JP2024139608A - Robot control system, robot, robot control program - Google Patents

Abstract

To reduce a control load by directly executing a plurality of kinds of work including holding a cargo by a holding part.SOLUTION: In a case where a main purpose is to grip an object 100 using the robot tool 20 but a type of work for the object 100 is not gripping but another type of work, a robot control system can be configured to grip a tool corresponding to each type of work using the robot tool 20 and face the object 100. In a case where the same type of work is continuously performed, a load of control for maintaining a gripping state (relative position control between the gripping part and a gripped tool, or the like) is large. Therefore, the robot control system is configured to include a robot tool 21EX (in a first embodiment, three types of 21EXA, 21EXB, 21EXC) correspondingly to the type of work for the object 100 as shown in Figs. 1 and 4 in place of the robot tool 20, and the robot tool 20 is replaced with the robot tool 21EX as necessary, and then execute a work corresponding to a work type different from the grasping the object 100.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

The present invention relates to a robot control system, a robot, and a robot control program.

Humanoid robots are used in factory production lines to perform tasks automatically. Patent Document 1 describes posture control of humanoid robots.

Patent Document 2 also describes a robot arm having multiple joints that is driven by an elastic actuator, and is controlled by a hand support member that is disposed at the hand of the robot arm and supports the robot arm by contacting a support surface, and a control unit that controls the contact force between the hand support member and the support surface while simultaneously controlling the position and posture of the hand of the robot arm.

JP 2019-093506 A WO2011/001569 publication

However, conventional picking tasks in warehouses using humanoid robots currently rely on human hands when picking up items (shampoo, conditioner, cosmetics, toothpaste, instant ramen, snack wrappers, and other items of different shapes, weights, hardness, and fragility) from shelves on which they are displayed and then packing them into the appropriate packaging (boxes, etc.).

Even if the structure of the robot's gripping section is changed to a finger type, the slow movement of the fingers and arms results in low productivity. Furthermore, when performing tasks other than gripping luggage, the gripping section must grip the necessary tools (e.g., drills, screwdrivers, etc.), which is an indirect task that requires management control of the gripping state, and this can result in a large control burden.

In consideration of the above, the present invention aims to provide a robot control system, a robot, and a robot control program that can reduce the control burden by directly performing multiple types of work, including gripping cargo using a gripper.

The robot control system according to aspect 1 of the present invention is a robot control system that is detachable at the wrist of an arm that moves in three dimensions, that is equipped with a tool according to the type of work to be performed on an object, and that performs work on the object, and that has a determination unit that determines the type of work to be performed on the object, and a control unit that controls the operation of attaching the tool corresponding to the type of work determined by the determination unit and controls the operation according to the type of work.

According to aspect 1 of the present invention, the control unit controls the operation of attaching a tool corresponding to the type of work determined by the determination unit that determines the type of work for the target object, and also controls the operation according to the type of work.

This allows the robot to directly perform multiple types of work, including gripping cargo using the gripper, reducing the control burden.

Aspect 2 of the present invention is characterized in that, in aspect 1, the robot has at least a plurality of arms to which the tools can be attached, and a tool corresponding to the type of work to be performed on the object is selectively attached to one arm, and an auxiliary work tool capable of performing auxiliary work to the main work on the object is attached to the other arm.

Multiple arms can perform different roles (main task and auxiliary task).

Aspect 3 of the present invention is characterized in that in aspect 2, the auxiliary work tool has the function of a human hand and holds the object.

It can hold the object being used for the main task, allowing the main task to be performed stably.

Aspect 4 of the present invention is characterized in that in aspect 2 or 3, the auxiliary work tool is equipped with a monitoring sensor tool that monitors the main work performed on the object.

For example, a person can work while holding an object with their hand, and the main task can be monitored by a sensor tool that monitors that task.

Aspect 5 of the present invention is characterized in that in the invention described in any one of Aspects 1 to 4, the robot is a humanoid robot.

By making it a humanoid robot, it can perform tasks similar to those of a human and is highly versatile.

Aspect 6 of the present invention is an invention according to any one of aspects 1 to 4, characterized in that the robot is mounted on a vehicle supported on a floor surface via drive wheels.

By installing it in a vehicle, it is possible to improve work efficiency in a work environment that emphasizes functionality (agility).

Aspect 7 of the present invention is an invention according to any one of Aspects 1 to 6, characterized in that the determination unit makes a determination based on information from a sensor unit equipped with a camera mounted on the tool that takes an image of the object and identifies the type of the object, and a motion processing unit that identifies the position of the object.

The camera identifies the photographed object (hereinafter sometimes referred to as luggage) based on the captured image information. In other words, its role is to obtain information to identify the type of object (shape, size, hardness, etc.).

The motion processing unit (MoPU) outputs vector information of the movement of a point indicating the location of an object along a specified coordinate axis as position information together with the movement information. In other words, the movement information output from the MoPU contains only information indicating the movement (movement direction and movement speed) on the coordinate axes (x-axis, y-axis, z-axis) of the center point (or center of gravity) of the object. In other words, it is possible to provide accurate guidance on the trajectory of the gripping unit as it approaches the object.

The robot according to aspect 9 of the present invention is a robot that can be attached and detached to the wrist of an arm that moves in three dimensions, is equipped with a tool according to the type of work to be done on an object, and performs work on the object, and has a sensing unit that identifies the positions of the object and the tool.

The robot control program according to aspect 9 of the present invention is characterized in that, in the invention described in any one of aspects 1 to 7, a computer is operated as the determination unit and the control unit.

Note that the above summary of the invention does not list all of the necessary features of the present invention. Also, subcombinations of these features may also be inventions.

As described above, the present invention has the effect of reducing the control burden by directly performing multiple types of work, including gripping cargo using the gripping unit.

FIG. 1 is a front view of a humanoid robot according to a first embodiment. FIG. 1 is a side view of a humanoid robot according to a first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a state in which a robot tool is attached to the humanoid robot according to the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a working situation with a robot tool corresponding to FIGS. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a functional configuration of a humanoid robot according to a first embodiment. 13 is a flowchart showing a procedure of gripping control when gripping an item by a gripper in conjunction with the overall movement of the humanoid robot. 13 is a control flowchart showing details of a robot tool application processing subroutine. FIG. 13 is a plan view of a humanoid robot according to a modification (modification 1) of the first embodiment. FIG. 10A is a front view of an arm according to a second embodiment, and FIGS. 10B to 10D are front views of a robot tool that can be attached to the arm. FIG. 13 is a perspective view of an arm according to a modified example (modified example 2) of the second embodiment. FIG. 13 is a perspective view of an arm according to a modification (modification 3) of the second embodiment. FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a working situation in an EV car production line using an arm according to a second embodiment. 11A and 11B are perspective views showing work conditions in an EV vehicle production line using an arm according to a second embodiment, in which (A) is a perspective view showing work in an engine room (drive unit room), and (B) is a perspective view showing work inside a vehicle cabin. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of a computer that functions as a Central Brain.

The present invention will be described below through embodiments of the invention, but the following embodiments do not limit the invention according to the claims. Furthermore, not all of the combinations of features described in the embodiments are necessarily essential to the solution of the invention.

(First embodiment)

Figure 1 is a front view of a humanoid robot 1 according to a first embodiment. As shown in Figure 1, the humanoid robot 1 according to the first embodiment comprises an upper body 2, legs 3, and a connecting part 4 that rotatably connects the upper body 2 to the legs 3, and is placed, for example, on a factory production line or the like to perform work on a work object 100.

When the work is a picking operation in which a package, which is the object 100, is grasped, the object (such as a fallen object) on the production line or on the floor is grasped. Note that the grasping operation includes not only picking in which the object 100 is grasped from a shelf, but also packing in which the grasped object 100 is placed in a specified case (such as a cardboard box).

The upper body 2 has two arms 5 and 6. The arms 5 and 6 are attached to the left and right of the upper body 2 so that they can rotate freely. In addition, robot tools 20L and 20R (described in detail later) are attached to the tips of the arms 5 and 6 for performing a specified task on the target object 100. Note that the number of arms is not limited to two, and may be one or three or more.

The leg 3 has two wheels 7 and 8 attached to its bottom, allowing it to move across the floor on which the humanoid robot 1 is placed.

The connecting part 4 connects the upper body part 2 and the legs 3 in a rotatable manner. Therefore, the upper body part 2 can lean forward and backward with respect to the legs 3. Therefore, the humanoid robot 1 according to the first embodiment can lean the upper body part 2 forward with respect to the legs 3 as shown in FIG. 2, and pick up an object 100 placed on a shelf, an object 100 placed on the floor, or an object 100 that has fallen to the floor during work.

The legs 3 have a balancing function to prevent the humanoid robot 1 from falling over when the upper body 2 leans forward or backward relative to the legs 3 or when the humanoid robot 1 moves.

The connecting part 4 also has a function that allows the distance between the upper body part 2 and the legs 3 to be changed, as shown in FIG. 1. Therefore, the vertical position of the upper body part 2 relative to the legs 3 can be adjusted, as shown by arrow A, to match the height of the workbench on the production line.

The humanoid robot 1 according to the first embodiment is controlled by a control system 10 (see FIG. 5) implemented within the humanoid robot 1.

(Structure of robot tools 20L and 20R)
As shown in FIG. 3A, the robot tool 20L attached to the end of the arm 6, which corresponds to the left hand in a human, has a similar structure to a human hand (Intelligent Hand System) and mainly performs auxiliary tasks such as holding the target object 100 so that it does not move when working with the robot tool 20R.

As shown in FIG. 3(A), the robot tool 20R attached to the tip of the arm 5, which corresponds to a human right hand, is a tool that performs a specific task.

The robot tools 20L, 20R are connected to the arms 6, 5 by a universal joint structure, and are attached so that they can rotate freely in three dimensions. More specifically, the wrists can rotate (twist) and move up and down (cock), and the wrists can also extend and retract as necessary.

In addition, at least the robot tool 20R attached to the arm 5 is detachable from the arm 5 and can be replaced with the robot tool 21EX, which will be described later.

The robot tool 20L attached to the arm 6 is not intended to be detachable, but may be detachable in the same manner as the robot tool 20R.

The arm 5 is replaced with a tool for carrying out the instructed work. On the other hand, the arm 6 is positioned as an auxiliary work tool that has the role of assisting in carrying out the instructed work (for example, supporting the object 100 to help grasp it, or holding the object 100 so that it does not move when processing it, etc.).

The humanoid robot 1 of the first embodiment has a structure equivalent to that of a right-handed human, with the robot tool 20R detachably attached to the right arm 5, which is the dominant arm used for actual work, and the robot tool 20L (auxiliary work tool) with a structure similar to a human hand attached to the left arm 6, which is the non-dominant arm. However, the structure may also be equivalent to that of a left-handed human (an auxiliary work tool (a human hand) on the arm 5, and a work tool on the arm 6).

(Robot tool 20L)
3, the robot tool 20L according to the first embodiment has a palm portion as a base portion corresponding to a so-called human palm, and five fingers each having a plurality of joints are attached to the palm portion. Note that, although the number of fingers of the robot tool 20L is five in the first embodiment, the number of fingers may be different, such as three fingers.

A palm sensor 26 is attached to the palm. The high-resolution camera constituting the palm sensor 26 in the first embodiment identifies the photographed object 100 based on the captured image information, i.e. whether it is a care product such as shampoo, conditioner, cosmetics, or toothpaste, or whether it is a food item such as instant ramen or a candy packet.

In other words, the high-resolution camera serves to obtain information to identify the type (shape, size, hardness, etc.) of the object 100.

Meanwhile, the MoPU, which constitutes the palm sensor 26 of the first embodiment together with the high-resolution camera, outputs motion information indicating the motion of the photographed object 100 (in this case, the relative motion between the arms 5, 6) from an image of the object 100 photographed at a frame rate of 1000 frames/second or more, for example at a frame rate of 1000 frames/second or more. Note that when detecting a moving object 100, the frame rate may be increased, and when detecting a fixed object (a non-moving object 100), the frame rate may be decreased.

MoPU outputs, as motion information, vector information of the movement along a specified coordinate axis of a point indicating the location of the object 100. In other words, the motion information output from MoPU does not include information necessary to identify what the photographed object 100 is (the care product or food) and only includes information indicating the movement (direction and speed of movement) of the center point (or center of gravity) of the object 100 on the coordinate axes (x-axis, y-axis, z-axis).

In other words, the trajectory of the robot tool 20 as it approaches the target object 100 can be accurately guided.

The information output from the palm sensor 26, which includes the high-resolution camera and MoPU, is supplied to the information processing device 14. The information processing device 14 functions as the determination unit and control unit of the present invention.

Note that although the palm sensor 26 (high-resolution camera and MoPU) is shown as being closest to the work, it is not essential that it be attached to the palm. For example, the high-resolution camera and MoPU may be attached to the back of the hand or the wrist. Also, in order to grasp the work from a bird's-eye view, the high-resolution camera and MoPU may be attached to the head of the humanoid robot 1 shown in FIG. 3. Furthermore, the high-resolution camera and MoPU may be attached to multiple positions.

The information processing device 14 uses information from a palm sensor 26 including a high-resolution camera and MoPU to pinpoint the position of the target object 100 with high precision, calculates the degree of spread of the fingers 22A, 22B, 22C when grasping, the strength of the grip, and the suction force of the suction pad 24, and accurately controls the minute movements of the arms 5, 6 and the robot tool 20, enabling it to handle the picking of a variety of targets 100.

(Robot tool 20R and robot tool 21EX)
In the first embodiment, the main purpose of the work type performed on the target object 100 is to grip the target object 100 with the robot tool 20R.

On the other hand, there are cases where the type of work performed on the object 100 is not grasping, but other types of work (e.g., grasping heavy objects, drilling holes, wiping off dirt, handling fine objects (using tweezers), etc.).

In this case, the robot tool 20R can grasp tools corresponding to various tasks and confront the target object 100, but if the same type of task is to be performed continuously, the burden of maintaining and controlling the gripping state (such as controlling the relative position between the gripping part and the tool being gripped) is large.

In the first embodiment, instead of the robot tool 20R (see FIG. 3(A)), which is the basic tool attached to the arm 5, the robot tool 21EX (three types, 21EXA, 21EXB, and 21EXC in the first embodiment) is provided according to the type of work to be performed on the target object 100, as shown in FIGS. 3(B)-(C), and the robot tool 20R can be replaced with the robot tool 21EX as necessary to perform a task according to a type of work other than grasping the target object 100.

(Storage example of Robot Tool 21EX)
As shown in FIG. 1, the humanoid robot 1 has a belt 28 attached to the lower part of the upper body 2 (at the so-called waist position), and holders (not shown) are attached to the belt 28 to detachably hold each of the three robot tools 21EXA, 21EXB, 21EXC.

In FIG. 1, three robot tools 21EX are shown, but the number of robot tools 21EX that can be installed in place of the robot tool 20R may be one type, two types, or four or more types, and the number to be installed can be determined according to the attributes of the target object 100, which will be described later.

Figures 3 and 4 show the detailed configuration of the robot tool 20R and the robot tools 21 (21EXA, 21EXB, 21EX) that can be attached to the arm 5 in place of the robot tool 20R, and their relationship to their uses.

Figures 3(A) and 4(A) show the state in which an object 100 is grasped by robot tool 20R, which is the basic tool of the robot tools. The type of work of robot tool 21EXB is grasping, just like robot tool 20L, but it is structured to be able to grasp special objects 100 (overweight, etc.) that are difficult to grasp by robot tool 20L.

That is, the robot tool 20R has a structure similar to that of a fork used as an attachment for heavy machinery, for example. In the first embodiment, the robot tool 20R has a two-finger structure, and the two fingers open and close due to pressure supplied from a pressure source through piping, which increases the strength of the gripping of the target object 100, although it is less versatile than a gripping operation (robot tool 20L) using a motor or the like.

While working with this robot tool 20R, the robot tool 20L holds the target object 100 so that it does not move.

As shown in Figures 3(B) and 4(B), the type of work of the robot tool 21EXA is drilling, and a drill is attached as a tool. A drill bit of a predetermined diameter can be removably attached to the drill, and the drill bit is pre-installed according to the hole size to be drilled in the target object 100.

While working with this robot tool 21EXA, the robot tool 20L holds the target object 100 so that it does not move.

As shown in Figures 3(C) and 4(C), the type of work performed by the robot tool 21EXB is wiping off dirt, and a cotton swab (e.g., a cotton swab) is attached to it.

The robot tool 21EXB is designed to wipe off the dirty area 100A adhering to the surface of the object 100 held down by the robot tool 20L by moving the cotton swab back and forth while in contact with the surface.

While working with this robot tool 21EXB, the robot tool 20L holds the target object 100 so that it does not move.

As shown in Figures 3(D) and 4(D), the type of work performed by the robot tool 21EXC is tweezers work, which involves picking up and removing minute objects, and tweezers are attached as tools. Examples of minute contaminants include solder paste used when attaching electronic components to an electric circuit board, and welding waste after welding when welding metal.

The robot tool 21EXC is designed to be able to pick up and remove fine particles 100B, such as dust, attached to the surface of the object 100 held down by the robot tool 20L with tweezers. Dust and the like includes shavings generated when drilling holes. It can also be used to remove screws and the like that have become stuck in narrow grooves.

While working with this robot tool 21EXC, the robot tool 20L holds the target object 100 so that it does not move.

In addition, although not mounted on the humanoid robot 1 in the first embodiment, robot tools for other tasks, such as a spray gun for painting, an electric drill, a carving knife, a writing implement, and a molding agent dispenser for 3D modeling, may be attached as robot tools.

For example, a spray gun is a type of pistol-shaped painting device used for spray painting. It uses compressed air from a compressor (not shown) to spray paint in a mist form from the tip of the spray gun, making it possible to paint the surface evenly.

In the first embodiment, the most suitable robot tool 20R and robot tool 21EX are selected based on the type of work (see Table 1), and the robot tool 20 is replaced with the selected robot tool 21 to execute the processing.

Although a palm sensor 26 is attached to the robot tool 20L, a sensor unit 26 may also be attached to each robot tool 21EX.

Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of an example of a control system 10 for a humanoid robot 1 according to a first embodiment. The control system 10 includes a sensor 12 mounted on the humanoid robot, a palm sensor 26 including a high-resolution camera and a MoPU, and an information processing device 14.

The sensor 12 sequentially acquires information indicating at least the distance and angle between the object 100 on which the humanoid robot 1 is working and the arms 5, 6, which are located in the vicinity of the humanoid robot 1. The sensor 12 may be a high-performance camera, a solid-state LiDAR, a multi-color laser coaxial displacement meter, or a variety of other sensors. Other examples of the sensor 12 include a vibration meter, a thermo camera, a hardness meter, a radar, a LiDAR, a high-pixel, telephoto, ultra-wide-angle, 360-degree, high-performance camera, vision recognition, fine sound, ultrasound, vibration, infrared, ultraviolet, electromagnetic waves, temperature, humidity, spot AI weather forecast, high-precision multi-channel GPS, low-altitude satellite information, or long-tail incident AI data.

In addition to the above information, the sensor 12 detects images, distance, vibration, heat, smell, color, sound, ultrasound, ultraviolet light, infrared light, etc. Other information detected by the sensor 12 includes the movement of the center of gravity of the humanoid robot 1, the material of the floor on which the humanoid robot 1 is placed, the outside air temperature, the outside air humidity, the up/down/side/diagonal inclination angle of the floor, the amount of moisture, etc.

The sensor 12 performs these detections, for example, every nanosecond.

The palm sensor 26 (high-resolution camera and MoPU) is a sensor provided on the robot tool 20L of the arms 5 and 6, and has a camera function for photographing the object 100 and a position identification function for identifying the position of the object 100, separate from the sensor 12.

When one MoPU 12 is used, it is possible to obtain vector information of the movement of a point indicating the location of the object 100 along each of two coordinate axes (x-axis and y-axis) in a three-dimensional orthogonal coordinate system. Using the principle of a stereo camera, two MoPUs 12 may be used to output vector information of the movement of a point indicating the location of the object 100 along each of three coordinate axes (x-axis, y-axis, z-axis) in a three-dimensional orthogonal coordinate system. The z-axis is the axis along the depth direction (vehicle travel).

The information processing device 14 includes an information acquisition unit 140, a control unit 142, and an information storage unit 144.

The information acquisition unit 140 acquires information about the object 100 detected by the sensor 12 and the palm sensor 26 (high-resolution camera and MoPU).

The control unit 142 uses the information acquired by the information acquisition unit 140 from the sensor 12 and AI (artificial intelligence) to control the rotational movement of the connecting unit 4, the movement of the arms 5 and 6, and the like.

In addition, the control unit 142 uses the information acquired by the information acquisition unit 140 from the palm sensor 26 (high-resolution camera and MoPU) to grasp the type (shape, size, hardness, etc.) and position of the object 100 in detail, and controls it to confront the object 100 according to its external shape and position, for example, to grasp the object 100 (grasping control).

For example, the control unit 142 executes the following processes as an overall operation.
(1) The connecting portion 4 is driven to tilt the upper body portion 2 forward or backward so that an object 100 on a shelf or the floor can be picked up.
(2) The arms 5, 6 and the gripping portion are driven so that the object 100 can be grasped.
(3) The upper body 2 is driven up and down relative to the legs 3 to match the height of the workbench on the production line.
(4) Maintain balance to prevent the humanoid robot 1 from falling over.
(5) The drive of the wheels 7, 8 is controlled so that the humanoid robot 1 can push a cart or the like.

The operation of the first embodiment is explained below.

(Work Control for Object 100)
FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a procedure for job control when a job is executed on an object 100 by the robot tool 20 .

In step 150, it is determined whether or not a task instruction for the target object 100 has been given. If a positive determination is made, the process proceeds to step 152, where the humanoid robot 1 is moved (e.g., the arms 5 and 6 are operated) so that the palm side faces the target object 100, and the process proceeds to step 154.

In step 154, the robot tool 20L is placed facing the object 100, and information about the object 100 is detected by the palm sensor 26 (high-resolution camera and MoPU).

In the next step 156, the detection information from the palm sensor 26 is analyzed to obtain a detailed understanding of the type (shape, size, hardness, etc.) and position of the target object 100, and the process proceeds to step 158.

In step 158, a task (job type) for work on the object 100 is selected. Next, the process proceeds to step 160, where a selection process for robot tools 20R, 21EXA, 21EXB, and 21EXC is performed according to the attributes of the object 100 (see FIG. 7 for details), and the process proceeds to step 162.

In step 162, a task is performed on the target object 100 (for example, in the case of the robot tool 20R, grasping a heavy object).

In the next step 164, it is determined whether the work on the object 100 was successful, and if the determination is positive, post-processing is performed (in the case of grasping, post-processing of transporting the grasped object 100 to a specified location), and then the process proceeds to step 150 to wait for instructions on the work to be done on the next object 100.

Also, if the result of step 164 is negative, the process proceeds to step 166, error processing is performed, and the process returns to step 150.

The robot tool 20L is equipped with a palm sensor 26 that includes a high-resolution camera and MoPU, so the status of the work can be grasped in real time. Even if the work is unsuccessful, a quick response (troubleshooting) is possible.

In addition, the palm sensor 26 (high-resolution camera and MoPU) is mounted on the palm side 20A, so the target object 100 can be captured with high accuracy, and tasks that require minute movements can also be handled.

(Details of robot tool application process)
FIG. 7 is a control flow chart showing details of the robot tool application processing subroutine.

In step 200, robot tool 20R or 21EXA, 21EXB, or 21EXC is selected based on the type of work for object 100 (see Table 1).

That is, as shown in Table 1, the type of robot tool 20R or 21EXA, 21EXB, or 21EXC required is determined depending on the type of work to be performed on the target object 100.

Note that the selection of the type of robot tool based on the type of work for the object 100 shown in Table 1 is just one example, and the selection can be determined based on the type and number of robot tools possessed.

In the first embodiment, three types of robot tools 21EXA, 21EXB, and 21EXC are attached to the belt 28, and thus, including the robot tool 20R, a total of four types of robot tools can be selected from 20, 21EXA, 21EXB, and 21EXC. However, the number of robot tools attached to the belt 28 may be increased, or various types of robot tools 21 may be selected and attached to the belt 28 in advance depending on the work site. Also, a different type of robot tool 21EX may be attached to each humanoid robot 1.

In the next step 202, the tool attached to the replacement arm 5 (usually robot tool 20R, but there may be cases where another robot tool 21EXA, 21EXB, or 21EXC is already attached) is removed using robot tool 20L attached to arm 6.

In the next step 204, the arm 5 on the replacement side is moved to the position of the belt 28, and the robot tools 21EXA, 21EXB, and 21EXC are attached.

In the next step 206, the robot tool originally attached to the replacement arm 5, which is being held by the non-replacement arm 6, is stored in the holder on the belt 28, and the routine ends.

As described above, in the first embodiment, in addition to work control using robot tools 20, 21EXA, 21EXB, and 21EXC, robot tools 20R, 21EXA, 21EXB, and 21EXC are prepared depending on the type of work to be performed on the target object 100, for example.

As a result, the control burden (such as the burden related to controlling the relative position between the robot tool 20 and the tool) that arises when a tool required for a certain type of work is held by a robot shaped like a human hand in the gripping section of the comparative example can be eliminated by directly attaching the robot tools 21EXA, 21EXB, and 21EXC.

(Modification 1 "First embodiment")
The humanoid robot 1 of the first embodiment has two arms 5, 6 (a right arm 5 and a left arm 6) like a human being, each of which is equipped with a robot tool 20R (21EXA, 21EXB, 21EXC). However, as shown in FIG. 8, an arm 7 dedicated to monitoring may be further attached so that the robot can perform work while being monitored by a camera 50 attached to the tip of the arm 7.

The arm 7 has a so-called snake structure, and can approach the target object 100 through the gap between the arms 5 and 6, covering the blind spot of the palm sensor 26.

Second Embodiment
A second embodiment of the present invention will be described below. Note that the same components as those in the second embodiment are given the same reference numerals and the description of the components will be omitted.

As shown in FIG. 9, the second embodiment is characterized in that, instead of a humanoid robot 1, the tip of the robot is a movable arm 52 that can be attached or detached depending on the type of work.

The movable arm 52 is attached to a base 54 via a rotatable cylindrical support 56, for example, on a line in an assembly factory.

The movable arm 52 has multiple connecting members 58 each connected via a joint shaft 60, and can move the robot tool 20R (21EXA, 21EXB, 21EXC) attached to the tip to a desired position in the x-axis, y-axis, and θ-axis directions, including rotation relative to the base 54.

In addition, the robot tool 20R (21EXA, 21EXB, 21EXC) itself can also operate three-dimensionally.

The movable arm 52 of the second embodiment allows multiple types of work to be performed on the assembly line in an assembly factory by changing the robot tool 20R (21EXA, 21EXB, 21EXC), rather than a single type of work.

In this case, a series of operations can be performed in a single line process, such as gripping the object 100 with the robot tool 20R and moving it to a specified work table, switching to the robot tool 21EXA to perform the drilling work on the object 100, switching to the robot tool 21EXB to wipe off dirt from the drilled area, and switching to the robot tool 21EXC to remove any shavings remaining around the drilled area. By simple calculation, the work can be performed on a line length that is 1/4 of the conventional length.

(Modification 2 "Second embodiment")
In the second embodiment, a tool corresponding to one work type is attached to one robot tool 20R (21EXA, 21EXB, 21EXC). However, as shown in FIG. 10, in the movable arm 52A according to the first modified example of the second embodiment, tools corresponding to two work types may be attached to one robot tool 20R (21EXA, 21EXB, 21EXC).

In FIG. 10, one tool is a two-jaw tool (robot tool 20R) for grasping heavy objects attached to arm 5, and the other tool is a local sensor tool 62 attached to arm 6. Arms 5 and 6 each branch off from a main connector 64 that operates in common, and can operate independently.

As a result, while the robot tool 20R is working, video information and the like specific to the work being performed by the robot tool 20R (e.g., gripping a heavy object) can be obtained from the local sensor tool 62.

In addition, in FIG. 10, the movable arm 52A is mounted on a vehicle 66 that can run, so rather than being fixedly placed on a line at an assembly factory, it can go to the site where work is required, making it possible to perform work with greater versatility.

(Modification 3 "Second embodiment")
FIG. 11 shows that a movable arm 52B according to variant example 2 of the second embodiment is equipped with a robot tool 20L in the shape of a human hand and a robot tool 20R (21EXA, 21EXB, 21EXC) that is detachable and replaceable depending on a number of types of work, similar to the humanoid robot 1 (see FIG. 8) according to variant example 1 of the first embodiment, as well as a camera (snake camera 68) that can transform into a snake shape.

As a result, while working with the attached robot tool 20R (21EXA, 21EXB, 21EXC), video information specific to that work can be obtained from the snake camera 68.

In addition, since the movable arm 52B is mounted on a vehicle 66 that can move, in areas where the vehicle 66 can move (such as a factory with a flat floor), it can have greater mobility and footwork than a humanoid robot.

(Practical Example "Second Embodiment")
FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing an outline of an assembly line for an EV (electric vehicle) car using the movable arm 52 according to the second embodiment (in particular, the movable arm 52A according to the modified example 2 and the movable arm 52B according to the modified example 3).

The process shown in Figures 12 and 13 is the process of mounting a lithium-ion battery 72, which is specific to EV vehicles, on a vehicle body 70.

By utilizing robot tools with multiple joints, long torsos, long necks, fingers, etc., like the movable arm 52, movable arm 52A, and movable arm 52B, it is possible to replace humans in the manufacture of EV cars and other vehicles, performing tasks that cannot be reached by conventional robot arms, such as connecting complex cables inside the vehicle body 70 and tightening screws.

It is well known that vehicle assembly robots, including welding robots, are computer-controlled to perform work quickly and accurately, but in recent years, tasks such as installing lithium-ion batteries 72 and wiring, such as those required for EV vehicles, require greater precision and accuracy than ever before. This means that in addition to programmed operation control (sequence control) like that of current work robots, there is a need to strengthen confirmation and monitoring during work.

In this respect, the robot according to this embodiment, which allows for flexible camera work, can be said to be the most suitable robot for EVs.

Figure 13 (A) is a perspective view showing work carried out in the engine room of the vehicle body 70 (in an EV vehicle, this is the space in which the drive unit such as the motor is located, and is sometimes called the drive unit room).

The work of the robot rule 20R (21EXA, 21EXB, 21EXC) attached to the two arms 6 and 7 is performed by the execution camera 68 while being monitored in real time by the camera (MoPU) 76 attached to the tip of the arm 74. The joints of the movable arm 52 (52A, 52B) can rotate within a range of 360°, and the control load can be reduced by determining the rotation range according to the nature of the work.

Figure 13 (B) is a perspective view showing work inside the vehicle cabin of the vehicle body 70.

As shown in FIG. 12, the lithium-ion battery 72 may be placed along the floor of the vehicle compartment. In this case, particularly when the vehicle body 70 is a monocoque body, there may be limited space to insert the working arm into the vehicle compartment from the outside.

Even in such cases, by using a robot (movable arm 52, movable arm 52A, and movable arm 52B) that has multiple joints, a long torso, a long neck, fingers, etc., it becomes easier to perform tasks such as attaching the lithium ion battery 72 and wiring.

14 shows an example of a hardware configuration of a computer 1200 functioning as an information processing device 14. A program installed on the computer 1200 can cause the computer 1200 to function as one or more "parts" of the device according to the first embodiment, or cause the computer 1200 to execute operations or one or more "parts" associated with the device according to the first embodiment, and/or cause the computer 1200 to execute a process or steps of the process according to the first embodiment. Such a program may be executed by the CPU 1212 to cause the computer 1200 to execute specific operations associated with some or all of the blocks of the flowcharts and block diagrams described in this specification.

The computer 1200 according to the first embodiment includes a CPU 1212, a RAM 1214, and a graphics controller 1216, which are connected to each other by a host controller 1210. The computer 1200 also includes input/output units such as a communication interface 1222, a storage device 1224, a DVD drive, and an IC card drive, which are connected to the host controller 1210 via an input/output controller 1220. The DVD drive may be a DVD-ROM drive, a DVD-RAM drive, etc. The storage device 1224 may be a hard disk drive, a solid state drive, etc. The computer 1200 also includes input/output units such as a ROM 1230 and a keyboard, which are connected to the input/output controller 1220 via an input/output chip 1240.

The CPU 1212 operates according to the programs stored in the ROM 1230 and the RAM 1214, thereby controlling each unit. The graphics controller 1216 acquires image data generated by the CPU 1212 into a frame buffer or the like provided in the RAM 1214 or into itself, and causes the image data to be displayed on the display device 1218.

The communication interface 1222 communicates with other electronic devices via a network. The storage device 1224 stores programs and data used by the CPU 1212 in the computer 1200. The DVD drive reads programs or data from a DVD-ROM or the like and provides them to the storage device 1224. The IC card drive reads programs and data from an IC card and/or writes programs and data to an IC card.

ROM 1230 stores therein a boot program or the like executed by computer 1200 upon activation, and/or a program that depends on the hardware of computer 1200. I/O chip 1240 may also connect various I/O units to I/O controller 1220 via USB ports, parallel ports, serial ports, keyboard ports, mouse ports, etc.

The programs are provided by a computer-readable storage medium such as a DVD-ROM or an IC card. The programs are read from the computer-readable storage medium, installed in storage device 1224, RAM 1214, or ROM 1230, which are also examples of computer-readable storage media, and executed by CPU 1212. The information processing described in these programs is read by computer 1200, and brings about cooperation between the programs and the various types of hardware resources described above. An apparatus or method may be constructed by realizing the operation or processing of information according to the use of computer 1200.

For example, when communication is performed between computer 1200 and an external device, CPU 1212 may execute a communication program loaded into RAM 1214 and instruct communication interface 1222 to perform communication processing based on the processing described in the communication program. Under the control of CPU 1212, communication interface 1222 reads transmission data stored in a transmission buffer area provided in RAM 1214, storage device 1224, a DVD-ROM, or a recording medium such as an IC card, and transmits the read transmission data to the network, or writes received data received from the network to a reception buffer area or the like provided on the recording medium.

The CPU 1212 may also cause all or a necessary portion of a file or database stored in an external recording medium such as the storage device 1224, a DVD drive (DVD-ROM), an IC card, etc. to be read into the RAM 1214, and perform various types of processing on the data on the RAM 1214. The CPU 1212 may then write back the processed data to the external recording medium.

Various types of information, such as various types of programs, data, tables, and databases, may be stored in the recording medium and may undergo information processing. The CPU 1212 may perform various types of processing on the data read from the RAM 1214, including various types of operations, information processing, conditional judgment, conditional branching, unconditional branching, information search/replacement, etc., as described throughout the present invention and specified by the instruction sequence of the program, and write back the results to the RAM 1214. The CPU 1212 may also search for information in a file, database, etc. in the recording medium. For example, when a plurality of entries each having an attribute value of a first attribute associated with an attribute value of a second attribute are stored in the recording medium, the CPU 1212 may search for an entry whose attribute value of the first attribute matches a specified condition from among the plurality of entries, read the attribute value of the second attribute stored in the entry, and thereby obtain the attribute value of the second attribute associated with the first attribute that satisfies a predetermined condition.

The above-described programs or software modules may be stored in a computer-readable storage medium on or near the computer 1200. In addition, a recording medium such as a hard disk or RAM provided in a server system connected to a dedicated communication network or the Internet can be used as a computer-readable storage medium, thereby providing the programs to the computer 1200 via the network.

The blocks in the flowcharts and block diagrams in the first and second embodiments may represent stages of a process in which an operation is performed or "parts" of a device responsible for performing the operation. Particular stages and "parts" may be implemented by dedicated circuitry, programmable circuitry provided with computer-readable instructions stored on a computer-readable storage medium, and/or a processor provided with computer-readable instructions stored on a computer-readable storage medium. The dedicated circuitry may include digital and/or analog hardware circuits, and may include integrated circuits (ICs) and/or discrete circuits. The programmable circuitry may include reconfigurable hardware circuits, such as, for example, field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), programmable logic arrays (PLAs), and the like, including AND, OR, XOR, NAND, NOR, and other logical operations, flip-flops, registers, and memory elements.

A computer-readable storage medium may include any tangible device capable of storing instructions that are executed by a suitable device, such that a computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon comprises an article of manufacture that includes instructions that can be executed to create means for performing the operations specified in the flowchart or block diagram. Examples of computer-readable storage media may include electronic storage media, magnetic storage media, optical storage media, electromagnetic storage media, semiconductor storage media, and the like. More specific examples of computer-readable storage media may include floppy disks, diskettes, hard disks, random access memories (RAMs), read-only memories (ROMs), erasable programmable read-only memories (EPROMs or flash memories), electrically erasable programmable read-only memories (EEPROMs), static random access memories (SRAMs), compact disk read-only memories (CD-ROMs), digital versatile disks (DVDs), Blu-ray disks, memory sticks, integrated circuit cards, and the like.

The computer readable instructions may include either assembler instructions, instruction set architecture (ISA) instructions, machine instructions, machine-dependent instructions, microcode, firmware instructions, state setting data, or source or object code written in any combination of one or more programming languages, including object-oriented programming languages such as Smalltalk (registered trademark), JAVA (registered trademark), C++, etc., and conventional procedural programming languages such as the "C" programming language or similar programming languages.

The computer-readable instructions may be provided to a processor of a general-purpose computer, special-purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus, or a programmable circuit, either locally or over a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), such as the Internet, to cause the processor of the general-purpose computer, special-purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus, or a programmable circuit, to execute the computer-readable instructions to generate means for performing the operations specified in the flowcharts or block diagrams. Examples of processors include computer processors, processing units, microprocessors, digital signal processors, controllers, microcontrollers, etc.

The present invention has been described above using an embodiment, but the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the scope described in the above embodiment. It is clear to those skilled in the art that various modifications and improvements can be made to the above embodiment. It is clear from the claims that forms with such modifications or improvements can also be included in the technical scope of the present invention.

The order of execution of each process, such as operations, procedures, steps, and stages, in the devices, systems, programs, and methods shown in the claims, specifications, and drawings is not specifically stated as "before" or "prior to," and it should be noted that the processes may be performed in any order, unless the output of a previous process is used in a later process. Even if the operational flow in the claims, specifications, and drawings is explained using "first," "next," etc. for convenience, it does not mean that it is necessary to perform the processes in this order.

The present invention has been described above using an embodiment, but the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the scope described in the above embodiment. It is clear to those skilled in the art that various modifications and improvements can be made to the above embodiment. It is clear from the claims that forms with such modifications or improvements can also be included in the technical scope of the present invention.

The order of execution of each process, such as operations, procedures, steps, and stages, in the devices, systems, programs, and methods shown in the claims, specifications, and drawings is not specifically stated as "before" or "prior to," and it should be noted that the processes may be performed in any order, unless the output of a previous process is used in a later process. Even if the operational flow in the claims, specifications, and drawings is explained using "first," "next," etc. for convenience, it does not mean that it is necessary to perform the processes in this order.

1 humanoid robot, 2 upper body, 3 legs, 4 connecting part, 5, 6 arms, 7, 8 wheels, 10 control system, 12 sensor, 14 information processing device, 20 (20L, 20R, 21EXA, 21EXB, 21EXC) robot tool, 26 palm sensor, 50 camera, 52 movable arm, 54 pedestal, 56 support, 58 connecting member, 60 joint shaft, 62 local sensor tool, 64 main connecting part, 66 vehicle, 68 snake camera, 70 vehicle body, 72 lithium ion battery, 100 object, 1200 computer, 1210 host controller, 1212 CPU, 1214 RAM, 1216 graphics controller, 1218 display device, 1220 input/output controller, 1222 communication interface, 1224 Memory device, 1230 ROM, 1240 I/O chips

Claims (9)

A control system for a robot that is detachable from a wrist of an arm that moves three-dimensionally, that is equipped with a tool according to a type of work to be performed on an object, and that performs work on the object, comprising:
A determination unit for determining a type of work for the object;
a control unit that controls an operation of mounting the tool corresponding to the work type determined by the determination unit and controls an operation according to the work type;
A robot control system having the following: A plurality of arms to which at least the tool can be attached are provided,
A tool corresponding to a type of work to be performed on the object is selectively attached to one arm,
The robot control system according to claim 1 , wherein the other arm is equipped with an auxiliary work tool capable of performing an auxiliary work for the main work on the object. The robot control system of claim 2, wherein the auxiliary work tool has the function of a human hand and holds the object. The robot control system of claim 2, wherein the auxiliary work tool is equipped with a monitoring sensor tool that monitors specifically the main work performed on the object. The robot control system of claim 1, wherein the robot is a humanoid robot. The robot control system according to claim 1, wherein the robot is mounted on a vehicle supported on a floor surface via drive wheels. The robot control system of claim 1, wherein the determination unit makes a determination based on information from a sensor unit equipped with a camera mounted on the tool that takes an image of the object and identifies the type of the object, and a motion processing unit that identifies the position of the object. A robot that is detachable from a wrist of an arm that moves three-dimensionally, is equipped with a tool according to a type of work to be performed on an object, and performs work on the object,
A robot having a sensing unit for determining the position of the object and the tool. A robot control program that causes a computer to operate as the determination unit and the control unit described in any one of claims 1 to 7.