Home-Use Object Transfer/Storage Robot System with Compliant Strategy and Mechanism (Commodities Management and its Extended Application of Daily Life Support for the Elderly)

Abstract

This research describes the strategy and mechanism design methodology to realize a robot system that transfers and stores daily use objects in our living space. Unlike industrial applications, there are three specific problems in the home application: (1) variation of living environment, (2) diversity of daily use objects, (3) dispersion of human activity. First, we presented a concept of strategic compliance as a basic solution for these problems and extracted three fundamental functions (regulation, assist/enforce, and navigation) for the strategy. Second, we aimed to realize a robust robot motion by introducing adequate mechanisms which are suitable for the strategy. The mechanisms are; (1) passive mechanical compliance and (2) object constraint methodology with “caging.” As an actual prototype system, a home-use logistical support robot system implemented with those strategies and mechanisms is constructed. By experiments, validity of the presented methodology was confirmed. In addition to the domestic logistical application, we considered applying the proposed system to the elderly people support, and developed prototypes of supporting instruments; lavatory and refrigerator containers. The basic design of the instruments is also introduced.