Abstract: A method conducted by a control device which controls an apparatus based on contents of user's speech, the method including: detecting a change in a state of at least one of a plurality of apparatuses; identifying a control target apparatus from among the plurality of apparatuses based on first information indicative of the change in the state; and in a case where the control target apparatus is identified, starting voice acceptance processing of accepting voice of the user by using a sound collecting device, and outputting a notification for urging a user to make a speech related to the control target apparatus.

Abstract: A topic providing device includes a candidate topic extractor, a provided topic determiner, a voice synthesizer, and a speaker. When a determination is made that a parent and child are conversing and that there is a need to provide a new topic to the parent and child, based on a conversation history database and a child activity database storing at least one activity name indicating an activity the child was engaged in for a first predetermined period of time, the candidate topic extractor extracts at least one candidate topic that corresponds to the at least one activity name in the child activity database and does not correspond to an activity name included in text data recorded in a first database. From the at least one candidate topic, the provided topic determiner selects one topic to provide to the parent and the child. The voice synthesizer generates voice data containing the one topic. The speaker outputs the voice data.

Abstract: A voice recognition method is provided that includes extracting a first speech from the sound collected with a microphone connected to a voice processing device, and calculating a recognition result for the first speech and the confidence level of the first speech. The method also includes performing a speech for a repetition request based on the calculated confidence level of the first speech, and extracting with the microphone a second speech obtained through the repetition request. The method further includes calculating a recognition result for the second speech and the confidence level of the second speech, and generating a recognition result from the recognition result for the first speech and the recognition result for the second speech, based on the confidence level of the calculated second speech.

Abstract: A method is provided for correcting a dictionary used in a voice processing apparatus. The method includes first extracting a speech of a target speaker from audio collected by a microphone, and estimating a speech phonemic sequence configuring the speech. The method also includes calculating a match degree, using a first dictionary, between the speech phonemic sequence and a first phonemic sequence that corresponds to a first word registered in the first dictionary, and second extracting the first word corresponding to a highest match degree as a spoken word spoken by the target speaker. The method further includes first correcting a second dictionary based on the highest match degree, the second dictionary indicating a relation between a second word and a third word, and second correcting the second dictionary by correcting the relation between the third word matching the spoken word and the second word.

Abstract: A processor, when a distance indicated by a distance information is greater than or equal to a first reference distance, displays, in a display, a second number of first objects each corresponding to each or a plurality of a first number of apparatuses and indicative of a state of the corresponding apparatus, and when a distance indicated by the distance information is less than the first reference distance, selects a third number of apparatuses from among the first number of apparatuses according to a predetermined condition, the third number being smaller than the first number, to display, in the display, a fourth number of second objects each corresponding to each or a plurality of the third number of apparatuses and indicative of a state of the corresponding apparatus.

Abstract: A robot including a spherical housing made up of a main housing portion, a first spherical cap portion, and a second spherical cap portion. The main housing portion is disposed between the first spherical cap portion and the second spherical cap portion. The robot further including a weight that is provided in the main housing portion and configured to rotate around a pivot that is orthogonal to a shaft connecting the spherical cap portions. When outputting a response to an input instruction received from a user, via an input device, based on a predetermined processing is determined to require a predetermined time or more, a robot controls a first drive mechanism during the predetermined processing such that the first drive mechanism rotates a weight around the pivot to reciprocally move the weight in the opposite directions of the pivot.

Abstract: A robot includes a main casing, a first spherical cap and a second spherical cap, and a shaft linking the spherical caps. The robot further includes a display, a first driving mechanism causing the first and second spherical caps to be rotated by the shaft, and a second driving mechanism that causes the main casing to be rotated. The robot also includes a control circuit and an electric power source, charged by electric power from an external charger. If the remaining electric power of the electric power source is lower than or equal to a predetermined value, the second driving mechanism is controlled to stop rotation of the main casing, and the first driving mechanism is controlled to switch a rotational direction of the first spherical cap and the second spherical cap, causing the display to be reciprocally moved in a vertical direction.

Abstract: A robot controlled by a control circuit moves to a predetermined target point by rotating its spherical body. The robot detects a value of a pitch angle and then determines a minimum control amount corresponding to the statistical value of the pitch angle. When the robot arrives at a predetermined distance short of the predetermined target point, the control circuit generates a deceleration control amount for a drive mechanism greater than or equal to the minimum control amount. The control circuit then decelerates rotation of the spherical body by controlling the drive mechanism in accordance with the deceleration control amount.

Abstract: A voice recognition method is provided that includes extracting a first speech from the sound collected with a microphone connected to a voice processing device, and calculating a recognition result for the first speech and the confidence level of the first speech. The method also includes performing a speech for a repetition request based on the calculated confidence level of the first speech, and extracting with the microphone a second speech obtained through the repetition request. The method further includes calculating a recognition result for the second speech and the confidence level of the second speech, and generating a recognition result from the recognition result for the first speech and the recognition result for the second speech, based on the confidence level of the calculated second speech.

Abstract: A control method includes executing a first application for operating a first appliance in order to provide a first service to a user. As a result, a first command is transmitted to the appliance corresponding to the first application. A second application is then executed for operating the first equipment in order to provide a second service to the user. As a result, a second command is transmitted to the appliance corresponding to the second application. Execution of at least the first application is terminated when the first application and the second application are alternately executed on the first appliance at least a predetermined number of times to stop the transmission of the first command to the first appliance.

Abstract: A method of controlling a plurality of equipment pieces by a controller including a microphone, a sensor, and a speaker includes collecting, with the microphone, sound around the controller, sensing, with the sensor, a location of a person with respect to the plurality of equipment pieces, generating sensing data based on the sensing, extracting an utterance for controlling the plurality of equipment pieces from the sound collected by the microphone, in accordance with the utterance, identifying a target equipment piece to be controlled among the plurality of equipment pieces, determining whether to control the target equipment piece based on the sensing data, when the control equipment piece is determined to be controlled, generating an audio response for verifying whether to control the target equipment piece in accordance with the utterance, and causing the speaker to output the audio response.

Abstract: A robot including a spherical housing made up of a main housing portion, a first spherical cap portion, and a second spherical cap portion. The main housing portion is disposed between the first spherical cap portion and the second spherical cap portion. The robot further including a weight that is provided in the main housing portion and configured to rotate around a pivot that is orthogonal to a shaft connecting the spherical cap portions. When outputting a response to an input instruction received from a user, via an input device, based on a predetermined processing is determined to require a predetermined time or more, a robot controls a first drive mechanism during the predetermined processing such that the first drive mechanism rotates a weight around the pivot to reciprocally move the weight in the opposite directions of the pivot.

Abstract: A topic providing device includes a candidate topic extractor, a provided topic determiner, a voice synthesizer, and a speaker. When a determination is made that a parent and child are conversing and that there is a need to provide a new topic to the parent and child, based on a conversation history database and a child activity database storing at least one activity name indicating an activity the child was engaged in for a first predetermined period of time, the candidate topic extractor extracts at least one candidate topic that corresponds to the at least one activity name in the child activity database and does not correspond to an activity name included in text data recorded in a first database. From the at least one candidate topic, the provided topic determiner selects one topic to provide to the parent and the child. The voice synthesizer generates voice data containing the one topic. The speaker outputs the voice data.

Abstract: A robot having a spherical casing, a control circuit and a communication circuit configured to connect to an external server is provided. The robot further includes a set of wheels included in the spherical casing, which comes into contact with an inner surface of the spherical casing and configured to rotate the spherical casing when the driving wheels are driven. The control circuit is configured to, when determining that performing a predetermined processing in response to an input instruction received from a user requires a predetermined amount of time or more, causes each of the set of driving wheels to rotate in opposite directions from each other to rotate the spherical casing during the predetermined processing. When the predetermined processing is complete and a response is to be output, the control circuit stops rotation of the spherical casing with the set of wheels facing toward the user.

Abstract: A robot having a spherical casing, a weight driving mechanism, and a rotating mechanism is provided. The robot further includes a control circuit that controls the weight driving mechanism and the rotating mechanism is also provided. The control circuit is configured to, when responding to an input instruction received from a user, based on a predetermined processing that requires a predetermined amount of time or more to respond to an input instruction by a user input via an input device, cause the weight driving mechanism to be rotated to where a guide path of the weight driving mechanism is positioned to be orthogonal to an advancing direction by a set of driving wheels. The control circuit is further configured to cause the weight to be reciprocally move along the guide path that is positioned orthogonal to the advancing direction, during the predetermined processing.

Abstract: A method is provided for correcting a dictionary used in a voice processing apparatus. The method includes first extracting a speech of a target speaker from audio collected by a microphone, and estimating a speech phonemic sequence configuring the speech. The method also includes calculating a match degree, using a first dictionary, between the speech phonemic sequence and a first phonemic sequence that corresponds to a first word registered in the first dictionary, and second extracting the first word corresponding to a highest match degree as a spoken word spoken by the target speaker. The method further includes first correcting a second dictionary based on the highest match degree, the second dictionary indicating a relation between a second word and a third word, and second correcting the second dictionary by correcting the relation between the third word matching the spoken word and the second word.

Abstract: A robot includes a spherical housing, a frame disposed in the housing, and a display that displays at least a facial feature of the robot. The robot further includes a set of driving wheels that are in contact with an inner surface of the housing to rotate the housing, and a weight driving mechanism that causes a weight to move along a predetermined axis. Also, the robot includes a power supply that is externally charged and supplies electric power to the set of driving wheels and weight driving mechanism, and a control circuit that stops rotation of the set of driving wheels and moves the weight along the predetermined axis to correspondingly move the display vertically.

Abstract: A robot includes a main casing, a first spherical cap and a second spherical cap, and a shaft linking the spherical caps. The robot further includes a display, a first driving mechanism causing the first and second spherical caps to be rotated by the shaft, and a second driving mechanism that causes the main casing to be rotated. The robot also includes a control circuit and an electric power source, charged by electric power from an external charger. If the remaining electric power of the electric power source is lower than or equal to a predetermined value, the second driving mechanism is controlled to stop rotation of the main casing, and the first driving mechanism is controlled to switch a rotational direction of the first spherical cap and the second spherical cap, causing the display to be reciprocally moved in a vertical direction.

Abstract: A method of controlling a plurality of equipment pieces by a controller including a microphone, a sensor, and a speaker includes collecting, with the microphone, sound around the controller, sensing, with the sensor, a location of a person with respect to the plurality of equipment pieces, generating sensing data based on the sensing, extracting an utterance for controlling the plurality of equipment pieces from the sound collected by the microphone, in accordance with the utterance, identifying a target equipment piece to be controlled among the plurality of equipment pieces, determining whether to control the target equipment piece based on the sensing data, when the control equipment piece is determined to be controlled, generating an audio response for verifying whether to control the target equipment piece in accordance with the utterance, and causing the speaker to output the audio response.

Abstract: Provided is a method for configuring wireless connection settings, a wireless communications apparatus, and a display method, the method being executed by the wireless communications apparatus and including: (a) receiving a first radio signal which includes second configuration information; (b) receiving authentication information for use in authenticating a first device from a second device, the authentication information being uniquely associated with the first device; (c) retaining the authentication information; (d) establishing the wireless connection with the first device, using the second configuration information; (e) transmitting a second radio signal which includes the authentication information, to the first device through the wireless connection established; (f) receiving a third radio signal which includes response information to the authentication information; and (g) transmitting the first configuration information to the first device if the response information indicates that the first device