FIELD

The present invention relates to a robot.

BACKGROUND

Robots include an installation type robot and a humanoid robot. Sota (registered trademark in Japan) manufactured by Vstone Co., Ltd. is an example of the installation type robot. In addition, Pepper (registered trademark in Japan) manufactured by SoftBank Robotics Corp. is an example of the humanoid robot.

The installation type robot performs simple operations such as indicating, a direction by holding out a hand, for example, in response to a question from a user. A degree of freedom of operation of the installation type robot is relatively low, and is close to a gesture synchronized with audio output. The installation type robot has a simple configuration, and can therefore be reduced in size and cost. However, it is difficult for the installation type robot to perform an expression such as an emotional expression or the like by a gesture at a time of interaction with the user.

On the other hand, the humanoid robot has joints substantially similar to those of a human, and can therefore indicate a direction by an arm, a hand, or a finger, or incline a head. A degree of freedom of operation of the humanoid robot is relatively high, so that an expression such as an emotional expression or the like can be performed by a gesture. However, in order for the humanoid robot to bow, for example, many joints of arms, feet, shoulders, a waist, a neck, and the like need to be controlled appropriately. Therefore, in addition to a complex configuration of the joints and the like, complex control of the joints and the like is required of the humanoid robot. In addition, because of the complex configuration of the joints and the like, it is difficult to reduce size and cost of the humanoid robot.

Hence, it becomes difficult to perform an expression such as an emotional expression or the like by a gesture when the degree of freedom of operation is reduced as in the installation type robot, and it becomes difficult to reduce the size and cost of the robot when enabling an expression such as an emotional expression or the like by a gesture by increasing the degree of freedom of operation as in the humanoid robot. In such a trade-off relation depending on an increase or a decrease in the degree of freedom of operation of the robot, there is a desire to perform expressions such as many emotional expressions and the like by gestures with a low degree of freedom of operation.

SUMMARY

According to one aspect of the embodiments, a robot for performing an expression by a non-verbal reaction, includes a body including a lower part provided so as to be capable of panning and tilting with respect to a support point coupled to a placement surface; a pair of arms provided to side parts of the body so as to be capable of moving up and down; and a head provided to an upper part of the body so as to be capable of panning and tilting, wherein the non-verbal reaction includes a combination of the tilting of the body with respect to the support point and movement of the pair of arms or the head or any combination thereof.

The object and advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by means of the elements and combinations particularly pointed out in the claims.

It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are not restrictive of the invention.

