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Fujitsu Laboratories Ltd. and Fujitsu
Frontech Limited have joint developmed a service robot that is
scheduled to go on sale in June 2005. The robot can provide
support for various services in offices, commercial facilities,
and other public areas in which people work or spend leisure
time. The newly developed robot features functions that enable
it to provide such services as greeting and escorting guests
onto elevators, operating the elevators, moving parcels using a
cart, and security patrolling of buildings at night.
There is great anticipation for the application of robots for a
wide range of fields such as in medical services, social
services, housework, and so on. According to Japan's Ministry of
Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), societal expectations are
high for robots to contribute to the realization of an enriched
society. Fujitsu Laboratories has been conducting ongoing R&D on
robots for practical use, in the quest for robots to support
people in their daily lives and make their lives more
convenient.
Fujitsu's past robot offerings include the bipedal robots
HOAP-1, that was developed in September 2001, and HOAP-2
developed in March 2003, both of which were designed for a broad
range of applications for R&D of robot technologies and which
are commercially available from Fujitsu Automation Limited.
Fujitsu also developed MARON-1 in October 2002, a home robot
that can be controlled from a mobile phone and which is being
sold by PFU Limited on a limited basis. Building on its past
expertise in developing robots for R&D and home-use
applications, Fujitsu went further to the next level by
developing a robot that can co-exist with people and provide
services in a variety of places such as offices and public
facilities.
The new service robot is comprised of a head capable of moving
up, down, left, and right, arms with four degrees of freedom(1),
left and right motor-driven wheels that can rotate
independently, a CPU that controls the entire robot, and a 3D
visual processing system comprised of a digital signal processor
(DSP)(2) and custom hardware.
Key features of the robot are as follows:
1. Ability to autonomously move to a designated location
according to a pre-programmed map while carefully avoiding
obstacles
The robot is capable of quickly perceiving people or things in
its surrounding areas while simultaneously measuring their
location, through the use of two cameras which can be quickly
self-selected from its eight available cameras as necessary,
using the newly developed 3-D visual processing system. Visual
processing enables the robot to detect and avoid obstacles so
that it can move safely to a designated location, thereby making
it capable of completing tasks alongside people.
2. Ability to perceive, take hold of, and hand objects to
people
By utilizing visual processing the robot can hold things and
press buttons, such as elevator buttons. The arms can move
naturally and smoothly through the use of the central pattern
generator (CPG)/ numerical perturbation (NP) method(3) developed
by Fujitsu, which simulates the nervous system of vertebrates.
3. Ability to turn toward voices when called, and accomplish
tasks by following voice instructions
The robot is equipped with multiple microphones that enable
detection of the direction of a sound source. The robot can also
visually detect people, and can understand and complete simple
tasks that are instructed verbally.
4. Functions to search for information according to users'
needs and present the information using the most appropriate
method
The robot can connect to the Internet, search for information
according to user request, and present the information in the
method that best fits the situation, such as by announcing the
information, displaying the information on its own display,
pointing to information on a separate source, and so on. Various
kinds of Internet services can be provided through the robot by
using its network-related functions. Self-equipped with a web
server, the robot can be instructed, programmed and
remote-controlled from an external devices such as computers,
that do not feature specific applications for the robot.
5. Self-charging
When low on power, the robot autonomously moves to a charger to
self-charge by using high-density non-contact charging based on
an induction charging method to enable safe charging.
6. Ability to flexibly maneuver itself within compact spaces,
on slopes, over minor surface gradations, and complete tasks
The robot can pivot on the spot by using two driving wheels that
move independently. It also can move flexibly and smoothly over
slopes and uneven surfaces, by utilizing a hing that connects
its front and back driving wheels.
7. Natural, easy-to-understand human-like voice
Utilizing the natural prosody speech synthesis method(4)
developed by Fujitsu Laboratories Ltd., the robot is capable of
natural, human-like speech.
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