Abstract: A robot apparatus includes a plurality of arm sections; a grasping-easiness calculation section configured to calculate an index value of grasping easiness quantitatively evaluating easiness of assuming a grasping posture for grasping an object or assuming a transition posture leading to the grasping posture for each of the plurality of arm sections; and an arm-section selection section configured to select an arm section to be used for actually grasping the object on the basis of the index value of the grasping easiness calculated for each of the arm sections.

Abstract: Intentions of a user are read from movements of the joints of the user without the use of a myoelectric sensor, and a force to support motions of the user is generated. Even if there is friction that is difficult to model in a gear portion of a joint actuator, the friction is compensated for, and joint units are controlled to follow an idealized mathematical model. In this manner, the force to support motions is generated, without giving any uncomfortable feeling to the joints of the user wearing the device. When motions of the user are supported, a mathematically-determined torque is applied to the joint units, so that a natural supporting force is constantly provided to the user in various circumstances.

Abstract: There is provided an exercise support apparatus including a leg rod connected to a waist region and a foot region of a user and including a linear motion actuator, a waist connecting section configured to connect one end of the leg rod to the waist region, and a foot region connecting section configured to connect the other end of the leg rod to the foot region.

Abstract: There is provided a gripping judgment apparatus including a plan unit that generates a target orbit for moving a gripping unit in a state in which an object as a gripping target is gripped by the gripping unit, an observation unit that measures movement of the gripping unit driven based on the target orbit, a gripping state judgment unit that judges whether or not an object as a gripping target is grippable based on a target value of the gripping unit derived from the target orbit and an actual measured value measured by the observation unit, and a gripping state change unit that changes a gripping state of an object gripped by the gripping unit based on a judgment result obtained by the gripping state judgment unit.

Abstract: A control device for a robot including: a hybrid dynamics calculator calculating joint forces that act on immovable joints and the joint accelerations that are generated at movable joints by performing a hybrid dynamics calculation that includes inverse dynamics and forward dynamics using an auxiliary model in which the actuated joints of the robot having the actuated joints and the unactuated joints are immovable; a forward dynamics calculator calculating the acceleration that is generated by known force that acts on the robot using a main model; a joint force determination unit determining the joint force; and a joint force controller controlling the joint force of each joint of the robot.

Abstract: There is provided a motion assist device including a jth link worn on a jth portion of a user, an ith joint unit connected at one end of an ith link in a freely rotatable manner, a (j+1)th link worn on a (j+1)th portion of the user, an (i+1)th joint unit integral with one end of the (j+1)th link and coupled to the other end of the jth link, a single actuator installed at one of the jth link and a link adjacent to the jth and a transmission part transmitting a driving force of the actuator to the ith joint unit and the (i+1)th joint unit.

Abstract: An information input/output device includes: a position input unit configured to designate a position by a user in a prescribed operation area Sd in real space; a designated position measurement unit configured to measure a designated position “rd” in the operation area Sd, which is designated by the user in the position input unit; an operation area offset amount determination unit configured to determine an offset amount “?rv0” of an origin position “rv0” of an operation area Sv in virtual space based on the measured position “rd” in the operation area Sd; and a designated position determination unit configured to determine a designated position “rv” in virtual space which corresponds to the position in real space designated by the user through the position input unit based on the measured position “rd” in the operation area Sd, the origin position “rv0” of the operation area Sv in virtual space and the determined offset amount “?rv0”.

Abstract: The lumbar part of a robot as a controlled-object point where the mass is moved to the largest extent is set as the origin of a local coordinate, an acceleration sensor is disposed at the controlled-object point to directly measure the attitude and acceleration at that position to control the robot to take a stable posture on the basis of a ZMP. Further, at each foot which touches the walking surface, there are provided a floor reaction force sensor and acceleration sensor to directly measure a ZMP and force, and a ZMP equation is formulated directly at the foot nearest to a ZMP position. Thus there can be implemented a stricter and quick control of the robot for a stable posture.

Abstract: A grasping apparatus includes a base unit, left and right parallel links, and a driving unit that is housed in the base unit and drives the first link of the right parallel link and the first link of the left parallel link in the open/close direction. Each of the left and right parallel links has a first link attached pivotably in an open/close direction about a base shaft of the base unit, a second link attached pivotably in the open/close direction about an auxiliary shaft located on an outer side in the open/close direction, a finger unit supported pivotably at an end of the first link and an end of the second link, and a claw projecting toward the inner side in the open/close direction and disposed along an end face of the grasping surface of the finger unit of each of the left and right parallel links.

Abstract: There is provided a control system which controls a link structure constructed by connecting a plurality of rigid body links and driven by making a joint actuator generate an actuator force. The control system includes a mechanical model including geometric parameters and dynamical parameters of the link structure, a virtual external force calculating means for calculating a virtual force acting on the mechanical model of the link structure, a contact part detecting means for detecting contact parts between the link structure and the outside, and an actual force converting means for converting the virtual force calculated by the virtual external force calculating means into an external force capable of existing actually and the actuator force of the joint actuator, using contact information detected by the contact part detecting means. The joint actuator is made to generate the actuator force output by the actual force converting means.

Abstract: A control system of a multi-link structure configured by connecting a plurality of rigid bodies together is disclosed. The control system includes: a state equation setting means; a predictive control target value setting means; a stability evaluation function setting means; an optimal control input determining means; an optimal momentum calculating means; and a joint driving method determining means.

Abstract: A dynamics simulation device for dynamically simulating physical interactions acting on a plurality of objects under an environment where the objects coexist is disclosed. The device includes: nominal value providing means for providing a nominal value ?n of an operational space inertial matrix; nominal inertial force calculating means for calculating a nominal inertial force acting on the operational space by the use of the nominal value ?n of the operational space inertial matrix and a target acceleration value of the physical quantity x; a disturbance observer estimating forces other than the nominal inertial force acting on the operational space as a disturbance; and means for calculating the force f acting on the physical quantity on the basis of the nominal inertial force and the estimated disturbance fd.

Abstract: A force/tactile display that presents force/tactile sensation that occurs in response to physical interaction with each of a plurality of objects present in a virtual environment includes an action point defined on the mechanical structure, the action point presenting the force/tactile sensation, an applied force control means for controlling the force exerted on the action point, and an action point control means for controlling the position of the action point.

Abstract: There is provided an actuator control device for force-controlling a joint driving actuator according to a commanded joint force command value ?a. The actuator control device includes a joint value detecting means for detecting a joint value q at an output stage of the actuator, an action force detecting means for detecting an action force ?e in a joint driving direction at the output stage of the actuator, and a driving force determining means for determining an instructed driving force ? to the actuator, on the basis of an ideal response model of the actuator which specifies the relationship of a joint value acceleration target value achieved as the actuator responds ideally when the joint force command value ?a, the action force ?e, and a joint value velocity obtained by time-differentiating the joint value q are given.

Abstract: In a robot apparatus having a base unit, a wheel unit of an opposed-two-wheel type mounted on the base unit and having driving wheels drivable so as to face each other, and an upper-body unit provided on an upper portion of the base unit and configured by concatenating one or more joints; a robot apparatus includes an opposed-two-wheel equivalent model, a robot-state observing unit, a control unit performing a control arithmetic operation for the opposed-two-wheel equivalent model, a transforming unit transforming a part of control target values calculated by the control unit to a control target value for the wheel unit, and a joint control unit controlling a joint-driving actuator of the wheel unit and also controlling a joint-driving actuator other than the joint-driving actuator.

Abstract: Provided is a torque sensor including a first rotating body, a second rotating body, a strain body, and a detection element. The first rotating body is rotatable around an input shaft. The second rotating body is rotatable around an output shaft. The strain body includes a first engaging portion. The first engaging portion is separated from at least one of the rotating bodies in a first direction parallel to the input shaft, a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and a third direction around the input shaft and is capable of engaging to the at least one of the rotating bodies in the third direction. The strain body transmits a rotational torque to the third direction between the first rotating body and the second rotating body. The detection element is provided to the strain body to measure a strain of the strain body due to the rotational torque.

Abstract: A torque measuring apparatus includes: a flexure element that is attached between an output shaft of an actuator or a speed reducer as a torque measurement object and a load object, and includes a main flexure part displaced mainly around the output shaft according to a torque applied from the load object, and an auxiliary flexure part to remove a displacement component other than the displacement of the main flexure part around the output shaft; and at least one pair of strain gauges attached to the main flexure part. The torque is measured based on electric signals outputted from the respective strain gauges.

Abstract: A control device for a robot including: a hybrid dynamics calculator calculating joint forces that act on immovable joints and the joint accelerations that are generated at movable joints by performing a hybrid dynamics calculation that includes inverse dynamics and forward dynamics using an auxiliary model in which the actuated joints of the robot having the actuated joints and the unactuated joints are immovable; a forward dynamics calculator calculating the acceleration that is generated by known force that acts on the robot using a main model; a joint force determination unit determining the joint force; and a joint force controller controlling the joint force of each joint of the robot.

Abstract: A contact shape computing apparatus for detecting contact between a plurality of three-dimensional solid models and computing a contact shape between two solid bodies in contact with each other includes the following elements: a collision detector operable to detect a collision or contact between the two solid bodies; a contact plane setting unit operable to define a contact plane that passes through a common region of the two solid bodies; a contact problem solving unit operable to individually solve contact states of the solid bodies with the contact plane as half-contact problems; and a contact shape computing unit operable to compute the contact shape between the two solid bodies by uniting solutions of the half-contact problems for the associated solid bodies, the solutions being obtained by the contact problem solving unit.

Abstract: A force/tactile feedback device feeding back a force sense to a fingertip of an operator includes a fingerstall to which the fingertip of the operator is inserted, a position feedback means for feeding back a position to the fingertip held by the fingerstall, a fingertip contact point feedback means for feeding back a fingertip contact point to the fingertip held by the fingerstall and an unnecessary moment removal means for supporting the fingertip contact point feedback means so that unnecessary moment is not generated at a tip portion of the position feedback means.