Robot control method and apparatus

A robot control apparatus, for controlling a robot during interaction with a human, the apparatus comprising:

• at least one memory, configured to store machine-readable code;
• and
• at least one processor, configured to call the machine-readable code to cause the apparatus to:
• detect a current location of the human;
• determine at least four regions surrounding the human according to the current location of the human detected, a type of the at least four regions including at least a movement forbidden region, an interaction allowed region, a free movement region, and a slow movement region, the slow movement region surrounding the movement forbidden region, and the movement forbidden region including a first movement forbidden region determined according to a recorded relatively highest position of the human and a third movement forbidden region surrounding the interaction allowed region, wherein the first movement forbidden region is u sable for protecting safety of the human upon the human moving suddenly and the third movement forbidden region prevents the robot from entering the interaction allowed region without the human moving the interaction allowed region to the robot such that the robot may interact with the human in the interaction allowed region in response to the interaction allowed region being moved to the robot;
• and
• control movement of the robot in any region of the at least four regions, to protect safety of the human during interaction between the human and the robot by
• controlling the robot not to move in the movement forbidden region,
• controlling the robot to interact with the human in the interaction allowed region by controlling the robot to move in the interaction allowed region in response to a movement of the human,
• controlling the robot to freely move in the free movement, and
• controlling the robot to move in the slow movement region at a speed not higher than a speed threshold configured to ensure that the robot stops after entering the movement forbidden region.

A non-transitory machine-readable medium, storing machine-readable code, wherein the machine-readable code, when called by at least one processor, causes the at least one processor to perform a method for controlling a robot during interaction with a human, the method including at least:

• detecting a current location of the human;
• determining at least four regions surrounding the human according to the current location of the human detected, a type of the four regions including at least a movement forbidden region, an interaction allowed region, a free movement region, and a slow movement region, the slow movement region surrounding the movement forbidden region, and the movement forbidden region including a first movement forbidden region determined according to a recorded relatively highest position of the human and a third movement forbidden region surrounding the interaction allowed region, wherein the first movement forbidden region is usable for protecting safety of the human upon the human moving suddenly and the third movement forbidden region prevents the robot from entering the interaction allowed region without the human moving the interaction allowed region to the robot such that the robot may interact with the human in the interaction allowed region in response to the interaction allowed region being moved to the robot;
• and
• controlling movement of the robot in any region of the at least four regions, to protect safety of the human during interaction between the human and the robot, the controlling the movement including
• controlling the robot not to move in the movement forbidden region,
• controlling the robot to interact with the human in the interaction allowed region by controlling the robot to move in the interaction allowed region in response to a movement of the human,
• controlling the robot to freely move in the free movement region, and
• controlling the robot to move in the slow movement region at a speed not higher than a speed threshold configured to ensure that the robot stops after entering the movement forbidden region.