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: A path planning device includes: an initial position and posture path acquiring unit which acquires an initial position and posture path including a plurality of nodes connecting present position and posture of a control target to target position and posture and which configures a rigid body corresponding to the control target in each node in the position and posture path; an interference detector which detects interference with the control target by an obstruction; an external force calculator which calculates an external force for each rigid body; and a multi rigid body system dynamics simulation unit which performs a multi rigid body system dynamics simulation on a plurality of equations of rigid body motion and which acquires positions and postures of the control target at times corresponding to the nodes in the position and posture path.

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.

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: A contact geometry calculation device includes means for decomposing each object into a group of convex segments or inputting information of the object decomposed into a group of convex segments, means for detecting a convex segment in a colliding condition or a contact condition between the objects colliding or osculating with each other, means for determining a virtual contact plane passing through a common area to convex hulls of the respective objects colliding or osculating with each other, means for solving a contact condition between each of the convex segments and the virtual contact plane colliding or osculating with each other as individual semi-contact problems, and means for determining a contact polygon between the objects colliding or osculating with each other by coordinating the solutions of the semi-contact problems obtained by the means for solving for every convex segment.

Abstract: A sound effect generation device for generating a sound effect corresponding to a physical interaction between objects in a virtual space in which a plurality of virtual objects coexists, includes interaction detection means for detecting an object on which the physical interaction occurs in the virtual space, mechanical quantity calculation means for calculating mechanical quantity acting on the object in accordance with the interaction using a mechanical model for determining, based on physics, behavior between the objects on which the physical interaction acts, and sound effect generation means for generating the sound effect caused in the object by the interaction using the calculated mechanical quantity.

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: In a foot of a legged mobile robot, deformation of the foot is absorbed by a first concavity and the position and shape of a ground-contact portion hardly change. Accordingly, variation in a resistive force against the moment about the yaw axis can be reduced and a spinning motion can be prevented. In addition, when the foot is placed on a bump or a step, a flexible portion deforms and receives it, and a frictional retaining force is generated between the flexible portion and the bump. Thus, the foot is flexibly adapted to the road surface, and sliding caused by the bump and excessively fast motion are prevented. Accordingly, the foot can be adapted to various kinds of road surfaces such as surfaces having bumps and depressions, and the attitude stability can be increased.

Abstract: In a foot of a legged mobile robot, deformation of the foot is absorbed by a first concavity and the position and shape of a ground-contact portion hardly change. Accordingly, variation in a resistive force against the moment about the yaw axis can be reduced and a spinning motion can be prevented. In addition, when the foot is placed on a bump or a step, a flexible portion deforms and receives it, and a frictional retaining force is generated between the flexible portion and the bump. Thus, the foot is flexibly adapted to the road surface, and sliding caused by the bump and excessively fast motion are prevented. Accordingly, the foot can be adapted to various kinds of road surfaces such as surfaces having bumps and depressions, and the attitude stability can be increased.