JP7517676B2 - Cloth-type sensor, clothing-type sensor, and robot equipped with clothing-type sensor - Google Patents

Description

This invention relates to a cloth-type sensor, a clothing-type sensor, and a robot equipped with a clothing-type sensor, and in particular to a cloth-type sensor, a clothing-type sensor, and a robot equipped with a clothing-type sensor, for example, having a flexible detection unit.

One example of this type of conventional robot is disclosed in Patent Document 1. The robot disclosed in Patent Document 1 is equipped with a surface touch sensor for detecting a user's contact with the body surface. More specifically, a second layer touch sensor is installed along the curved shape of the robot's resin body frame, and this second layer touch sensor is sandwiched between the body frame and an outer skin made of urethane rubber. A cloth skin is attached to the surface of the outer skin, and a first layer touch sensor is installed between the outer skin and the skin, along the curved shape of the outer skin.

Patent Publication No. 2019-72495

In the robot disclosed in the above-mentioned Patent Document 1, a film-like second-layer touch sensor is attached to a hard body frame inside the robot, and a soft outer skin is attached on top of that. For this reason, in a robot with a more complicated configuration, such as an android robot that has an appearance that closely resembles a human, it is difficult to attach a touch sensor to the internal frame. Also, in the robot disclosed in Patent Document 1, if the touch sensor is damaged (or breaks down), it is necessary to peel off the skin and/or outer skin to repair it, which is time-consuming. Furthermore, since a film-like touch sensor is used, the robot must have a hard body frame, and it cannot be used in robots that have a body without a frame, such as stuffed toys.

In addition, the robot disclosed in Patent Document 1 recognizes that it has been touched, poked, massaged, or hit when a human (or user) touches at least the epidermis, so it cannot detect that a human is approaching the robot based on the output of the touch sensor before the human touches the robot. For this reason, the robot disclosed in Patent Document 1 is equipped with a camera, a sound-collecting microphone, a temperature sensor, etc., and detects that a human is approaching the robot from the images, sounds, and temperatures detected by these other sensors. In other words, in order to detect that a human is approaching, multiple sensors must be installed, which increases costs.

Therefore, the primary objective of this invention is to provide a novel cloth-type sensor, clothing-type sensor, and robot equipped with a clothing-type sensor.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a cloth-type sensor, a clothing-type sensor, and a robot equipped with a clothing-type sensor that can function as a proximity sensor and a pressure sensor.

The first invention is a cloth-type sensor comprising a three-layer conductive cloth in which a first cloth is knitted with conductive thread and a second cloth is knitted with insulating thread, and the first cloth and the second cloth are joined together by knitting the space between them with insulating thread, and which has a layer of insulating thread between the first cloth and the second cloth, an insulating sheet having the same size as the first cloth and layered and attached to the first cloth, and a capacitance sensor IC electrically connected to the first cloth.

The second invention is dependent on the first invention, and the conductive cloth has elasticity.

The third invention is dependent on the first or second invention, and cuts are made in a predetermined pattern into the conductive cloth to which the insulating sheet is attached.

A fourth invention is a clothing-type sensor comprising a capacitance sensor IC, a conductive cloth formed by knitting a first cloth with conductive thread and a second cloth with insulating thread while knitting the first cloth and the second cloth with insulating thread to bond the first cloth and the second cloth together, and an insulating sheet having the same size as the first cloth and overlapping and affixed to the first cloth, wherein the multiple conductive cloths with the insulating sheets attached are connected together in a planar shape using a stretchable third cloth and fixed to the clothing , and each of the first cloths constituting the multiple conductive cloths is individually connected to the capacitance sensor IC using electric wires sewn to the third cloth that are overlapped in a wavy line shape so that pairs of first cloths are in opposite phase .

The fifth invention is dependent on the fourth invention, and the conductive cloth has elasticity.

The sixth invention is a robot equipped with the clothing-type sensor described in the fourth or fifth invention.

According to this invention, insulating tape is affixed to the conductive side of a conductive cloth made by bonding the conductive side and non-conductive side of the cloth, and the presence or absence of a conductor, the approach of a conductor, contact of a conductor, and pressure from a conductor are detected by the magnitude of the electrostatic capacitance generated between the conductive side of the cloth and a conductor at ground potential, so that the device can function as both a proximity sensor and a pressure sensor.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the embodiments with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a cloth-type sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the outline of the configuration of the detection section of the cloth-type sensor shown in FIG. 3(A) is a partial enlarged view of the conductive surface side of the conductive cloth that constitutes the detection unit of the cloth-type sensor shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, and FIG. 3(B) is a partial enlarged view of the non-conductive surface side of the conductive cloth that constitutes the detection unit of the cloth-type sensor shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. FIG. 4 is a partial enlarged view of the conductive cloth constituting the detection portion of the cloth-type sensor shown in FIGS. Figure 5 (A) is a diagram showing an example of when the cloth sensor shown in Figure 1 functions as a proximity sensor, Figure 5 (B) is a diagram showing another example of when the cloth sensor shown in Figure 1 functions as a proximity sensor, and Figure 5 (C) is a diagram showing an example of when the cloth sensor shown in Figure 1 functions as a pressure sensor. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a clothing-type sensor including a plurality of the detection units shown in FIG. FIG. 7(A) is a diagram showing the arrangement of multiple detection units on the front side of the clothing-type sensor, and FIG. 7(B) is a diagram showing the arrangement of multiple detection units on the back side of the clothing-type sensor. FIG. 8 is a partially enlarged view of a cloth with wires for connecting a plurality of detection units that constitute the clothing-type sensor shown in FIG. FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining a method of connecting a plurality of detection units that constitute the clothing-type sensor shown in FIG. FIG. 10(A) is a diagram for explaining actuators that move the eyelids and eyeballs of an android robot wearing the clothing-type sensor shown in FIG. 6, FIG. 10(B) is a diagram for explaining actuators that move the forehead, eyebrows, and corners of the mouth of the android robot, and FIG. 10(C) is a diagram for explaining actuators that move the lips of the android robot. FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining actuators that move the head, shoulders, and waist of an android robot. FIG. 12(A) shows an example of a cloth-type sensor attached to a chamber that has been contracted by draining water, and FIG. 12(B) shows an example of a cloth-type sensor attached to a chamber that has been expanded by supplying water. FIG. 13(A) is a diagram showing a detection portion in the cloth type sensor of the first embodiment with a first pattern cut, FIG. 13(B) is a diagram showing a detection portion in the cloth type sensor of the first embodiment with a second pattern cut, and FIG. 13(C) is a diagram showing a detection portion in the cloth type sensor of the first embodiment with a third pattern (composite pattern) cut.

First Example
Referring to FIG. 1, a cloth-type sensor 10 of the first embodiment includes a detection unit 12 and a controller 14, and the detection unit 12 and the controller 14 are electrically connected to each other.

Figure 2 is a diagram showing an outline of the structure of the detection unit 12 shown in Figure 1. As shown in Figure 2, the detection unit 12 has a layered structure and includes a conductive cloth 20 and an insulating tape 22. Furthermore, the conductive cloth 20 is formed by bonding together a conductive surface side cloth 20a (corresponding to the "first cloth") and a non-conductive surface side cloth 20b (corresponding to the "second cloth"). The insulating tape 22 is attached to the conductive surface side cloth 20a. Although not shown, the controller 14 shown in Figure 1 is connected to the conductive surface side cloth 20a of the detection unit 12 by an electric wire.

Figure 3(A) is a partial enlarged view of the conductive surface side cloth 20a, and Figure 3(B) is a partial enlarged view of the non-conductive surface side cloth 20b. Also, Figure 4 is a partial enlarged view of the conductive cloth 20 constituting the detection unit 12 of the cloth-type sensor 10. With reference to Figures 3(A), 3(B) and 4, the conductive surface side cloth 20a, the non-conductive surface side cloth 20b and the conductive cloth 20 of this first embodiment will be specifically described. However, in Figures 3(A), 3(B) and 4, in order to easily show the conductive surface side cloth 20a and the non-conductive surface side cloth 20b, the non-conductive surface side cloth 20b is shown with a hollow line. Also, in Figure 4, the insulating thread 20c is shown with a dotted line.

The conductive side cloth 20a is made by circular knitting conductive yarn. In this first embodiment, the conductive yarn is silver-plated nylon yarn. The non-conductive side cloth 20b is made by circular knitting insulating yarn. In this first embodiment, the insulating yarn is polyester yarn.

As shown in FIG. 4, the conductive cloth 20 is made by knitting the conductive side cloth 20a and the non-conductive side cloth 20b with an insulating thread 20c such as polyester thread between them, so that the conductive side cloth 20a and the non-conductive side cloth 20b are knitted together. Therefore, the conductive cloth 20 has a three-layer structure consisting of the conductive side cloth 20a, the non-conductive side cloth 20b, and the insulating thread 20c between them. However, in FIG. 2, the layer of insulating thread 20c for knitting the conductive side cloth 20a and the non-conductive side cloth 20b is omitted.

In this first embodiment, the conductive cloth 20 is made by bonded jersey knitting, but it is also possible to make two pieces of cloth, the conductive side cloth 20a and the non-conductive side cloth 20b, separately and then attach them together with insulating thread 20c so that their surfaces meet.

In addition, in this first embodiment, in order to give the conductive cloth 20 elasticity, the conductive surface side cloth 20a and the non-conductive surface side cloth 20b are made by circular knitting, but this does not have to be limited to this. The conductive surface side cloth 20a and the non-conductive surface side cloth 20b may also be made by weft knitting or warp knitting. In such cases, the conductive cloth 20 can also be made elastic.

The insulating tape 22 is an insulating sheet with an adhesive applied to one side. The insulating sheet is made of nylon. As an example of the insulating tape 22, "Nylon Repair Sheet Seal Type" manufactured by KAWAGUCHI Corporation can be used.

The controller 14 is also called a capacitance sensor IC, and detects the capacitance generated between the conductive surface side cloth 20a and a conductive object at ground potential. A DC voltage is supplied to the controller 14 from a power source, and the controller 14 uses this voltage to detect the capacitance. In simple terms, the controller 14 detects the capacitance every predetermined period (e.g., 5 seconds), applies a predetermined DC voltage to the conductive surface side cloth 20a during the first period (e.g., 2.5 seconds) of the predetermined period, and calculates the capacitance by detecting the voltage value when the conductive surface side cloth 20a discharges during the remaining period of the predetermined period. As an example of the controller 14 having the function of calculating the capacitance, a microcontroller (model number: PIC16F1847) manufactured by Microchip Technology Japan Co., Ltd. can be used.

The cloth sensor 10 configured as described above can function as a proximity sensor and a pressure sensor. Figure 5(A) shows an example of when it functions as a proximity sensor, Figure 5(B) shows another example of when it functions as a proximity sensor, and Figure 5(C) shows an example of when it functions as a pressure sensor. However, the controller 14 is omitted in Figures 5(A) to 5(C).

As shown in FIG. 5(A), when a human (in the figure, a human hand or finger) at ground potential approaches the insulating tape 22 of the detection unit 12, a capacitance C is generated between the conductive surface side of the cloth 20a (detection unit 12) and the human. The area S of the detection unit 12 is 5 cm x 10 cm, and experiments have confirmed that capacitance C is generated when the distance D between the detection unit 12 and the human hand is approximately 50 cm.

When a person approaches the detection unit 12, the capacitance C increases, and as shown in Fig. 5B, when the person touches the detection unit 12, the capacitance C reaches a maximum value _Cmax . This is also clear from the formula (Formula 1) for calculating the capacitance C, where ε is the dielectric constant, which is determined by the air and the material of the insulating tape 22 in the first embodiment.

[Equation 1]
C = ε × S/D
In this way, when capacitance C occurs, it is detected that a conductor such as a human is present within a predetermined range near the detection unit 12, and as capacitance C increases, it is detected that the distance D to the conductor is shortening (approaching). That is, the cloth sensor 10 functions as a proximity sensor. Furthermore, when capacitance C reaches a maximum value _Cmax , it is detected that a human has come into contact with the detection unit 12. That is, the cloth sensor 10 also functions as a contact sensor.

However, even when the capacitance C reaches the maximum value _Cmax , the distance D between the human and the conductive surface side cloth 20a is not 0 because the detection unit 12 has the insulating tape 22 as described above. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 5C, when the human presses the detection unit 12, the thickness of the insulating tape 22 changes slightly, that is, the distance D becomes even smaller. Therefore, when the human is in contact with the detection unit 12, the capacitance C changes further, and the pressure applied by the human to the detection unit 12 is detected. In other words, the cloth sensor 10 also functions as a pressure sensor. Therefore, when the clothing sensor 50 is attached to the robot 100 as described later, it is possible to know the strength of the force when the human hits the robot 100 or grabs the arm of the robot 100.

The above maximum value _Cmax is the maximum value when the cloth sensor 10 functions as a proximity sensor, and the maximum value when the cloth sensor 10 functions as a pressure sensor is greater than the maximum value _Cmax .

The cloth sensor 10 of this first embodiment can be used alone, but by using multiple sensors, a clothing sensor 50 can be created.

Figure 6(A) is an example of a schematic diagram of the clothing-type sensor 50 viewed from the front side, and Figure 6(B) is an example of a schematic diagram of the clothing-type sensor 50 viewed from the back side. In Figures 6(A) and 6(B), the multiple detection units 12 are shown on the outside (front side) of the clothing (here, a long-sleeved jacket), but in reality, they are provided on the inside (back side) of the clothing so as not to spoil the design. Also, the detection units 12 are positioned so as to fit inside the clothing. However, the multiple detection units 12 may be provided on the outside of the clothing. Also, the multiple detection units 12 may be provided between the outer and inner fabrics of the clothing.

As shown in Figures 6(A) and 6(B), in the first embodiment, the clothing sensor 50 has a total of 80 cloth sensors 10, including 9 sensors (or channels) on each arm of a long-sleeved jacket, 33 sensors on the front side of the torso of the jacket, and 29 sensors on the back side of the torso of the jacket. However, since a maximum of nine detection units 12 can be connected to the microcontroller used in the first embodiment, the clothing sensor 50 is composed of 80 detection units 12 and nine controllers 14. Note that if a microcontroller capable of connecting 80 or more detection units 12 is used, only one controller 14 may be required.

In this first embodiment, in order to reduce the processing load, the same size detection units 12 are used, but the size and/or shape of the detection units 12 can be changed as appropriate.

Nine detection units 12 are connected in a row in each of the left and right arm sections. On the front side of the torso, in the area corresponding to the chest and abdomen, 27 detection units 12 are connected to form a rectangular surface, and six detection units 12 in the area corresponding to the collarbone and shoulders are connected to the top of that rectangular surface. On the rear side of the torso, in the area corresponding to the back, 27 detection units 12 are connected to form a rectangular surface, and two detection units 12 are connected side by side to the top of the rectangular surface.

Although not shown in Figures 6(A) and 6(B), a stretchable strip of cloth 60 (corresponding to the "third cloth") is provided between adjacent detection units 12, and adjacent detection units 12 are connected (or joined) in a planar shape (or lined up) via this strip of cloth 60 to create a group of cloth-like detection units 12. However, the groups of cloth-like detection units 12 on each of the arms, the front side of the torso, and the back side of the torso are fixed individually by attaching or sewing them to the inside of the jacket. In addition, the multiple detection units 12 are fixed to the clothing so that the insulating tape 22 faces outward and the non-conductive cloth 20b faces inward. Furthermore, the strip of cloth 60 is an insulating cloth.

As shown in FIG. 1, the detection unit 12 is connected to the controller 14 by an electric wire. Therefore, electric wires 62 are sewn onto a portion of the strip of cloth 60.

Figure 7 shows an example of a strip of cloth 60 with electric wires 62 sewn onto it. As shown in Figure 7, four electric wires 62, each shaped like a wavy line, are sewn onto the cloth 60. However, in Figure 7, the black dotted lines indicate threads 64 that sew the electric wires 62 onto the cloth 60.

As shown in FIG. 7, the four electric wires 62 are divided into two sets of two, and in each set, two electric wires 62 are arranged overlapping each other in the shape of waves of opposite phases, and are arranged in two rows when the belt-shaped cloth 60 is viewed vertically. Each of the four electric wires 62 is coated with an insulating resin such as polyvinyl chloride, and is electrically independent.

Figure 8 shows an example of a state in which each detection unit 12 is connected by a strip of cloth 60 with electric wires 62 sewn onto it. In Figure 8, the detection unit 12 is shaded to distinguish it from the strip of cloth 60. Also, different types of lines are used to distinguish each electric wire 62. Note that the thread 64 with which the electric wires 62 are sewn onto it has been omitted from Figure 8.

As shown in FIG. 8, the four electric wires 62 sewn to the strip of cloth 60 are cut to an appropriate length, and one end of each is connected to a different detection unit 12 (conductive cloth 20a). In the example shown in FIG. 8, the electric wires 62 sewn to the strip of cloth 60 are individually connected to a plurality of detection units 12 (four in FIG. 8) lined up on the left side of the strip of cloth 60. Of the four electric wires 62, two electric wires 62 in the left column are connected to the second and third detection units 12 from the top, respectively, one of the two electric wires 62 in the right column is connected to the first detection unit 12 from the top, and the other one of the two electric wires 62 in the right column is connected to an even higher detection unit 12, although this is not shown.

Although not shown, the other end of each electric wire 62 is connected to the controller 14. However, each electric wire 62 (or each detection unit 12) is connected to a different port of the controller 14. Therefore, in the clothing sensor 50, the capacitance generated between each detection unit 12 and the conductor at ground potential is detected individually.

The method of connecting the electric wires 62 shown in FIG. 8 is one example and does not need to be limited to this. In this first embodiment, as described above, nine detection units 12 are connected in a vertical line, and the electric wires 62 are simply connected to the strip-shaped cloth 60 that extends along the line.

For simplicity, FIG. 8 shows four electric wires 62 connected to four detection units 12, but depending on the number of detection units 12, multiple strips of cloth 60 with electric wires 62 sewn onto them may be arranged between adjacent detection units 12.

Such a clothing-type sensor 50 can be attached to an android robot (hereinafter, simply referred to as "robot") 100, which is an example of an agent that exists in physical space (or real space). The robot 100 is a humanoid robot that has a shape (appearance, etc.) that closely resembles a human (see Figures 9(A), (B), (C) and 10), and performs actions (shakes, behavior, speech) that closely resemble those of a human.

As an example of this robot 100, Erica (registered trademark) which is being developed by the applicant can be used. Below, a brief description of the robot 100 will be given. However, instead of a conventional tactile sensor, the clothing-type sensor 50 of the present application is provided.

9(A), 9(B), 9(C) and 10 show an example of the appearance and configuration of the robot 100. Specifically, FIG. 9(A) is a diagram for explaining actuators A1, A2, A3, A4 and A5 that move the eyelids (128a, 128b) and eyeballs of the robot 100, FIG. 9(B) is a diagram for explaining actuators A6, A7, A8 and A9 that move the forehead, eyebrows and corners of the mouth 130 of the robot 100, and FIG. 9(C) is a diagram for explaining actuators A10, A11 and A13 that move the lips of the robot 100. Also, FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining actuators A14, A15, A16, A17, A18 and A19 that move the head 126, shoulders 132 and waist 134 of the robot 100. Below, the appearance and configuration of the robot 100 will be briefly described using FIG. 9(A) to FIG. 9(C) and FIG. 10.

The robot 100 shown in Figs. 9(A) to 9(C) and 10 is an example, and any android robot having a different appearance and configuration can be used. The robot 100 does not need to be limited to an android robot, and other robots can be used as long as they have a human-like appearance. As an example, a communication robot that can communicate with a human or other robots by body movements and/or voice can be used. Specifically, Robobee (registered trademark), an example of a communication robot developed by the applicant, can be used. Unlike humans, Robobee is configured to move on wheels, but has a head, torso, and both arms and an appearance similar to a human. In Robobee, the contact (tactile) sensor can be omitted by wearing the clothing-type sensor 50 of the present application.

The robot 100 includes a torso 124 and a head 126 mounted on the torso 124. The head 126 is formed with upper eyelids 128a and lower eyelids 128b above and below the eyes (eyeballs), and by controlling the up and down movement of the upper eyelids 128a and lower eyelids 128b, the eyes can be opened and closed. The head 126 is further formed with lips, both ends of which become the corners of the mouth 130. The corners of the mouth 130 can also move up and down in a similar manner.

The upper end of the torso 124 (below the head) is the shoulder 132, and the middle of the torso 124 is the waist 134. The shoulders 132 can move up and down, and the waist 134 can twist (rotate) left and right, and can also bend forward and backward.

In this first embodiment, the actuators described below for moving the above-mentioned parts of the robot 100 are all stepping motors driven by pulsed power, and the amount of rotation of the stepping motor is determined by the number of pulses. The number of pulses is given as a command value. Note that in the normal state, an initial value is given to the actuator for each target part, and when it is to be displaced, a command value with the number of pulses according to the direction and magnitude is given to the corresponding actuator. In this first embodiment, each actuator is operated with a command value of "0-255", and one of the values "0-255" is given as the initial value.

Actuator A1 is an actuator for controlling the up and down movement of the upper eyelid 128a. Actuators A2, A3, and A4 are actuators for moving the eyeball left and right and up and down. Actuator A5 is an actuator for controlling the up and down movement of the lower eyelid 128b. Thus, the eyes are opened and closed by actuators A1 and A5.

Actuator A6 is an actuator for moving the forehead, and actuator A7 is an actuator for moving the space between the eyebrows.

Actuator A8 is an actuator for raising the corners of the mouth 130. Actuator A9 is an actuator for moving the tongue up and down. Actuator A10 is an actuator for spreading the lips left and right, and actuator A11 is an actuator for pushing the lips forward.

Actuator A13 is an actuator for pushing out and retracting the jaw. This actuator A13 opens and closes the mouth.

Actuator A14 is an actuator for tilting the head 126 left and right, actuator A15 is an actuator for tilting the head 126 up and down, and actuator A16 is an actuator for rotating the head left and right.

Actuator A17 is an actuator for moving shoulder 132 up and down. Actuator A18 is an actuator for bending waist 134 forward or backward, and actuator A19 is an actuator for rotating (twisting) waist 134 left and right.

As shown in FIG. 11, the robot 100 includes a processor (CPU in this first embodiment) 150 that controls the overall operation of the robot 100. The CPU 150 is connected to a communication module 156 via a bus 152, and thus the CPU 150 is communicatively connected to a network, either wired or wirelessly, via the communication module 156.

The CPU 150 can also access the RAM 154 via the bus 152, and according to the programs and data stored in the RAM 154, it issues command values to the actuator control circuit 158 via the bus 152 to control the operation of each actuator A1-An.

RAM 154 is used as a buffer area and a work area for CPU 150. However, a HDD can be used instead of RAM 154. Actuator control circuit 158 generates a number of pulse powers according to the command value given by CPU 150, and provides them to the corresponding stepping motors to drive each of actuators A1-An.

However, in addition to actuators that use stepping motors, any actuator can be used, such as actuators that use servo motors or fluid actuators.

The sensor I/F (interface) 162 is connected to the CPU 150 via the bus 152 and receives the outputs from the clothing-type sensor 50 and the eye camera 166.

The output (detection data) from the clothing sensor 50 (nine controllers 14 in the first embodiment) is given to the CPU 150 via the sensor I/F 160. As described above, the clothing sensor 50 has each detection unit 12 and controller 14 functioning as a proximity sensor and a pressure sensor, and by storing the position of each detection unit 12 in advance, it is possible to know the location (part) touched by a human or other conductive object and/or the strength of the touch. In other words, the clothing sensor 50 constitutes part of the robot 100's sense of touch.

When the clothing-type sensor 50 is attached to the robot 100, capacitance C may occur between the components constituting the robot 100 equipped with the clothing-type sensor 50 and each detection unit 12. In this case, capacitance C increases when a human approaches the robot 100 or touches the clothing-type sensor 50. Therefore, it is possible to detect when a human approaches or touches the robot 100 equipped with the clothing-type sensor 50. It is also possible to detect the strength with which a human touches or hits the robot 100 equipped with the clothing-type sensor 50.

The eye camera 166 is an image sensor and constitutes part of the robot 100's vision. In other words, the eye camera 166 is used to detect images or videos seen by the eyes of the robot 100. In this first embodiment, data (image data) corresponding to the images (video or still images) captured by the eye camera 66 is provided to the CPU 150 via the sensor I/F 160. The CPU 150 stores the image data in the RAM 154 or transmits it to an external computer via the communication module 156 and the network.

The speaker 168 and microphone 170 are also connected to the input/output I/F 162. The speaker 168 outputs sound when the robot 100 speaks. The microphone 170 is a sound sensor, and constitutes part of the robot 100's hearing. This microphone 170 has directionality, and is primarily used to detect the voice of a human who is the communication target in a dialogue (communication) with the robot 100.

Note that the robot 100 shown in Figures 9-11 is configured so that the elbow joint and fingers do not move, but actuators may be provided in the elbow joint and fingers to move them.

In the first embodiment, the clothing sensor 50 is attached to the robot 100, but it may also be attached (worn) by a human. In this case, a capacitance C is generated between the human wearing the clothing sensor 50 and each detection unit 12, and the capacitance C increases when another person approaches the human wearing the clothing sensor 50 or touches the clothing sensor 50. Therefore, it is possible to detect when another person approaches or touches the human wearing the clothing sensor 50. It is also possible to detect the strength with which another person touches or hits the human wearing the clothing sensor 50.

In this first embodiment, insulating tape is affixed to the conductive side of the conductive cloth, which is made by bonding the conductive side and non-conductive side of the cloth together, and the presence or absence of a conductor, the approach of a conductor, contact of a conductor, and pressure from a conductor are detected by the magnitude of the electrostatic capacitance generated between the conductive side of the cloth and a conductor at ground potential, so that the device can function as both a proximity sensor and a pressure sensor.

In addition, according to the first embodiment, the sensor is easy to manufacture because the detection section is made of conductive cloth and insulating tape. In addition, the conductive cloth is made of bonded jersey knit, so it is highly durable.

Furthermore, according to the first embodiment, by fixing multiple cloth sensors to clothing, a clothing sensor that functions as both a proximity sensor and a pressure sensor can be created.

Furthermore, according to the first embodiment, the clothing-type sensor is made of cloth, which increases the degree of freedom of the robot's appearance (three-dimensional surface). It can also flexibly deform to follow the robot's movements. Furthermore, both the cloth on the conductive surface side and the cloth on the non-conductive surface side that make up the conductive cloth are made by circular knitting, which makes them highly elastic and therefore allows them to be installed at bending parts of the robot. Furthermore, by simply fixing it to the outer skin (or outer covering), it can also be applied to stuffed animal-type robots that have a body without a frame.

In this first embodiment, the conductive cloth 20 has a three-layer structure, but if the focus is only on functioning as a proximity sensor and a pressure sensor, the cloth 20b on the non-conductive side can be omitted. Therefore, the detection unit 12 may be formed by attaching insulating tape 22 to the cloth 20a on the conductive side. For the same reason, it is also possible to use only the conductive cloth 20 without using insulating tape 22, and to detect a conductor approaching or contacting the non-conductive cloth 20b side, and to detect pressure caused by that conductor.

In addition, in this first embodiment, the clothing-type sensor 50 is provided with multiple detection units 12 so as to cover the entire arms, the entire chest and abdomen, and the entire back, but this is not limited to this. Some of the detection units 12 may be omitted.

In addition, in this first embodiment, a clothing sensor 50 made of a long-sleeved jacket is constructed using multiple cloth sensors 10 (detection units 12), but a clothing sensor made of trousers (or pants) may also be constructed. Also, it is not necessary to be limited to clothing, and it is also possible to construct a sensor in which multiple cloth sensors 10 are arranged in socks, a supporter, or a belly band.

Second Example
The cloth sensor 10a of the second embodiment is the same as the cloth sensor 10 of the first embodiment, except that the detection portion 12 is formed in a long and narrow strip shape.

The cloth-type sensor 10a of the second embodiment can be applied to, for example, a water-driven flexible (soft) robot. Details of the water-driven soft robot are disclosed in Reference 1A (Kyotaro Hamachi, Takashi Takuma: "Realization of movement involving large deformation by a water-driven robot," Proceedings of the 2017 Kansai Branch of the Society of Instrument and Control Engineers/SICE Young Researchers' Conference, C2-4, pp.102-106, 2017), so a detailed explanation will be omitted.

Briefly, the water-driven soft robot disclosed in Reference 1 has two chambers (water balloons) at the front and rear of the moving direction, and moves in the moving direction and the reverse direction by controlling the amount of water in the two chambers, that is, by changing the weight distribution using water. This water-driven soft robot can slip through gaps (or obstacles). It is also possible to detect whether the chamber is in contact with an obstacle by detecting the water pressure in the chamber.

Figure 12(A) shows an example of a cloth sensor 10a attached to a chamber that has been contracted by draining water, and Figure 12(B) shows an example of a cloth sensor 10a attached to a chamber that has been expanded by supplying water. However, Figures 12(A) and 12(B) show only the detection unit 12, and the controller 14 is omitted.

Although it is not clear from the drawing, the detection unit 12 is attached in a ring shape around the chamber so that the non-conductive surface 20b of the conductive cloth 20 faces the chamber.

Because the cloth-type sensor 10a is stretchable, even if the chamber contracts and expands as shown in Figures 12(A) and 12(B), it follows the change in shape and does not peel off from the chamber.

The cloth sensor 10a can at least detect the contact of the chamber with an obstacle by a change in pressure. In this second embodiment, a conductive substance is mixed into the water supplied to the chamber, and when this water is supplied to the chamber and the chamber expands, the contact of the chamber with an obstacle can be detected by a change in pressure (water pressure). In other words, the pressure detected by the cloth sensor 10a when the chamber is not in contact with an obstacle increases when the chamber comes into contact with an obstacle. In this case, the capacitance C generated between the conductive water in the chamber and the conductive cloth 20a with the non-conductive cloth 20b in between is changed.

However, if the obstacle is a conductor at ground potential, the cloth sensor 10a also functions as a proximity sensor, and can detect the presence, approach, and contact of the obstacle.

In the second embodiment, like the first embodiment, it can function as a proximity sensor and a pressure sensor.

<Third Example>
The cloth sensor 10b of the third embodiment is the same as the cloth sensor 10 of the first embodiment except that a detection portion 12 has cuts in a predetermined pattern, so a duplicated description will be omitted.

Figure 13(A) is a diagram showing a detection unit 12 having a first pattern of cuts, Figure 13(B) is a diagram showing a detection unit 12 having a second pattern of cuts, and Figure 13(C) is a diagram showing a detection unit 12 having a third pattern of cuts. However, in Figures 13(A) to 13(C), the detection unit 12 is shown in black, and the cuts are shown in white. Also, in Figures 13(A) to 13(C), the controller 14 is omitted.

The first pattern of cuts shown in Figure 13(A) has three rows of cuts arranged at a predetermined interval along the long side, with the middle row having cuts offset from the upper and lower rows. The length of the cuts in the upper and lower rows is one-third the length of the short side, and the length of the cuts in the middle row is slightly longer than one-third the length of the short side. Therefore, when the detection unit 12 shown in Figure 13(A) is pulled in the longitudinal direction, its shape changes to a mesh-like shape.

The second pattern of cuts shown in FIG. 13(B) is formed by alternating cuts made from one long side toward the other long side and cuts made from the other long side toward the first long side in the long side direction. All cuts are made so that a small portion of the end remains. Therefore, the shape of the detection unit 12 shown in FIG. 13(B) changes to a long, thin band when both ends (the upper left corner and the upper right corner in FIG. 13(B)) are pulled in opposite directions.

The third pattern of cuts shown in FIG. 13(C) is a combination of the first and second pattern cuts. Specifically, in the longitudinal direction of the detection unit 12, the first pattern cuts are made at both ends, and the second pattern cuts are made at the center. Therefore, when the detection unit 12 shown in FIG. 13(C) is pulled in the longitudinal direction, the shape of both ends changes to a mesh-like shape, and the center changes to a long, thin band-like shape.

Regardless of which of the patterns of cuts shown in Figures 13(A) to 13(C) the detection unit 12 has, the detection unit 12 itself expands due to changes in shape, so it can be attached (attached) to an object that undergoes large changes in shape and used. As an example, the detection unit 12 (cloth-type sensor 10) of the third embodiment can be attached to the chamber of the water-driven soft robot shown in the second embodiment.

In addition, since the detection unit 12 is made of conductive cloth 20 and insulating tape 22, it is easy to create a detection unit 12 like the ones shown in Figures 13(A)-13(C) by simply making cuts with scissors.

According to this third embodiment, the detection unit itself changes and can function as both a proximity sensor and a pressure sensor.

The specific numerical values shown in the above examples are merely examples and are not necessarily limiting, but can be changed as appropriate depending on the actual product and the environment in which the product is applied.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 10 cloth-type sensor 12 detection unit 14 controller 20 conductive cloth 20a cloth on conductive side 20b cloth on non-conductive side 22 insulating tape 50 clothing-type sensor 60 cloth 62 electric wire 100 robot 126 head 128a upper eyelid 128b lower eyelid 130 corner of mouth 132 shoulder 134 waist 150 CPU
154...RAM
156 ... communication module 164 ... tactile sensor 166 ... eye camera 168 ... speaker 170 ... microphone

Claims (6)

a three-layer conductive cloth in which a first cloth is knitted with conductive thread and a second cloth is knitted with insulating thread, and the first cloth and the second cloth are joined together by knitting the insulating thread between them, and a layer of the insulating thread is provided between the first cloth and the second cloth ;
an insulating sheet having the same size as the first fabric and attached to the first fabric;
A cloth-type sensor comprising a capacitive sensor IC electrically connected to the first cloth. The cloth sensor according to claim 1, wherein the conductive cloth is stretchable. The cloth sensor according to claim 1 or 2, in which the conductive cloth to which the insulating sheet is attached has cuts in a predetermined pattern. A capacitance sensor IC;
a conductive cloth in which a first cloth is knitted with a conductive thread and a second cloth is knitted with an insulating thread, and an insulating thread is knitted between the first cloth and the second cloth, thereby bonding the first cloth and the second cloth together;
an insulating sheet having the same size as the first fabric and attached to the first fabric;
A clothing-type sensor in which a plurality of the conductive cloths with the insulating sheets attached are connected together in a flat shape using a third cloth having elasticity and fixed to clothing, and each of the first cloths constituting each of the plurality of conductive cloths is individually connected to the capacitance sensor IC using electric wires sewn to the third cloth that are overlapped in a wavy line shape so that two pairs of first cloths are in opposite phase . The clothing-type sensor according to claim 4, wherein the conductive cloth is stretchable. A robot equipped with the clothing-type sensor according to claim 4 or 5.

Images