Abstract: A robot includes a body, a handle provided on the body and holdable by a user, a detector that detects a load applied to the handle, a movement device that includes a rotation member and moves the robot by controlling rotation of the rotation member in accordance with the detected load, and a generator that generates tendency data, which indicates tendency of the load applied to the handle, on the basis of past load data regarding the handle obtained while the robot is moving. The movement device includes an actuator that controls a rotation speed of the rotation member on the basis of the detected load and the generated tendency data.

Abstract: A method is provided that includes setting an exposure time of an image sensor of a customer terminal so that, in an image obtained by capturing the subject, a bright line corresponding to each of a plurality of exposure lines appears according to a change in luminance of the subject. The method also includes obtaining a bright line image including a plurality of bright lines, by capturing the subject and obtaining identification information of the subject, by demodulating data specified by a pattern of the plurality of bright lines included in the obtained bright line image. The method further includes sending the identification information to a server, obtaining a menu listing a product of the store from the server, displaying the menu on a display of the terminal, and sending product information of the product that is selected by the customer and payment information of the customer to the server.

Abstract: An information communication method is provided for obtaining information from a subject using a terminal device that includes an image sensor having a plurality of exposure lines. The method includes setting an exposure time of the image sensor so that a bright line corresponding to each of the plurality of exposure lines appears according to a change in luminance of the subject. The method also includes obtaining a bright line image including a plurality of bright lines by capturing the subject that changes in luminance, and obtaining identification information of the subject by demodulating data specified by a pattern of the plurality of bright lines included in the obtained bright line image. The method further includes sending the identification information to a server, obtaining place information indicating a location of the subject from the server, and displaying a location of the terminal device on a map.

Abstract: An information communication method is provided for obtaining information from a subject using a terminal device that includes an image sensor having a plurality of exposure lines. The method includes setting an exposure time of the image sensor so that, in an image obtained by capturing the subject by the image sensor, a bright line corresponding to each of the plurality of exposure lines included in the image sensor appears according to a change in luminance of the subject. The method also includes obtaining a bright line image including a plurality of bright lines, and obtaining identification information of the subject by demodulating data specified by a pattern of the plurality of bright lines. The method further includes sending (i) the identification information and (ii) language identification information to a server, obtaining a content identified by the identification information from the server, and displaying the translated content.

Abstract: An information communication method is provided that determines a pattern of a change in luminance by modulating a signal to be transmitted, and outputs the determined pattern to a light emitter that changes in luminance according to the determined pattern. In the method, the signal includes a first data, a first header of the first data, second data, and a second header of the second data. Additionally, the pattern of the change in luminance is determined according to in an order of (i) the first data, (ii) the first header, (iii) the first data, (iv) the second data, (v) the second header, and (vi) the second data.

Abstract: A method is provided for obtaining information from a transmission device using an image sensor that includes a plurality of exposure lines. The method includes obtaining image data by starting exposure sequentially for the plurality of exposure lines each at a different time, starting exposure of a next exposure line before exposure of one exposure line ends, and imaging for a predetermined exposure time. The method also includes obtaining the information by demodulating data specified by a pattern of bright lines that appear in the image data, the bright lines corresponding to the plurality of exposure lines. The method further includes setting the predetermined exposure time so that a relation of tE>tHT is satisfied, where the predetermined exposure time is tE ?s, and a period of high frequency noise of a light source included in the transmission device is tHT ?s.

Abstract: An information communication method is provided for obtaining information from a subject using a terminal device that includes an image sensor having a plurality of exposure lines. The method includes setting an exposure time of the image sensor so that, in an image obtained by capturing the subject by the image sensor, a bright line corresponding to each of the plurality of exposure lines included in the image sensor appears according to a change in luminance of the subject. The method also includes obtaining a bright line image including a plurality of bright lines, and obtaining identification information of the subject by demodulating data specified by a pattern of the plurality of bright lines. The method further includes sending (i) the identification information and (ii) language identification information to a server, obtaining a content identified by the identification information from the server, and displaying the translated content.

Abstract: An article management system includes a transport robot that transports an article and a rack robot that stores the article. The transport robot includes an input that receives a transport request that includes a request to transport the article to the rack robot, a first circuit that transmits the transport request to the rack robot and a movement mechanism that causes the transport robot to move toward the rack robot. The rack robot includes a second circuit that receives the transport request from the first circuit, a conveyor that receives the article based on the transport request from the transport robot and moves the article to a storage location, and a port where the article is transferred to the transport robot. The conveyor moves the article between one of a plurality of racks and the port.

Abstract: An article management system includes a transport robot and a rack robot. The transport robot has an input interface that receives a transport request from a user, the transport request having a first request to transport a first article stored in the rack robot to the user, a first communication circuit that transmits the first request to the rack robot, and a movement that causes the transport robot to move toward the rack robot. The rack robot has a second communication circuit that receives the first request, and a conveyor that moves the first article on the first request between the rack robot and the transport robot.

Abstract: An information communication method is provided for obtaining information from a subject using a terminal device that includes an image sensor having a plurality of exposure lines. The method includes setting an exposure time of the image sensor so that, in an image obtained by capturing the subject by the image sensor, a bright line corresponding to each of the plurality of exposure lines included in the image sensor appears according to a change in luminance of the subject. The method also includes obtaining a bright line image, including a plurality of bright lines, by capturing the subject that changes in luminance, and obtaining identification information of the subject. The method further includes sending the identification information to a first server, obtaining access information from the first server, sending the access information to a second server, and obtaining information from the second server.

Abstract: An information communication method is provided for obtaining information from a subject. The method includes setting an exposure time of an image sensor so that, in an image obtained by capturing the subject by the image sensor, a plurality of bright lines corresponding to a plurality of exposure lines included in the image sensor appears according to a change in luminance of the subject. The method also includes obtaining a bright line image, including the plurality of bright lines, by capturing the subject that changes in luminance by the image sensor with the set exposure time. The method further includes obtaining the information by demodulating data specified by a striped pattern of the plurality of bright lines included in the obtained bright line image.

Abstract: A method is provided for obtaining information from a transmission device using an image sensor that includes a plurality of exposure lines. The method includes obtaining image data by starting exposure sequentially for the plurality of exposure lines each at a different time, starting exposure of a next exposure line before exposure of one exposure line ends, and imaging for a predetermined exposure time. The method also includes obtaining the information by demodulating data specified by a pattern of bright lines that appear in the image data, the bright lines corresponding to the plurality of exposure lines. The method further includes setting the predetermined exposure time so that a relation of tE>tHT is satisfied, where the predetermined exposure time is tE ?s, and a period of high frequency noise of a light source included in the transmission device is tHT ?s.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided that includes a display, an image sensor having a plurality of exposure lines, a processor, and a memory storing a computer program, which when executed by the processor, causes the processor to perform operations. The operations include displaying a first assist image on the display, and executing a visible light communication mode. In the visible light communication mode, the operations include (i) setting a second exposure time of the image sensor so that, in an image obtained by capturing a subject by the image sensor, a plurality of bright lines corresponding to the plurality of exposure lines included in the image sensor appear according to a change in luminance of the subject, (ii) obtaining a bright line image including the plurality of bright lines, and (iii) obtaining information by demodulating data specified by a pattern of the plurality of bright lines.

Abstract: An information communication method of transmitting a signal using a change in luminance is provided. The information communication method includes: determining a pattern of the change in luminance, by modulating the signal to be transmitted; and transmitting the signal, by at least one light emitter changing in luminance according to the determined pattern of the change in luminance. The signal has a plurality of blocks. Each block of the plurality of blocks includes (i) address information to identify the block and (ii) data of the block. In the transmitting, the signal is transmitted repeatedly at different times.

Abstract: An information communication method of transmitting a signal is provided that uses a change in luminance. The method includes determining a plurality of patterns of the change in luminance, by modulating a respective plurality of signals to be transmitted, and transmitting, by a light emitter changing in luminance according to a pattern among the determined plurality of patterns of the change in luminance, a signal corresponding to the pattern. The plurality of signals each includes a header and a body. In the determining, a first body, a first header, and a second body are modulated as one set in stated order. In the transmitting, the light emitter changes in luminance according to, in stated order, a first luminance change pattern corresponding to the first body, a second luminance change pattern corresponding to the first header, and a third luminance change pattern corresponding to the second body.

Abstract: A life assistance system includes an automatic liftable chair and an autonomous mobile robot connected to the automatic liftable chair via a network. The life assistance system assists a user in the action of standing up from the automatic liftable chair. The life assistance system is configured such that upon reception of a stand-up assist instruction by the autonomous mobile robot, the automatic liftable chair executes a first assisting action and that upon detection of a load applied to a handle of the autonomous mobile robot, the automatic liftable chair executes a second assisting action.

Abstract: An information communication method is provided for obtaining information from a subject. The method includes setting an exposure time of an image sensor so that, in an image obtained by capturing the subject by the image sensor, a plurality of bright lines corresponding to a plurality of exposure lines included in the image sensor appears according to a change in luminance of the subject. The method also includes obtaining a bright line image, including the plurality of bright lines, by capturing the subject that changes in luminance by the image sensor with the set exposure time. The method further includes obtaining the information by demodulating data specified by a striped pattern of the plurality of bright lines included in the obtained bright line image.

Abstract: An information communication method of transmitting a signal using a change in luminance is provided. The information communication method includes: determining a pattern of the change in luminance, by modulating the signal to be transmitted; and transmitting the signal, by at least one light emitter changing in luminance according to the determined pattern of the change in luminance. In the determining, a first luminance change pattern corresponding to a body, a second luminance change pattern indicating a header for specifying the body, and a third luminance change pattern indicating another header different from the header are determined. In the transmitting, the header, the body and the other header are transmitted by the at least one light emitter changing in luminance according to the first luminance change pattern, the second luminance change pattern, the first luminance change pattern and the first luminance change pattern in the stated order.

Abstract: A charging apparatus is provided that avoids a reduction in the strength of radio waves or a magnetic field used by a charging target device having a wireless communication function and reduces an influence on the radio waves or magnetic field. In this apparatus, position detection section (201) detects a position of power reception coil (251) of charging target device (150) placed on charging table (101). Power transmission coil (208) is made close to power reception coil (251) and transmits electric power. Coil moving mechanism (207) brings power transmission coil (208) close to the position of power reception coil (251) that is detected by position detection section (201).

Abstract: An information communication method is provided that determines a pattern of a change in luminance by modulating a signal to be transmitted, and outputs the determined pattern to a light emitter that changes in luminance according to the determined pattern. In the method, the signal includes a first data, a first header of the first data, second data, and a second header of the second data. Additionally, the pattern of the change in luminance is determined according to in an order of (i) the first data, (ii) the first header, (iii) the first data, (iv) the second data, (v) the second header, and (vi) the second data.