TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a multi-operation unit integration device, a control method therefor, and an autonomous learning type robot device, and particularly relates to an operation unit including an actuator, a sensor, and a learning unit, a multi-operation unit integration device constructed with an integration module that integrates a plurality of operation units, a multi-operation unit integration device control method, and an autonomous learning type robot device.

BACKGROUND ART

In constructing a conventional robot device, enormous programming and high expertise are required, which results in an inhibiting factor of introducing the robot device. Thus, there has been proposed an autonomous learning type robot device that decides operation by itself based on information about various sensors attached to the robot device.

The autonomous learning type robot device is expected to generate flexible operation with respect to various environmental changes by storing and learning an operation experience of the robot device itself. Examples of the operation experience of the robot device include a method in which an operator or a user directly teaches and stores the operation in the robot device and a method for imitating the operation of a person or another robot device.

In general, the autonomous learning type robot device includes a learning device called a learning unit, which stores sensor information during the operation experience and adjusts a parameter in order to generate the operation. The stored operation is called learning data, the parameter adjustment is called learning, and the learning of the learning unit is performed using the learning data. The learning unit defines an input and output relation in advance and repeats the learning such that an expected output value is output with respect to an input value to the learning unit.

For example, joint angle information about the robot device during a certain operation experience is stored as time series information. It is assumed that using the obtained learning data, the joint angle information at time (t) is input to the learning unit and time series learning is performed so as to predict the joint angle information at time (t+1). The joint angle information about the robot device is sequentially input to the learning unit in which the learning is completed, which allows the autonomous learning type robot device to automatically generate the operation according to an own state.

As to the learning of the robot device, in NPL 1, a plurality of operation patterns can be generated based on the sensor information by integratedly learning a plurality of pieces of sensor information, and ability to automatically generate the operation according to the environment change is acquired.

In a robot device disclosed in PTL 1 constructed with a plurality of operation units, an operation history of the operation unit is stored in a storage, and the operation can be decided even if the operation unit is replaced, so that the robot device that can improve usability is constructed. An operation result of each operation unit is evaluated based on a predetermined reference to optimize the operation, which allows acquirement of ability to decide the operation suitable for a command given from an outside.

CITATION LIST

Patent Literature

PTL 1: International Publication No. WO 00/41853

Non-Patent Literature

NPL 1: “Generation of folding operation generation of flexible objects by multidegree-of-freedom robot using deep learning”, Kanata Suzuki, Shiro Takahashi, Gordon Chen, and Tetsuya Ogata, The 78th National Convention of IPSJ, Mar. 10, 2015, Keio University

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

Technical Problem

According to NPL 1, the autonomous learning type robot device can achieve generation of flexible operation with respect to various environmental changes. When a structure of the autonomous learning type robot device that has completed learning is changed, the number of inputs and outputs to and from the learning unit and a type of input and output information change. For this reason, it is necessary to store learning data again to learn the learning unit, which results in a problem in that it takes time and labor. It is difficult to apply the acquired learning unit to a robot having a different structure and different degrees of freedom, and there is a problem in that it is not easy to use.

In PTL 1, the operation of each operation unit can be optimized because an operation result of each operation unit is updated based on a predetermined reference with respect to target operation. However, it is difficult to optimize the operation of the entire robot device.

The present invention has been made in consideration of the above points, and an object of the present invention is to provide a multi-operation unit integration device capable of generating the optimum operation of an entire device, a method for controlling the multi-operation unit integration device, and an autonomous learning type robot device having scalability.

Solution to Problem

According to one aspect of the present invention, in a multi-operation unit integration device including: a plurality of operation units each of which includes a movable unit; and an integration module, the integration module includes an operation timing unit that gives operation timings of the plurality of operation units based on an operation instruction input from an outside, and the operation unit includes: a plurality of operation learning units that generate a control signal given to the movable unit according to an operation timing signal from the operation timing unit of the integration module; drive means for driving the movable unit of the operation unit according to the control signal; and a sensor that detects a state quantity of the movable unit driven by the drive means, and an autonomous learning type robot device is configured using the multi-operation unit integration device as a control portion.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a method for controlling a multi-operation unit integration device including a plurality of operation units each of which includes a movable unit, and an integration module. The integration module disassembles a series of operation instructions input from an outside into individual operation instructions, designates the individual operation unit that undertakes the disassembled operation instruction, and gives an operation timing signal to the designated operation unit, and the designated operation unit drives the movable unit in response to the operation timing signal from the integration module.

Advantageous Effects of Invention

According to the present invention, the operation units can be exchanged, the scalability of the autonomous learning type robot device can be achieved, and the optimum operation of the entire autonomous learning type robot device can be generated.

