Abstract: A linear vibration motor and a linear vibration system include a housing, a moving member, a drive unit including a driving coil and driving magnets, and a bias unit including a biasing electromagnet and biasing magnets. The moving member vibrates in a first direction substantially orthogonal to a winding axis of the driving coil with Lorentz force generated by a magnetic field formed by the driving coil and a magnetic field formed by the driving magnets. The biasing electromagnet and the biasing magnets are disposed such that the same poles substantially face each other, and the moving member is biased in the first direction by a magnetic spring generated from a repulsive force between the biasing electromagnet and the biasing magnets. Moreover, a magnetic spring constant of the magnetic spring varies with variation in a value of a current flowing through a biasing coil.

Abstract: A pushcart includes a steering unit, a main wheel, a dolly portion, an auxiliary wheel, a connecting unit, a slope angle sensor, a gyrosensor, and a case. On one end of the steering unit, there is provided a cylinder-shaped hinge unit that is supported in a rotatable manner at the other end of the connecting unit on the opposite side to the main wheels, and a holding portion is provided on the other end of the steering unit. A controller performs inverted pendulum control in which the main wheels are rotated based on the detection results of the gyrosensor and the slope angle sensor.

Abstract: A support unit is connected to a shaft of a main wheel and thus is always maintained in parallel to or at a predetermined angle to a road surface, independently of an inclination angle of a main body. Accordingly, an incline estimating unit regards an inclination angle ?3 being a value in an inclination sensor as being equal to an inclination angle ?2 of the road surface (or in a case where the support unit is inclined a predetermined angle to the road surface, an angle from ?3 to the predetermined angle is subtracted from or added to the crossing angle) and outputs the estimated inclination angle ?2 of the road surface to a target inclination angle determining unit.

Abstract: A pushcart configured to perform inverted pendulum control is made likely to negotiate a step. In a first control mode, a main body is maintained to have a constant posture by performing the inverted pendulum control all the time. For example, when a user operates a selector switch, the control mode is changed to a second control mode in which offset torque is added so that an amount of torque applied to a wheel driver unit becomes larger. In this case, because the pushcart moves faster than usual, even if there exists a step that is hard to negotiate in the state of usual inverted pendulum control, the pushcart is likely to negotiate that step.

Abstract: A handcart (includes a main body unit, a pair of main wheels provided to the main body unit, a grip unit that is provided to the main body unit and gripped by a user, a grip switch that detects whether the user is gripping the grip unit, a tilt angle sensor, a camera, an acceleration sensor, or other devices that detect the state of the cart body, and a wheel lock mechanism that locks the main wheels if the grip switch does not detect user's gripping of the grip unit and if the cart body is in a predetermined state, for example, if it is detected by the acceleration sensor or other devices that the cart body is moving. This configuration provides a handcart that locks the wheels without necessarily compromising usability.

Abstract: A walking assist apparatus includes a pair of wheels, at least one first driving unit that drives the pair of wheels, a main body that rotatably supports the pair of wheels, and a grip that is disposed at one end of the main body to be able to be gripped. The walking assist apparatus includes a sensor unit configured to detect an angular change in an inclination angle of the main body in a pitch direction, and a first control unit configured and programmed to control an operation of the at least one first driving unit based on an output of the sensor unit such that the angular change of the main body is zero.

Abstract: A tire angular velocity controller (211) is input with a difference between a target value of a rotational angular velocity of 0 for main wheels (11) and a rotational angular velocity of the main wheels (11), which is a differential value of a signal output from a main wheels rotary encoder (26). The tire angular velocity controller (211) calculates an inclination angle for the main body (10) that will cause the difference to become zero. In a second control mode, the calculated inclination angle is used as a target inclination angle and the difference between this target inclination angle and the inclination angle of the main body (10) at the present time input from an inclination angle sensor (20) is input to a main body inclination angle controller (212).

Abstract: A support unit is connected to a shaft of a main wheel and thus is always maintained in parallel to or at a predetermined angle to a road surface, independently of an inclination angle of a main body. Accordingly, an incline estimating unit regards an inclination angle ?3 being a value in an inclination sensor as being equal to an inclination angle ?2 of the road surface (or in a case where the support unit is inclined a predetermined angle to the road surface, an angle from ?3 to the predetermined angle is subtracted from or added to the crossing angle) and outputs the estimated inclination angle ?2 of the road surface to a target inclination angle determining unit.

Abstract: Provided is a mobile body configured to prevent a main body thereof from overturning in a case of being used in a state where an auxiliary wheel is not provided or the auxiliary wheel is not in contact with the ground. In a first control mode, by performing inverted pendulum control all the time, a posture of a main body portion (10) is maintained to be constant. For example, in the case where a user operates a changeover switch, a controller (21) shifts to a second control mode in which the rotation of main wheels (11) is driven and controlled so that an angle of the main body portion (10) with respect to the vertical direction becomes ?1? which is greater than ?1. In the second control mode, the main wheels (11) and an auxiliary wheel (13) are in contact with the ground.

Abstract: A pushcart includes a steering unit, a main wheel, a dolly portion, an auxiliary wheel, a connecting unit, a slope angle sensor, a gyrosensor, and a case. On one end of the steering unit, there is provided a cylinder-shaped hinge unit that is supported in a rotatable manner at the other end of the connecting unit on the opposite side to the main wheels, and a holding portion is provided on the other end of the steering unit. A controller performs inverted pendulum control in which the main wheels are rotated based on the detection results of the gyrosensor and the slope angle sensor.

Abstract: A pushcart configured to perform inverted pendulum control is made likely to negotiate a step. In a first control mode, a main body is maintained to have a constant posture by performing the inverted pendulum control all the time. For example, when a user operates a selector switch, the control mode is changed to a second control mode in which offset torque is added so that an amount of torque applied to a wheel driver unit becomes larger. In this case, because the pushcart moves faster than usual, even if there exists a step that is hard to negotiate in the state of usual inverted pendulum control, the pushcart is likely to negotiate that step.

Abstract: In a movement direction control apparatus and a non-transitory computer readable medium, a reaction torque accompanying rotation of a rotor is utilized to control a rotation angle of a body in a yaw direction. A specification of a yaw angle of a wheel as a target of the movement direction is received, and information of a friction torque is acquired. A rotation angular acceleration in the yaw direction is calculated, based on the yaw angle, the specification of which has been received, and the reaction torque is calculated, based on the calculated rotation angular acceleration in the yaw direction. An operation instruction to a motor for yaw is generated, based on the calculated reaction torque and the acquired information of the friction torque.

Abstract: A pushcart in which a user can adjust a balance direction based on his/her own sense even on a slope. The pushcart includes a pair of wheels, driving units, a pair of wheels are supported on a main body unit in a rotatable manner, a grip portion provided on another side of the main body unit, and a support portion that is connected to the main body unit on one side so as to be capable of rotating in a pitch direction and supports assist wheels in a rotatable manner on another side. An angle formed between the main body unit and a direction orthogonal to the ground surface is estimated based on detected angle between the main body and the support portion. An attitude of the main body unit in the pitch direction is controlled based on a target pitch angle corrected using a correction value.

Abstract: A pushcart in which a user can adjust a balance direction based on his/her own sense even on a slope. The pushcart includes a pair of wheels, driving units, a pair of wheels are supported on a main body unit in a rotatable manner, a grip portion provided on another side of the main body unit, and a support portion that is connected to the main body unit on one side so as to be capable of rotating in a pitch direction and supports assist wheels in a rotatable manner on another side. An angle formed between the main body unit and a direction orthogonal to the ground surface is estimated based on detected angle between the main body and the support portion. An attitude of the main body unit in the pitch direction is controlled based on a target pitch angle corrected using a correction value.

Abstract: A tire angular velocity controller (211) is input with a difference between a target value of a rotational angular velocity of 0 for main wheels (11) and a rotational angular velocity of the main wheels (11), which is a differential value of a signal output from a main wheels rotary encoder (26). The tire angular velocity controller (211) calculates an inclination angle for the main body (10) that will cause the difference to become zero. In a second control mode, the calculated inclination angle is used as a target inclination angle and the difference between this target inclination angle and the inclination angle of the main body (10) at the present time input from an inclination angle sensor (20) is input to a main body inclination angle controller (212).

Abstract: Provided is a pushcart that can automatically change a yaw rotation range. A first main wheel (11A) and a second main wheel (11B) are respectively driven and controlled so that a change of angle in a yaw direction falls within a range of given target values (a first target value and a second target value). In the case where a yaw angular velocity ? is determined to be in a range from ?? to ?, a control unit (21) controls the first main wheel (11A) and the second main wheel (11B) so that the yaw angular velocity ? becomes 0, and corrects the yaw angular velocity to 0 (or a value near 0). Accordingly, the yaw angular velocity ? falls within the range from the first target value to the second target value (?? to ?).

Abstract: Provided is a mobile body configured to prevent a main body thereof from overturning in a case of being used in a state where an auxiliary wheel is not provided or the auxiliary wheel is not in contact with the ground. In a first control mode, by performing inverted pendulum control all the time, a posture of a main body portion (10) is maintained to be constant. For example, in the case where a user operates a changeover switch, a controller (21) shifts to a second control mode in which the rotation of main wheels (11) is driven and controlled so that an angle of the main body portion (10) with respect to the vertical direction becomes ?1? which is greater than ?1. In the second control mode, the main wheels (11) and an auxiliary wheel (13) are in contact with the ground.

Abstract: A walking assist apparatus includes a pair of wheels, at least one first driving unit that drives the pair of wheels, a main body that rotatably supports the pair of wheels, and a grip that is disposed at one end of the main body to be able to be gripped. The walking assist apparatus includes a sensor unit configured to detect an angular change in an inclination angle of the main body in a pitch direction, and a first control unit configured and programmed to control an operation of the at least one first driving unit based on an output of the sensor unit such that the angular change of the main body is zero.

Abstract: A falling prevention controlling device includes a wheel, and a main body arranged to swing in a pitch direction and a roll direction above the wheel, an advance/retreat command receiving unit arranged to receive an advance or a retreat command of the wheel, a target pitch angle calculating unit arranged to calculate a target pitch angle based on the received command and a rotation velocity deviation in the pitch direction derived from the detected rotation angle, a pitch inclined angle estimating unit arranged to estimate a pitch inclined angle with respect to a balanced state, from the detected pitch angular velocity and a pitch torque command generated based on the target pitch angle, and a pitch torque command generating unit arranged to generate the pitch torque command based on the target pitch angle and the pitch inclined angle.

Abstract: In a movement direction control apparatus and a non-transitory computer readable medium, a reaction torque accompanying rotation of a rotor is utilized to control a rotation angle of a body in a yaw direction. A specification of a yaw angle of a wheel as a target of the movement direction is received, and information of a friction torque is acquired. A rotation angular acceleration in the yaw direction is calculated, based on the yaw angle, the specification of which has been received, and the reaction torque is calculated, based on the calculated rotation angular acceleration in the yaw direction. An operation instruction to a motor for yaw is generated, based on the calculated reaction torque and the acquired information of the friction torque.