Abstract: In an apparatus for controlling a mobile robot having leg locomotion mechanisms for traveling and walking and work mechanisms both connected to a body, actuators for driving them, and a controller for controlling the operation of the locomotion mechanisms and work mechanisms by supplying the actuators with a control value calculated by multiplying a deviation between a detected value and a desired value by a gain and to control operation of a speech input/output unit to recognize a human voice inputted through a microphone and utter a generated response to the human voice from a speaker, the controller calculates the gain of the control value to be supplied to at least one of the actuators at a minimum value when controlling only the operation of the speech input/output unit.

Abstract: An automatic performance device includes a performance data receiving unit that receives performance data transmitted from a storage device without passing through a moving image distribution server, the storage device configured to store the performance data having a combination of performance information and time information, the time information indicating the time when the performance indicated by the performance information was carried out; a synchronization signal receiving unit that receives a synchronization signal by using an audio signal transmission path for an audio via the moving image distribution server; and a reproducing unit that reproduces the performance information of the performance data in synchronization with a video distributed at the time when the synchronization signal is distributed, at the timing corresponding to the time indicated by the time information and the time indicated by the synchronization signal.

Abstract: A performance system includes a plurality of performance information output devices, a storage device, and a plurality of automatic performance devices. At least one performance information output device transmits performance data having the combination of an identifier, time information, and the performance information to at least one automatic performance device through the storage device without passing through a moving image distribution server. The at least one performance information output device transmits a synchronization signal to the at least one automatic performance device through the moving image distribution server. The at least one automatic performance device reproduces the performance information in synchronization with a video distributed at the time when the synchronization signal is distributed, at the timing corresponding to the time indicated by the time information and the time indicated by the synchronization signal.

Abstract: A robot and so forth capable of avoiding the mutual interference of a plurality of active sensors mounted on the other robots so that a task may be smoothly executed by each of a plurality of robots are provided. If an active sensor mounted on each of the plurality of robots (R) may mutually interfere with each other and if the degree of contribution of the active sensor to a task being executed by the self robot (R) is lower than that of the active sensor of the other robot (R) to the task being executed by the other robot (R), the sensitivity of the active sensor of the self robot (R) is decreased. As a result thereof, the mutual interference of the active sensors can be avoided, and the robot (R) can be prevented from causing trouble to the task.

Abstract: In a legged mobile robot having an imaging device (such as CCD camera) for taking an image utilizing incident light from external world in which a human being to be imaged is present, brightness reduction operation is executed to reduce brightness of a high-brightness imaging region produced by high-brightness incident light, when the high-brightness imaging region is present in the image taken by the imaging device. With this, when the imaged high-brightness imaging region is present owing to high-brightness incident light from the sun or the like, the legged mobile robot can reduce the brightness to image a human being or other object with suitable brightness.

Abstract: A plurality of musical instrument is connected to a server device through a network to form a storage system. The musical instrument generates performance data, and sends the performance data to the server device every time the performance data is generated. The server device receives the performance data sent from the musical instrument. The server device has a clock unit that measures date and time, and a storage unit that stores the performance data received by the receiving unit. Further, a file generation unit of the server device divides a polarity of the performance data stored in the storage unit into blocks based on the date and time of the performance data measured by the clock unit when the performance data is received by the receiving unit, and generates performance files corresponding to the blocks of the performance data.

Abstract: A robot and the like capable of executing a task in an appropriate condition from the viewpoint of execution economy even when a state of the task is altered. A cost is evaluated that represents a load or labor required for a robot (1) to execute a new task, and the cost information indicating the cost is transmitted to a support server (200) (bid procedure). The support server (200) designates the robot (1) having the lowest cost as a designated robot (1) and transmits an execution instruction for executing the new task to the designated robot (1). The robot (1) executes the task according to the execution instruction (contract procedure). By employing the task bid and contract system, a designated task is executed by an adequate robot (R) among a plurality of robots (R) in consideration of the execution economy of the designated task.

Abstract: A robot or the like able to precisely grip an object by flexibly changing an operation in accordance with various environments. When it is judged that a robot is in a “first state”, the action of the robot is controlled in accordance with a “first action mode”. Thus, the robot does not move and moves an arm or the like on the spot so that a first object W1 can be gripped by a hand. On the other hand, when the judging result is denial, the robot acts in an action mode different from the first action mode so that a relative position or the like of the first object W1 with the robot as a reference is changed. As a result, the robot can be changed from a non-first state to the first state.

Abstract: In a control system of a legged mobile robot having a body and legs connected to the body and driven by a leg actuator, there is provided an operation controller which identifies a human being like visitor to be conducted in a company building and the like, and controls operation of the leg actuator to conduct the identified visitor to a destination such as a reception room in the company building space along a route determined based on a map stored in a map database, while keeping pace with the visitor, thereby enabling to establish better communication with the visitor.

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: A robot and so forth capable of avoiding the mutual interference of a plurality of active sensors mounted on the other robots so that a task may be smoothly executed by each of a plurality of robots are provided. If an active sensor mounted on each of the plurality of robots (R) may mutually interfere with each other and if the degree of contribution of the active sensor to a task being executed by the self robot (R) is lower than that of the active sensor of the other robot (R) to the task being executed by the other robot (R), the sensitivity of the active sensor of the self robot (R) is decreased. As a result thereof, the mutual interference of the active sensors can be avoided, and the robot (R) can be prevented from causing trouble to the task.

Abstract: A plurality of musical instrument is connected to a server device through a network to form a storage system. The musical instrument generates performance data, and sends the performance data to the server device every time the performance data is generated. The server device receives the performance data sent from the musical instrument. The server device has a clock unit that measures date and time, and a storage unit that stores the performance data received by the receiving unit. Further, a file generation unit of the server device divides a polarity of the performance data stored in the storage unit into blocks based on the date and time of the performance data measured by the clock unit when the performance data is received by the receiving unit, and generates performance files corresponding to the blocks of the performance data.

Abstract: In a legged mobile robot control system having leg actuators each driving the individual legs and arm actuators each driving the individual arms, an external force acting on the right arm is detected, operation of the right arm actuators is controlled to produces a handshake posture, and operation of the leg actuators is controlled based on the detected external force acting on the right hand during handshaking, thereby improving communication capability by enabling it to shake hands with humans and to maintain a stable posture during the handshaking.

Abstract: The content of the voice designation of a designator is recognized by a voice recognition part 130 at the time of controlling a robot, and the content of the indication of gesture or the like is recognized by an image recognition part 120. A movement destination and a map around the specific position designated are referred from a map data base 150 registering the position of an obstacle and the current position estimated by a self-position estimation part 140. After movement ease is decided by a movement ease decision part 112, the behavior is decided. When movement designation is given to the robot, correspondence according to a situation can be performed.

Abstract: When there is an object that has a possibility to come into contact with a robot 1 in a desired path, the robot 1 is decelerated stepwise according to the distance L from the robot 1 to a predicted contact position along the desired path. For example, legs 13 and the like of the robot 1 are so controlled that when the distance L is less than a first threshold L1, the moving speed is reduced to a first speed V1, and when the distance L is less than a second threshold lower than the first threshold, the moving speed is reduced from the first speed to a second speed.

Abstract: The autonomous mobile robot having an openable and closable gripper for gripping goods, cameras, an autonomous mobile means, and a control means for making the robot carry the goods to a destination from an acquisition source, the control means comprising: a grip position recognition means configured to recognize a predetermined position suitable for gripping a carrier container of a predetermined specification configured to place the goods to carry, based on an image of the acquisition source taken by the cameras; a grip control means configured to drive the gripper to the predetermined position of the carrier container and to control gripping the predetermined position; and a grip-success-or-not determination means configured to determine whether or not the gripping is successful, based on an external force acting on the gripper.

Abstract: A robot and the like capable of executing a task in an appropriate condition from the viewpoint of execution economy even when a state of the task is altered. A cost is evaluated that represents a load or labor required for a robot (1) to execute a new task, and the cost information indicating the cost is transmitted to a support server (200) (bid procedure). The support server (200) designates the robot (1) having the lowest cost as a designated robot (1) and transmits an execution instruction for executing the new task to the designated robot (1). The robot (1) executes the task according to the execution instruction (contract procedure). By employing the task bid and contract system, a designated task is executed by an adequate robot (R) among a plurality of robots (R) in consideration of the execution economy of the designated task.

Abstract: The item-carrying system comprises: a robot comprising: a gripping portion for gripping an item; external force detecting means for detecting an external force applied to the gripping portion; opening-degree detecting means for detecting an opening-degree of the gripping portion; autonomous movement means; and receiving/passing motion deciding means for deciding a motion of the robot in an item receiving/passing operation, wherein the receiving/passing motion deciding means comprises: means for determining to start receiving an item that causes the gripping portion to start a receiving motion if the external force detecting means has detected an external force not less than a first predetermined value, when the gripping portion is not gripping an item; and means for determining the completion of a receiving motion on the basis of at least one of an external force and an opening-degree during the receiving motion.

Abstract: In a legged mobile robot having an imaging device (such as CCD camera) for taking an image utilizing incident light from external world in which a human being to be imaged is present, brightness reduction operation is executed to reduce brightness of a high-brightness imaging region produced by high-brightness incident light, when the high-brightness imaging region is present in the image taken by the imaging device. With this, when the imaged high-brightness imaging region is present owing to high-brightness incident light from the sun or the like, the legged mobile robot can reduce the brightness to image a human being or other object with suitable brightness.

Abstract: A pointing position detection device is provided which, along with enabling a human being to perform pointing operation in a natural manner, can perform detection at high accuracy. The device detects the presence of a human being from an image photographed by cameras and a position at which the human being is pointing, and which includes: a section which, based upon the image, detects a head position of the human being, including at least distance information; a section which, based upon tile image, detects a hand position of the human being, including at least distance information; a section which, based upon the hand position, calculates a hand tip position and a main axis of the hand; and a section which detects a pointing direction, based upon the head position, the hand tip position, and the main axis, wherein the pointing position is detected based upon the pointing direction.