GB2182634A - Programmable robot - Google Patents

Abstract

There is described a programmable robot for emulating man in physical, educational, recreational and similar activities. The robot comprises a base member to which there may be added a plurality of removable modules which form a module unit. The modules may be selected to suit a particular application to take into account changes in technology. One module may include a manipulating arm and other modules could be detectors of fire, water leakage, gas etc. A writing implement can be mounted on the base member for graphic drawing. The robot can receive infra-red, radio or optical signals. It can include a sound recognition means and a voice synthesiser, a screen and a keyboard. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Programmable robot The invention relates to a programmable robot.

More particularly, the invention relates to a programmable robot to emulate man in physical, educational, recreational and similar activities.

The adjustment and control of machines results in a functional mechanism strictly analogous to such adjustment and control operations carried out by an operation and since such mechanisms still operate through communication or information transmission processes, the individual study of processes relating to communication falls into the general framework of cybernetics.

The systems in which cybernetics involvethemse Ives are self-regulated in that in these there exists a mechanism, by which the actual state of the system is compared with a desired state and the system is changed to lessen anydifferencesin orderto move towards the desired state.

There therefore exists have a tele-ological behaviour understood as a tendency towards a goal (the desired state) or a behaviour of adapting to environment. Through the study of cybernetics there can be found assistance in developing mechanical or electronic systems which imitate human behaviour and which therefore can substitute the activity of man, especially when these are too slow and unreli- able for pre-setpurposes.

There has thus been developed programmable robots (industrial robots) to substitute man in physical and similar activities which have been used to advantage in industrial applications, for work in mines, for exploration of other planets or underwater exploration or even for educational, recreational and similar activities, these last operations being generally carried out by so-called "personal robots".

Industrial robots find application in the manu facturing field, particularly for operations where manual work content is high or where there exists hostile environmental conditions. The most impor tantapplications have therefore been, up till now, in the field of sheet metal working for vehicle bodies, in light alloy foundries and in spray painting.

It is nevertheless generally held that there exists great possibilities for development in repetitive assembly lines and in general in manipulative operations.

The industrial robot is characterised by the number of degrees of freedom in its kinematics and its memory capacity.

Another characteristic common to many industrial robots is self-teaching ("teaching by doing") which assists in programming the industrial robot for a particulartask making itfollowa cycle through manual controls.

Industrial robots are classified by generation.

The first generation include those having a memory capacity of between tens and hundreds of points (apparatus for lifting, transporting between two points and depositing articles are not termed in dustrial robots).

An intermediate generation between the first and second generation differfrom the preceding generation by the presence of an adaptivefeedbackobtained through suitable signals. Interrogation of these sensors, carried out at specific points of time, allows the industrial robot to identify anomalous situations which occur in the work area and to follow the programme most suited to the particular situation identified.

The industrial robot of the second generation, still under research, will have memory capacity to iden tifvcontinuouslytheexternal situation.

Finally, those of the third generation make use of thetechnique ofartificial intelligence and will there- fore be capable of automatically generating the most suitable procedures to attain the pre-setobjective.

Personal robots, however, have been proposed in various forms tending to confer on them the resemblance of artificial intelligence mostsimilarto human intelligence.

Personal robots today are defined as those robots whose primary function is to achieve a pre-set object- iveasafunction of their behavioural intelligence in strict relationship with a human being and with the human environment in which they operate.

Personal robots use as theirtechnological base semi-conductors and micro-computer and mechanical kinematic programmes in strict relationship with one or more personal computers now used in almost all industrial and other sectors.

One of the purposes to which a personal robot is putistoobtain,through particularmeansandstructure, simplification of use of personal computers and to allow these personal computers the possibility of being movable. Nowadays, the personal robot generally has a rigid structure in that it is substantially formed of a unitary body already configured and structured with specific kinematic means in relation to the field in which they are to be used.

During the last few years the technological development of personal robots has permitted the production of external sophisticated robots which are generally capable of moving themselves along the ground and are generally further provided with a single arm, of various shapes, and with variable number of degrees offreedom, to carry out physical operations such as laying down, moving or lifting objects or other operations in relation to the type of programming which they have.

Amongst the many possibilities and interconnecting means which are included in personal robots there can be, for example, means for identifying the position of objects within the space surrounding the robot or there can be provided in their location a video adapted to set out all thefunctions which this instrument needs, orfurther, known personal robots have limited verbal intercommunication means and are therefore used with success not only for particular uses but also for housework use or in the entertainment sector or in otherfields associated with them.

The huge development which technology in this field has achieved till now allows one to hypothesise easily and confidently that in the next five years personal robots will have a configuration and a base technology which is highly sophisticated such asto render obsolete the personal robots being made at present.

In fact amongstthe main problems of present day known robots there is above all, fundamentally the factthatthe designed robot cannot be reconfigured in accordance with the user's requirements and dev- elopmentofthetechnology and therefore does not have a flexibility of use which would allow itto be employed in various fields in accordance with the user's requirementsorthefield of use.

In addition to that mentioned above, today's personal robots havevery high manufacturing and sales costs which inhibit easy marketing through companies or individuals orwhoever might need them.

An object of this invention is to mitigate the above disadvantages providing a programmable robot particularlyto emulate man in physical, educational, recreationai and similar activities which can be reconfigured in accordance with the requirements of the user and as a function of technological developments.

According to the present invention there is provided a programmable robot particularly to emulate man in physical, education, recreational and similar activities having: control signal input means to prepare said signals for inputto processor means for carrying outthe operations oftranslation from one physical quantity to another, conversions from a continuousformto a sampling orcodified form or vice versa, means for measuring results, comparison meansforcomparing said control signals and said results, actuation means associated with output signals constituting the operations in accordance with methods on the basis of a desired programme, said input means and measuring means having memory means for said control signals and said results, wherein it includes a plurality of functional modules each comprising at least one of said means, said functional modules being removably associated with each otherto reconfigure the programmable robot.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Figure lisa side elevational view of a base element of a robot according to the present invention; Figure2 is a side elevational view showing the base elementto which there is removably associated module unit; Figure 3 is a side elevational view showing the robotofthe invention including a module unit to which there is removably associated an arm for gripping objects; Figure 4 is a side elevational view of the robot of the invention to which there is removably associated an oscillating and rotating head; Figure 5is a side elevational view ofthe robot of the invention including a body membersuitablefor supporting a head; and Figure 6is a side elevational view of the robot of the invention having articulated joints having more than one degree of movement.

With reference to the drawings, a programmable robot as claimed in the invention comprises a base element 1 suitably provided with movement means topermititto moveacross a surface 2.

More specifically, the movement means includes wheels 3 diametrically opposed to one another and each suitably operated by an electric motor of known type such as to obtain rotation of the wheels either in the same direction or in opposite direction depending on whether the base element is to move forward, backwards or rotate about any axis at right angles to the surface 2.

The base element 1 also includes two castor rollers ortwo ball bearings 4 positioned on an axis substantially at right angles to the axes of the wheels 3 such as to give the base element perfect stability on the support surface.

The base element is also connected to a known computer, not shown in the drawings, through a transmission/reception system using infra-red rays, radio frequency signals or optical signals and is also provided in its interiorwith a data input and output control device, a data communication and reception device and a motor actuation device.

On its side surface the base element is provided with detectors 5 arranged circumferentiallyand adapted to detect possible collision or contact with objects or obstacles present or in the space surrounding the base element.

Within the base element 1 there is also provided a battery and again on the side surface there are means for connecting said battery to charging means such as, for example, the electrical power plant of a building.

In an area close to the support surface there is removably associated with the base element a support member 20 extending outwardly in a direction substantially at right angles and adapted to receive any object, for example, writing means to allow it to carry outanytypeofgraphicdrawing onasheetorother suitable surface. To this end there is present a mechanism movably associated with the support member which permits movement of the writing means either parallel or at right anglesto the surface 2.

On the part opposite the wheels 3 on the base el ementthere is movably associated a module unit 6 which is made up of a number of modules, some of which interact physicallywith the environment surrounding the robot, each indicated by the numeral 7, and more specifically a control module, a computer module, a telecommunication module, an infra-red or radio signal module and other modules in accordance with the use requirements.

Each of said modules 7 comprises means for its association in one of a number of perimetral positions provided with a support element 8 having a number of connection lines for power supply control, and communication between the base element 1 and the modules 7 of the module unit 6.

Each of said physical interaction modules haselec- trical and mechanical means for respective connection to the support element 8 and with the remaining physical interaction modules of the module unit 6.

In the chosen example, as shown in the drawings, the physical interaction modules are six in number butthis numbercan vary in accordance with the re quirementsfrom a minimum of one module to avery high number indeed compatible with the external dimensions of the robot.

Solely, by way of example, it can be specified that one physical interaction module can, for example, have an electrical interface, another module 7 can be a data processor unit, another can include sensors of the environment which can, for example, be humidity meters, barometers similar.

Another physical interaction module, for example, can have sensors for a state of emergency such as, for example, unforeseen temperature rises due to a fire, to the presence of water caused by a flood due to, for example, leakage from an electro-domestic unit or water supply or even a state of emergency due to the presence of smoke or leakage of gas.

Other interaction modules can also have voice synthesiser, sound means, reception means etc.

Advantageously, all said physical interaction modules are interchangeable with each other or with other modules in accordance with the user's require ments and the particular field of use ofthe robot on ferring on the robot 1 high flexibility of use.

On the part opposite the base element the module unit 6 has means adapted to removably receive other module units 6 or a top physical interaction module and more specifically a mechanism 9 structured in the form of an arm having a number of degrees of freedom allowing it to move any objectwith extreme simplicity.

The arm 9 can also be associated with one ofthe interaction modules, as shown in Figure 5,to permit removable association to the module unit 6 of a head unit 10 which has the characteristic of being able to oscillate parallel to a plane substantiaily at right an glestothe support plane of the base element 1 and furtherto be able to rotate about its axes such asto simulate movement ofthe human head.

The head element 10 can also be provided with a viewer 11 suitable to allow itto receive visibly from the user, information and data of any type, or can be provided with light and sound receivers interconnected with the module unit6 such asto carryoutoper- ations dependent on the said receiving means.

At least one of said interaction modules can, for example, beta a bea bodymodulel2havingatitstwo upper ends, opposite the module unit 6, supports 13 forthe connection of mechanical articulated arms 14 having morethan one degreeoffreedom. The body module 12 can itself be inclined forwardly and rotate aboutits own axis to simulate the human body.

More specifically, the body module 12 can support in a rotatable and oscillating manner a head 10, sim ilarto the head described above, and further have at its front, a seat 15 adapted to removably receive a keyboard 16 from which there can be directly input functions or commands relative to the operations which are to be carried out th rough the robot.

Above the keyboard 16 there is further provided an area in which there can,forexample, be installed a screen 17to transmit video images.

Further, within the body module there can be located a receptacle or support means for various objects. Further, all said modules are interconnectable to each other and can transmit, receive, analyse and compare any information sent to them through the keyboard 16 or, through infra-red rays by a personal computer.

From the above it can be easily understood that the robot of the present invention being constituted entirely by modules which can be easily associated with each other and which are interchangeable can have any configuration as a function ofthe user's requirements and can also be continuously reconfigured as a function of the technical development in orderthat it does not ever become obsolete.

The invention thus conceived is thus susceptible to numerous varying modifications all falling within the scope ofthe inventive concept. Further, all the elements are substitutable by equivalent technical elements.

Claims (36)

1. Aprogrammablerobotparticularlytoemulate man in physical, education, recreational and similar activities having: control signal input means to pre pare said sig nals for in put to processor means for carrying outthe operations oftranslation from one physical quantity to another, conversions from a continuous form to a sampling or codified form or vice versa, means for measuring results, comparison meansforcomparing said control signals and said results, actuation means associated with output signals constituting the operations in accordance with methods on the basis of a desired programme, said input means and measuring means having memory means for said control signals and said results, wherein it includes a plurality of functional modules each comprising at least one of said means, said functional modules being removably associated with each other to reconfigurethe programmable robot.

2. A robot as claimed in Claim 1,wherein at least one of said functional modules is a baseelementhav- ing motion means for its movement across a surface.

3. A robot as claimed in Claim 2, wherein said base element is connected to a data processor through infra-red rays.

4. A robot as claimed in Claim 2, wherein said base element is connected to a data processor through radio frequency signals.

5. A robot as claimed in Claim 2, wherein said base element is connected to a data processor through optical signals.

6. A robot as claimed in any one of Claims 2to5, wherein said base element includes a data control device.

7. Arobotas claimed in any one of Claims 2to6, wherein the base element includes a data transmission and receiving device.

8. A robot as claimed in anyone of Claims 2to7, wherein said base element comprises a casing having on its surface detector means for detecting collision and/orcontact.

9. A robot as claimed in Claim 8, wherein said detector means are arranged on the perimeter of said surface.

10. A robot as claimed in anyone of Claims 2to9, wherein said base element includes a battery and meansforconnection of said batteryto a charging device.

11. A robot as claimed in any one of Claims 2 to 10, wherein there is removably associated with said base element a support member extending from said lateral surface for carrying operative means.

12. Arobotas claimed in Claim 11,wherein said operative means is writing means.

13. A robot as claimed in Claim 12, wherein said support member removably supports a mechanism for moving said writing means in a direction parallel to said surface and in a direction at rightanglesto said surface.

14. A robot as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein at least one of said functional modules is a module unit removably associated with said base element and having, connection means adapted to removably receive one module.

15. A robot as claimed in Claim 14, wherein said base element includes a support element supporting a plurality of connection lines for power supply, con trol and communication between said base element and the modules of said module unit.

16. Arobotasclaimed inlaim 14,whereinat least one module of said module unit is a module for physical interaction with the external environment.

17. A robot as claimed in Claim 15, wherein at least one physical interaction module includes means for electrical and mechanical connection with said support element and said modules of said module unit.

18. A robot as claimed in Claim 15,whereinsaid at least one interaction module includes an electrical interface.

19. Arobotasclaimed inlaim 15,whereinsaid at least one module of said module unit is a data pro censor.

20. Arobotasclaimed in Claim 15,whereinsaid at least one interaction module includes sensors of.

the environmental conditions.

21. A robot as claimed in Claim 15,whereinsaid at least one interaction module includes emergency sensors such astemperature rise, presence of water, smoke and gas.

22. A robot as claimed in Claim 15, wherein said interaction module includes voice synthesiser means.

23. A robot as claimed in Claim 15,wherein at least one interaction module includes sound recognition means.

24. A robot as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said physical interaction modules are interchangeable with each other.

25. A robot as claimed in Claim 19, wherein there is included at least an upper module removably received by said connection means.

26. A robot as claimed in Claim 25, wherein said upper module is a mechanism having a numberof degrees of freedom for movement of objects.

27. A robot as claimed in Claim 25, wherein said upper module is a head shaped member connected in an oscillating and rotatable mannerto said module unitfor simulating the human head.

28. A robot as claimed in Claim 27, wherein said head shaped element includes a viewer.

29. A robot as claimed in Claim 27, wherein said head shaped element includes light and sound receivers interconnected with said module unit.

30. A robot as claimed in Claim 15, wherein said interaction module includes connection means with said module unit.

31. A robot as claimed in Claim 25, wherein said top module is a body module supporting said head shaped module and having supports for articulated arms having a number of degrees of movement.

32. A robot as claimed in Claim 31, wherein said body module has mechanisms for its forward inclination and rotation about its axis.

33. A robot as claimed in Claim 31, wherein said body module has a seat for removably receiving a keyboard.

34. A robot as claimed in Claim 31, wherein said body module has a seat for receiving a screen for transmission of video images and has on its interior an object receiver or similar.

35. A robot as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said interaction module and said top module are interconnectable to each other mechanicallyand electrically.

36. A programmable robot particularly for emulating man in its physical, educational, recreational and similar activities, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.