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 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 system for providing weather fluctuation prediction information includes at least one atmospheric pressure measurement device arranged in a specific local area, and a data processing device processing atmospheric pressure data measured by the atmospheric pressure measurement device. The atmospheric pressure measurement device includes an atmospheric pressure sensor having a pressure sensing device that changes a resonance frequency according to the atmospheric pressure and outputting the atmospheric pressure data according to an oscillation frequency of the corresponding pressure sensing device.

Abstract: In a mobile robot control system, it is configured such that the robot generates time-series data sequentially at a predetermined time interval and transmits them to the external terminal, and the external terminal receives the transmitted time-series data and adds them to the motion command, such that the motion of the robot is determined based on the generated time-series data and the time-series data added to the motion command. With this, it becomes possible to prevent the robot from suddenly starting to move at the time when the communication between the external terminal which is a transmitting source of the motion command and the robot has recovered from disconnection, thereby enabling to avoid making the operator feel unnatural.

Abstract: In a mobile robot control system, it is configured to input at least one of the desired position and orientation of the robot at a time when the robot reaches the desired position by manipulation of the operator, to control the motion of the robot based on the inputted desired position and orientation, and to display a first image indicative of the inputted desired position and orientation by numeric values or language including at least the numeric values and a second image indicative of the inputted desired position and orientation by graphics on a display. With this, the operator can check the desired position and orientation of the robot with both of the numeric values and graphics. As a result, it becomes possible to prevent the operator from manipulating erroneously and operate the robot to be moved or turned as desired by the operator.

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 mobile robot control system, it is configured such that the robot generates time-series data sequentially at a predetermined time interval and transmits them to the external terminal, and the external terminal receives the transmitted time-series data and adds them to the motion command, such that the motion of the robot is determined based on the generated time-series data and the time-series data added to the motion command. With this, it becomes possible to prevent the robot from suddenly starting to move at the time when the communication between the external terminal which is a transmitting source of the motion command and the robot has recovered from disconnection, thereby enabling to avoid making the operator feel unnatural.

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: 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: In a mobile robot control system, it is configured to input at least one of the desired position and orientation of the robot at a time when the robot reaches the desired position by manipulation of the operator, to control the motion of the robot based on the inputted desired position and orientation, and to display a first image indicative of the inputted desired position and orientation by numeric values or language including at least the numeric values and a second image indicative of the inputted desired position and orientation by graphics on a display. With this, the operator can check the desired position and orientation of the robot with both of the numeric values and graphics. As a result, it becomes possible to prevent the operator from manipulating erroneously and operate the robot to be moved or turned as desired by the operator.

Abstract: In an abnormality detection system of a mobile robot, it is configured such that it is self-diagnosed whether the quantity of state is an abnormal value, or whether at least one of the internal sensor, etc., is abnormal and when an abnormality is self-diagnosed, abnormality information is outputted, then the degree of abnormality is discriminated based on the outputted abnormality information and the robot is driven into a stable state in response to the discriminated degree of abnormality. With this, it becomes possible to effectively utilize the abnormality detection result. In addition, since the robot is driven into a stable state in response to the discriminated degree of abnormality, it becomes possible to render the driving appropriate.

Abstract: In a force sensor abnormality detection system for a legged mobile robot having a force sensor installed between a foot and each leg and producing an output indicative of floor reaction force acting from a floor on which the foot contacts, the robot is controlled to to perform a walking-in-place motion when the robot is powered on, it is discriminated whether the output of the force sensor during the walk-in-place motion are within a predetermined range, and abnormality of the sensor is detected based on a result of the discrimination, thereby enabling detection of force sensor abnormality with high accuracy in a legged mobile robot whose feet are equipped with force sensors for detecting floor reaction forces.

Abstract: In an abnormality detection system of a mobile robot, it is configured such that it is self-diagnosed whether the quantity of state is an abnormal value, or whether at least one of the internal sensor, etc., is abnormal and when an abnormality is self-diagnosed, abnormality information affixed with a time on which the abnormality occurred is outputted to be stored in an internal memory and in an external memory. With this, it becomes possible to improve the reliability of abnormality detection of the mobile robot and by storing the information affixed with a time on which the abnormality occurred, it becomes possible to ascertain accurately the course of events leading up to the abnormality. It is further configured such that in addition to a time on which the abnormality occurred, the information is stored in an external memory together with a parameter indicative of the quantity of state.

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: In a force sensor abnormality detection system for a legged mobile robot having a force sensor installed between a foot and each leg and producing an output indicative of floor reaction force acting from a floor on which the foot contacts, the robot is controlled to to perform a walking-in-place motion when the robot is powered on, it is discriminated whether the output of the force sensor during the walk-in-place motion are within a predetermined range, and abnormality of the sensor is detected based on a result of the discrimination, thereby enabling detection of force sensor abnormality with high accuracy in a legged mobile robot whose feet are equipped with force sensors for detecting floor reaction forces.

Abstract: In an abnormality detection system of a mobile robot, it is configured such that it is self-diagnosed whether the quantity of state is an abnormal value, or whether at least one of the internal sensor, etc., is abnormal and when an abnormality is self-diagnosed, abnormality information is outputted, then the degree of abnormality is discriminated based on the outputted abnormality information and the robot is driven into a stable state in response to the discriminated degree of abnormality. With this, it becomes possible to effectively utilize the abnormality detection result. In addition, since the robot is driven into a stable state in response to the discriminated degree of abnormality, it becomes possible to render the driving appropriate.