Abstract: A charging apparatus for a mobile body has a charging stand, which includes a connector holder to be connected to a battery of a walking robot, a forward/backward mechanism which moves the connector holder forward/backward, and a protrusion which is driven by the forward/backward mechanism to move forward/backward as the connector holder moves forward/backward. Control information indicating the state of the forward/backward mechanism when the protrusion is located in a predetermined position, which is detected on the basis of the detection values of a retreat position sensor and an advance position sensor, is acquired, and the forward/backward mechanism is controlled according to the acquired control information thereby to move the connector holder forward/backward.

Abstract: The present invention aims to provide an autonomous moving robot capable of visibly showing the human an initial check result for a sound input means in the initial stage after the robot device is turned on and activated, and whether or not the input sound was normally recognized. The robot has ears 9a, 9b respectively comprising microphones 10a, 10b for external sound input, and LED displays 11a, 11b with a plurality of luminescent portions around the respective microphones. The luminescent portions of the LED displays 11a, 11b indicate the judgment of the initial check on whether or not the ears 9a, 9b (the microphones 10a, 10b and the LED displays 11a, 11b) are normally functioning when the robot is turned on and activated, by means of the lighting states of the displays.

Abstract: A charging system is capable of charging a battery of a biped walking robot while stabilizing the posture of the biped walking robot and also restraining the occurrence of spark discharge or noises.

Abstract: An inexpensive charging system with a simple construction can supply charging current to a battery of a legged walking robot while maintaining the supply of required current to an electric load of the legged walking robot by an external power source. The charging system includes a connection circuit having a first, a second diode, a third diode, and a circuit that brings various negative electrode and a negative input terminal of the electric load into conduction, and an output electric power controller that sets an output voltage of the external power source to be higher than a total voltage of a voltage across electrodes of the battery when the battery is fully charged and a forward voltage of the third diode, while setting a current of the external power source that can be output to be larger than a required current of the electric load.

Abstract: A bipedal robot of the present invention has a trunk consisting of an upper trunk and a lower trunk which are rotatable around a rotation axis relative to one another. The upper trunk has shoulders on the right and left sides. An arm is provided at each shoulder. A pair of right and left legs is attached to lower ends of the lower trunk. A storage battery is mounted to the back of the upper trunk, positioned within a shoulder width. The storage battery is positioned below the top of a head mounted on the upper trunk. When the robot walks a narrow passage or corridor having a width slightly larger than the width thereof, for example, this arrangement prevents the storage battery from interfering with the passage or the like.

Abstract: In an overcurrent prevention system for a robot having links connected by joints and an electrical system including electric motors installed at the joint, a power circuit connecting the electric motors to a power source, and drive circuits to supply current to the electric motors, there are provided a switching device installed in the power circuit, a current sensor detecting the current supplied to the electric motors, and the output of the current sensor is compared with a threshold value and the switching device is operated to execute a switching action to cut off the power circuit intermittently during a first predetermined period when the output of the current sensor exceeds the threshold value, thereby protecting the electrical system when overcurrent is detected, without causing functional disablement and/or posture instability of the robot.

Abstract: A bipedal robot of the present invention has a trunk consisting of an upper trunk and a lower trunk which are rotatable around a rotation axis relative to one another. The upper trunk has shoulders on the right and left sides. An arm is provided at each shoulder. A pair of right and left legs is attached to lower ends of the lower trunk. A storage battery is mounted to the back of the upper trunk, positioned within a shoulder width. The storage battery is positioned below the top of a head mounted on the upper trunk. When the robot walks a narrow passage or corridor having a width slightly larger than the width thereof, for example, this arrangement prevents the storage battery from interfering with the passage or the like.

Abstract: A bipedal robot of the present invention has a trunk consisting of an upper trunk and a lower trunk which are rotatable around a rotation axis relative to one another. The upper trunk has shoulders on the right and left sides. An arm is provided at each shoulder. A pair of right and left legs is attached to lower ends of the lower trunk. A storage battery is mounted to the back of the upper trunk, positioned within a shoulder width. The storage battery is positioned below the top of a head mounted on the upper trunk. When the robot walks a narrow passage or corridor having a width slightly larger than the width thereof, for example, this arrangement prevents the storage battery from interfering with the passage or the like.

Abstract: The present invention aims to provide an autonomous moving robot capable of visibly showing the human an initial check result for a sound input means in the initial stage after the robot device is turned on and activated, and whether or not the input sound was normally recognized. The robot has ears 9a, 9b respectively comprising microphones 10a, 10b for external sound input, and LED displays 11a, 11b with a plurality of luminescent portions around the respective microphones. The luminescent portions of the LED displays 11a, 11b indicate the judgment of the initial check on whether or not the ears 9a, 9b (the microphones 10a, 10b and the LED displays 11a, 11b) are normally functioning when the robot is turned on and activated, by means of the lighting states of the displays.

Abstract: A torso part (2) and a backpack part (6) of a humanoid robot are commonly formed by a shell that defines an inner space that accommodates a heat generating component such as a control computer (31) and a power module (32, 33). The shell comprises an air vent hole (45, 46) provided on one lateral side of the shell, an air inlet hole (47, 48) provided on the other lateral side of the shell and a powered fan (49) provided immediately inside the air vent hole. Because the cooling air can flow laterally across the inner space, the entire part of the heat generating component can contact the air flow, and a uniform cooling effect can be achieved with a minimum power consumption and a minimum noise generation.

Abstract: In an overcurrent prevention system for a robot having links connected by joints and an electrical system including electric motors installed at the joint, a power circuit connecting the electric motors to a power source, and drive circuits to supply current to the electric motors, there are provided a switching device installed in the power circuit, a current sensor detecting the current supplied to the electric motors, and the output of the current sensor is compared with a threshold value and the switching device is operated to execute a switching action to cut off the power circuit intermittently during a first predetermined period when the output of the current sensor exceeds the threshold value, thereby protecting the electrical system when overcurrent is detected, without causing functional disablement and/or posture instability of the robot.

Abstract: A charging system is capable of charging a battery of a biped walking robot while stabilizing the posture of the biped walking robot and also restraining the occurrence of spark discharge or noises.

Abstract: An inexpensive charging system with a simple construction is capable of supplying charging current to a battery of a legged walking robot while maintaining the supply of required current to an electric load of the legged walking robot by an external power source.

Abstract: A bipedal robot has an upper body that includes a higher upper body and a lower upper body. The higher upper body and the lower upper body are coupled to each other by a rotating mechanism so as to be rotatable with respect to each other about a vertical axis of rotation. Two legs extend from the lower upper body, and two arms extend from respective shoulders on opposite sides of the higher upper body. The higher upper body of the robot has a thickness in a forward/rearward direction and the lower upper body has a width in a lateral direction, the thickness and the width being smaller than the width in a lateral direction of the robot at the shoulders. An electric energy storage device, which serves as a power supply for operating the robot is mounted in the higher upper body, and an electronic circuit unit for controlling operation of the robot are mounted in the lower upper body.

Abstract: An electric energy storage device has a power supply for operating a robot and is mounted on an upper body of the robot at a position such that the electric energy storage device has a center-of-gravity point present upwardly and rearwardly of the center-of-gravity point of the robot from which the electric energy storage device is removed and which is in an upstanding state. Shoulders of arms extending from the upper body of the robot have a center positioned forwardly of the center-of-gravity point. An imaging device for robot vision is supported on an upper end of the upper body of the robot by an attachment, which is positioned forwardly of the center-of-gravity point. It is thus possible to achieve attitude stability with ease when the robot walks and works.

Abstract: A bipedal robot of the present invention has a trunk consisting of an upper trunk and a lower trunk which are rotatable around a rotation axis relative to one another. The upper trunk has shoulders on the right and left sides. An arm is provided at each shoulder. A pair of right and left legs is attached to lower ends of the lower trunk. A storage battery is mounted to the back of the upper trunk, positioned within a shoulder width. The storage battery is positioned below the top of a head mounted on the upper trunk. When the robot walks a narrow passage or corridor having a width slightly larger than the width thereof, for example, this arrangement prevents the storage battery from interfering with the passage or the like.

Abstract: An electric energy storage device 6 as a power supply for operating a robot is mounted on an upper body 1 of the robot at such a position that the electric energy storage device 6 has a center-of-gravity point B present upwardly and rearwardly of the center-of-gravity point A of the robot from which the electric energy storage device 6 is removed and which is in an upstanding state. Shoulders 10 of arms 3 extending from the upper body 1 of the robot have a center C positioned forwardly of the center-of-gravity point A. An imaging device 22 for robot vision is supported on an upper end of the upper body 1 of the robot by an attachment 2 which is positioned forwardly of the center-of-gravity point A. It is thus possible to achieve attitude stability with ease when the robot walks and works.

Abstract: A bipedal robot has an upper body 1 which comprises a higher upper body 5 and a lower upper body 6. The higher upper body 5 and the lower upper body 6 are coupled to each other by a rotating mechanism 13 so as to be rotatable with respect to each other about a vertical axis C of rotation. Two legs 2 extend from the lower upper body 6, and two arms 3 extend from respective shoulders 14 on opposite sides of the higher upper body 5. The higher upper body 5 of the robot has a thickness D in a forward/rearward direction and the lower upper body 6 has a width Wd in a lateral direction, the thickness D and the width Wd being smaller than the width Wu in a lateral direction of the robot at shoulders 14 (shoulder width Wu). An electric energy storage device 8 as a power supply for operating the robot is mounted in the higher upper body 5, and an electronic circuit unit 11 for controlling operation of the robot is mounted in the lower upper body 6.