Abstract: A moving object detecting device measures a congestion degree of a space and utilizes the congestion degree for tracking. In performing the tracking, a direction measured by a laser range sensor is heavily weighted when the congestion degree is low. When the congestion degree is high, a sensor fusion is performed by heavily weighting a direction measured by a image processing on a captured image to obtain a moving object estimating direction, and obtains a distance by the laser range sensor in the moving object estimating direction.

Abstract: A robot includes: a main body; a traveling mechanism attached to the main body to move the main body; an image pickup device which picks up an image of an object in a space including a traveling plane; an object detector which detects the object existing in the space based on an image picked up by the image pickup device; a distance calculator which calculates a distance to the object detected by the object detector; a degree of caution setting device which sets a degree of caution with respect to the object detected by the object detector based on the image picked up by the image pickup device and the distance calculated by the distance calculator; and a controller which controls the traveling mechanism based on the degree of caution set by the degree of caution setting device and the distance calculated by the distance calculator.

Abstract: According to an embodiment of the present invention, a tracking method includes detecting a mobile unit within a space, tracking the detected mobile unit, making a position determination of the mobile unit to be tracked to obtain positional data, and making a movement prediction of the mobile unit, based on a high frequency component of positional data.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an alignment method includes setting a local area from an alignment target area, the local area being an execution target area of local alignment to be performed with precision equal to or higher than required alignment precision; performing the local alignment between a pattern image of an examination target and a reference pattern image of an examination reference, in the local area, to obtain a shift amount that is a result of local alignment; and shifting a whole of the reference pattern image by using the shift amount.

Abstract: An interactive robot capable of speech recognition includes a sound-source-direction estimating unit that estimates a direction of a sound source for target voices which are required to undergo speech recognition; a moving unit that moves the interactive robot in the sound-source direction; a target-voice acquiring unit that acquires the target voices at a position after moving; and a speech recognizing unit that performs speech recognition of the target voices.

Abstract: A wheeled moving robot including a main body; wheels provided at least at opposite sides of the main body and configured to move the main body; an actuator configured to generate torque which rotates the wheels; a detector configured to detect whether the main body moves when the wheels rotates by the actuator; and a compensation unit configured to perform an auxiliary movement which pushes an auxiliary wheel in front or rear of the main body toward a floor based as a detection result of the detector.

Abstract: A moving object detecting device measures a congestion degree of a space and utilizes the congestion degree for tracking. In performing the tracking, a direction measured by a laser range sensor is heavily weighted when the congestion degree is low. When the congestion degree is high, a sensor fusion is performed by heavily weighting a direction measured by a image processing on a captured image to obtain a moving object estimating direction, and obtains a distance by the laser range sensor in the moving object estimating direction.

Abstract: A position identification apparatus includes a storage section storing a position-unique information database containing, each position on a field and unique information generated from the signal strength of the reflected wave at the position in association with each other, an ultrasonic transmission section originating an ultrasonic wave assigned identification information, an ultrasonic reception section receiving the reflected wave of the ultrasonic wave, a unique information generation section generating signal unique information from the reflected wave, and a position identification section making a comparison between the signal unique information generated by the unique information generation section and the unique information included in the position-unique information database and identifying the current position.

Abstract: A wheeled moving robot including a main body; wheels provided at least at opposite sides of the main body and configured to move the main body; an actuator configured to generate torque which rotates the wheels; a detector configured to detect whether the main body moves when the wheels rotates by the actuator; and a compensation unit configured to perform an auxiliary movement which pushes an auxiliary wheel in front or rear of the main body toward a floor based as a detection result of the detector.

Abstract: A receiving device includes a light-receiving unit receiving a light transmitted from a light source, luminance of the light changing corresponding to an information, the light-receiving unit having a plurality of light-receiving elements detecting the light repeatedly at times different from one another, and a decoding unit decoding a light-receiving signal outputted from the light-receiving unit into the information.

Abstract: A robot includes: a main body; a traveling mechanism attached to the main body to move the main body; an image pickup device which picks up an image of an object in a space including a traveling plane; an object detector which detects the object existing in the space based on an image picked up by the image pickup device; a distance calculator which calculates a distance to the object detected by the object detector; a degree of caution setting device which sets a degree of caution with respect to the object detected by the object detector based on the image picked up by the image pickup device and the distance calculated by the distance calculator; and a controller which controls the traveling mechanism based on the degree of caution set by the degree of caution setting device and the distance calculated by the distance calculator.

Abstract: According to an embodiment of the present invention, a tracking method includes detecting a mobile unit within a space, tracking the detected mobile unit, making a position determination of the mobile unit to be tracked to obtain positional data, and making a movement prediction of the mobile unit, based on a high frequency component of positional data.

Abstract: A wheeled moving robot including a main body; wheels provided at least at opposite sides of the main body and configured to move the main body; an actuator configured to generate torque which rotates the wheels; a detector configured to detect whether the main body moves when the wheels rotates by the actuator; and a compensation unit configured to perform an auxiliary movement which pushes an auxiliary wheel in front or rear of the main body toward a floor based as a detection result of the detector.

Abstract: According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an autonomous mobile apparatus including a movable body, a control moment gyro that generates a torque, a gyro unit that pivotably supports the control moment gyro about a first axis and a gimbal that pivotably supports the gyro unit about a second axis and is pivotable to the movable body about a third axis that is different from the second axis.

Abstract: A wheeled moving robot including a main body; wheels provided at least at opposite sides of the main body and configured to move the main body; an actuator configured to generate torque which rotates the wheels; a detector configured to detect whether the main body moves when the wheels rotates by the actuator; and a compensation unit configured to perform an auxiliary movement which pushes an auxiliary wheel in front or rear of the main body toward a floor based as a detection result of the detector.

Abstract: A movable robot includes a movement mechanism unit configured to perform driving for moving the movable robot; a body unit continuously connected to the movement mechanism unit in a movable manner in a planar direction between the movement mechanism unit and the body unit; and a shock absorber interposed between the movement mechanism unit and the body unit, for absorbing one of an inertial force and an external force generated by a movement control in the planar direction.

Abstract: An interactive robot capable of speech recognition includes a sound-source-direction estimating unit that estimates a direction of a sound source for target voices which are required to undergo speech recognition; a moving unit that moves the interactive robot in the sound-source direction; a target-voice acquiring unit that acquires the target voices at a position after moving; and a speech recognizing unit that performs speech recognition of the target voices.

Abstract: A position identification apparatus includes a storage section storing a position-unique information database containing, each position on a field and unique information generated from the signal strength of the reflected wave at the position in association with each other, an ultrasonic transmission section originating an ultrasonic wave assigned identification information, an ultrasonic reception section receiving the reflected wave of the ultrasonic wave, a unique information generation section generating signal unique information from the reflected wave, and a position identification section making a comparison between the signal unique information generated by the unique information generation section and the unique information included in the position-unique information database and identifying the current position.