Abstract: A vehicle control device includes: an image capturer configured to image surroundings of a vehicle; a road partition line recognizer configured to recognize a position of a road partition line on the basis of an image; a driving controller configured to control at least steering of the vehicle on the basis of the position of the road partition line; and an object detector configured to detect objects in the vicinity of the vehicle by emitting radiowaves and detecting reflected waves generated due to the radiowaves coming into contact with the objects, wherein, in a case in which the position of the road partition line is unrecognizable using the road partition line recognizer, the driving controller is configured to control at least steering of the vehicle on the basis of the position of an object, of which the reflectivity is equal to or greater than a predetermined value.

Abstract: A vehicle control device (100) includes: an imager imaging the vicinity of a vehicle; a position identifying unit identifying a position of the vehicle; and a crossing recognizer (132) recognizing the presence of a crossing ahead in running of the vehicle on the basis of the position identified by the position identifying unit and map information and raising a degree of certainty in the presence of the crossing ahead in running of the vehicle on the basis of an element of a specific color, which represents the presence of a crossing, included in an image captured by the imager.

Abstract: A vehicle control device (100) comprising: a recognizer (130) recognizing surrounding situations of a vehicle; a setting unit (154) setting a virtual lane in an area inside a crossing that is present in an advancement direction of the vehicle on the basis of a recognition result acquired by the recognizer; and a driving controller (150, 160) controlling one or both of steering and acceleration/deceleration of the vehicle and causing the vehicle to run within the virtual lane and pass through the crossing in a case in which an object recognized by the recognizer is not present on the virtual lane, wherein, in a case in which an area inside the crossing has a width for which only one virtual lane is settable, the driving controller handles an oncoming vehicle recognized by the recognizer as an object present on the virtual lane.

Abstract: A vehicle control device including: an imager (10) imaging a side in front or side to the rear of a vehicle; a road partition line recognizer (131) recognizing a position of a road partition line on the basis of an image captured by the imager; and a driving controller (160) controlling at least steering of the vehicle on the basis of the position of the road partition line recognized by the road partition line recognizer, and, in a case in which a degree of recognition of the road partition line using the road partition line recognizer decreases due to presence of a vehicle running ahead or a vehicle running behind, the driving controller causes the vehicle to run while deviating from a center of a lane.

Abstract: A vehicle control device (100) includes: a detection device having a detection area in an advancement direction of a vehicle; and a crossing recognizer (132) determining whether or not a concave part extending in a direction intersecting the advancement direction is present on the basis of an output of the detection device and recognizing presence of a crossing in the advancement direction of the vehicle in a case in which a concave part is determined as being present.

Abstract: When a transmission condition regarding a state detected by a state detection unit (vehicle sensor, operation detection sensor, external environment sensor, or internal environment sensor) is satisfied while a travel controller performs a travel control, a vehicle control system transmits attentional state information representing a travel state, an operation state, or an environment state to a travel assist server through a communication device.

Abstract: A robot control system detects a position and a direction of each user by a plurality of range image sensors provided in an exhibition hall. A central controller records an inspection action after a user attends the exhibition hall until the user leaves to generate an inspection action table. When the user attends again, the central controller reads a history of inspection action from the inspection action table. Then, the central controller chooses from an utterance content table an utterance content containing a phrase that mentions the inspection action included in the history at a time of last time attendance, determines the utterance content, and makes a robot output the determined utterance content to the user.

Abstract: A robot control system detects a position and a direction of each user by a plurality of range image sensors provided in an exhibition hall. A central controller records an inspection action after a user attends the exhibition hall until the user leaves to generate an inspection action table. When the user attends again, the central controller reads a history of inspection action from the inspection action table. Then, the central controller chooses from an utterance content table an utterance content containing a phrase that mentions the inspection action included in the history at a time of last time attendance, determines the utterance content, and makes a robot output the determined utterance content to the user.

Abstract: A mobile robot includes a radio communication unit; a radio environment detector detecting plural types of radio environment data indicating the degree of goodness of radio environment, a comprehensive radio environment data being calculated from results of weighting the plural types of radio environment data with predetermined weights; a self-position detecting unit; a storage for map data of a movement area; the calculated comprehensive radio environment data being written in association with its own position detected.

Abstract: A robot recording a message on a wireless tag which includes: a voice recognition unit recognizing a voice input by a voice input unit which inputs a voice of a person; a message extraction unit extracting the message from the voice recognized by the voice recognition unit based on a fixed phrase provided for obtaining a message; a recording unit recording the message extracted by the message extraction unit on the wireless tag provided on an object.

Abstract: An outside monitoring device of a mobile robot for measuring a direction of a target object using a tag, which is provided on a target object and replies a receipt signal to the mobile robot in compliance with a light signal from the mobile robot, the outside monitoring device including a plurality of light emitters each irradiating the light signal to an assigned detectable region among detectable regions established around the mobile robot are provided on the mobile robot, wherein light emitters are arranged around a reference axis orthogonal to a ground plane of the mobile robot to allow the detection of the tag within detectable regions.

Abstract: A mobile robot that is fitted with a camera and can be controlled from a remote terminal such as a mobile phone moves about in an event site to detect and track a moving object such as a visitor and entertainer. Because the camera along with the robot itself can change its position freely autonomously and/or according to a command from the mobile terminal, a desired frame layout can be accomplished by moving the position of the robot. Therefore, the operator is not required to execute a complex image trimming process or other adjustment of the obtained picture image so that a desired picture can be obtained quickly and without any difficulty. If the user is allowed access the managing server, the user can download the desired picture images and have them printed out at will. Also, because the selected picture images can be transmitted to the managing server, the robot is prevented from running out of memory for storing the picture images.

Abstract: Disclosed is a space-saving autonomous mobile robot capable of switching two types of light irradiation appropriately. The robot includes a moving mechanism, an autonomous movement controller for controlling the moving mechanism, a self-location recognition unit for sensing a self-location of the robot, a map data storage unit for storing a map data on locations of marks, a slit light device for irradiating a detection area with slit light, an infrared device for irradiating a detection area with infrared rays, and a switch determination unit for comparing a mark-formed region and the self-location, and then, for switching between the slit light and infrared devices, based on the comparison result. Moreover, the infrared device irradiates the detection area when the self-location is within the mark-formed region, while the slit light device irradiates the detection area when the self-location is outside the mark-formed region.

Abstract: In an event site or the like, a visitor may waste time and effort trying to find a spot where an event of interest may be taking place because the visitor is unable to look through the entire site from any particular spot. An information gathering robot roams in such an event site typically along a prescribed route, and notes spots of interest to transmit this information to a data server. The visitor can access the data server to find a spot of interest of his or her choice substantially on a real time basis.

Abstract: A target object detection system for detecting a target object using a detector and a tag on the target object; the tag includes a radio wave receiver receiving radio wave from the detector; a light receiver receiving a light signal from the detector; a receipt signal generator generating a receipt signal; and a transmitter which transmits the receipt signal to the detector; and the detector includes a radio wave transmitter transmitting radio wave to the surrounding area; a receiver receiving the receipt signal from the tag; a light emitter irradiating the light signal to a search region; a controller controlling the radio wave transmitter, the receiver, and the light emitter; and a target position measuring unit measuring a distance to the target object based on the intensity of the receipt signal, and regarding the irradiation direction of the light signal from the light emitter as the direction of the target-object.

Abstract: A mobile robot includes a radio communication unit; a radio environment detector detecting plural types of radio environment data indicating the degree of goodness of radio environment, a comprehensive radio environment data being calculated from results of weighting the plural types of radio environment data with predetermined weights; a self-position detecting unit; a storage for map data of a movement area; the calculated comprehensive radio environment data being written in association with its own position detected.

Abstract: A position detection system for measuring a position of a mobile object traveling throughout a controlled area, the position detection system includes a tag, which is provided on the mobile object, a detector, which obtains object position information which indicates the position of the mobile object, object position information includes direction information and distance information relative to the detector of the mobile object, and the detector travels throughout the controlled area, and a base station which obtains detector position information which indicates the position of the detector, detector position information includes an absolute position and angle within the controlled area of the detector, in order to measure the position within the controlled area of the mobile object based on object position information and detector position information.

Abstract: A robot recording a message on a wireless tag which includes: a voice recognition unit recognizing a voice input by a voice input unit which inputs a voice of a person; a message extraction unit extracting the message from the vice recognized by the voice recognition unit based on a fixed phrase provided for obtaining a message; a recording unit recording the message extracted by the message extraction unit on the wireless tag provided on an object.

Abstract: The present invention provides a bilateral communication network system, particularly, a optical wireless communication system communicating information frames via an optical node mounted on a mobile object and a plurality of optical repeaters connected to a wired network, which can prevent transfer performance from deteriorating without increasing frames to be transferred. The optical wireless communication system is constituted as follows. A plurality of the optical repeaters having functions to switch information frames are attached to a ceiling. The optical node bilaterally communicating with the optical repeaters are mounted on a moving object such as a robot, a vehicle or the like. Information frames including address information of the optical node are periodically transmitted from an information processor connected to the optical node via optical wireless communication.

Abstract: Disclosed is a space-saving autonomous mobile robot capable of switching two types of light irradiation appropriately. The robot includes a moving mechanism, an autonomous movement controller for controlling the moving mechanism, a self-location recognition unit for sensing a self-location of the robot, a map data storage unit for storing a map data on locations of marks, a slit light device for irradiating a detection area with slit light, an infrared device for irradiating a detection area with infrared rays, and a switch determination unit for comparing a mark-formed region and the self-location, and then, for switching between the slit light and infrared devices, based on the comparison result. Moreover, the infrared device irradiates the detection area when the self-location is within the mark-formed region, while the slit light device irradiates the detection area when the self-location is outside the mark-formed region.