 1, wherein the motion assist mechanism sets a motion target position based on the gazing point and performs feedback control so as to follow the motion target position. A link mechanism that connects the line-of-sight measurement device and the movement assist mechanism;
The motion assisting device according to claim 3, wherein the motion target position is set by recognizing a relative position between the visual line measuring device and the motion assisting mechanism based on a state of the link mechanism.   5. The motion assisting device according to claim 3, wherein when the gazing point is outside a movable range of the motion assisting mechanism, the motion target position is set within a movable range of the motion assisting mechanism.   The motion assisting device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the line-of-sight measurement device and the motion assisting mechanism can be worn by a user.   The motion assisting device according to claim 1, wherein the motion assisting device is a power assist robot that assists the user's muscle strength. A method of controlling a motion assisting device that assists a user's motion,
Irradiating a user's eyeball with light, detecting light from the light source reflected by the eyeball, and measuring a line of sight;
And a step of assisting the operation of the user based on the measurement result of the line of sight.   The method of controlling an operation assisting device according to claim 8, wherein a direction for assisting the operation is determined based on the direction of the eye gaze measured in the step of measuring the eye gaze. Measuring the gaze point of the user based on the measurement result of the line of sight performed on both eyes;
Further comprising setting an operation target position based on the gaze point;
The method of controlling an operation assisting device according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the assist of the user's operation is feedback-controlled with respect to the operation target position.   The method of controlling an operation assisting device according to claim 10, wherein when the gazing point is outside the movable range of the operation assisting mechanism that assists the operation, the operation target position is set within the movable range of the operation assisting mechanism. . The line-of-sight measuring device having a light source for irradiating light to the eyeball and a photodetector for detecting light reflected by the eyeball, and measuring the gazing point by recognizing a relative position of the motion assist mechanism. The control method of the movement assistance apparatus of Claim 11.

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