Abstract: It is determined whether the motion state of legs 2, 2 is a one-leg supporting state or a two-leg supporting state, and a total floor reaction force is estimated based on a motion equation of the center of gravity of a bipedal movable body 1. If the motion state of legs 2, 2 is the one-leg supporting state, the estimated value of the total floor reaction force is used as an estimated value of the floor reaction force on the leg 2 which is landed. When the motion state changes to the two-leg supporting state, a vertical component of the floor reaction force on the rear leg is estimated from the MP height of the front leg based on a predetermined correlation between the MP height of the front leg and the vertical component of the floor reaction force on the leg.

Abstract: A monitoring robot capable of boarding a mobile unit such as a vehicle together with a driver to perform monitoring surrounding of the mobile unit, is provided. The robot has a microphone, a voice recognition unit voice-recognition processing a sound signal of the microphone, CCD cameras, an image recognition unit image-recognition processing image signals outputted by the CCD cameras, a driver's instruction recognition unit recognizing driver's instructions based on the processing results of the voice recognition and image recognition units. In the robot, the imaging direction of the CCD cameras is designated in response to the driver's instructions, and a monitoring result is assessed based on the image-recognition processing result. Then, one among a set of predetermined notice actions including a voice notice, is selected based on the recognized instructions and monitoring result, such that the driver is notified of the monitoring result in accordance with the selected notice action.

Abstract: A method and processor for obtaining torques to be applied to joints of a leg of a biped walking system are provided. The method comprises the steps of obtaining moments acting around the joints of the leg, using the vertical component of the ground reaction force acting on the leg at the point of application of the ground reaction force, the vertical components of forces acting on the joints of the leg and a term of the acceleration of gravity and without using the horizontal components of the forces acting on the joints of the leg and a term of acceleration except the term of the acceleration of gravity and obtaining the torques to be applied to the joints of the leg, based on the moments acting around the joints of the leg. The vertical component of the ground reaction force acting on the leg, is obtained based on which leg or legs are in contact with the ground. The processor is configured to perform the above steps.

Abstract: A method is presented for determination of single stance or double stance state of leg bodies of a bipedal mobile body (BMB). In a single stance state, a floor reaction force acting on a leg body touching the ground is estimated based on an equation of motion for the center of gravity (GO) of a BMB. In a double stance state, floor reaction forces, Fr and Ff respectively, acting on the leg bodies are estimated based on an equation of motion for GO of a BMB and an expression of relation between components of Fr and Ff on the respective leg bodies and positions of ankle portions of the leg bodies relative to the GO of the BMB. Further, based on an inverse dynamics model, knee and hip joint moments of each leg body are estimated using floor reaction force values.

Abstract: A method for obtaining an assist torque to be applied to a human joint, in a human assist system for applying an assist torque to the human joint to reduce load of muscles, and the human assist system are provided. The method comprises the step of obtaining a moment due to gravity, acting on a joint of each human segment, based on equations of force and moment balance on each segment. The method further comprises the step of obtaining an assist torque to be applied to the joint to compensate for the moment due to gravity, acting on the joint. The human assist system comprises a motor for delivering an assist torque to a joint and a motor driver for driving control of the motor. The system further comprises a controller for determining a desired value of an assist torque, comprising a processor and a memory.

Abstract: It is determined whether the motion state of legs 2, 2 is a one-leg supporting state or a two-leg supporting state, and a total floor reaction force is estimated based on a motion equation of the center of gravity of a bipedal movable body 1. If the motion state of legs 2, 2 is the one-leg supporting state, the estimated value of the total floor reaction force is used as an estimated value of the floor reaction force on the leg 2 which is landed. When the motion state changes to the two-leg supporting state, a vertical component of the floor reaction force on the rear leg is estimated from the MP height of the front leg based on a predetermined correlation between the MP height of the front leg and the vertical component of the floor reaction force on the leg.

Abstract: Whether a motion state of leg bodies (2) is a single stance state or a double stance state is sequentially determined and a total reaction force (F) is estimated on the basis of an equation of motion for a center of gravity (G0) of a bipedal walking body (1). If the motion state is the single stance state, then the estimated value of the total floor reaction force (F) is directly used as an estimated value of the floor reaction force of the leg body (2). If the motion state is the double stance state, then a floor reaction force (Fr) of the leg body (2) at the rear side is determined, using measurement data of elapsed time of the double stance state and moving speed of a bipedal walking body (1) and pre-established characteristic data, and the floor reaction force (Fr) is subtracted from the total floor reaction force (F) to determine a floor reaction force (Ff) of the leg body (2) at the front side.

Abstract: It is judged whether a motion state of leg bodies 2 is a single stance state or a double stance state. When it is the single stance state, a floor reaction force F acting on the leg body 2 touching the ground is estimated based on the equation of motion for the center of gravity G0 of a bipedal walking moving body 1. When it is the double stance state, floor reaction forces Fr, Ff respectively acting on the leg bodies 2 are estimated based on the equation of motion for the center of gravity G0 of the bipedal walking moving body 1, and the expression of relation between components of the floor reaction forces Fr, Ff on the respective leg bodies 2 and positions of ankle portions 12 of the leg bodies 2 relative to the center of gravity G0 of the bipedal walking moving body 1. Further, based on an inverse dynamics model using estimated values of the floor reaction forces Fr, Ff, moments acting on a knee joint 10 and a hip joint 8 of each leg body 2 are estimated.

Abstract: A method and processor for obtaining torques to be applied to joints of a leg of a biped walking system are provided. The method comprises the steps of obtaining moments acting around the joints of the leg, using the vertical component of the ground reaction force acting on the leg at the point of application of the ground reaction force, the vertical components of forces acting on the joints of the leg and a term of the acceleration of gravity and without using the horizontal components of the forces acting on the joints of the leg and a term of acceleration except the term of the acceleration of gravity and obtaining the torques to be applied to the joints of the leg, based on the moments acting around the joints of the leg.

Abstract: A method and processor for obtaining torques to be applied to joints of a leg of a biped walking system are provided. The method comprises the steps of obtaining moments acting around the joints of the leg, using the vertical component of the ground reaction force acting on the leg at the point of application of the ground reaction force, the vertical components of forces acting on the joints of the leg and a term of the acceleration of gravity and without using the horizontal components of the forces acting on the joints of the leg and a term of acceleration except the term of the acceleration of gravity and obtaining the torques to be applied to the joints of the leg, based on the moments acting around the joints of the leg. The vertical component of the ground reaction force acting on the leg, is obtained based on which leg or legs are in contact with the ground. The processor is configured to perform the above steps.